Will Sony be quietly exiting the Console Race?

[james]

And all of those combined to sell less then the Ps1.

Given the maturity and development of the gaming market, those numbers could be interpreted several different ways, exclusive of unsophisticated raw numbers.

[Silentmist]

Given the maturity and development of the gaming market, those numbers could be interpreted several different ways, exclusive of unsophisticated raw numbers.

Just remember that Super Mario Bros. (Nes) sold 55 million copies.. I doubt the market has increased

[RedRedSuit]

You are right, my point was Microsoft can do it longer than Sony.

They can both do it indefinitely. You think Sony borrowing money is a sign that they're almost done for; that is nowhere near the truth. Companies do this all the time, including ones that have tons of cash. Sony has $21 billion in net assets and $8 billion in cash (MS has $25 and $6, respectively).

The question isn't how long they CAN do it. The question is how long they WANT to do it. Losing billions for 10 years straight is BAD. The company doesn't like it, and Wall Street doesn't like it. Period.

In Sony's case, they at least have a history of SCE making billions before it started losing billions a couple of years ago. MS has never made any money since Xbox started. Both companies aren't liking what's happening right now.

Nobody cares if you are bringing in billions and billions of dollars in revenue every year.

I didn't say anything about revenue.

You guys seem to forget Microsoft puts aside billions to develop technology each year. So until their profits are down and that bank vault is low they will keep doing what they are doing.

No, that is a wrong conclusion. They MAY keep doing what they're doing, or they may decide enough is enough and stop. This isn't about stubbornness -- it's about making money. 10 years of huge losses may be acceptable to them; and they may not.

Microsoft is under no illusion that they can run Sony out of the business by subsidizing their failure. They know Sony is a major corporation with tons of resources, and it's not going anywhere. Sony knows the same thing about MS. Neither company's objective is to lose money just to see the other fail. They're both here to make profits. If this happens for neither company, they'll have to do something different next time around -- they may even collaborate.

Remember Xbox division is a 20 year plan.

If 10 of those years aren't profitable, then something has to change.

[Silentmist]

With all the market share Microsoft has in Windows etc, it's slowly going away. I know more people replacing their Microsoft Windows units with Macs and Linex.

Maybe it just happens to be most of the people I know, but I remember when you bought Windows or nothing, a Mac wasn't even a viable option.

[james]

Just remember that Super Mario Bros. (Nes) sold 55 million copies.. I doubt the market has increased

You are talking about a pack in game which was included in one of the best selling home consoles of all time, but that is beside the point.

I am not trying to suggest the PS1/PS2 did not enjoy phenomenal success, and also highly doubt Sony would be dropping out of the console wars.

My point was simple. Prior success does not automatically equal future success. Just ask Atari and Sega.

[Silentmist]

You are talking about a pack in game which was included in one of the best selling home consoles of all time, but that is beside the point.

I am not trying to suggest the PS1/PS2 did not enjoy phenomenal success, and also highly doubt Sony would be dropping out of the console wars.

My point was simple. Prior success does not automatically equal future success. Just ask Atari and Sega.

Was Sega ever successful?

Growing up I always said that Sega should stick to Software. Thank god they actually went that way. They never had a chance vs. Nintendo.

I am not even going to talk about the Jaguar, you win.

[Phillysports8982]

Hmmm.......

Atari 2600 30 million

Sega Master System 13 million
Sega Mega Drive/Genesis 29 million
Sega Mega CD 6 million
Sega Game Gear 11 million
Sega Saturn 9.5 million
Sega Dreamcast 10.6 million


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...note-atari2600

OMG

did you just really post those numbers...HAHAHAHAHAHA

Sega:79.1 million (6 systems, hilarious)
Sony: 250 million (3 systems) and counting....

why would you even compare the 2?


sega cd rocks tho!!!

[Phillysports8982]

If you want to talk about companies pulling out of the console wars, I think Microsoft might drop out next gen.

When it is all said and done, if they continue to take losses like they have since the release of the Xbox I think they will be gone.

You can say they have endless funds to draw on, but in the end Microsoft is in business to make MONEY, and being 6 billion in the whole is not what they want to see.

I don't see it happening but I agree, even though M$ has deep deep pockets, the goal of any business venture is to make money. If at the end of the 360 life cycle they still haven't made a profit on the 360 as a total, then some serious thought would have to go into staying in.

But M$ right now selling the fact that they want to establish a major prescence in the game industry. I don't think they expected monster profits on the xbox or 360. They want to have a permanent prescence in the game industry, the only way to do that is sell a lot of consoles.

[Phillysports8982]

Just remember that Super Mario Bros. (Nes) sold 55 million copies.. I doubt the market has increased

yea the Nes sold something like 70 million units, which was insane at the time.

[Phillysports8982]

If this happens for neither company, they'll have to do something different next time around -- they may even collaborate.

i find this extremely interesting , could you imagine a joint effort of M$ and Sony, man oh man, I honestly couldn't. You have the best console in the history of gaming, with the library that could rival Nintendo...

if only they would talk for the greater good..

[james]

OMG

did you just really post those numbers...HAHAHAHAHAHA

Sega:79.1 million (6 systems, hilarious)
Sony: 250 million (3 systems) and counting....

why would you even compare the 2?


sega cd rocks tho!!!

You totally missed my point, regardless those are still within the ranks of the top selling consoles of all time.

Again, previous success does not automatically equal future success. Just ask Sega and Atari.

[james]

yea the Nes sold something like 70 million units, which was insane at the time.

NES 61.9 million

The Atari sold 30 million units which was just as ,if not more insane, given the infancy of the video game market.

[Phillysports8982]

You totally missed my point, regardless those are still within the ranks of the top selling consoles of all time.

Again, previous success does not automatically equal future success. Just ask Sega and Atari.

your kidding those rank in the greatest selling consoles of all time..

wow what list are you looking at?

fom wiki

PS=102 mill
PS2=118 mill
NES=60 mill
SNES=49 mill
Gameboy (orig) 118 mill
Gameboy Advance = 42 mill
DS=43 mill
n64=33 mill
Atari 2600=40 mill

This is just a quikly compiled list, but anything under 30 mill doesn't belong on a best selling of all time list.

[james]

your kidding those rank in the greatest selling consoles of all time..

wow what list are you looking at?

fom wiki

PS=102 mill
PS2=118 mill
NES=60 mill
SNES=49 mill
Gameboy (orig) 118 mill
Gameboy Advance = 42 mill
DS=43 mill
n64=33 mill
Atari 2600=40 mill

This is just a quikly compiled list, but anything under 30 mill doesn't belong on a best selling of all time list.

Interesting, I got my info on wiki, too....under the best selling consoles of all time......I posted the link.

[Phillysports8982]

Interesting, I got my info on wiki, too....under the best selling consoles of all time......I posted the link.

but you spun it fit your needs. you posted the "Sega section" of the page showing their total console results..

heres the top 10

1.Nintendo Game Boy and Game Boy Color 1989 118.69 million
2.Sony PlayStation 2 2000 117.89 million
3.Sony PlayStation 1995 102.49 million
4.Nintendo Game Boy Advance 2001 80.02 million
5.Nintendo Nintendo Entertainment System 1985 61.9 million
6.Nintendo Super Nintendo Entertainment System 1991 49.1 million
7.Nintendo Nintendo DS 2004 47.27 million
8.Nintendo Nintendo 64 1996 32.93 million
9.Atari Atari 2600 1977 30 million
10.Sega Mega Drive/Genesis 1988 29 million

and the psp is about overtake sega for the #10 spot