PlayStation brand still going strong

PS3 News | Consumers just can't get enough, according to new study.

There's a school of thought in the gaming industry that Sony can do no wrong in the eyes of consumers, a theory that's now been further supported by the findings of a recent study in the US. Conducted by ABI Research, the wackily titled "Video Game End-User Perceptions: Entering the Next Generation" suggests that consumers demonstrate a level of loyalty to the PlayStation brand that's some way off being matched by rivals Microsoft and Nintendo.

According to the report, 60 percent of PlayStation 2 owners who intend to buy a next-gen console will making the PS3 their machine of choice. That compares with 45 percent of Xbox owners who also intend to buy an Xbox 360, and 46 percent of GameCube owners who'll be opting for the Wii.

Of course, there are other factors that should be taken into consideration when looking at such data. For one, PS3 hype is now hitting home in North America, just as the initial excitement over the Xbox 360 is fizzling out. It's a problem that research director Michael Wolf acknowledges. "Some of the demand [for the Xbox 360] may have been satiated earlier on," he argued, adding that, "I would go so far to say that to some degree, that may have lowered the Xbox numbers a bit as well."

With that said, Wolf remains convinced that brand loyalty will see Sony through in the coming generation: "I just think that the PS2 has such a huge installed base that, even if the numbers were comparable in terms of intensity of loyalty, [the PlayStation brand] would probably have an advantage. But because [PlayStation brand loyalty] is even higher [than Xbox or Nintendo], I think Sony has a strong advantage going in.

"I think one of the things that’s going to hurt Sony, at least initially, is the higher price point. But I think that within the first 18 months when they drop the price point - potentially - it could open the floodgates. Especially once the first six months of supply problems are resolved.”

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20 Comments

Karai Pantsu

5 years ago

Breaking news: New research conducted by ABI Research, the wackily titled "Oxygen Consumption among Living Beings: An On-going Trend" suggests that living creatures demonstrate a fondness for air, breathing, and other respitory related actions. Research director Michael Wolf went on record saying "The great thing about Air, the most popular feature, is that it helps to keep you alive - and being alive is a hot item for consumers this holiday season".

Emuaust

5 years ago

Well I thought his comments where obviously logical but also needed to
be said as the 360 comments have had equal press time.

Quiet the console war coming up, interesting times ahead.

ugh the boot

5 years ago

Karai Pantsu wrote

How this relates to the article is beyond me!

Obviously there have been recent ramblings about whether or not Sony will even survive the next gen race let alone win it....so I think that's the point of such an article coming out.

Personally i've always been in the mentality that the system with the best specs 'should' be the winner....but obviously it's not always like this. I actually want Sony to be the winner this time (unlike the last 2 generations) as they are the one with the superior hardware.

Zarnoss

5 years ago

Why does there have to be one system to rule them all?
Sounds like the evil work of Sauron.

I'd be happy if they all survived.
I'm still disappointed that the SEGA consoles got killed off due to publicity and favouritism,not also to mention bad advertising practices on SEGAs behalf.

ugh the boot

5 years ago

It's not like anyone has to die!

But there has to be one winner in everything...so pick a winner they're saying! Personally i'm picking all 3 but I 'expect' the most out of the Ps3.

Also for a lot of people they can't obviously afford everything so they will want the machine which will obviously have the biggest installed user base (more games to borrow, more people to talk to it about, chances are things will be cheaper), along with the best games, features etc. Again...people want the best...they don't want anyone or anything to die....but they like to think that the decision they've made is obviously the best one they could've at the time!

Karai Pantsu

5 years ago

ugh the boot wrote

How this relates to the article is beyond me!

It was a stab at them 'researching' the bloody obvious.
People line Sony consoles? Woah, blow me down. I'm glad they're doing these important studies, because I never would have guessed that little nugget of information!

I honestly don't see how anyone could believe that Sony would flop badly enough to get knocked out of the console market. Hell, I think you'd be going out on a limb just to suggest that the PS3 would flop.
I guess this is why I'm not getting paid to be an analyst...

ugh the boot

5 years ago

Karai Pantsu wrote

Yea nah I figured you were getting at that...hence...

ugh the boot wrote

Obviously there have been recent ramblings about whether or not Sony will even survive the next gen race let alone win it....so I think that's the point of such an article coming out.

Also Sony have taken out a huge loan lately which further leads people to believe they might be in financial trouble. Obviously them winning or leading in this next-gen race will do wonders to counteract their troubles.

Karai Pantsu

5 years ago

As I said, I don't think that there is much of a chance that Sony won't snaffle up an equal or higher market share than MS. Even though there will be less exclusives this time around to push people towards it, the PS3 has the hardware edge, BLU-ray, and Hype up the wazoo. While the high price point is certainly a concern in the long run, the hardcore are already beating the piss out of each other just to get one - and by the time the initial rush demands have been met, a small-ish price-drop will ramp up the sales once again.

I think the race for dominance will certainly be closer this time, but I don't for a minute think that Sony are in any danger of going cactus on us

Ellegarden

5 years ago

Karai Pantsu wrote

Even though there will be less exclusives this time around to push people towards it, the PS3 has the hardware edge, BLU-ray, and Hype up the wazoo.

Thats only thing appealing about Sony' part, its the games. Sony losing exclusivity based on production cost, wil hurt them in general. Hardware I dont see anything special about ps3 in general compared to the likes of xbox 360.

Karai Pantsu

5 years ago

UmbrellaCEO wrote

Hardware I dont see anything special about ps3 in general compared to the likes of xbox 360.

Honestly, neither do I. But that is the general consensus around the 'net, which makes it as good as gospel for most gamers

From what I understand the two consoles are more or less on equal ground, or close to - with the PS3 having a slight edge. Whether that edge is enough to make a noticable difference or not remains to be seen.

5 years ago

If anyone was seriously looking for grunt, capacity, flexibility they would just buy a PC. If you want a video game console then you will pick whichever has fun video games.

If Sony looses support from publishers then they have a big problem going into the next round - no doubt to be started very early by Microsoft and quickly followed by Nintendo who's Wii specification will look & feel pre-historic two years from now.

It's going to take IBM another 12 - 18 months to get the fabrication of Cell down to 65nm so the best thing for MS to do is drop $100 off XBox just as PS3 supply starts getting sorted out in 2nd quarter 2007, Give them curry for 12 months then announce a Next Gen console. A short product cycle would knock a debt laden Sony out of the game.

David

5 years ago

Excellent post Cookie.

Not necessarily a pleasant prediction, but very possible nonetheless.

Crestfallen

5 years ago

Cookie wrote

no one's would buy the x360 succesor that soon after the original. people know consoles are supposed to stick around for a long time and won't trust MS if their popping out new machines

besides if microsoft went full scale into another round of development this early than they'll be the ones in debt

Ellegarden

5 years ago

Cookie wrote

If Sony looses support from publishers then they have a big problem going into the next round - no doubt to be started very early by Microsoft and quickly followed by Nintendo who's Wii specification will look & feel pre-historic two years from now.

It's going to take IBM another 12 - 18 months to get the fabrication of Cell down to 65nm so the best thing for MS to do is drop $100 off XBox just as PS3 supply starts getting sorted out in 2nd quarter 2007, Give them curry for 12 months then announce a Next Gen console. A short product cycle would knock a debt laden Sony out of the game.

True, a short cycle, would piss off consumers and also affect microsoft sales in general and microsoft have yet to recover the debt of their console.

Jellyfish

5 years ago

Not really though, seriously. An Xbox 370 or something with games on HD-DVD, internal wireless networking and a Sidewinder-esque controller wouldn't come out that much more expensive than the 360 at launch, then Nintendo just go WHAM! with a HD Wii with HD-DVD drive and most people would be ok with that if the current console were still supported a bit.

Karai Pantsu

5 years ago

I think that most people (where 'most people' are adopters of the 360, Wii) would be very, very far from happy with having shelled out a bucketload of cash for what they thought was a current console, only to have support minimized in favour of a new console with more features...

Yeah, I don't think it is a scenario that is terribly likely to happen... but just imagine it if Microsoft muscled through and seized the 'normal' style console market, I can't help but picture a bleak gaming dystopia - all grey skies and tumbleweeds

Ellegarden

5 years ago

nikack wrote

Vaporware it seems, I dunno I'd seem pissed off if I paid so and so to a company to find out they duped me with even better one, without if giving me allusion of choice.

Quote

I can't help but picture a bleak gaming dystopia - all grey skies and tumbleweeds

Kinda like microsoft's head offices. Sorry couldnt resist.

renegadesx

5 years ago

Its funny how this research study supports PS3 brand loyalty will stick

Other studys found that brand loyalty will not matter this round, and some even argue weather or not that the PS brand will even survive

The past has shown us that brand loyalty has ment nothing, look at Atari and Sega, look at Nintendo now.

Ive always thought that the PS3 will come last but due to poor 360 sales I think that PS3 will come second. Im sorry but there has been way too much hype about the Wii ever since E3 for it to loose, I for one cannot wait for that while i can certainally wait for at least a 50% price drop for the PS3 no matter how long it takes.

Sony have certainally established themselves but $1000 is absolutly rediculous not matter how great it looks

Crestfallen

5 years ago

renegadesx wrote

people spend lots of money on technology. just because you rely on your parents to buy your games doesn't mean everyone else does

Ellegarden

5 years ago

renegadesx wrote

Sony have certainally established themselves but $1000 is absolutly rediculous not matter how great it looks

Technically its not rediculous, what you get is worth the money, whether or not you want it or need it is a different matter.

Quote

Ive always thought that the PS3 will come last but due to poor 360 sales I think that PS3 will come second. Im sorry but there has been way too much hype about the Wii ever since E3 for it to loose

Sorry poor sales for 360? I think you're bragging.

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