Why Isnt the PS3 the Mega Hit that the PS2 & PS1 were ?

[wraggster]

The PS3 much like the PS2 when released brought a new video media to the world, Blue Ray for PS3 and DVD for PS2, both consoles at release date were powerful for their time, the PS2 had backwards compatability with PS1, the PS3 did have the same with PS2 but after a few revisions lost that.

Widespread piracy was rampant on the PS2 and indeed the PS1 but that didnt cause the consoles to suffer, infact it most likely helped both become the mega sellers they are today.

So why isnt the PS3 the Mega Seller, what did Sony do and are still doing wrong ?

your replies via comments

[Coagulus]

Piracy basically. Look at the biggest selling machines over the years. They were the consoles easiest to hack/copy games for. This goes right back to tapes on the ZX Spectrum, disks on the amiga, cds for the PS1, carts for the ds etc.

The fact the copy protection is hard to circumvent for the average "casual" gamer must mean lower sales.

Sad but no doubt true.

[edit] I should read your post first, you pretty much said that too!

[Ennohex]

I think it affects console sales. The game sales are a different story. With PS3, at least you know people are gonna buy games. So, yes the pirate-ers buy the "other" console to play games thereby upping the sales. Heck I bought one so that I could play emulators on it.

It comes down to this question really, how many PS3 owners have an X-Box? Got the answer?
Now... how many X-Box owners have a PS3? I think the percentages will speak for themselves.

[Eviltaco64]

Well, PS1 came out with a lot of hype surrounding it and it's software. It became incredibly popular.

PS2 first sold really well as it was both the PS1's successor and a cheap DVD player. As it was supported more and more, more and more software was released for it.

PS3 came out a year after the 360 (which was in high demand), didn't have that much to offer, and the high price left a lot of people out in the cold. Something that's also new to this generation is Microsoft paying companies through the nose for timed exclusives and 360 ports.

PS3 is, in my opinion, the best out of this generation, though.

[Justise]

1. It came one year later.

2. It had crappy backwards compatibility the time when people needed it most. And that time was at consoles lunch were the tittles were limited.

3. The early games were worse than their 360 ports, despite PS3 being a stronger console. Developers said that the had a hard time dealing with PS3s new and complex core, and they decided instead to make inferior ports.

4. The online functions were very very poor. Sony admitted that they never expected online gaming to play such an important role in this generation of games, and now they are trying to fix the shit they had created.

5. The Blue Ray wasn't such a big deal. Unlike the DVD that have introduced us to clearer picture, selectable languages and subtittles, special futures, and eliminated tape rewinding, BD didn't have much to give us. The BD have barely better Menus, and a better picture quality that isn't noticeable unless you have a big-ass latest technology TV. They tried to improve the quality of the old films with filters, but the same filters are already installed in my big Phillips TV, massively improving the quality on the go.

6. It came out with no J-RPGs. Microsoft learn from their mistake with the original Xbox, and in 360s case, they turn into exclusive every possible Japanese RPG that was about to be released out side of Japan on the next gen consoles. Their exclusivity soon wear off, but it was enough to cripple PS3 in its early years of an entire genre of games.

7. The PS3 was way to F*** expensive! It had to many standard futures attached on it, some you'll probably never use, yet it missed out the most important one (backwards compatibility). Microsoft 360 was practically more expensive than the PS3 by having (or promising) all the futures it didn't originally have, as a hardware addon. Yet people were easily tricked thinking that they were saving money with a 360.

8. Crappy sixaxis. The PS3 was also crippled in its early years of it's famous dual shock, dew to a stupid copyrights conflict that no one can deny Microsoft has triggered with $. Instead of the dual shock, the PS3 started with a crappy motion controller that was created in a rush, and is barely used in the games.

[Baboon]

1. It came one year later.

2. It had crappy backwards compatibility the time when people needed it most. And that time was at consoles lunch were the tittles were limited.

3. The early games were worse than their 360 ports, despite PS3 being a stronger console. Developers said that the had a hard time dealing with PS3s new and complex core, and they decided instead to make inferior ports.

4. The online functions were very very poor. Sony admitted that they never expected online gaming to play such an important role in this generation of games, and now they are trying to fix the shit they had created.

5. The Blue Ray wasn't such a big deal. Unlike the DVD that have introduced us to clearer picture, selectable languages and subtittles, special futures, and eliminated tape rewinding, BD didn't have much to give us. The BD have barely better Menus, and a better picture quality that isn't noticeable unless you have a big-ass latest technology TV. They tried to improve the quality of the old films with filters, but the same filters are already installed in my big Phillips TV, massively improving the quality on the go.

6. It came out with no J-RPGs. Microsoft learn from their mistake with the original Xbox, and in 360s case, they turn into exclusive every possible Japanese RPG that was about to be released out side of Japan on the next gen consoles. Their exclusivity soon wear off, but it was enough to cripple PS3 in its early years of an entire genre of games.

7. The PS3 was way to F*** expensive! It had to many standard futures attached on it, some you'll probably never use, yet it missed out the most important one (backwards compatibility). Microsoft 360 was practically more expensive than the PS3 by having (or promising) all the futures it didn't originally have, as a hardware addon. Yet people were easily tricked thinking that they were saving money with a 360.

8. Crappy sixaxis. The PS3 was also crippled in its early years of it's famous dual shock, dew to a stupid copyrights conflict that no one can deny Microsoft has triggered with $. Instead of the dual shock, the PS3 started with a crappy motion controller that was created in a rush, and is barely used in the games.

Nail on the head there really.

[kaferenza]

1. It came one year later.

2. It had crappy backwards compatibility the time when people needed it most. And that time was at consoles lunch were the tittles were limited.

3. The early games were worse than their 360 ports, despite PS3 being a stronger console. Developers said that the had a hard time dealing with PS3s new and complex core, and they decided instead to make inferior ports.

4. The online functions were very very poor. Sony admitted that they never expected online gaming to play such an important role in this generation of games, and now they are trying to fix the shit they had created.

5. The Blue Ray wasn't such a big deal. Unlike the DVD that have introduced us to clearer picture, selectable languages and subtittles, special futures, and eliminated tape rewinding, BD didn't have much to give us. The BD have barely better Menus, and a better picture quality that isn't noticeable unless you have a big-ass latest technology TV. They tried to improve the quality of the old films with filters, but the same filters are already installed in my big Phillips TV, massively improving the quality on the go.

6. It came out with no J-RPGs. Microsoft learn from their mistake with the original Xbox, and in 360s case, they turn into exclusive every possible Japanese RPG that was about to be released out side of Japan on the next gen consoles. Their exclusivity soon wear off, but it was enough to cripple PS3 in its early years of an entire genre of games.

7. The PS3 was way to F*** expensive! It had to many standard futures attached on it, some you'll probably never use, yet it missed out the most important one (backwards compatibility). Microsoft 360 was practically more expensive than the PS3 by having (or promising) all the futures it didn't originally have, as a hardware addon. Yet people were easily tricked thinking that they were saving money with a 360.

8. Crappy sixaxis. The PS3 was also crippled in its early years of it's famous dual shock, dew to a stupid copyrights conflict that no one can deny Microsoft has triggered with $. Instead of the dual shock, the PS3 started with a crappy motion controller that was created in a rush, and is barely used in the games.

Amen

[avtools]

Justise said almost all. 100% agree.

Poor marketing is another factor. Sony has been pushing the PS3 as a hi-tech "HD movie" player, almost ignoring the real customers: gamers.

Moreover, PSN movie store is nothing exciting. It even is IP restricted.

[jasla]

There is another important factor for me: bad strategy accompanied by arrogance. Sony invested a hell lot of money in the development of Cell, planning to sell it for use on a wide range of consumables products and electrical appliances as well. And despite the outrageous high price as a result of the excessive investment costs, Sony always bragged about the superiority of the console underestimating both of its opponents.

[Zack]

Lack of ground breaking titles I guess.

Uncharted is brilliant but give me the Gears Of War series over it anyday.

[pibs]

I think it was because they confused their consumers with HD and the whole GB storage. Many people new to the high definition era thought the only way to play the PS3 was to purchase a HD TV or else it wouldn't work. Then the HDDs they had to chose from different models must of been a pain for a new console owner to make a decision. Then Sony starts removing features from the console... But hey it lowered the price right? There should of only been a 80GB model, and with optional installs of games. That would of been sufficient, if people later wanted to upgrade the HDD Sony could offer services or contract gaming stores to do so for a small fee.

[retrorom]

ask the question again in 4 years... by then the ps3 will be as poular...

[acn010]

the ps3 is actually gaining popularity, slowly....

[kojiro7]

piracy is the main reason
and the few exclusive titles