Aussie Sony boss: PS3 won't be fastest selling machine

PS3 News | Doesn't reckon it will beat record set by Wii.

In a refreshingly honest admission to The Australian, Sony Australia boss Michael Ephraim has predicted that the company's forthcoming PlayStation 3 console won't be the fastest selling console ever in Australia when it launches on March 23. Even more refreshingly, he doesn't seem overly bothered either.

In recent times, both Nintendo and Microsoft have claimed the fastest selling crown down under, with Nintendo's Wii (50,000 units sold in three weeks after its December 7 launch, and more than 32,000 in its first four days on sale) beating out the previous record set by Microsoft's Xbox 360 (which took seven months to reach 100,000 unit sales in Oz).

Yet Ephraim remains unruffled about such number-crunching, instead preferring to focus on the long-term race. "[PS3] will be a huge launch, but the launch is one of a number of highlights on the long trek that we will take the PlayStation 3 on over probably the next 10 years," he stated.

Ephraim also expressed his belief that, "over the next six to 18 months we think the entertainment enthusiasts will be very interested in it. We are very excited about the Blu-ray, high-definition evolution that will happen over the next three years. PlayStation 3 will have better and better standing as people understand that."

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43 Comments

Itachi

5 years ago

Of course it won't be because of the price line but i will be one of the few to do it. I have my hd tv ready and my 360 is helping me past the time till ps3

this is so one of thoses topics when u can go "ohhhhh dureeeeeee"

magrat

5 years ago

Chris is there any update on the number of units available in Australia? The launch article said 700k between mainland Europe and Australia, which given that includes France, Italy and German among others, which probably doesn't leave a lot for us. I wonder if Ephraim knows they don't have enough stock available to beat the Wii or Xbox launches - if that's the case that would be less than 32,000 PS3's at launch. Does that sound reasonable?

Nev

5 years ago

I do think the PS3 will have a slow launch, especially over the first year due to the price, but I'd still expect the majority of consoles to fly off shelves on Day One, care of early adopters alone.

The Xbox 360 and Wii would've broken their OWN records had there been more systems available. Hopefully this doesn't mean that the number of systems we'll be getting is minimal.

Karai Pantsu

5 years ago

Nev wrote

Couldn't agree more with this - Units will fly initially, but I suspect the buy-rate might slow down a little sooner than either the 360 of the Wii did. That said, depending on the amount of stock available that might not even matter.

Still, they'll sell like hotcakes at launch.

LeonJ

5 years ago

In damage control already?

Joseph

5 years ago

PS3 will sell great in the first few days due to the early adaptors for sure. Their problem lies with the "casual gamer" market. Many people will turn away because of the price and some won't even care about all the "extras" the PS3 has to offer.

Itachi

5 years ago

Joseph wrote

I would really feel sorry for the casual gamer because there missing out on a great system. I think the people will care if they go and buy a blue ray player and see how much it costs lmao

but yeah time will tell

VOOK

5 years ago

leonmc wrote

In damage control already?

Basically, He is saying oh we won't sell fast then them because we are a better product yada-yada.... But if it does expect them to put the biggest most spin full PR.

Nev

5 years ago

VOOK wrote

Basically, He is saying oh we won't sell fast then them because we are a better product yada-yada.... But if it does expect them to put the biggest most spin full PR.

Oh, totally. They're covering their bases here... If it doesn't sell well, they'll be like, "See? We told you so," and if it does, they can pretend to be surprised.

That said, they're right to say that launch numbers don't amount to much in the long-term. The PS2 took a few years to really take off, and the PS3 has more reason than any console to take as long to get its footing.

Need we go back to the Dreamcast, and all the launch records it broke back in the day?

renegadesx

5 years ago

[quote="VOOK"]

leonmc wrote

In damage control already?

Too soon for damage control, at the same time too late for it too

Joseph

5 years ago

narutofanx10 wrote

Joseph wrote

I would really feel sorry for the casual gamer because there missing out on a great system. I think the people will care if they go and buy a blue ray player and see how much it costs lmao

but yeah time will tell

That's the thing though. Blu Ray isn't the clear winner in the HD/Blu Ray race. It could go in three directions:

1) HD wins.
2) Blu Ray wins.
3) Both technologies have substantal markets alas they can co-exsist.

Certainly if option 2 or 3 is the outcome, then the PlayStation 3 will perform exceedingly well.

LeonJ

5 years ago

Option 3 is going to happen for a good couple of years. The problem is there is no demand for HD video yet. DVD is going to dominate for a long time yet, as it's dirt cheap. You can pick up a recent movie for $15 after 3 months of it's release.

Nick

5 years ago

At $1000 a pop - pretty sure that's a safe bet.

leonmc wrote

Exactly. I can only imagine hardcore enthusiasts picking up alternate versions of the same movie (ie: not DVD, but HDDVD and Blu Ray)

dc0079

5 years ago

For the next 10 years?
There's gonna be a Wii2 and Xbox720 by then.

David

5 years ago

Nev wrote

Need we go back to the Dreamcast, and all the launch records it broke back in the day?

Not in Australia. The Dreamcast tanked start to finish here. Ozisoft mishandled every aspect of the launch and distribution, so it never stood a chance.

Nev wrote

The PS2 took a few years to really take off, and the PS3 has more reason than any console to take as long to get its footing.

A few years? It was the highest selling and dominant platform in Australia in it's second year (2001 - and it was only out for a month of 2000). And in it's launch year it's little brother PS1 had an iron grip on the charts, a far cry from the 360/DS/Wii/PS2 chart/shelf sharing that is the Australian market today.

I agree with your second point though - Sony are still the one to beat here. MS software is selling well, but only to a small niche market on the 360, and the Wii, despite early success, is still not proven long term. This is not comment on any of the products quality, just their current sales potential.

DancesInUnderwear

5 years ago

Does anyone out there, Sony included, actually believe the crap about they spout about the PS3 lasting 10 years? Yeah, sure thing Sony, whatever you reckon.

David

5 years ago

DancesInUnderwear wrote

Does anyone out there, Sony included, actually believe the crap about they spout about the PS3 lasting 10 years? Yeah, sure thing Sony, whatever you reckon.

It's interesting that it will 'last ten years' yet costs the same as two consoles. If they truly do mean it, I think most people would rather a slightly less powerful $500 PS3 today and a far more powerful $500 PS4 in five years, am I right?

ret the roman

5 years ago

David wrote

DancesInUnderwear wrote

Does anyone out there, Sony included, actually believe the crap about they spout about the PS3 lasting 10 years? Yeah, sure thing Sony, whatever you reckon.

Sony makes powerful consoles?

DancesInUnderwear

5 years ago

David wrote

DancesInUnderwear wrote

Does anyone out there, Sony included, actually believe the crap about they spout about the PS3 lasting 10 years? Yeah, sure thing Sony, whatever you reckon.

True. Also I'd imagine the bluray player function would be a hell of alot more appealing in 5 years - I can't see Joe Public upgrading from DVD for at least a few years yet.

Or maybe thats how its supposed to last for 10 years... solely as a cheap blu ray player when the supposedly discless PS4 launches.

Nev

5 years ago

David wrote

Not in Australia. The Dreamcast tanked start to finish here. Ozisoft mishandled every aspect of the launch and distribution, so it never stood a chance.

Oh, the Dreamcast only failed in Australia? Well, that certainly screws up my argument.

David wrote

Nev wrote

The PS2 took a few years to really take off.

A few years? It was the highest selling and dominant platform in Australia in it's second year (2001 - and it was only out for a month of 2000).

"Highest selling" and "dominant" aren't what I meant by "taking off." Like you said, when the PS2 was released in Australia, the only competition was the Dreamcast, which was really no competition at all. There was a point when the PS2 just began to steamroll the sales charts... probably around the time the PS1 was finally put out to pasture.

David wrote

I agree with your second point though - Sony are still the one to beat here. MS software is selling well, but only to a small niche market on the 360, and the Wii, despite early success, is still not proven long term. This is not comment on any of the products quality, just their current sales potential.

I agree the 360 is the most likely to become a "niche" product... not simply due to sales, but because its fanbase is more likely to clutch onto the system and not let go, because of the way Microsoft has created a virtual "addiction" to things like achievement points.

I think the Wii and PS3 could live perfectly well side by side... in much the same way that DVDs will continue to sell, regardless of the success of Blu-Ray/HDDVD.

There's always room for a premium product and a lower cost alternative. Otherwise supermarkets wouldn't still be selling cashews.

And since I'm going to own both anyway, I'm more than happy to see them both succeed.

Nev

5 years ago

DancesInUnderwear wrote

Does anyone out there, Sony included, actually believe the crap about they spout about the PS3 lasting 10 years? Yeah, sure thing Sony, whatever you reckon.

Do you know how long the PS2 has been out now? 7 years, come March, and it's still going strong. It could easily last another year on store shelves... probably more. 10 years isn't that much of a stretch.

seany

5 years ago

Yes the PS3 will be around seven to ten years. Both the PS1 and PS2 were around for years and years. Like the PS2 it will gather momentum slowly but may not catch the Wii.

I will be one of the happy owners playing Resistance on 23 march.

Emuaust

5 years ago

Nev wrote

DancesInUnderwear wrote

Does anyone out there, Sony included, actually believe the crap about they spout about the PS3 lasting 10 years? Yeah, sure thing Sony, whatever you reckon.

considering its success I would be startled if sony didnt continue support for
at the very least a year.

The Brett

5 years ago

There isn't a chance based on EB's national preorder figures at the moment. But, PS3 is a long-term investment for Sony, so it's what they do after launch that'll decide their fate.

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