Sony’s PlayStation 3 might be the most powerful and impressive of the next-gen consoles, but that isn’t translating at the sales counter. With a starting price tag of $399, this machine does require a serious investment. While the power and graphics capabilities make it a sound purchase, Sony just can’t seem to beat out Nintendo’s Wii or Microsoft’s Xbox 360 Arcade in the sales department.There are a host of reasons for this that go well beyond the pricing difference. Now that Microsoft has dropped the starter 360 to $199 and the Wii price remains a very fair $249, Sony seems to be running a little scared. The proof is in the latest marketing ploy. Sony has released a value comparison chart that shows the PS3 offers a whole lot more bang for the buck over the two other consoles.
While there’s no denying that the PS3 does offer a tremendous amount of power and lots of bells and whistles, these things are not adding up to be enough to make gamers rush out and buy the console.
So, what’s the PS3 missing?
It all comes down to perceived value. Sure, the starter 360 doesn’t have Wi-Fi or an included hard drive. It does, however, have a mass of titles available for play.
Plus, it does provide these things as optional if players decide they need or want them. It, in short, gives users choice.
The Wii doesn’t come with a whole lot of bells and whistles either. Add ons aren’t really part of the design. This console does, however, deliver a ton of titles and a whole lot of fun. The value is there.
We have all three consoles in my house. The Wii and the Xbox 360 get used a lot. The 360, in fact, is used daily for playing Halo, Call of Duty (and Pacman. Hey! I’ve gotta have a vice, right?). The PS3 has been relegated to replace a broken DVD player. I don’t think we’ve played a game on it in about six months.
While the PS3 has the power, it doesn’t offer the same level of fun. And, if you look at the pricing of the three consoles, you can get a Wii and now an Xbox 360 for only about $50 more than a single PS3. Now, that’s real value!
Sony's going to have to do a whole lot more than make neat charts to convince buyers the PS3 offers enough use value to justify the price.
Related:
Xbox 360 Scores Big In 2008
Sony Adds More Proof That Gaming Industry Isn’t Immune
Labels: call of duty, halo, nintendo wii, ps3, sony, xbox 360
