Sony Tries To Move Beyond PlayStation Price Cut
Date : 17 Jul 2008 Category : Technology
NewsFactor NetworkIn trailers posted on its site and shown at E3, Sony demonstrated the 3-D virtual communities, explaining that users can belong to multiple game worlds using realistic, customizable 3-D avatars. The company also hyped its new on-line movie downloading service through the PlayStation Network.
Catch-Up
The price move may revive Sony's competitive edge in the video-game console market. Industry forecasters expect that market to be worth more than $10 billion by 2010. In the console wars, Microsoft's Xbox 360 has a commanding lead with 5.6 million units sold versus Sony's 1.4 million.
Analysts have urged prices cuts for the PS3 since its introduction. But console wars are mainly driven by games, and with a year's head start on game development, Microsoft has a significantly larger game library than the PS3.
To counter that lead, Sony announced a raft of new titles about to be released for the PS3, including Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Hellboy, SEGA Rally Revo, and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas.
Morphing the Console
The PS3 Home announcements are also an answer to Microsoft's lead in online gaming and entertainment. The Xbox 360 has had movie and television downloads for more than a year.
Analysts predict that these after-sale subscriber services will will rival game sales in revenue. As families become comfortable with shopping, chatting and watching videos through game consoles, the...