Sony to Market PS3 As Blu-Ray Player

Lee Stewart · 09-21-2007, 09:55 AM

Sony to Market PS3 As Blu-Ray Player

Sony to Market PS3 As Blu-Ray Player
The company looks to improve sales of both products.
By Swanni

Washington, D.C. (September 21, 2007) -- Sony is planning to refocus its PlayStation 3 marketing campaign by emphasizing that the console includes a Blu-ray player.

That's according to a Financial Times article.

The publication reports that Sony is aiming to improve sales of both the PS3 game console and the new high-def disc format.

However, the company's decision to emphasize the Blu-ray player was not easily reached, says the Financial Times. Kaz Hirai, president of Sony's games division, told the newspaper that it was a delicate "balancing act."
"The PS3 is first and foremost a video games machine but we want to say – by the way, it’s a great Blu-ray player as well,” Hirai said.

Hirai said Sony's PS3 marketing campaign would emphasize the Blu-ray player in the U.S., Europe and Japan.

The previous Sony PS3 marketing focus was on the game aspect of the console, allowing word-of-mouth to spread the word about the Blu-ray player.

However, Blu-ray is in a fierce competition with rival high-def disc format HD DVD and it appears that Sony now believes that more is needed to increase awareness of Blu-ray.

Hirai also told reporters yesterday Sony was not ruling out a price cut on the PS3, but doesn't plan one in the near future. Instead, the company wants to focus on building its software lineup to woo buyers by acquiring game software companies.

“Going aggressive only on price without being able to back it up with content doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me,” he said.

Sony is planning to ship 11 million PS3s worldwide in its current fiscal year, which ends in March.

http://www.tvpredictions.com/sonyps3092107.htm

phearcat · 09-21-2007, 11:15 AM

To me it looks like Sony is just about on the brink of throwing in the towel on the next gen gaming console wars and will now create an el cheapo version of the PS3 and sell it as a Blu Ray movie player.

Plently of folks out there who got sick of waiting for any good games and are now just playing Blu Ray movies off it.

PS2 seems to still sell a lot of games still so I read they are going to turn their focus on developing games for the PS2.

They have to make somehow

Nexgenrulz · 09-21-2007, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phearcat

To me it looks like Sony is just about on the brink of throwing in the towel on the next gen gaming console wars and will now create an el cheapo version of the PS3 and sell it as a Blu Ray movie player.

Plently of folks out there who got sick of waiting for any good games and are now just playing Blu Ray movies off it.

PS2 seems to still sell a lot of games still so I read they are going to turn their focus on developing games for the PS2.

They have to make somehow

I doubt it. Wishful Thinking.

Steve44 · 09-21-2007, 02:40 PM

That's a limited market anyways (EDIT: I say that but now that I read this over again, I was being short sited...this market is GROWING fast!).

Anyways, I was under the impression that I would benefit from a bluray player with my 32" LCD HDTV. Turns out I don't see a difference between the bluray and DVD. According to a bunch of people on this forum, high definition players really can only be seen with an HDTV that is more than 47-50+ inches.

Doesn't change my mind about which console to purchase but it would have been a REALLY good benefit.

EddieDZ · 09-21-2007, 04:20 PM

theres nothing wrong with that.. the PS3 is a good blu-ray player and a cheap as hell one too compare to the other bluray players... though the toshiba HDDVD players are now selling for a lower price too though.. so its a toss up.

Gideon · 09-21-2007, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EddieDZ

theres nothing wrong with that.. the PS3 is a good blu-ray player and a cheap as hell one too compare to the other bluray players... though the toshiba HDDVD players are now selling for a lower price too though.. so its a toss up.

What are you talking about? The way I see it is that EVERYTHING is wrong with it.

Sony needs to quit screwing over the gamers and IMO, should step up the advertising for its "GAMING" properties.

I would certainly upset if I bought the PS3 for its gaming, and Sony starts prioritizing its BR capabilities instead of concentrating on what its main purpose is.

Im sorry, but am I the only person that has an issue with this?

Lucky Ducky · 09-21-2007, 09:08 PM

It makes no matter how Sony markets the PS3. What it needs are some killer games that smack down the 360 in the graphics department and have the gameplay to match. Otherwise how can gamers justify the extra cost of the PS3?

That is the fix they are in, not enough great games. So why not push the Blu Ray capabilities? Sony needs to move PS3s somehow.

junehhan · 09-21-2007, 10:22 PM

Wow, I hope that this is the announcement that will finally their these exclusive BDP manufacturers to get off their Sony subsidized asses and start making HD-DVD players. Are they so blind that they can't see how HOT HD-DVD players are selling right now?

Type A · 09-22-2007, 01:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve44

Anyways, I was under the impression that I would benefit from a bluray player with my 32" LCD HDTV. Turns out I don't see a difference between the bluray and DVD. According to a bunch of people on this forum, high definition players really can only be seen with an HDTV that is more than 47-50+ inches.

No matter how many times I read something like this, it still shocks me. My first hdtv was a rpcrt 55", and I currently have 90 and 106" front projection displays, so thats my only experience with formal hdtv's, and I just dont have any experience with anything as small as you have. But I do own a 21" lcd computer monitor. If I set it at 1280x720 and playback a wmv 720p file, and then play a dvd with one of the best players on the market, Theater Trek, the dvd looks way lower in not only resolution and clarity, but in color accuracy and saturation, and its apparent even when viewed from 7-8 feet away!

Dont mean to be insulting, at all, but are you positive you have everything set up correctly? HDDVD, literally, set a whole new bench-mark for my system (and I was a long time hdtv subscriber before i ever got a hddvd player), so Im shocked when someone says they dont see a diffence between a next gen format and dvd, regardless of the display size or type they might have.

Ntruder · 09-22-2007, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee Stewart

“Going aggressive only on price without being able to back it up with content doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me,” he said.

Did Hirai just admit that the playstation doesn't have SHIT for content?

Ntruder · 09-22-2007, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Type A

No matter how many times I read something like this, it still shocks me. My first hdtv was a rpcrt 55", and I currently have 90 and 106" front projection displays, so thats my only experience with formal hdtv's, and I just dont have any experience with anything as small as you have. But I do own a 21" lcd computer monitor. If I set it at 1280x720 and playback a wmv 720p file, and then play a dvd with one of the best players on the market, Theater Trek, the dvd looks way lower in not only resolution and clarity, but in color accuracy and saturation, and its apparent even when viewed from 7-8 feet away!

Dont mean to be insulting, at all, but are you positive you have everything set up correctly? HDDVD, literally, set a whole new bench-mark for my system (and I was a long time hdtv subscriber before i ever got a hddvd player), so Im shocked when someone says they dont see a diffence between a next gen format and dvd, regardless of the display size or type they might have.

Well aren't you awesome?

I wish I had a room large enough to justify a 100" projector screen.

I don't know what he's talking about. I have one big 56" and two 30" CRT hdtv's, and the difference between DVD and HD-DVD on the 30" is night and day. I think its probably that Poloriod LCD.

Type A · 09-22-2007, 05:01 PM

Lol, sorry, didnt mean to sound like I was boasting.

Lucky Ducky · 09-22-2007, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Type A

Lol, sorry, didnt mean to sound like I was boasting.

I didn't consider the point of your post boasting at all! It was all about the display properties of Blu Ray and HD DVD.

Cygnus · 09-23-2007, 09:22 AM

Wow talk about mismanagement... 3rd parties can't be too thrilled about this. M$ has to be ecstatic over no PS3 price drop

Cygnus · 09-23-2007, 09:41 AM

To add to this thread, sony is going to push PS2 more for gaming, partially due to PS3 not having any good games. Sony is in a pretty tough position, with the $499 PS3 SKU all shipped, gamers will be forced to make the decision of buying a $599 PS3, $250 Wii, or 360 which can be bought for as little as $279. Even Kaz knows a PS3 price drop won't boost sales without any good PS3 games. It is amazing that he was honest enough to admit that:

http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=17512
"Going aggressive only on price without being able to back it up with content doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me," he said. Hirai added that a price cut would have a "real impact" on hardware sales only if Sony also provided enough software titles to support the PS3.

Nevertheless, some analysts believe a PS3 price cut for this holiday is very much a necessity. "Without a price cut close to Christmas, reaching 11m shipments is going to be very tough," said David Gibson, analyst at Macquarie in Tokyo.

09-21-2007, 09:55 AM	#1
Lee Stewart IMAX - Think Big Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Ft. Lauderdale, FL Age: 57 Posts: 20,892	Sony to Market PS3 As Blu-Ray Player Sony to Market PS3 As Blu-Ray Player Sony to Market PS3 As Blu-Ray Player The company looks to improve sales of both products. By Swanni Washington, D.C. (September 21, 2007) -- Sony is planning to refocus its PlayStation 3 marketing campaign by emphasizing that the console includes a Blu-ray player. That's according to a Financial Times article. The publication reports that Sony is aiming to improve sales of both the PS3 game console and the new high-def disc format. However, the company's decision to emphasize the Blu-ray player was not easily reached, says the Financial Times. Kaz Hirai, president of Sony's games division, told the newspaper that it was a delicate "balancing act." "The PS3 is first and foremost a video games machine but we want to say – by the way, it’s a great Blu-ray player as well,” Hirai said. Hirai said Sony's PS3 marketing campaign would emphasize the Blu-ray player in the U.S., Europe and Japan. The previous Sony PS3 marketing focus was on the game aspect of the console, allowing word-of-mouth to spread the word about the Blu-ray player. However, Blu-ray is in a fierce competition with rival high-def disc format HD DVD and it appears that Sony now believes that more is needed to increase awareness of Blu-ray. Hirai also told reporters yesterday Sony was not ruling out a price cut on the PS3, but doesn't plan one in the near future. Instead, the company wants to focus on building its software lineup to woo buyers by acquiring game software companies. “Going aggressive only on price without being able to back it up with content doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me,” he said. Sony is planning to ship 11 million PS3s worldwide in its current fiscal year, which ends in March. http://www.tvpredictions.com/sonyps3092107.htm

09-21-2007, 04:20 PM	#5
EddieDZ The Taker of Balance Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Saint John, NB Canada Posts: 3,610	theres nothing wrong with that.. the PS3 is a good blu-ray player and a cheap as hell one too compare to the other bluray players... though the toshiba HDDVD players are now selling for a lower price too though.. so its a toss up. __________________ PS3 Pacific Rift l Dead Space l MGS4 l COD4 l DMC4 l Burnout l Motorstorm l R&CF l Folklore l Uncharted Owned Assassins Creed l Warhawk l Resistance l Dark Sector l Heavenly Sword PSN WipeOut HD l R&CF: Quest for Booty l BC Rearmed l PJ Eden l Fatal Inertia EX Super Stardust HD l flOW l Blast Factor AR l Nucleus l Everyday Shooter BluRay:30 HDTV:Samsung 46" 1080p

09-21-2007, 10:22 PM	#8
junehhan High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Aug 2006 Age: 28 Posts: 5,595	Wow, I hope that this is the announcement that will finally their these exclusive BDP manufacturers to get off their Sony subsidized asses and start making HD-DVD players. Are they so blind that they can't see how HOT HD-DVD players are selling right now? __________________ X360 Gamertag junehhan Toshiba HD-A1 HD-DVD player -Klipsch RSW10 Subwoofer -Pioneer VSX1016TXVK reciever -Klipsch Synergy Quintet III 5 channel speakers AIM: jhhan80 HD-DVD's: Loving it! BD's: When we get a reasonably priced BDP with lossless decoders Everyone wants to live at the expense of the state, they forget that the state lives at the expense of everyone - Frederich Bastiat, 1848

09-22-2007, 05:01 PM	#12
Type A 1080 Optical Supporter Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Panama City, Fl Age: 37 Posts: 2,724	Lol, sorry, didnt mean to sound like I was boasting. __________________ Mitsubishi HC3000U HD projector Dual Optoma 106" screens Harman Kardon AVR-7000 receiver Bose 901 VI, 301 IV, VCS 10 Bose AM-6 Series III Sony STR-DG600 receiver JVC GR-HD1 HD camcorder Xbox 360 Pro / PS3 40 Gig HD DVD 0 / Blu Ray 15 Games 18 / Games 2 Gateway 901x HTPC (modified) Sling Box Pro w/HD Connect Cable Dish 211 receiver w/Absolute HD pack HP Pavilion dv-6000 laptop (HTPC2GO) Link-Theater Gallery - 100,000+ views Link-55 Restoration Updated 6/21/08

09-23-2007, 09:22 AM	#14
Cygnus The Bringer of Balance Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 4,798	Wow talk about mismanagement... 3rd parties can't be too thrilled about this. M$ has to be ecstatic over no PS3 price drop __________________ Toshiba 57H81 Kenwood VR-616 Comcast DCT6412 III XBox 360 GamerTag Sec0nd2N0n3

09-21-2007, 11:15 AM	#2
phearcat Me So HD Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: The OC Age: 38 Posts: 698	To me it looks like Sony is just about on the brink of throwing in the towel on the next gen gaming console wars and will now create an el cheapo version of the PS3 and sell it as a Blu Ray movie player. Plently of folks out there who got sick of waiting for any good games and are now just playing Blu Ray movies off it. PS2 seems to still sell a lot of games still so I read they are going to turn their focus on developing games for the PS2. They have to make somehow

09-21-2007, 02:40 PM	#4
Steve44 Super Moderater Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Washington D.C. metropolitan area Age: 27 Posts: 1,045	That's a limited market anyways (EDIT: I say that but now that I read this over again, I was being short sited...this market is GROWING fast!). Anyways, I was under the impression that I would benefit from a bluray player with my 32" LCD HDTV. Turns out I don't see a difference between the bluray and DVD. According to a bunch of people on this forum, high definition players really can only be seen with an HDTV that is more than 47-50+ inches. Doesn't change my mind about which console to purchase but it would have been a REALLY good benefit.

09-21-2007, 09:08 PM	#7
Lucky Ducky High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Seattle, wet but green! Posts: 112	It makes no matter how Sony markets the PS3. What it needs are some killer games that smack down the 360 in the graphics department and have the gameplay to match. Otherwise how can gamers justify the extra cost of the PS3? That is the fix they are in, not enough great games. So why not push the Blu Ray capabilities? Sony needs to move PS3s somehow.

09-23-2007, 09:41 AM	#15
Cygnus The Bringer of Balance Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 4,798	To add to this thread, sony is going to push PS2 more for gaming, partially due to PS3 not having any good games. Sony is in a pretty tough position, with the $499 PS3 SKU all shipped, gamers will be forced to make the decision of buying a $599 PS3, $250 Wii, or 360 which can be bought for as little as $279. Even Kaz knows a PS3 price drop won't boost sales without any good PS3 games. It is amazing that he was honest enough to admit that: http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=17512 "Going aggressive only on price without being able to back it up with content doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me," he said. Hirai added that a price cut would have a "real impact" on hardware sales only if Sony also provided enough software titles to support the PS3. Nevertheless, some analysts believe a PS3 price cut for this holiday is very much a necessity. "Without a price cut close to Christmas, reaching 11m shipments is going to be very tough," said David Gibson, analyst at Macquarie in Tokyo. __________________ Toshiba 57H81 Kenwood VR-616 Comcast DCT6412 III XBox 360 GamerTag Sec0nd2N0n3

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