PS3 A “Sinking Ship”
In which I will narrowly avoid a rant and talk about economic problems. Again.Published 13/12/2008 at 17:43 by colossalblue
Bloody doom and gloom: Why did those stupid US financiers have to throw money at jobless homeowners? Now we’re all going to suffer because banks are greedy sods and our governments won’t just let them die like any other business would. I’ll stop there because I’m in serious danger of just posting another rant and I think I’m supposed to have the odd proper story in amongst my ranting and the close eye I’ve been keeping on Woolworths demise…
Anyway, to the point:
CNN Money has posted a story by a gentleman by the name of Eric Krangel about how the PS3 is a sinking ship and Sony is in danger of drowning with it if they don’t sort themselves out. In amongst a largely derogatory and fairly petulant article (quite unprofessional in my opinion) they point out that the NPD figures are bad and that Sony’s current flagship is being outsold in a big way by its competitors (he counts the Wii, I wouldn’t really). Eric Krangel also shows that he has no love for Sackboy, doesn’t think Home is going to be a big thing and is about as stupid as mud when it comes to HD entertainment. I’ll quote him here so you can see how stupid he is without having to suffer the rest of his simplistic dross.
The differences between Blu-Ray and DVD are hard to see on a TV less than 50″
Yes, Eric, they are. If you’re blind and don’t have a decent sound system.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I think he makes some valid points (well, one valid point) but I also think that if you’re going to write an article in which you’re basically showing your lack of knowledge of a subject mixed with some pretty partisan points of view then at least try to make it funny. Like I do.
Comments
Please note that all comments are the opinion of the individual author and not TheSixthAxis.
kamiboy | 13/12/2008 17:51
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He is right about everything he says unfortunately. In fact just a few hours ago I was saying the same things in one of our comments sections.
colossalblue | 13/12/2008 18:11
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At the risk of a huge exchange like the recent one’s you’ve been having with CC all over the place:
In what way is he right about anything? Other than the obvious need for a price cut everything he says that is his own opinion and not just figures is either totally misjudged or stated far too early to be judged at all.
That thing about Blu-Ray being hard to distinguish from DVD on anything but a huge TV is so wrong it’s laughable. The statements he made about LBP and Home not being “game-changers” are impossible to justify without a time machine and an afternoon in 2012 to see if they have actually changed the game. I know he’s stating opinion, like the rest of us but he states it as fact even though he has no grounding for it.
If he /thinks/ LBP and Home will make no difference then fair enough, I’ll just disagree with him but if he states it (as he has) as a current fact then in my opinion he comes off as another victim of (or possibly agent for) the industry-crushing MS publicity machine. I don’t like that.
kamiboy | 13/12/2008 19:36
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He is just saying what everyone is thinking. LBP and Home are not game changers because they both fell short of SONY’s expectations and flopped. Things that flop rarely have the power to change things. Blu-ray being indistinguishable from DVD is maybe laughable to you and certain videophiles of which I am a member, but that is a tiny fraction of movie disc buying public and so don’t have the power to change much. Regular DVD buyers (the guys happily watching moving through the yellow coaxal cable that came with their player) won’t see a big difference, I can guarantee you that, and they are the ones who have to be convinced to make Blu-ray DVD’s sucessor. Even if they do see a small difference it won’t be enough for them to justify upgrading, Blu-ray does not have huge adcantages over DVD like DVD had over VHS, that is what he was trying to say in fewer words.
The man is an analyst so it is his job predict things, given the state of things I have hard time believing anyone carefully going over the body of evidence could reach a different conclusion. The PS3 is a sinking ship and he nails most of the reasons why that is so at the moment. He could have have fleshed his opinions out some more, but he writes for CNN, not some gaming related outlet, so people don’t care and would get bored if he did, doesn’t make him wrong for doing so though.
SteveTheSkorie | 13/12/2008 17:52
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To be honest though, Americans are known for their stupidity and ability to read the news then go around and tell people what they read as if it’s their own opinion in order to sound smart. This article could be dangerous.
I’ve also heard that Canada is the nice version of America, and from the standard that the Americans have set for me, I look forward to when I can meet my first Canadian!
Don’t worry though people! I am NOT saying that all Americans are like that. One of my best friends is American and every time I have visited the country I have always been delighted with it’s people!
Back on point though, Sony will hopefully learn from this and actually start advertising to get back the name they deserve!
Also, they might want to drop the price.
thelastguy | 13/12/2008 17:52
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It is my belief that the article you refer to in this piece is part of an orchestrated psychic campaign by Microsoft to coincide with the launch of HOME. There have been several bought and paid for anti-PS3 articles in the mainstream news agencies that I monitor, especially America, home of the evil empire of Microsoft.
The Microsoft viral marketeers have also been “activated” on all global gaming forums.
colossalblue | 13/12/2008 18:17
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oooh, a conspiracy theory? Somebody call Mulder and Scully.
On a more serious note, I think that there are an awful lot of Microsoft supporters working in the conservative media in America, largely due to the MS lobby’s power within the Republican movement. I wouldn’t go so far as to say they’ve bought and paid for articles from the mainstream media though. At least not without seeking legal advice first…
SonOfAPeeg | 13/12/2008 17:58
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Thanks for the link.
It seems normal that the cheaper options will outsell the more expensive when on the face of it they’re designed to do pretty much the same thing -play games.
However, without being too much of a fanboy about it, I bought a PS3 assuming it could do more than just play games – like be a media dump so I can watch downloaded stuff on a big screen or run Linux for retrogaming. My suspicion is that the PS3 is a more popular purchase among older tech-heads (except for those who buy all three systems) and the sales of the other two are much more family-driven. And I reckon that when Mum or Dad are buying for Little Jimmy they don’t actually compare the games libraries or the tech spec.
And the other reason I plumped for a PS3 (not that anybody asked, but what the hell) was brand loyalty. The last telly I had was a Sony and it lasted for 19 years. Anybody else remember the Walkman and the Discman? Sony’s hardware is and always has been bloody reliable. I fully expect my PS3 to still be alive and kicking in five years, and still doing all the extra bits even if for whatever reason I’m not gaming on it.
That said, I do wish to hell I could play Fable 2.
SonOfAPeeg | 13/12/2008 18:03
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Steve, go to Canada. We’re bloody lovely. And we have good bacon, unlike the weird dyed-purple Frazzle-like pseudopig tat they give you in the US.
legalisemurder | 13/12/2008 18:05
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Lets not forget that PS3 is winning in Europe and the other pal territories and that millions of PS2 owners have yet to upgrade.When the rpgs start flowing sony will dominate as japan,korea and large numbers of westerners jump aboard.For an intelligent forecast you just have to compare each consoles 09 titles.
cc_star | 13/12/2008 18:34
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I have a 42″ plasma (soon to be 40″ LCD) and I watch Blu-rays all the time, at least 2-3 a week, thanks to LoveFilm. And they are amazing they are as different to DVD as DVDs were to VHS. anyone who says otherwise shouldn’t have brought their flatscreen from a supermarket! And don’t get me started on the sound it is in a different league.
And what the majority of America knows about the PS3 you can write on a postage stamp (TSA visitors excluded)
SteveTheSkorie | 13/12/2008 22:57
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Exactly.
My Mam HATES my PS3. She’d smash it with a hammer if she could.
But the other day she realised she wanted to watch one of my Blurays in the living room and she couldn’t because the PS3 isn’t allowed in there.
So she asked if getting a Bluray player would be worth it.
I told her No. A PS3 would be worth it.
I went on to explain about the futureproofness of the bluray with firmware updates. Then I told her about PlayTV and Life with Playstation, then Buzz and Singstar, then the ability to put her pictures on it and finally about the video rental downloads that should get here eventually.
Suddenly the PS3 wasn’t such a bad thing.
Now why won’t Sony get their fingers out and start showing the world what the PS3 can do!!! It really is the perfect all in one system!
LiquescentShadow | 13/12/2008 18:51
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I think it’s a very ‘in’ thing to slate the PS3 at the moment. Articles such as this are being released left, right and centre. Many people are having a pop at LBP’s ‘bad’ sales numbers (how is a million copies sold in 5 weeks bad!?), and the rocky start that Home had.
I think it’s about time that there was a fully independent look at every aspect of the gaming industry, and not just some idiot taking all the bad aspects (true or false, doesn’t matter to them) of one console and then forming a totally misinformed article on it.
As for comparing Wii sales to PS3, you just can’t do it. I don’t see the Wii as a direct competitor with the PS3 (or 360) as it’s target consumer is totally different. It isn’t exactly ‘next gen’ technology at work, either.
It was only the other day that I played a DVD on my 22″ HD telly. It was a noticeably worse picture than a blu ray produces, so I don’t even know if he’s actually spent any time with a PS3 or blu-ray film at all.
djhsecondnature | 14/12/2008 02:02
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Very good point about slagging the PS3 atm.
seedaripper1973 | 13/12/2008 18:54
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Eric Krangel, is absolutely right! I’ve been saying for ages now, that it is a ’sinking ship’ due to the fact that the ‘PS3 [is] flopping so badly’ I’ve mentioned to ‘Tell yourself the PS3 has superior graphics if it makes you feel better’ and that the ‘mediocre game library simply cannot compete against an Xbox 360′*
*yes i DID bang my head this morning.
Words cannot express my dismay towards this piece of ‘journalistic’ tripe, its biased, unresearched hyperbole. The author should hang his head in shame (but I’m sure the wedges of cash can keep it up)
PROPER HORROR SHOW!
GamerRiley | 13/12/2008 19:12
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I did start to read this article by Eric Krangel this morning I think but as soon as he mention the 50″ tv thing that you have pointed out Cb, I thought I wouldn’t bother. Anybody who makes a statement like that I haven’t got the time for, the guy obviously doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
theshockwave | 13/12/2008 19:51
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I think our Mr Krangel owns a 360.
He clearly dislikes the PS3. And when you dislike something, you are more critical about it. He doesn’t like the Playstation (or SONY) and so he picks all the problems he can find and amplifies them ten times over.
There needs to be a non biased author for these things.
LiquescentShadow | 13/12/2008 20:05
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It’s beyond me how these articles aren’t just labelled as BS and then thrown in the bin. CNNMoney should really know better.
Atsukiroolz | 13/12/2008 20:42
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MR.Krangel is EPIC fail.
rabi_dave | 13/12/2008 21:04
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Maybe he’s just misinterpreted that the PS3 isn’t using it’s full potential yet and he’s just trying to emphasis that as a huge issue. I’m not trying to excuse him btw, he’s still a royal jackass.
xvLIAMvx | 13/12/2008 21:27
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Total rubbish. No exclusives? Home is such a great FREE feature that allows me to go to a virtual bowling alley and make new online friends. LBP is without a doubt a golden game that adds alot to Playstations varied Catalogue. Motorstorm 1 & 2 are so fast, fun and different. Metal Gear 4 is in a different league altogether! And Uncharted is an amazing game/film like experience that is also exclusive. 360 doesn’t have an answer to any of these games.
Microsoft wish they had thought of Home and the Wii avatars (Mii’s) hence NXE. They wish the HD optical format they backed hadn’t flopped! They wish they had over 15 years of console gaming experience!
Blu ray no different? Guys blind as a bat then. What about BR live? The tonnes of special features? Near scratch proof disc (minor point, but nice to know)? Wasn’t it the crap box 360 that got jealous of the PS3 as standard HDMI output, then decided it must include one on each 360? Bet they’re regretting not including a Hard drive with each console too!
BlingOnMyWrist | 13/12/2008 22:57
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What a damn joke. He linked to an article about blu ray posted in May.
People, I mean Americans, will read something like this and, take it as it would be a poor investment. Too bad you can’t comment back on CNN. I would have straightened him out for sure.
seedaripper1973 | 14/12/2008 00:19
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hear hear!