[MW Forums]

Microsoft Corp. is likely to win the next round of the game console fight against Sony Corp. based on a potentially huge cost difference that could see the Xbox 360 selling for half the price of a PlayStation 3 (PS3) by the end of next year, investment firm Merrill Lynch said in a Wednesday analysis. more

[vfx2k4]

Merrill Lynch?! C'mon. What do they know about playing video games? Price alone does not move this industry, the games do...

[Reenee]

In reply to:

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Microsoft Corp. is likely to win the next round of the game console fight against Sony Corp. based on a potentially huge cost difference that could see the Xbox 360 selling for half the price of a PlayStation 3 (PS3) by the end of next year, investment firm Merrill Lynch said in a Wednesday analysis.

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Hey, um, isn't the Revolution the cheapest to manufacture of the three, not only being the cheapest to purchase (rumors are flying around that it might be a mere $150 or even $100?!)?
Way to go off, Lynch.

[n3al3aton]

What amazes me is that all of these 'analysts' seem to leave Nintendo completely out of their predictions. It is a real shame that they are completely leaving them out of their pictures.
In looking at the games that have been shown for both the PS3 and the XB360 they all look like prettier versions of the same games that we have been playing since the beginning of the 3D era (N64/PS1). While I will admit that they look very pretty, I don't find anything truly compelling and/or different since I am not into sports games or FPS.
I have experienced 1st hand the new and different types of gameplay made available with the Nintendo DS...a surgery sim? Awesome! A game where you play a lawyer? Great! A virtual Dog simulator...interesting. I am sure that these are only the beginning of new control schemes that take the edge off of learning how to play games for a lot of people.
I am waiting patiently for Nintendo to blow my socks off with the Revolution. Seeing the idea of the controller just made my mind reel with possibilities. I have not been this excited about a gaming console since I got my 5200 in the 80's.

[minderbinder]

I don't think we'll know much until the real prices for the consoles have been announced. Both companies can subsidize the prices pretty heavily if they want to.
While price is important, so is the horsepower of the box, games available (which also depends on how easy it is to create the games), among other things. If blu-ray takes off, that could be a good selling point for Sony.
I don't put much stock in stories like this until details are more solid, and these things actually ship.

[Reenee]

In reply to:

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A game where you play a lawyer in a world like the Harvey Birdman cartoon? Great!

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Fixed for you. Yes, that game is damn good.

[sigma8]

I don't want to agree with that analysis, but I think you guys underestimate the mindless power of all the Halo drones out there. Microsoft built up a lot of "high end" mind share with the first Xbox... which in my opinion is totally wrong, the thing has been a piece of crap in my opinion. I'm on my fourth one. Thank god for warranties. It's amazing how much that thing breaks just from sitting motionless in an entertainment shelf.
Nonetheless, people remember MS being "concerned" about giving them the highest tech for the lowest cost. And due to MS's propaganda, they now believe that the XB360 and PS3 are "about the same" in what they can do. Nobody knows if this is really true or not, the kill zone demo for the PS3 was bogged down by issues of believability and dodgy comments by Sony. If it's accurate though, I don't think Sony will have to worry.
Anyway, last generation, the Xbox was able to claim ground due to a MASSIVE marketing push, as well as a killer app, Halo, and the fact that it was technologically superior, yet cost the same.
Sony is going to be second out of the gate. I'd like to see if they're able to pull something similar off. My guess is no, because they will not be concerned enough about the American market. I think Nintendo stands a better chance, if they are able to market their machine well. It's as powerful as the XB360, if the rumors are to be believed.

[horvatic]

Why? Because Microsoft built it? Come on get real Merril.

[blackfrog]

Sony needs to add value to the PS3. They need to get Apple to license/develop Front Row for the PS3, and they need to get their Movie's into the ITMS for download. They need to get PVR software into the PS3.

[swartzfeger]

I think that may be part of ML's logic, blackfrog. The 360 is at an afforadable price point and (it appears) that Xbox Live is going to be killer. The PS3 could be almost twice the $ as the 360 and so far has shown nothing comparable to Live. Looking at Sony's recent (hamfisted) attempts with the PSP/online media content, I don't think the PS3 will have anything close to Live, at least at launch.

[minderbinder]

"Why? Because Microsoft built it?"
Did you even read the article? Because if the rumors are to be believed, the PS3 may cost twice as much. If that turns out to be true, isn't that a pretty big disadvantage to Sony?

[uchuugaka]

let me sum it up nicely for you all.
while nintendo produces fabulous and playable games, they won't nail the market again.
not until they get agressive.
too late for that this round.
PS3 will probably dominate japan again.
most people in japan that play games have a PS2 and will want the backward compatibility.
xbox was only the domain of the aboslute most hardcore gamers in japan.
the good games on xbox (halo, etc...) only appeal to american gamers.
likely xbox will succeed in the US, but not in japan.
they've been doing a big marketing push here w/tv commercials and stuff, but nobody cares. even among the otaku (geek) community.
japanese gamers are more sophisticated. they care about good games.
not graphics power and lame stuff like that.
granted xbox360 has a fighting chance in japan since they nailed the final fantasy exclusive, but beyond that...?

[tallscot]

Anyway, last generation, the Xbox was able to claim ground due to a MASSIVE marketing push, as well as a killer app, Halo, and the fact that it was technologically superior, yet cost the same.
If you look at the sales numbers, Halo and Halo 2 are the only games that sold close to the numbers selling on PS/2.
Top selling XBox games as of June 2005 over 1 million copies (source Wikipedia)
Halo 2 (6.3 million)
Halo: Combat Evolved (4.09 million)
Fable (1.75 million)
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (1.52 million)
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (1.36 million)
Grand Theft Auto III (1.36 million)
Project Gotham Racing (1.21 million)
Madden NFL 2005 (1.21 million)
ESPN NFL 2K5 (1.19 million)
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (1.16 million)
Top selling Playstation 2 games over 1 million copies:
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (12 million)
Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec (11 million)
Gran Turismo 4 (8 million)
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (7.3 million)
Final Fantasy X (6.60 million)
Grand Theft Auto III (6.23 million)
Madden NFL 2005 (3.59 million)
Dragon Quest 8 (3.48 million)
Kingdom Hearts (3.47 million)
Madden NFL 2004 (3.44 million)
Final Fantasy X-2 (3.40 million)
Madden NFL 2003 (2.73 million)
Need for Speed Underground (2.48 million)
Medal of Honor: Frontline (2.3 million)
SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs (2.27 million)
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 (2.11 million)
Spider-Man (2.1 million)
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (2.01 million)
Madden NFL 2002 (2 million)
Need for Speed Underground 2 (1.79 million)
Tony Hawk's Underground (1.76 million)
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai (1.72 million)
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (1.69 million)
NBA Street (1.69 million)
ATV Offroad Fury (1.69 million)
ESPN NFL Football 2K5 (1.67 million)
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 (1.62 million)
Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies (1.62 million)
NBA Live 2005 (1.62 million)
Dragon Quest V (1.61 million)
Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex (1.61 million)
SOCOM II: U.S. Navy SEALs (1.6 million)
Max Payne (1.58 million)
The Simpsons Road Rage (1.58 million)
Midnight Club: Street Racing (1.56 million)
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (1.53 million)
James Bond 007: Agent Under Fire (1.49 million)
Medal of Honor: Rising Sun (1.48 million)
True Crime: Streets of L.A. (1.45 million)
ATV Offroad Fury 2 (1.41 million)
Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance (1.4 million)
Enter the Matrix (1.38 million)
Tekken Tag Tournament (1.36 million)
NBA Street Vol. 2 (1.33 million)
Namco Museum (1.32 million)
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 (1.31 million)
Spider-Man 2 (1.26 million)
Jak II (1.24 million)
NBA Live 2004 (1.24 million)
Everybody's Golf 3 (1.23 million)
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai (1.22 million)
Tekken 4 (1.21 million)
WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth (1.17 million)
James Bond 007: NightFire (1.17 million)
Winning Eleven 6 (1.15 million)
The Simpsons: Hit & Run (1.13 million)
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (1.12 million)
Devil May Cry (1.1 million)
Winning Eleven 7 International (1.1 million)
Hitman 2: Silent Assassin (1.09 million)
The Sims (1.09 million)
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon (1.09 million)
Ratchet & Clank (1.08 million)
NCAA Football 2004 (1.08 million)
Everybody's Golf 4 (1.08 million)
Winning Eleven 8 (1.04 million)
Onimusha (1.04 million)
WWE SmackDown! Here Comes The Pain (1.02 million)
NCAA Football 2005 (1.01 million)
NBA Live 2003 (1.01 million)
Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando (1 million)
Jissen Pachislot Hisshouhou Hokutonoken (1 million)
Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny (1 million)
Twisted Metal: Black (1 million)

[tallscot]

Microsoft Corp. is likely to win the next round of the game console fight against Sony Corp.
Merrill Lynch is right about price, but wrong about their conclusions. What will be cheaper than an XBox 360 and a PS/3? A PS/2. A PS/2 will be half the price of an XBox 360 and many people will buy it.
That's what happened with the PS/1, if my memory is correct. The PS/1 sold extremely well for a long time after the PS/2 and XBox 360 shipped. Why? Game selection.
Game selection Game selection Game selection Game selection Game selection Game selection Game selection Game selection Game selection Game selection Game selection Game selection Game selection Game selection Game selection Game selection Game selection Game selection Game selection Game selection Game selection Game selection Game selection Game selection Game selection Game selection
And as others have pointed out, backward compatibility, even one that's not 100% there, is going to make millions of PS/2 users buy a PS/3.