Activision threatens to drop PS3 & PSP

[fezfezed]

Source: Gamespot

Now it looks like things might be taking an even greater turn for the worse for Sony. Speaking to The Times of London, Activision Blizzard CEO Robert Kotick threatened to pull support for both the PS3 and the PSP as early as 2010, saying that the return on creating games for the platforms isn't as good as on competing systems.

"I'm getting concerned about Sony; the PlayStation 3 is losing a bit of momentum and they don't make it easy for me to support the platform," he said. "It's expensive to develop for the console, and the Wii and the Xbox are just selling better. Games generate a better return on invested capital on the Xbox than on the PlayStation."

"They have to cut the price, because if they don't, the attach rates are likely to slow," he continued. "If we are being realistic, we might have to stop supporting Sony." When asked about a time frame he said, "When we look at 2010 and 2011, we might want to consider if we support the console--and the PSP."

I hate to see developers drop a console because it isnt doing too well (even if it is sony) but I agree with the point that Sony need to price cut the PS3. The majority of my friends have a PS3 and its a shame I cant play with them as I'm on a 360. I would consider purchasing the PS3 but it is too damn expensive.

[Mr Flibbles]

It wont happen, they would still lose out on millions.

[fezfezed]

Yeah it will probably stay just as a threat, but after thinking it over, Sony need to do more than price cuts to improve the sales of the PS3

[danroyle]

i agree i would have preferred a ps3 but was way too expensive when i got my first 360. just upgraded to a 360 elite and 5 games and it was still less than a ps3 would cost.

[fezfezed]

I have an X.360 too, and if you think about it, the price of the PS3 is not really that bad considering it's wifi ready and (if your into it) a blu-ray player.

The worst thing hurting the games makers is Sony itself. It is the hardest console (as was the PS2 in it's day) to program for, as the sdk is both crap and expensive. Also Sony charge the games makers to host anything on PSN (per download on demo's etc), which really hurts an already struggling games maker base

Sony are still living off the glory days of the PSX and the milking of the PS2 with nothing but arogance towards it's loyal games maker and user base. Sony basically replied stating "we couldnt give a s..."

http://kotaku.com/5296976/sony-respo...ch-playstation

Considering the PS3 is the only console that aint been cracked to run copies, so ALL games must be bought to be played, you would think it was the one console that would make games makers the big money? Yet even with piracy the Wii and 360 games make the games makers a bigger profit cause they are easy to program for and they are lot mugged by Sony's stupid high
license fees and criminal demo etc hosting charges to fund the (FAKE) free PSN online play.

The PS2 was no better for minimal profit per game thanks also to rubbish sdk and high license fee's, but it was saved by the PS2 selling like hot cakes in the early days of high priced DVD Players (and living off the success of the PSX). Sony thought they could do it again with Blu-Ray, but blu-ray is a flop compared to the massive boom of DVD at launch and most people (not including the silly gimps and geeks) really don't give a crap about the HD revolution and are quite happy with DVD for the time being.

[CaseyV9]

I hate to say this. I never thought I would be vindictive towards either side of the Console/PC wars.

But I hope Activision gives Sony a big kick up the arse.
I'm just angry at Sony's competitiveness and the stratagies they are using. I think the PS3 looks a nice piece of hardware and I almost bought one. But I didn't. And Sony are snatching really good games and buying them out as PS3 exclusives as a way of bleeding me out of £300 for their machine.
I won't buy one. And if these tactics are a way for them to coax people into buying their machines and they use this as a way of keeping the price high then they deserve all they get.

Right now when I think of Sony I think of a company looking to wrench as much money from me as possible. Sorry if what I am saying offends anyone but

[AntiTalent]

They do need a price drop.
Put simply, there's not enough installed units, and at the premium price point, only the 'hardcore' are buying PS3 games.

Activisions sales have actually been fairly strong on it's leading properties like COD4 & 5 on the PS3, obviously less than the xbox but easily enough to justisfy releases those big names on the console.

The standard shovelware type games however, the attach rate is low, less than ~20% of the sales of the xbox, and probably waaaay less compared to the Wii. Here's a hint: The smaller number of people who forked out £300 for a premium console are too savvy to buy Bolt!:The Game, and it's these types of games which are getting ignored by early adopters and money is being lost on. Whereas the Wii and Xbox have achieved larger install bases where these titles are very profitable, the PS3 hasn't yet.

And that's why I think the PS3 needs a price cut.

Plus, I think that activision quote has a statement to the effect of paying royalties to sony of 4x their profit, so while they might be making $120million, the royalties they paid to Sony are a massive expense out of their turnover of say 800m. (numbers out of thin air).

As a PS3 owner, I'm glad they're kicking up a fuss, but I'd question as to whether they would walk away from the PS3 completely, given big properties like COD:MW2, is going to be a licence for them to print money across all platforms.

But I'm guessing Sony doesn't want to be in a position where their games library is marginalised by these sorts of actions either. Let's just hope for a recovery in the value of the £, and a subsequent price drop

[sp3n]

will not happen, not in the next 3-4 years anyway as i know of a huge activision published ps3 game in development

[kopite]

The whole industry seem to be crying out for sony to lower the price of the PS3 and with a big company like activision coming out with something like this then hopefully they will listen.

The problem is I think sony are still making a loss on the PS3 so cutting the price will make their loss even higher. Listening to a discussion with a big industry analyst he reckoned that a price cut was likely to be about october time when Sony will also release the PS3 slim(This will lower the price as the components in the console are supposed to be cheaper and the PSU is outide the console)

The other problem they have is that the new PSPgo is coming out with such a high price point when the analysts believe that the component cost is less than the psp-3000. The lack of a UMD slot means the whole back catalogue will be rendered useless. ppl at E3 who asked sony about this where told that you could keep your old psp to play those games.

[fezfezed]

Exactly, milking the fan base which is extremely strong will probably bite Sony in the rear end. Ive never purchased UMD's, as I hardly game on my PSP but telling people who invested in the PSP that in order to play these titles if they opt to purchase a PSPGo to keep their old console is ridiculous.

The PS2 made significant loses per sale of hardware, however the PS2 sold 100 million units in its shelf life, therefore turned over sony a huge profit. The solution for Sony is simple, to loosen its licensing rules and legislations to attract the developers. They are basically like Nintendo in the SNES era, charging game studios huge licensing fees. A price cut is needed to bolster sales, end off really, although its will be difficult as Sony went for the Blu Rau medium which has had the sucess sony predicted.

[david_graham]

Pot calling kettle black. I suppose a price drop would do activision good because then people could spend the money they saved on overpriced peripherals.

[Iron Sights]

just wanted to know if the ps3 slim is real or if its still a rumour