Cheaper PS3 targeting 'moms' as media center
"I had written off Sony's PlayStation 3 game console as a flop, but it may be time to reconsider," opines Seattle Times columnist Brier Dudley, suggesting that the PlayStation 3 digital media center might defuse (and diffuse, as it were) the bomb in his mind. In his article, Dudley points to all the pieces as they drop into place: a $399 price point, an impending firmware update to improve the system's music streaming interface, a torrent of downloadable content on the PlayStation Network and the increased appearance of the PS3 in the home entertainment section of stores.
As the cheapest Blu-ray player, the $399 PS3 certainly stands to do well amongst the home enthusiast crowd, the people who are very much infatuated with the number of p's in their video content. However, senior vice president of marketing at Sony Computer Entertainment America, Peter Dille, thinks this "broader entertainment experience" even appeals to to the all-important "moms." He suspects that if "she knows the whole family's going to get some lifestyle value out of this and not just the gamer in the house, it becomes a ... better value proposition."
Unfortunately, this proposition hinges on several other technological factors. Does mom have an HDTV? Can she tell the difference between a Blu-ray and a DVD? With the latter format still effortlessly bulldozing HD-DVD's and Blu-ray's minute battlefield, it seems too early to play the "It plays HD movies!" card as a means of broadening the audience. If Halo 3 and Wii Sports are any indication, games are still the most effective console salesmen. Is exchanging third place in one market (where moms are already spoken for) for a number one spot in a niche really the solution?
[Via Evil Avatar]
