DouglasMcc
Super Freak
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2005
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Now let me preface this post by pointing out that I have owned every system from Nintendo, Sony, and MS since the early 90's ... don't mean to turn this into "fanboyism".
Okay, I have been going through the DTs for 2 weeks now (video game related of course). I have told myself over the last few months that the PS3 was not worth the expenditure at launch. I have dozens, if not hundreds of reasons to skip the launch. But a smaller ... much less patient part of me, has been craving next gen hardware. I started by saying, "well, I am not going to waste the money ... too many other games, plus the Wii worth buying." Then, it was "well, I won't be able to find one, so why bother." Then last week, it was "well, Best Buy is going to have 60 ... might have to stop by and check this out." See how quickly the irritational mind jumps at new tech? It drove me from, "nah, not needed" to "get the damn thing" 0-60 in 3 seconds. This, despite the crappy reviews ... well, average reviews at best. This despite the fact that I own most of the launch titles already for my 360 or PC. This despite the fact that only Resistance actually looks all that good. This, despite the pitiful supply of Blue Ray movies at my local blockbusters. Yes.. I am ashamed to admit it ... I have no will power when it comes to tech. This is the logic that lead to me purchasing a G15 Logitech "gaming" keyboard ... which 11 months later only supports 2 of my games with the LCD read-out. So, yesterday, I stopped by Wal-Mart on the pretense that I wanted to get some groceries. But, secretly, my subconcious was planning out a camping expedition. Well, low and behold, they had just installed a demo unit. The PS3 was within my grasp. All hope seemed lost for me to stick to my guns and do the smart thing. But then the strangest thing happened. I stopped and actually analyzed the games footage and demos. They were so under-whelming. NBA 07 looked and played worse than 2K7 on the 360 ... not to mention the sweat modelling made them look like plastic soldiers. The racing games looked just like their counterparts on the 360. Even Resistance failed to grab me as a "killer app". Now, it did look fun, and I will play it happily some day. But, the graphics were no better than COD 3 on 360. The attempt to simulate the difference between 480P and 1080P in DVDs did nothing for me (once again, they spent an assload to hook up 1080P mini monitors ... but they just proved that the difference was unnoticable on a small screen). Sony's marketing actual killed my inner hardware geek.
Rational thought took over. Since I knew the guy in charge, I couldn't help but ask the number of systems they would have. And.... drumroll please ... 5. 5 systems for a Super Walmart in a military town. I went home dumbfounded over the logic of spending a grand or so to demo a system in a store with 5 systems that would sell to someone (most likely a homeless chinese national on winter break hehe) with no demo, no nothing. I drove home and went on my usual daily web circle and saw an article about 140,000 units at launch. Then it hit me .... yes, the obscure Star Wars reference will pay off ... just wait for it ... this so-called launch has nothing to do with selling systems. It's here to sell a perception. Sony knew they couldn't produce enough systems to launch this holiday. The final numbers prove this. They knew that they didn't have enough original content to contend with MS. So, why waste the money on launching half-assed? Because, they want ... no, they need to show the Sony Zealots that the PS3 is "out-there". They have strained their credibility to the breaking point. If they skipped this holiday season, some of the fandom would begin to break ... especially when they saw those 360s and WII on the shelves. They were going to loose their "cool" status, their rabid "there is none higher" fanbase. And that would have been disasterous. So, they spend hundreds of thousands of dollars (if not millions when you count in commercials and cross-promotions) to advertise a product that really won't "launch" until next year. All they need is that shiny machine in its glass prison to beckon to the masses, and a handful of systems in actual homes to fool people into thinking ... "well, it launched ... I just have to be patient ... I meant, it exists ... I am looking at it right now. I need to save my money to purchase one as soon as its in stock." All they need to do is hold over the masses with false hope until they can deliver. Now, Sony did some idiotic things to get into this position. But the marketing behind this scheme is brilliant. Sure, it's nothing more than million dollar 3 card monte. However, its done with Sony's usual flair (well, I think their marketing is trite and, at times plain stupid .. but it does appeal to the masses). And it appears to be working. Now, whether it holds until mass shipments (and more importantly killer games) hit the masses, well only time will tell.
And, as another friend pointed out, minimal amounts of systems will save Sony money. These systems are costing so much because Sony is having to rush order the components before all their manufacturing plants are operational. So, they are having to pay premium. Come January, they will be able to produce them a little cheaper. Sure, it will still be sold at a lose. But, even if they only save 50 dollars a system, it will save the company millions in the end. Just goes to show you the spirit of Palpatine is alive and Asian
.
Okay, I have been going through the DTs for 2 weeks now (video game related of course). I have told myself over the last few months that the PS3 was not worth the expenditure at launch. I have dozens, if not hundreds of reasons to skip the launch. But a smaller ... much less patient part of me, has been craving next gen hardware. I started by saying, "well, I am not going to waste the money ... too many other games, plus the Wii worth buying." Then, it was "well, I won't be able to find one, so why bother." Then last week, it was "well, Best Buy is going to have 60 ... might have to stop by and check this out." See how quickly the irritational mind jumps at new tech? It drove me from, "nah, not needed" to "get the damn thing" 0-60 in 3 seconds. This, despite the crappy reviews ... well, average reviews at best. This despite the fact that I own most of the launch titles already for my 360 or PC. This despite the fact that only Resistance actually looks all that good. This, despite the pitiful supply of Blue Ray movies at my local blockbusters. Yes.. I am ashamed to admit it ... I have no will power when it comes to tech. This is the logic that lead to me purchasing a G15 Logitech "gaming" keyboard ... which 11 months later only supports 2 of my games with the LCD read-out. So, yesterday, I stopped by Wal-Mart on the pretense that I wanted to get some groceries. But, secretly, my subconcious was planning out a camping expedition. Well, low and behold, they had just installed a demo unit. The PS3 was within my grasp. All hope seemed lost for me to stick to my guns and do the smart thing. But then the strangest thing happened. I stopped and actually analyzed the games footage and demos. They were so under-whelming. NBA 07 looked and played worse than 2K7 on the 360 ... not to mention the sweat modelling made them look like plastic soldiers. The racing games looked just like their counterparts on the 360. Even Resistance failed to grab me as a "killer app". Now, it did look fun, and I will play it happily some day. But, the graphics were no better than COD 3 on 360. The attempt to simulate the difference between 480P and 1080P in DVDs did nothing for me (once again, they spent an assload to hook up 1080P mini monitors ... but they just proved that the difference was unnoticable on a small screen). Sony's marketing actual killed my inner hardware geek.
Rational thought took over. Since I knew the guy in charge, I couldn't help but ask the number of systems they would have. And.... drumroll please ... 5. 5 systems for a Super Walmart in a military town. I went home dumbfounded over the logic of spending a grand or so to demo a system in a store with 5 systems that would sell to someone (most likely a homeless chinese national on winter break hehe) with no demo, no nothing. I drove home and went on my usual daily web circle and saw an article about 140,000 units at launch. Then it hit me .... yes, the obscure Star Wars reference will pay off ... just wait for it ... this so-called launch has nothing to do with selling systems. It's here to sell a perception. Sony knew they couldn't produce enough systems to launch this holiday. The final numbers prove this. They knew that they didn't have enough original content to contend with MS. So, why waste the money on launching half-assed? Because, they want ... no, they need to show the Sony Zealots that the PS3 is "out-there". They have strained their credibility to the breaking point. If they skipped this holiday season, some of the fandom would begin to break ... especially when they saw those 360s and WII on the shelves. They were going to loose their "cool" status, their rabid "there is none higher" fanbase. And that would have been disasterous. So, they spend hundreds of thousands of dollars (if not millions when you count in commercials and cross-promotions) to advertise a product that really won't "launch" until next year. All they need is that shiny machine in its glass prison to beckon to the masses, and a handful of systems in actual homes to fool people into thinking ... "well, it launched ... I just have to be patient ... I meant, it exists ... I am looking at it right now. I need to save my money to purchase one as soon as its in stock." All they need to do is hold over the masses with false hope until they can deliver. Now, Sony did some idiotic things to get into this position. But the marketing behind this scheme is brilliant. Sure, it's nothing more than million dollar 3 card monte. However, its done with Sony's usual flair (well, I think their marketing is trite and, at times plain stupid .. but it does appeal to the masses). And it appears to be working. Now, whether it holds until mass shipments (and more importantly killer games) hit the masses, well only time will tell.
And, as another friend pointed out, minimal amounts of systems will save Sony money. These systems are costing so much because Sony is having to rush order the components before all their manufacturing plants are operational. So, they are having to pay premium. Come January, they will be able to produce them a little cheaper. Sure, it will still be sold at a lose. But, even if they only save 50 dollars a system, it will save the company millions in the end. Just goes to show you the spirit of Palpatine is alive and Asian
.
