Tecmo Koei CEO to Sony: "please cut the price" of the PS3

Activision's CEO has already gone public with his complaints about the price of the PS3, and it looks he's not alone among industry bigwigs with a bone to pick with Sony, with the CEO of the newly formed Tecmo Koei now coming out and echoing his concerns. Speaking with CVG, Tecmo Koei's Kenji Matsubara says that whenever he speaks about the issue with Sony reps, he asks them to "please cut the price" of the PS3, adding that "from a publisher's point of view we would welcome a price cut for PS3 and we are waiting, definitely." He doesn't quite go so far as pull an Activision and threaten to ditch support for the console if Sony doesn't drop the price, however, although it seems safe to assume that these complains will only grow louder -- at least until Sony actually does cut the price of the PS3, that is.

[Via gamesindustry.biz]

[mocax @ Jul 4th 2009 11:27AM]

well blow, my 1st gen xbox360 just rrod on me 5minutes ago....

i'll get a ps3 if they cut the price. :D

[AnnoyingPoster @ Jul 4th 2009 11:38AM]

dont. just send the 360 in to ms and get it fixed for free or buy an arcade for $200 at walmart and return the rrod one in the new 360's box

[murmermer @ Jul 4th 2009 12:34PM]

^^^^that doesn't work... does it?^^^

[Sean @ Jul 4th 2009 12:38PM]

Dont go through all that hastle. I spent more time trying to get my 360 fixed than actually playing the damn thing. For 400 dollars, just get a ps3 and don't make the same mistake i did.

[dohspc @ Jul 4th 2009 12:56PM]

Depends where you go walmart doesn't check crap but best buy might check the serials

[Sean @ Jul 4th 2009 12:58PM]

Depends on whether or not you're a horrible person who doesn't deserve any of the stuff you have. Karma's a bitch, and trying to cheat them out of something like that makes you just as bad as they are when they try to cheat other customers or employees out of something.

[GrapeApe @ Jul 4th 2009 1:12PM]

It's not about lowering the post of a PS3, it's about lowering the cost of ROYALTIES for the PS3.

Now company would go about saying lower the price of your console, it's not their place, but saying "lower the cost of development for your platform or else we won't develop for it anymore" is well within reason.

And with PS3 being harder to develop for than the X360 and it being more difficult to port to PC there's alot of incentive for devs to move away from Sony unless this changes.

These requests from Activision and Tecmo are not about lower costs for your knobs, if anything, if Sony relies on these royalties to heavily subsidize the PS3, these request will actually DELAY price drops, not cause them.

[Cris T @ Jul 4th 2009 1:20PM]

I tried to return an iPod to Walmart and they check the serial number and they told me I couldn't return it because they didn't sell it to me. (I got it for free with a new MacBook Pro)

[Mizzike @ Jul 4th 2009 1:35PM]

Go ahead, ever heard of the Yellow screen of death, and the fatal disc drive error?

Yeah bet you haven't, its probably more common than rrod, but as usual, people just continue to jump on the rrod bandwagon.

[put4558350 @ Jul 4th 2009 1:48PM]

@Sean

Why you don't include possibility that Activision's and Tecmo Koei might just drop sony soon ?

If you don't hack xbox360 and you get rrod. Just send xbox360 to ms and get it fixed as many time as you like in 3 year.

[Cheesus(Crust) @ Jul 4th 2009 1:49PM]

MORE common? Are you high? Are you trying to say that >33% of PS3's have Fatal Disk? Your arrogance astounds me.

[Anthony @ Jul 4th 2009 2:27PM]

im sorry but the people who complain about the price mark on ps3 are jus people who suck at saving money or shouldnt even be spending it on videos games cause u kno dam well u got babbies to feed n rent to be paid..

all n all ... sony has lost a lot of money getting this NEXT GENERATION CONSOLe to you at a VERY VERY efficient price for not only a gaming experience, but a whole NEXT-GEN MEDIA CENTER EXTRAVAGANZA!

tho its been quite awhile, a price cut is due.. or atleast sony SHOULD give devs a hand at making games for the effing system..

i laught at you rrod fans hahahha u rather buy a cheaper toy to only have it sent in multiple times or possibly fryd.. when alil extra more for a system for life (while taking good care of course)

xbox controllers suck monkey nuts imo

[hemmy @ Jul 4th 2009 2:38PM]

Thta's not arrogance, that's stupidity.

[Quix @ Jul 4th 2009 3:13PM]

"Yeah bet you haven't" - Mizzike

Probably because IT DOESN'T HAPPEN VERY OFTEN???

RROD is not more infamous because of some vast anti-Microsoft conspiracy; it's more infamous because IT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENED TO MILLIONS OF PEOPLE. (And to many people, more than once (my brother is on his third).)

Like Xbox 360, Mizzike fails.

[Jason @ Jul 4th 2009 3:27PM]

@AnnoyingPoster

That sure sounds like a piece of shit thing to do.

[lanejasper69 @ Jul 4th 2009 3:34PM]

Don't be a dumbass and steal one! Send it to MS and they will fix it. Once you get confirmation they receive it, you can call them with the RA number and ask to please rush it, they will. I got mine back in 7 days. Kharma IS a bitch and if you pull that at some retailers they will kindly ask security to pay you a visit, shortly after the cops will kindly slap you with a shoplifting fee or a ride to jail ESPECIALLY at Fry's. They check the serials on EVERYTHING! I returned RAM once and they checked the serials on it even! They catalogue everything in their database before it even hits the store shelves.

I love my 360 and unless you want to pay extra and get a BD with a console (PS3) I feel personally that the x360 is far better than PS3, especially if you are running it on a Home Media Server. works great on both Mac and PC platforms for streaming etc. and with Netflix integrated that's just a plus!! The PS3 are slick, but I don't think they are worth their price. And what consumer (all of Us) wouldn't want a price drop? :-)

[Prokanda @ Jul 4th 2009 4:15PM]

meh. do what I did. I had my 360 from 2 months after launch... it RRoD'd at the 1.5 year mark... I held onto it and about 6 months later (I think) they upped the warranty for that issue to 3 years. got it replaced, 2 weeks from start to finish, no issue (and a free month of xbox live gold).

fast forward 1.5 years and the replacement RRoD'd. I called.. they explained that I could have just upped the warranty on the replacement by 1 year for 25 bucks or 2 years for 45... but that I'd have to pay 100 to get the warranty upped now because it was completely out of all warranties. I complained and said that it wasn't my fault that they rushed it out to market to beat sony and that the replacement was supposed to be improved.... that this was unacceptable and that I was never notified that I could extend the warranty of the replacement...

...it took about 35 minutes on the phone, but I got my out-of-warranty replacement 360 serviced for free (including shipping) and they put a 90 day warranty on it that I can extend to 1 or 2 years just like the original replacement. they also gave me another month of xbox live gold.


so, I've had an xbox for close to 4 years and it's warrantied to where I will have owned it for close to 6. all completely covered by warranty.

it's not impossible to get what's deserved out of a company if you're patient and reasonable on the phone and let them know that you won't take being jerked around by a company. it's much easier to get help out of customer service reps if you're calm than trying to cheat them and hurting companies/employees that have nothing to do with it.

also... this is one of the best and most hassle-free resolutions to an issue that I've ever had from a company.. on both occasions.
the same can't be said for the issue I had with my original (and the second) ps2's that I owned with laser errors... and I had to wait a full month for the first to be repaired and had to repurchase the console because sony was unreasonable.

everyone has a story... everyone is a fanboy/girl of something. I'm sure that there are people that had good experiences with sony and those that had bad... but bashing one company or the other or thinking of ways to cheat them isn't going to help anyone.

[Richard @ Jul 5th 2009 2:15PM]

"it RRoD'd at the 1.5 year mark... I held onto it and about 6 months later (I think) they upped the warranty for that issue to 3 years"

So you were without a working Xbox for 6 months and you're praising Microsoft for their great service. Despite the console containing an inherent design flaw they tried to screw you out of $100 for a second replacement, forcing you to spend 35 minutes on the phone to convince them otherwise, and yet you continue to praise them. Just what would it take to upset you?

Personally I think you received an abysmal service if I bought a product and received the service you have I would never buy another product from that company again.

[maveric101 @ Jul 5th 2009 6:56PM]

i hope you actually read this reply:

if you are out of warranty (i'm assuming you are), then RROD is actually pretty easy to fix yourself. i think you can send it in to MS and have them fix it for $100, but this is cheaper:

http://copronymous.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/fix-for-the-3rlod.pdf

this fix has a high success rate (don't forget the overheating step). i did it on my own box.

the link in that pdf for a disassembly tutorial is broken, so here is a different one:
http://www.llamma.com/xbox360/repair/Xbox-360-Disassembly.htm
fyi you don't need that opening tool they use, just find something that works.

good luck.

[ishism @ Jul 5th 2009 8:18PM]

@AnnoyingPoster. Why are you giving away trade secrets. We don't want for Walmart to change it's as long as it looks the same return policy.

[Phuz @ Jul 4th 2009 11:30AM]

I hope it's coming soon... though right now there are some good deals.

Best buy - PS3 with MGS4 and Killzone 2 for $399.99
Newegg there's a code to get it down to $359.99.

[EYEPOPER @ Jul 4th 2009 12:59PM]

MAN thats not a good deal..that a Freacking BAD deal..to EXPENSIVE.
SONY wants to monopolize.. Nintendo want us to have Fun and be united with everyone..

Dont you see it?

DAMN..SON WANT ONLY MONEY...
Look at Nintendo GFX are not so bad but they could done it better..but see with that kind of GFX.how many ppl have a wii and how FUN that console is..
Just imagine the NExt Wii how it would be..h

They already announce that it will become something astronomical..and what I ve found the best is that They Accepted that the GFX of the Wii are not so competitive..and they are going to work on it for the next console.

[Marc @ Jul 4th 2009 1:22PM]

I don't see that deal on Best Buy's site.. Sounds good tho. Where did you hear about it?

[SimbaDogg @ Jul 4th 2009 2:42PM]

@ eyepopper

shuttup. how can you say that including 120 dollars worth of AAA games for free (well, i dont know what MSG4 is down to, i think its a greatest hit so lets say 90 dollars) is a good deal. stop being a trolling idiot.

[Smart People Play Tuba @ Jul 4th 2009 3:46PM]

How does one pope an eye, exactly?

[Phuz @ Jul 5th 2009 6:42AM]

http://kotaku.com/5305883/ps3-bundle-includes-mgs4-killzone-2

[Jordan @ Jul 4th 2009 11:42AM]

plz sony plz.....

[bob @ Jul 4th 2009 11:51AM]

Frack sony, they killed the Dreamcast...Boooooooo!!!

[EdgeOne @ Jul 5th 2009 1:37AM]

Its inability to play DVDs and using Microsoft's Window's CE, leaving it wide open for piracy, is what killed Sega's Dreamcast. My friend's kids (who were born about the time I bought it) beg to play the fishing games and Hydro Thunder when they come over. Great console.

[Hotrod @ Jul 4th 2009 12:35PM]

Somehow I read that guys name as masturbation.

[bandigolo @ Jul 4th 2009 12:38PM]

an honest mistake.

[ant @ Jul 4th 2009 1:55PM]

same here. LOL BTW Sony is feeling the heat now. I hope other devs come out like Activision and Tecmo.

[RicoRich196 @ Jul 4th 2009 12:37PM]

While I'd welcome a price cut (since I only own a 360), people have to realize what you're getting for the price of a PS3. It's not just a console, the blu-ray player and integrated wifi alone can justify it's price. I mean look at BR players on the market that have wifi built in they run about $350-400 and they don't have all the things a PS3 has.

[bandigolo @ Jul 4th 2009 12:45PM]

That's not the point. Justify it all you want, the traditional gaming market just isn't buying a $400 console.

Use the automobile analogy. A $40,000 car is vastly superior to a $20,000 car in many ways and is probably worth the price in upgrades. But the $20,000 car will sell 10x as well regardless. That's just a fact.

Sony just needs to admit that including Blu-ray was a strategic mistake, suck it up and eat the cost of bringing the price down.

[Sean @ Jul 4th 2009 12:45PM]

Let me first say that I agree completely with your comment. And let me say that is exactly the problem. They are trying to market this as a blu-ray player and game console because of it's high price. Many consumers will like this option but many just want it for a game console but have to pay a premium. The problem is that many people aren't that smart in looking at what your getting vs. what the price is. It was a no-brainer for me to get a ps3 especially I was a ps2 user and since i was going to convert to blu-ray anyway. The thing that keeping them from the price cut is obviously the price it costs to make a ps3 ($443.99).

[Chinito77 @ Jul 4th 2009 1:13PM]

I didn't think the PS3 was so expensive in the first place. Granted I have a well paying job, are the majority of whiners depending on their parents to buy one or that mall job not cutting it??

I can't remember the last time I bought a game for the PS3. The demos keep me entertained long enough and their aren't any must have exclusive games. I happy using it as a Blu Ray player and a media center with the occasional COD 4 or Burnout Paradise. I know it's a game console and Sony would like to sell more but at this point but I don't think they will slash their prices any time soon. They still have to make up for losses.

I'm not even sure if it matters at this point. I'm not saying the console war is over but I don't think sales wise, the 360 and PS3 will ever top the wii. Granted, I think the better games are on the 360 and PS3. The wii has the casual gamer market, the 360 fan base are serious gamers, and Sony has the I have money in my pockets to buy neat tech crowd.

[GrapeApe @ Jul 4th 2009 1:34PM]

That logic means if M$ added a flashlight, fax machine and copier they could charge another $200 for the X360 because it's 'more than just a console'.

BR is nice, but now that standalone players are $99, and Sony no longer has to compete with HD-DVD (so their disc prices went up), there's not much motivation to spend significantly more for what's still primarily a gaming console, and Sony should realize that by now.

However, once again guys, it's not about lower PS3 prices, it's about lowering development royalties for the PS3 that devs pay.

[The AC Dude @ Jul 4th 2009 2:13PM]

Now I'm not sure about this so correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the cell processor hurting the price of the PS3 also? I mean it seems like the cell processor might be the fatal error, since it's hard to develop for and is much more powerful than it needs to be. It looks like they would have been much better off with a more traditional processor and a more powerful gpu. It seems that at least the blu-ray player is starting to pay-off.

[sk8ordie @ Jul 4th 2009 2:39PM]

"Sony just needs to admit that including Blu-ray was a strategic mistake, suck it up and eat the cost of bringing the price down." -bandigolo

Seriously? You NEED the Blu-ray player to read the game disc. If it wasn't for the Blu Ray, the games couldn't hold much and it wouldn't be next gen. I believe Microsoft use the standard DVD or is it the HD DVD to write games? But both of those are no where near the Blu Ray...

[Eh? @ Jul 5th 2009 10:15AM]

The Xbox 360 uses standard DVD's for the games, not HD-DVD.

Even so, currently there is very little in the way of difference between the two consoles graphics-wise in the games department as (with the exception of console exclusives) there is little incentive to go the extra mile on the system that has more storage space on the disc. So until that happens, devs will still aim their game development at the level and capabilities of the xbox and then just do a 1:1 port to the best of their ability of what they already have, which ends up rendering the extra storage space on the blu-ray disc rather superfluous.

"It has more room to grow for the future!" only goes so far when a company will likely make more money developing games aimed at the console with the higher attachment rate and user base, the xbox.

[Haytham @ Jul 4th 2009 12:38PM]

it costs sony $400 to make the PS3

[JayVe @ Jul 5th 2009 12:45AM]

Here's a quote from the Sega Saturn Wikipedia page...
"As price drops continued throughout the 32-bit era, the system board design of the Saturn was not as easy to condense in a cost-saving manner and Sega fell behind after price drops offered by Nintendo and Sony. As a marketing strategy, Sega bundled three of its best selling games (Daytona USA, Virtua Cop, Virtua Fighter 2) with the system in order to keep the more expensive Saturn competitive with its rivals. This was not entirely successful as gamers preferred to purchase game titles of their own choice instead, so they turned to cheaper competing systems."

Sony is in the same boat that Sega was in. Their system, the PS3, is too expensive to produce. Instead, they bundle the system with exclusive, high-quality software... but consumers prefer to save the money AND pick their own software. This is especially true in tougher economic times. The funny thing is, Sony KNEW THIS since they forced Sega into the same situation by out-pricing them on the PS1! Yet Sony went ahead and built the Titanic of game consoles... too powerful to be economically feasible.

[Excelsium @ Jul 4th 2009 12:39PM]

The ps3 is TWICE the price of the Xbox 360 in the UK, I don't care if it has blu ray.

[nick @ Jul 4th 2009 12:49PM]

If developers would actually utilize the power of the ps3 you would care. However, since all they do is put out multi-platform cash cows, people don't realize this fact.

Hopefully games will finally be coming out that simply cannot fit on a DVD, then maybe people will finally realize the value of a PS3. Besides, when a graphics card costs over $400 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130496), a PS3 is a damn good deal.

People need to wake up and realize the true cost of other platforms. Especially the PC - that GPU is only one component...think about the CPU you need to buy, the motherboard, the power supply....and oh yeah, that blu ray player.

I really think people need to stop complaining and pony up the cash. Youre going to be playing the thing for the next 10 years, so stop bitching.

And at least you wont be conned into buying a WiiHD after buying all those stupid accessories for the Wii...just saying....

[ant @ Jul 4th 2009 1:58PM]

Exactly. Blu-ray is a dying breed anyway. Digital distribution is what it is all about. Netflix online, Hulu, iTunes.. Just 3 major companies relying on digital/online distro and theyre doing great wouldnt you say? Pretty soon you'll be downloading games like its iTunes music on iPhones. Who said I still want to collect these annoying plastic cases and papers that no one EVER reads or look at?

[Excelsium @ Jul 4th 2009 2:32PM]

@nick

multiple dvds can used and they can be installed the xbox's Hdd.

duhh.

[Monkey with glasses @ Jul 4th 2009 3:16PM]

So buy your logic carrying multiple discs for one game is better than a discs that can contain the whole game? I'll let answer this one.

[Excelsium @ Jul 4th 2009 3:49PM]

look at the price of Blank blu ray media and blu ray drives vs blank dvds + drives, blu ray is vastly more expensive.
i'll be interested only when the price comes down a lot.

[Monkey with glasses @ Jul 4th 2009 4:55PM]

You forgot more advance, but here: blank video tapes are less expensive than blank dvds (store in my hood still has some, for what, I don't know) so I'll wait for dvd price to come down than i'll upgrade.

[Prokanda @ Jul 4th 2009 5:00PM]

@ nick... I'd like to realize the value of this machine before it's 5 years old and about to be replaced... and you have to actually have games come OUT before you can get really big ones that don't fit on a standard dvd.... and as for your argument about videocard prices: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130434 that's what I have in my machine. a GTX260 that comes with COD 4 -WaW.... for 150 after rebate. I paid 200 for it after rebate 3 months ago.

it only costs about 600 bucks for a barebones computer with a graphics card like that... one capable of running actual games... and doing MUCH much more. (yes, I realize that you need a monitor and keyboard/mouse, etc.. but you need a tv, sound system, controllers for a ps3 as well, so it's moot)

how many people want to go out and spend close to double (or over) the price of a dvd for a blu-ray? 30 bucks? throw in 10-20 more and you could get a game that would entertain you for MUCH longer on the computer... or a simple DVD.

now, I'm not talking about the media buffs. I'm talking about the average, everyday people that spend maybe 300 on a small hdtv and won't be buying a library to replace the dvds they accumulated over 10 years... 400 is too much for a console that can't even play ps2 games.

I have a Wii, 360, PS3, a very capable computer, macbook pro, big HDTV... all that.... and I can still see the point behind the ps3 not providing the bang for one's buck.

@ ant: not gonna happen for a while. some people like to pop a disc in and have something VERY high quality, yet simple, and chock-full of extras. for the people who put good money into a nice TV, they want the content that actually takes hold of that technology and makes it useful. we're not to the point where companies can let you download the audio/video/extras quality you get with a 50Gb bluray disc.

@ Monkey: funny you should mention that... I remember quite a few games for PS1/PS2/GamCube that had multiple discs and people went out and snatched them up.. didn't even think about it twice. have you ever heard of a game called final fantasy VII? perhaps not. also, with the development time for the high-res textures and all of the exploration that's possible in today's games, I highly doubt we'll see a sudden flood of multi-disc games on ANY console platform before they've come out with the bigger-better-next-gen thing.