Sony's David Reeves says PS3 victory in sight

Apparently Sony has decided to start both hangin' tough and unleashing the fury in the console wars, at least in Europe. According to SCEE president, CEO, and player-hater David Reeves, 2008 will be the year that the PlayStation 3 takes the gloves off and makes a nasty dent in the UK games market, amongst others. While not specifying official sales numbers for the machine, Reeves stated that the company has sold over a million systems in December across PAL territories, and went on to say that in some markets like Switzerland and France, the PS3's installed base outnumbers the Xbox 360's. Of course, it's easy to find small victories like monthly sales figures, but Sony's really going to have to break out the BFGs if it wants to tackle the big boys.

[Via Pocket-lint]

[Quentyn @ Jan 25th 2008 3:04PM]

Ok, now say this about American sales, Reeves :). Likely of Sony to skew numbers and figures.

Coughreporting ps3 sales of 1.2 million over the holidays when it was really PS3, + pS2, + PSP+cough

[Smart People Play Tuba @ Jan 25th 2008 3:32PM]

If they drop the PS3 to $299 like they say they're not doing (which means they are), that'll help.

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/01/24/sony_denies_new_ps3_pricing/

[SimbaDogg @ Jan 25th 2008 3:53PM]

cough...cough quentyn, check up on your facts, cough
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aTeFu5Dy3teo&refer=home

[Temple @ Jan 25th 2008 4:18PM]

>>Ok, now say this about American sales, Reeves :).

Why would Reeves, who is only in charge of European division, comment on US sales? But if the 360 falls behind the PS3 & Wii in Europe (like it already has in Asia), it pretty much only leaves America.

[deedeedee @ Jan 25th 2008 5:01PM]

what SONY need to do is wait till right before FFXIII or MGS4 comes out and BAMN~! drop the price to $299, we'll then see PS3 sales rocket launch to infinity...

But we know this is not gonna happen since Sony cant let go of its greed...especially now all the good news about bluray and they are one step closer to win the format war, they are likely to make stupid decisions at this point.

[Pete @ Jan 25th 2008 5:38PM]

They are dropping to $299 already?! At this rate I think I will just wait until next year when it will be free.

[Maci @ Jan 26th 2008 3:14AM]

Dee, why not keep the price the same, have all the consoles be sold, wait a few weeks, then drop them. This way you get just as many people purchasing them. Those who were on the line will jump for them while the ones already sold get more profit.

[Eddie @ Jan 25th 2008 3:12PM]

Not in america until they get the big titles out. Itll be much more interesting to see the numbers once the likes of FFXIII come out.

[Teddy @ Jan 25th 2008 4:10PM]

When the PS2 came out, I had to have one on day 1. A lot of people got a PS2 at launch or within the first year (2001). With the PS3, I decided to wait it out. Most people who own a PS2 did what I did (maybe they picked up a Wii like I did last year to compliment their aging PS2).

Now the following pieces are falling into place to make 2008 a much better year for PS3:

- A bunch of excellent titles are coming out this year including GTA IV which will "force" me to purchase a PS3 in the next couple of months.

- Blu-ray wins. Now, I don't plan to replace most of the 150-200 DVDs I currently own with BDs, but at least I'll have a Blu-ray player in case I want to take full advantage of the HDTV I purchased last year.

- Most people who want a 360 own one (maybe their 2nd one after their 1st one broke) & the negative media coverage over the 360's reliability.

- Sony will announce a price cut, increase HD capacity, introduce DS3, add a white model (maybe silver ?), upgrade the Blu-ray profile and more.

OK, Sony fanboy mode off...but seriously, I think there's a light at end of the tunnel for Sony. It might still be cloudy when they come out of the tunnel by the end of the year, but at least they'll be out and in a position to pass the 360 in the US which I predict they will.

[LastPhalanx @ Jan 25th 2008 4:58PM]

To Teddy @ Jan 25th 2008 4:10PM

"A bunch of excellent titles are coming out this year including GTA IV which will "force" me to purchase a PS3 in the next couple of months."

Its on the Xbox 360 as well. Plus the 360 has the exclusive release of the first two downloadable episods. Microsoft paid $50 Million for it.

http://blog.wired.com/games/2007/06/take_two_gets_5.html

That should "force" you to get a 360 not a PS3.

[Ethan @ Jan 26th 2008 2:11AM]

Also, once HD-DVD's discontinued, the Xbox 360 will get a blu-ray add-on. I think that'll be the more competitive option.

[Jonathon @ Jan 28th 2008 11:31AM]

Actually, I'm getting ready to buy one (although going to wait and see if those price drop rumors come true). But I'll be buying it mainly for use as a Blue-Ray player...one that just happens to be able to play games.

So depending on how many more people are like me, they may not have to have a "killer game" for it to take off here in the US.

[Eddie @ Jan 28th 2008 12:09PM]

Well I won't lie Jonathon I'm getting ready to buy one too XD
Im just waiting for the white one (looks purty), Dual Shock 3, and the new 120gb models to make my decision.

[biglou @ Jan 25th 2008 3:17PM]

PS3 domination is coming.

[Josh* @ Jan 25th 2008 3:22PM]

You want sales? How about offering a PS3 without gimped BC. Where's the 80GB? Why did you pull the 60GB? Where the ***%$ is Rock Band, etc

[Corey @ Jan 25th 2008 3:24PM]

I'm probably buying a PS3 this year.

Either a new model, should they put hardware BC back in, or an original 60gb via eBay.

[Andir3.0 @ Jan 25th 2008 3:25PM]

While I hear this all the time, I have a 20GB (with a 200GB drive :P) release PS3 and a ton of PS2 games. I've played one PS2 for about 5 minutes... to see if it would work.

[DaW @ Jan 25th 2008 3:35PM]

i spent an extra 70 euro ontop of 500 euro in november just for the 60Gb model but i'v only used BC once, maybe someday it will pay off..

[Bellerophon @ Jan 25th 2008 3:43PM]

I agree. Waiting for Rock Band to come out here is torture =(

[Josh* @ Jan 25th 2008 3:47PM]

Andir, DaW... I have never owned any PlayStation, so I'd like to get through the back catalogue. Ico, Shadow of the Colossus, Okami, Bully, Kingdom Hearts, God of War I & II and the MGS titles to be specific.... Katamari and God Hand for good measure.

Jonesing for Rock Band, too. I'll have to find a second hand 60GB if they don't bring the 80GB over here soonish.

[Andrew @ Jan 25th 2008 4:05PM]

Damn right - if Sony will, in one affordable package (and £300 is fine for me on that count) give us everything they promised (well, maybe not 3 LAN ports, I can do without that,) then I'd be the first in the queue; but, while the SKU I can get has no BC or Dualshock 3, they won't see my cash!

[Backlin @ Jan 25th 2008 3:31PM]

How long has it been in sight now?

[ethana2 @ Jan 25th 2008 7:17PM]

Since we nerds saw 'Other OS' in the menu.
Face it; the 360 is simply incapable of doing anything useful. Oh, they try to make up for it with their own software, but I like pidgin, I like Firefox, and I like AmaroK.

The 360 is worthless. The PS3 is insanely awesome. The Wii was worthless too up until about three weeks ago. Now it's just pathetic, like the xbox and ps2, but with bluetooth.

[Student Driver @ Jan 25th 2008 3:35PM]

I hate Sony, but I am considering a PS3 for:

1. Blu-Ray
2. Upconverting DVDs
3. h.264/AAC movie playback
4. PS2 games
5. PS3 games

There are enough Spongebob and other kid's games still in PS2 land to make backward compatibility an issue for me. I don't want a separate PS2 as I don't feel like cabling excess hardware. The funny thing is the little javascript page on Sony's PS3 site seems to indicate that all the games I've looked up have their issues resolved with firmware updates.

[Vanillacide @ Jan 25th 2008 8:01PM]

@Student Driver

But the PS3 doesn't play PS2 games anymore period. Yes the first model had hardware backwards compatibility, then the second model had gimped BC, now the current models have no BC at all.

[Student Driver @ Jan 25th 2008 8:12PM]

The 80GB is still considered "current" and right now it appears there will be a SKU refresh (probably dropping the bundled game/movie with either unit). I imagine that the North American market drove the "need" to have BC anyway, so they might be holding on to it for a while. In any case, I have found a brand new 60GB so it might not be an issue for me.

I've played a few games on my 360 using backward compatibility in software and know it isn't the best. But, for the games in question it's still useful.

[haixin @ Jan 26th 2008 12:30AM]

Man i was at my local Loblaws just this morning and they still have 3 brand new sealed 60gb and I was shocked.

aside from that, all those who say you hate SONY, keep in mind Sony did bring you some good technologies. Now I, Like Sony but I will say this they have made stupid decisions in the past, present and they will in the future but they have more of a long run goal in sight. That being said, I full well know not everything is Perfect and SONy has to get out of their heads that Consumers have deep pockets cause most of the consumers out there aren't CEO's like David Reeves for example. However, in due time each system will show their true potential even the Wii is going to be coming out with some pretty good games this year so lets not say that this will be a year of the PS3 as most of hope it will be. Afterall, microsoft also has some good title line ups and more exclusive titles, Sony should have secured some more exclusive titles for the PS3 as well but lets wait and see what games come out and what games are actually good based ont he system they are on. ONLY time can tell now, so keep an open mind.

[MikeS @ Jan 25th 2008 3:37PM]

I want to buy one. But until they can make Madden, NCAA football play at more than 30 fps, I am staying away.

[SimbaDogg @ Jan 25th 2008 3:50PM]

that has nothing to do w/ the ps3 itself, it kinda shows how lazy EA sports is when it comes to video games. they are one of the laziest developers around. I think they made an excuse for madden 08 that they weren't used to the ps3, and didn't have time to prep for it...even though they had developed madden 07 more than a year prior.

[Zeus.:God @ Jan 25th 2008 4:33PM]

Simba, it doesn't really matter. The fact of the matter is that the PS3 versions are inferior, and sports games fans likely want the better version, which at the moment is the 360 version, therefore, sports game oriented players have no need for a PS3.

[Evan @ Jan 25th 2008 5:41PM]

@Zeus
PS2 versions usually looked inferior to Xbox versions, and yet PS2 versions usually outsold Xbox versions.

[Rae @ Jan 25th 2008 3:50PM]

i guess a blu-victory means the ps3 was all successful and victorious

[Frank @ Jan 25th 2008 3:55PM]

i own a 40g PS3 and have no PS2 games. i say ditch the BC and move on, big deal if you have to have another console to the side gives more productive time for the developers to put something better in the PS3 than that BC chip

[Corey @ Jan 25th 2008 4:44PM]

Their developers don't need to spend time on anything, the architecture exists. And just because you don't need BC, doesn't mean it's useless. I personally wouldn't ever have a need to go online w/my PS3, but you don't see me pushing for a model w/o LAN.
I've got PS2 games still in the plastic (GTA VC and SA, SOCOM3) that I haven't been able to play because my PS2 (purchased day 1) finally died. I'll buy a PS2 or a PS3, but not both. And there currently aren't any games worth buying a PS3, imo. GTA4, that'll be a different story.

[holycow @ Jan 25th 2008 3:59PM]

OMG that gun is badass!

[steedums @ Jan 25th 2008 4:03PM]

I like how he mentioned no strategies on how he's going to do this in 08. its still far behind in numbers compared to wii or 360. good luck?

[Josh* @ Jan 25th 2008 4:12PM]

"i own a 40g PS3 and have no PS2 games"

JUST AS WELL REALL,Y ISN'T IT?

[Poonanny @ Jan 25th 2008 4:15PM]

PS3 = shit.

Let me see....you make a great game on the xbox360 in 5 months but wait, you spend 15 months trying to make the SAME game on the PS3! That's why in 2008, the PS3 will finally produce good games because they were in development since 2006!

Whoever brings the best games to the market the soonest = winner. I'm still waiting for Gran Turismo 4 on the PSP!

[Student Driver @ Jan 25th 2008 5:06PM]

Yeah, strangely when conversing about Blu-Ray vs. HD DVD, Sony is all about content determining the winner. Yet, when talking about game consoles it seems to be about the powAr of the Cell processor. Hmm, I wonder if the departments communicate with each other.

[Evan @ Jan 25th 2008 5:36PM]

You seem to forget that the PS2 was also hell to program for in the beginning. Sony used to claim that the PS2's "Emotion Engine" was more powerful than the Xbox, but no one has made use of that theoritical power because it's nearly impossible!

But that didn't matter because publishers wanted the games on it, and developers were forced to make games for it regardless of how much they liked or hated the hardware.

[Jeff @ Jan 26th 2008 4:48PM]

Key word being "theoretical"

[MTC73 @ Jan 25th 2008 4:19PM]

Once they hit that $299 price point, things will pick up in America.

[Joshua @ Jan 25th 2008 4:25PM]

BFGKFA!

[Kimleng @ Jan 25th 2008 4:25PM]

When the original Playstation came out, it was expensive as hell compared to what we were used to paying for the Sega Genesis and the Super Nintendo. Those consoles were around $150 at the time. The Playstation debuted at $299. This was incredibly hard to swallow. The games didn't even look all that awesome. Many people held off and stuck to 16bit for 2 more years. Then, the price dropped to $199. The system started selling a bit more. Better titles were released and people started wanting it. Then came the sole reason the Playstation took off. Squaresoft announces Final Fantasy 7. Final Fantasy 7 releases...every Super NES owner on the planet who loved Final Fantasy bought a Playstation. The phenomenon spreads to non-RPGers. EVERYONE MUST OWN A PLAYSTATION JUST TO PLAY FINAL FANTASY 7!!! OMG!!! That game made the system.

Currently, the PS3 has no such game. We do see that 2008 will possibly the Final Fantasy 7 phenomenon back, but as Final Fantasy XIII, MGS4, GT5. History will repeat itself.

[Kimleng @ Jan 25th 2008 4:28PM]

errr... I missed the word "bring" as in bring the FF7 phenomenon back

[Poonanny @ Jan 25th 2008 4:30PM]

Final fantasy isn't going to save PS3.

Bring in World of Warcrack - that game will sure bring in the buyers by the millions.

[holycow @ Jan 25th 2008 4:41PM]

or bring the Heroine Hero ?

[Kamalot @ Jan 25th 2008 5:06PM]

The PS1 was introduced at $299. Yet the Saturn, the PS1's launch combatant, launched at $399!

Compared to the competition, the PS1 was the cheapest guy on the block. Its more simple architecture made it easier to develop games for, so the PS1's library grew quickly. The PS1 also shipped to developers with a robust set of coding tools and libraries to help them make games.

The Saturn had a multi-processor powerhouse under the hood that, when used effectively, could pull off feats that no PS1 could dream of. Yet this meant that developers needed to spend a lot of time and money learning how to make a multi-processor system sing and dance. Most cross-platform games came out worse on the Saturn, and developers shunned it.

If you look at the situation this generation, the Xbox 360 comes with powerful and streamlined development tools that developers can use to make their vision come true. The PS3 uses a completely new multi-core processor that is unlike anything else in the world, and the development tools are lacking.

[Evan @ Jan 25th 2008 5:20PM]

@Kimleng
I think you greatly over-estimate the effect of Final Fantasy 7. FF7 sold 7 million, hardly a dent in the 100 million Playstations sold. I think Halo is proof that console wars are not won by having one or two popular games.

[thud @ Jan 25th 2008 4:25PM]

What's driving the PS3 upswing is 1) price drops, 2) Blu-Ray winning the war but standalone Blu-Ray players are still expensive, and 3) the rapid adoption of HDTV sets. When I bought my Wii, I had a crappy analog TV, PS3 was $600 bucks, and the Wii was (and still is) a good bargain. But having a decent HDTV alters the equation dramatically. Suddenly PS3 is a heck of a lot more attractive.