michael-ephraim
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PS3 household reach in Australia now at 460K units
For a country with roughly 21 million people and where neighbor's homes are 50km apart, 460,000 PS3 units inside Aussie homes is actually quite a positive number. PS3 household penetration is behind that of the Xbox 360 by less than 80K – and that system came out exactly one year before the PS3. However, as noted by GfK Australia (which has compiled the data), 70K of these PlayStation 3 units we're not sold, but given away in conjunction with Sony Australia's Bravia LCD TV promotion.In any case, interest in the PS3 seems relatively healthy despite the system being the most expensive. PS3 has a 23 percent share of the current-gen console market in Australia. SCE Australia's Michael Ephraim also said in a separate press release that 50 percent of Aussie PS3 owners are utilizing the PlayStation Network and PS3's other online functions.
Solution to PAL PSN delays coming 'in the next six months'
In an interview with Screen Play the Managing Director of Sony Electronic Entertainment Australia, Michael Ephraim, was asked to comment on the ridiculous delays between releases on the PAL/Australian PSN versus the US/Japanese PSN. Ephraim confirmed that the issue was the fact that all content needs to be localized for all the European languages (no change there, we've known that for months). "We're in an online space, it's a global community," he says. When pressed that "digital distribution is supposed to break down geographic barriers," Ephraim responds that "there are discussions and we have identified that. We have been very vocal about it and I think you will see an improvement over the next six months on this issue." Should we take this to mean that a global online store is coming within the next half a year? Not impossible, but let's be realistic - we'll probably see European content lag become much shorter within that time frame (or, hopefully, nonexistent) rather than an entire global PSN Store. Doesn't mean we can't cross our fingers for one, right?[Via Kotaku]
Aussie PS3 boss: Don't compare systems ... but if you do, PS3 is better
You may remember Sony Computer Entertainment Australia Managing Director Michael Ephraim for his interesting assertion that the Wii is "a bit pricey.". Well, he's back and swinging against the competition ahead of the system's March 23 release in the island continent. In an interview with The Age's Screen Play blog, Ephraim said that the Wii wasn't even worthy of comparison to the amazing power of the PS3. "We think PS3 is not a product to be compared with Wii, it is a completely different product," he said. "This is a digital hub, that is a games console." Never mind that the Wii also has a web browser, photo viewer, e-mail capabilities, etc. ... it's just a "games console" in Ephraim's mind As for the Xbox 360, Ephraim trots out the tired old canard about the Microsoft system costing quite a lot if you maximize its potential with an HD-DVD drive, wireless adapter and Media Center PC. This might be technically true, but a large portion of consumers aren't going to want or need these things in the first place. Spun another way, splitting the wireless adapter into an optional accessory actually represents a substantial savings for someone with a wired 'net connection. In the final analysis, Ephraim says that the PS3's vast array of features makes the system's price not exactly cheap, but at least "an insignificant factor." Sorry, but $1000 Australian (Roughly $788 U.S.) doesn't sound insignificant to us, no matter what you get out of it.
CE-Oh no he didn't! Part XV: Sony Australia exec calls the Wii "a bit pricey"
Welcome back to CE-Oh no he didn't, the game show where company executives get to mouth off about something that surely won't make their bosses happy. This week, we're playing with Michael Ephraim, managing director of Sony Computer Entertainment Australia, who made a very insightful comment recently about the pricing of a rival product. Now, while prospective buyers have grumbled at the high price (AU$1000, or $743) of the PS3, Ken Kutaragi, the head of Sony Computer Entertainment, has maintained that the company's latest console is "probably too cheap," but acknowledges that it's a "expensive toy" -- although to be fair, Sony did just drop the price in Japan. Well, it appears that Kutaragi's minions don't necessarily agree with his assessment, or at least Ephraim appears not to. He recently told The Age (Melbourne's major metropolitan daily) his opinion of the Nintendo Wii, which will retail for AU$400 ($297):"My only question for this Christmas on Wii is the price point. Even though it's affordable, at $400 plus whatever you need to buy accessories-wise, I'm guessing you need to spend about $500 to take home a Wii and enjoy it. For this Christmas, I think that price point is still not family entertainment because $500 is a lot to fork out . . . I think the price for what it specifically does as a video games machine is a bit pricey, but I think that their strategy long term we have great respect for."So by that logic, mate, the AU$1000 PS3 will be what, exactly -- really frickin' expensive? Not to mention it'll be even more than AU$1000 when it comes with all its accessories too, y'know? So that makes your PS3 even more than twice as much as the Wii, which you say is "a bit pricey?" Mike, wouldn't you think that would mean that you'd want to, um, perhaps bring the price a bit down? Can't you call up your buddy Kenji and tell him what you told those Aussie reporters? Or maybe perhaps your colleague across the Pacific, the Kazmeister? C'mon, you guys could set up a meeting in somewhere convenient for all of you (say, Honolulu?) and work out the details. Then everyone would be happy, especially us lowly consumers. [Via Joystiq]
Australia <3 PSP, according to SCEA
SCEA being Sony Computer Entertainment of America Australia, of course. Michael Ephraim recently spoke with The Age about the success of PSP in the country that fellow blogger, Chris Powell, seems to have an unhealthy obsession with. When asked how he felt about the battle between the DS and PSP, he had this to say:"If you look at the markets, they are completely different. The DS really appeals to a lot younger, very female skewed, and the DS has done a fabulous job. PSP is a product that if you go back to the analogy of PlayStation and PlayStation 2, they are leaders in their field as far as the consumer offering. Price points, perceptions, or consumers coming to grips with what the device truly offers and the value that it offers, does take time. At approximately just under 200,000 PSPs sold in Australia and over 22 million sold worldwide, if you hold that up against any other gaming category, it's done extremely well.""All our research shows that the consumers that have purchased the device think its one of the sexiest and best designed digital devices out in the marketplace. The screen quality is exceptional. But we know we have more work to do on PSP and we have some plans for Christmas this year that will think will help pick up sales, and of course when PS3 comes out, the compatibility with PSP will add even more value. So we would like more sales but we have an incredible foundation, research shows those people who have bought it love it, and we need to just educate the consumers a bit more and show them what applications the PSP is capable of to show the device's value for money."I completely agree, Mr. Ephraim. At 22 million sold worldwide, the system is certainly not a failure, like people are trying to paint it to be. The system is quite successful, and with its ability to do so much, it really is a great value. Sure, it costs $70 more than DS, but you get a whole heck of a lot more.[Via Gamasutra]
