March 16, 2007
The high cost of high-tech gaming
So why did Sony’s PlayStation 2 outsell its technically far superior successor by more than two-to-one in the US last month?
The answer is easy: price.
NPD’s figures for February show 295,000 of the $125 PlayStation 2s sold compared to 127,000 PS3s.
Next week, the PS3 will go on sale in the UK and Europe, costing the equivalent of $825.
Sony sold more than 50 per cent of its PS1s after the price dropped below $100, so the company is playing the long game in expecting a slow pick-up for the PS3 and continued strength for the PS2, particularly with its strong games line-up, headed by God of War.
The PS3 remains a poor third to Nintendo’s Wii and Microsoft’s Xbox 360, which recorded sales of 335,000 and 228,000 units respectively in February.
Both significantly undercut the PS3 on price, although Microsoft showed it was not afraid to put huge price tags on games today, when it released details of the long-awaited launch of Halo 3.
The “Legendary Edition” will sell for $130, more than double the standard price for next-generation games.
Microsoft says there will be limited quantities and the version will include a Spartan helmet case, two bonus disks and some storyboard artwork. There will also be a “Limited Edition” priced at $70 and “Standard Edition” at $60.
Halo 3 is expected to be released in mid-November on the Xbox 360.
Sir:
Posted by: Firozali A.Mulla MBA PhD | March 17th, 2007 at 9:08 am | Report this commentSony created a niche in the market with the walkman and the triton gun TV. This cannot be forgotten easily. Put simply Red Hat will not be able to compete Windows. The fists one tried to give free test while the market was already on the run for the windows. The PCS were loaded with windows. Who on earth would want to format the disk to put in another OS.
That way the Sony has created the name and will carry on playing game in the better manner.
Thank you.
Firozali A. Mulla MBA PhD
P.O.Box 6044
Dar-Es-Salaam
Tanzania