PlayStation 3 Manufacturing Not Started Yet?

aapold writes "Despite reports to the contrary, Sony Computer Entertainment American president Kaz Hirai states in an interview on Gamespot last week that 'We haven't started manufacturing yet. Some of our ops guys were actually just in China, and also in Japan just reviewing the [production] lines and everything else. But they are, again, preparing as we speak to get the manufacturing going. We've not announced and we haven't set really a specific date to say, 'As of this day we're going to start manufacturing.'"

But you can get a pink (as in ponies) PS2

[LiquidCoooled]

They are really pushing out the boat, don't get a PS3 have a girly PS2 [reghardware.co.uk] instead!

Re:

[apoc06]

lol @ OP. cant blame sony; it worked for the DS, right?

on topic: manufacturing of the ps3 hasnt started yet. they have the component manufacturers completing and stockpiling components for the time being.

it doesnt make sense to have millions of completed ps3s sitting in a warehouse waiting to be stolen. besides, sony doesnt have to worry about paying to store the ps3s until they are completed. right now its each component manufacturers responsibility to store the components. its a standard manufacturing pro

Re:

[MBCook]

It makes PERFECT sense to have them sitting in a warehouse. Remember the PS2? This is going to be worse. They need stock to sell. If they had any brains and had the ability, they would be cranking them out so they could sell them. Remember that when they got for $2000 on eBay, Sony only gets the origonal $500 or $600. They want more to sell, and making them now would allow that.

Despite all the (sometimes tremendous) screw ups around the PS3, I don't think they are THAT stupid. They aren't making them becua

Re:

[apoc06]

sony is king of screwups, i admit that much. however meeting their goal of creating 2 million units by the end of the year will /still/ make for a shortage some how some way. 2 million consoles in four months isnt /that/ outrageous of a goal to meet IMHO.

given that sony has been manufacturing consumer electronics for decades and have seen their fair share of shortages, i dont think that their plan itself is the cause for any shortage. they know what they are capable of, if everything works according to plan

Re:

[jhdevos]

It makes PERFECT sense to have them sitting in a warehouse. Remember the PS2? This is going to be worse. They need stock to sell. If they had any brains and had the ability, they would be cranking them out so they could sell them. Remember that when they got for $2000 on eBay, Sony only gets the origonal $500 or $600. They want more to sell, and making them now would allow that.

On the other hand, they probably have the ability to assemble the machines pretty fast. The problem is that the manufacturing of s

Re:

[spun]

it doesnt make sense to have millions of completed ps3s sitting in a warehouse waiting to be stolen.

Yeah, let's get rid of warehouses altogether. Nothing but dark cesspits of crime. I say the right time to start production on any item is the moment someone actually purchases it. Otherwise it's just going to sit around someplace and get stolen.

Re:But you can get a pink (as in ponies) PS2

[Quino]

Actually, this is one of the principles of modern manufacturing: Toyota lean production methods, just-in-time manufacturing, etc.

http://searchcio.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid 19_gci810519,00.html [techtarget.com]

I'm not saying that I think this is what's going on with Sony, but going away from massive warehousing has been a "revelation" in modern mass production .

Warehousing is *bad*, you're paying for storage for stuff to just sit there, and when you're talking about millions of units the amount of money wasted can be huge. Of course, what you want to do is to have the manufacturing set up to meet demand with the minimum amount of storage possible. The concern isn't theft (maybe it's then 100th concern), but cost.

Here's a summary (copied from the above link) that summarizes Toyota Production Methods (now, of course, widely emulated with varying degrees of success by other companies, industries, around the world):

1. Eliminate waste
2. Minimize inventory
3. Maximize flow
4. Pull production from customer demand
5. Meet customer requirements
6. Do it right the first time
7. Empower workers
8. Design for rapid changeover
9. Partner with suppliers
10. Create a culture of continuous improvement

Vast warehousing is so 1980s! (and a sign of inneficient manufacturing).

Re:

[spun]

Oh, I know, I was trying to be funny by taking it to extremes. Obviously "just-in-time" manufacturing is more efficient than warehousing, but waiting until after an item is purchased is really "a-little-too-late" manufacturing. Some storage is needed.

there is absolutely no way Sony can meet initial demand by waiting until the ship date to start making consoles! Just-in-time means having enough product in the pipeline to meet expected demand.

Dude, you need a Dell

[tepples]

waiting until after an item is purchased is really "a-little-too-late" manufacturing.

You call it "a little too late". Dell [wikipedia.org] calls it "made to order".

Re:

[TommydCat]

You happen to bump into anyone from the X-box team in that class?

Re:

[fbjon]

this thing on the other hand really shouldn't have seen the sun, ever.

I don't think it will. The few units that are sold will be hoarded in dark, damp basements by collectors of arcane and wacky hardware.

We've found step 2, guys

[aendeuryu]

1) Decide to produce a game console.
2) Look at every decision Sony has made for the Playstation 3, and do the opposite
3) Profit

Re:We've found the Idiot of The Day, guys

[MobileTatsu-NJG]

"And with Nintendo giving up trying to compete technologically by coming out with an overclocked GameCube with a pointer bolted on."

Worked for the DS. Enjoy playing all those FPS's with your analog stick.

"And with Sony selling 100+ million Playstation consoles on their first foray into the console market."

So?

"And with Sony selling 106+ million Playstation 2 consoles in their second entry in the console market."

So...?

Sony sold a bunch of systems. Yahoo. So did Nintendo. They lost the roost pretty quick. Heck, the N64 lost to a graphically inferior machine. Times change. For example, some systems are launching for $600 now.

"And now with the PS3 Sony is about to put out.. " ... a bunch of stuff that has little to do with games. You used the history repeating itself argument, so I'll throw it right back at you: The PSP had similar advantages. Look who it's losing to.

Re:

[Irish_Samurai]

I hear this too expensive mantra all the time. Hell, I even subscribe to it. Yet I have had more than one of my friends tell me they are buying a PS3 when it drops. I am also beginning to believe that this is a common opinion amongst the non hardcore.

At least the people I know and hang out with (30ish with no children, tech jobs) have the disposable income to buy one of these things no sweat. Personally, I'm waiting to see what the games play like before I choose between a 360 and a PS3.

Also, the Euro marke

Re:

[Redlazer]

Good point, but you have to remember, who is the majority? People working tech jobs with no children? Or people with children who dont have that kindof money to spend?

Yeah, 20 year olds might have enough money to one - but how many teenagers do you know who can manage their money effectively? How many 600 bucks "laying" around?

While Europe certainly does drive killer sales, it helps - and you have to remember, the margins for "extra" money are slimming - 600 bucks used to be relatively easy, but it isnt

Initial price not all that important

[jmorris42]

> You cannot rely on the hardcore to really drive sales anymore. the casual are more significant - and 600 is not casual.

Been guilty of that thinking myself. But lately I have been pondering thus: Nobody has been able to manufacture enough units to satisfy initial demand on a new console. That being the case for the PS3 I suspect it won't matter what price they sell it for, there will probably be enough fanbois, California (where the cost of living is such that $500-$600 isn't much) IT geeks, spoiled

Re:Initial price not all that important

[Babbster]

To sell the sort of mass quantities that can keep the factories humming and sustain developer interest that price does have to drop, and fairly fast. Can they do it?

Not if history is any guide. The PS2 was out for about 18 months before the first price drop of $100 (33%). Then, after 12 months it dropped 10%, the following year 16%, and finally 13% this year to its current price of $130.

If they could follow the same pattern in terms of percentages (and these numbers are rounded a bit), the PS3 price would drop to $335 in 2008, $300 in 2009, $250 in 2010 and $220 in 2011. If the Xbox 360 followed the same guide, we would see (premium - the core prices would be more like the PS2) $270 in 2007, $240 in 2008, $200 in 2009, $170 in 2010.

Of course, Sony could end up being a lot more aggressive if things start working out better in terms of Cell production, and if Blu-Ray manages to knock HD-DVD out of the movie market (I'm sure MS could hang with them easily, staying lower priced no matter what Sony does). If not, we could be looking at PS3 consoles costing a minimum $300 up to 3 years from now - that would seem to be something that would put a dent in PS3 sales compared to those Sony enjoyed with the much less expensive PS2.

Re:

[garylian]

While I agree with you 100% on the fact that parents will think twice about dropping $600+ on a PS3...

Look at how many 16yr olds get a brand spanking new car when they turn 16. Look how many of them get a Lexus or Acura.

Sure, it doesn't happen everywhere, but there are a lot of places where kids are growing up in smaller families and having parents willing to dump bigtime $$$ on their kids. And there are even more parents that would be willing to dump $600+ on a PS3, plus $50 or so on a game, as an electr

Re:

[buswolley]

Sure there are those types.. But you know what I think.. There are alot more Walmart shopper. Their kids are going to run over to the video game section. They'll try the Wii and love it. The parents will look at the price tags and compare. $170 to $600..Now tell me whose gonna win.

Re:

[Irish_Samurai]

Actually, where I live it is common.

Also, 100+ million wasn't accomplished at release. Thats over a lifespan. I am willing to bet that there are more than enough Japanese and American fanboys, spoiled kids, and high income/low responsibility adults out there who can allow Sony to at least match the sales for the 360 release.

While I agree that price may be a factor, it's really all speculation until the PS3 is released. Sony has won this battle two gens in a row, a feat only matched by Nintendo. And when Nin

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[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:

[UbuntuDupe]

Yet I have had more than one of my friends tell me they are buying a PS3 when it drops.

This is actually a bad sign for the PS3. If a console has robust initial sales, then these late-buyers will supplement its success. But if everyone, or most people, plans to "buy it later", the sales won't pick up, developers abandon it, and the would-be late buyers just don't buy because, "hey, there aren't many good games for it". Network effects are very strong for consoles.

Re:

[Irish_Samurai]

By "drops" I mean when it initially becomes available.

Re:

[UbuntuDupe]

Try to use standard terminology, if you would. At least, don't use a term whose primary meaning in that context is the opposite, or siginificantly different from, what you meant.

Let me guess: you prefer to say "price point" where "price" would convey no less meaning?

Re:

[Irish_Samurai]

Actually, drops is pretty standard terminology when speaking plainly. It's slang, get over it.

I also understand the difference between a price point and a price. Go be an asshole somewhere else.

Re:

[UbuntuDupe]

Actually, drops is pretty standard terminology when speaking plainly. It's slang, get over it.

People usually say "PS3 drops" in terms of the "price dropping". It's great if it is used to mean "released", but you need to be careful when it usually has the opposite meaning of what you intended.

I also understand the difference between a price point and a price.

Yet you don't understand context. You think you're more educated because you know that a "price point" is a place on the demand curve where the slope

Re:

[Irish_Samurai]

Your unfounded bashing of my hypothetical use of a term as the backbone for you being right is fucking lame.

If you had used context clues instead of reading flat like a good government educated idiot, you would have understood what I was saying. Don't throw your inability to comprehend onto me because you gave the post a half assed read.

Second, you can dislike someone using the term price point and price interchangably all you want. It doesn't mean shit. So you can stop with the weak ass straw man too.

Re:

[Irish_Samurai]

See.

You had to go and ruin a nice pointless flame war with rational thought and a well placed e-peen reference. Jeez. I miss the old days where flames we're just read.

Re:

[UbuntuDupe]

I really can't sanction what you have said.

Re:

[GuyverDH]

LOL - Flamebait?

Whose the stupid fucker that thought the above was flamebait?

No, flamebait is what gets typed when I go after the stupid punk who is obviously another Sony fan-boy who got his rocks off moderating someone's opinion as flame-bait.

Grow up, learn a little and forget trying to moderate, whoever the hell you were. You obviously don't have a brain, nor a clue.

Re:

[GuyverDH]

LOL - and yes, whose, should have been who's......

Re:

[tprime]

I wouldn't buy this piece of shit if it was only $10.00 USD - just because of the offensive nature of BluRay

Maybe you wouldn't, but outside of /.ers and other hardcore techies and videophiles, no one cares about what BluRay represents to our fair use. They just see that little Timmy wants one more than anything else and that he won't be happy until then. If they can afford to drop $750-800 (PS3+2nd controller plus 2 games) then they will. Otherwise, they will wait on the first price drop or just move

Re:

[GuyverDH]

I'm a parent, and I buy based on principal, as well as whether or not it's appropriate for a child.

Dropping $300 or more for a video game system that is obsolete before it's released is not only just a bad idea, it constitutes in my opinion, bad parenting.
It just fuels the "I want" mentality.
Until they can switch from "I want" to "I need, because of these logical reasons", it's not going to happen.

Parents who give their child everything they want, desensitize their children to the value of what they receiv

Re:We've found the Idiot of The Day, guys

[tprime]

All I can say to that is--- "Good", there needs to be more people like you out there. However, you are in the minority. Everything I have seen recently (and what my wife has seen as a person who deals with children and their parents every day) is that MOST parents would rather just blindly spend the money on what their child "wants" than figure out what they are spending it on. This is the same downward spiral of parental involvement that the ESRB is having trouble with: disinterested parents finding cheap babysitters in $600 devices without understanding what they are spending their money on. When it comes down to it, it really is a cheap form of childcare.

As far as you and your parenting goes, you read slashdot so that kinda takes you out of the general population pool: you're informed new technology.

This just in... nerds hate everything.

[GundamFan]

I think the internet has made it impossible for some people to like anything.

Maybe the reason the video game industry is seeing a slow down is that no matter what any company does we bitch about it. The small publishers are too small, the big publisers are to big, the inovative games are too inovative and everything else is not inovative enough... We need to grow up and quit this fanboyism and infighting, we all may have diffrent taste but we all want one thing, qualtiy entertanment.

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

I have a feeling that both the XBox 360 and PS3 have problems gaining positive press because of their sloppy design; sloppy in the sense that both products lack focus or purpose of design. It has always been my opinion that the best (and often most successful) products are the ones with the greatest focus of design because they do one thing really well rather then a dozen things poorly; the original iPod was like this in that it was an excellent mp3 player with no extra features. After you have established

Re:

[Mistshadow2k4]

he X-Box has three problems - it's a tad expensive, it's only an "improved" version of what preceeded it rather than an innovative new design, and it has the word "Microsoft" on the box.

You fogot to mention that it lacks the backwards compatibility it was originally supposed to have. That makes its library of games rather small. It may have somewhat better graphics than the PS2, but the PS2 has a ton more games.

And the PS3? Yeah, lots of people are going to be really excited about it up until they see t

Re:

[Sparr0]

bbbbbut the $2 tacos are SO MUCH PRETTIER!

Re:

[Babbster]

The $2 tacos also have HDMI interfaces. I'll only consume tacos in fully digital form...analog is so over.

Re:

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:

[poot_rootbeer]

Also, I find it hilarious that everyone conveniently forgets that there's a $500 PS3 that will be perfectly fine for 95% of people who want one.

I find it hilarious that the "budget" PS3 model is still at LEAST twice as expensive as Nintendo's next console is expected to be. That's still not cheap, guys. It's still not, for many people, "affordable".

Re:

[geminidomino]

Also, I find it hilarious that everyone conveniently forgets that there's a $500 PS3 that will be perfectly fine for 95% of people who want one.

I doubt anyone's forgotten that the crippled tard-box is STILL $100 more expensive than the full 360, and, as sibling mentioned, at least 2x what the wii will cost.

Re:

[MikeBabcock]

More importantly 90% of the non hardcore gamers I know don't know anything about the PS3 launch except what I've told them, and most of the people I know who do like gaming never bothered getting an XBox 360 because they didn't believe it would look any better on their normal TV sets (which isn't true, but oh well).

The big question is how well Sony will market the PS3 in the next few months leading up to its pre-Christmas release. I have a feeling they'll do an amazing job (as before) and the average Joes

Re:

[MemoryDragon]

Actually no, it wont happen, the reason is, it simply is too expensive, for a console the xbox360 is at the upper limit of what people would spend on a console and for blue ray, the hdtv adoption still is not widespread enough and there is a huge lack of content. There will be a huge christmas fiasco for Sony.

Re:

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:

[MemoryDragon]

Actually parents also have to look at the price and while the ps1 and ps2 were affordable for most parents the ps3 simply is not anymore... Given that a wii with lots of kid friendly games will be around 150-250 dollars and xbox 360 is in the league of 300 dollars around chrismas, and the ps3 with almost no content and certainly no kids friendly content is priced around 700 you can imagine who will get the money... Sorry but you are way off, yes there will be an initial rush by the usual (idots) ahem early

Re:

[MemoryDragon]

150-250 dollars, the exact price is not defined yet but Nintendo stated that it will not be more than 250 dollars. Secondly, 500-700 Dollars for a high definition player with almost no hd content is a lot to ask for, especially for one with almost no new games, almost no hdtv content, and add to that that a lot of families simply do not have HDTV... Go figure who the fanboy is. I dont care for Nintendo, I dont care for Sony, but I can see stupity and arrogance when it comes combined... Add to that that fami

Re:This just in... nerds hate everything.

[andrewman327]

I disagree with your disagreement. Although you are correct in asserting that some things receive mostly positive press, us geeks always find something to deride. Let's look at /. articles about the systems you proclaimed as having virtually all positive press.

The PSP isn't being marketed enough and that pisses off EA [slashdot.org]. I know this is outdated, but it still counts as criticism: first weekend sales were slow [slashdot.org]. Back in December, no one cared about the PSP [slashdot.org]. More recently, people do not seem to know what to do with the PSP [slashdot.org].

Wii is a stupid [rockymountainnews.com] and weird [games.net] name that is just a marketing gimmick [slashdot.org] and really is stupid in case you missed the first article [slashdot.org]. Developers aren't 'getting' the Wii [slashdot.org].

On the flipside of your reasoning, let's take a look at the systems that you highlight as receiving bad press:

The XBox360 will have the most market share past the presidential election [slashdot.org]. The XBox360 is being sold for much less money than it costs to make it [slashdot.org] so I don't see how you can complain about the price. The XBox360 is also mostly backwards-compatible [slashdot.org]. The 360 has also redefined the market and what it means to be a console [slashdot.org].

The PS3 will dominate market share through the midterm elections after the presidential election [slashdot.org] (I'm a poli-sci major, I think in terms of U.S. elections). The PS3 is region free for gaming [slashdot.org]. The PS3 might max out the FPS available on even nice TVs [slashdot.org] and has amazing NVIDIA graphics [slashdot.org] and is going to be upgradable [slashdot.org]. The PS3 is backwards compatible for games and [slashdot.org]memory cards.

In other words, the innovation is being praised, but expensive boxes that don't appear to have any substantial innovation are not. I don't think it's a matter of nerds will complain about anything. It's more a matter that nerds have little to praise at the moment. But generally, yes, there are still things being found to be "praiseworthy".

For any innovation there will be geeks who praise it and insult it. I will be insulted if I praise Linux or Microsoft, /. or Digg. Granted there are things that are constant sources of criticism (/. mod system, RIAA, SCO, RIAA, BSA, RIAA, RIAA, etc.) but they are the exception rather than the rule.

This concludes the most time and research intesive post I have ever written. If I weren't at work right now I would feel like I had wasted my time.

Re:

[poot_rootbeer]

The XBox360 is being sold for much less money than it costs to make it so I don't see how you can complain about the price.

You don't? Like this: "Three to four hundred dollars is more than I'm willing to pay for a videogame console, regardless of how much it cost them to manufacture it."

Re:

[MBCook]

The XBox360 is being sold for much less money than it costs to make it so I don't see how you can complain about the price.

The PS3 will sell for $600, but some analysts have placed it's costs at $900-$1000 per unit. That means they are selling it at a $300-$400 discount.

That doesn't make $600 cost any less.

XBox 360 + Wii + games Good luck Sony, you're gonna need it.

Re:

[MBCook]

XBox 360 + Wii + games Good luck Sony, you're gonna need it.

Sorry, I forgot I can't use greater than or less than signs without escaping them. That should have read:

XBox 360 + Wii + games <= $600

Good luck Sony, you're gonna need it.

Re:

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Dude, you are my hero...

[fujiman]

You worked harder on that post than I did through most of High School.

Re:This just in... nerds hate everything.

[Lave]

no matter what any company does we bitch about it. The small publishers are too small, the big publisers are to big, the inovative games are too inovative and everything else is not inovative enough... We need to grow up and quit this fanboyism and infighting, we all may have diffrent taste but we all want one thing, qualtiy entertanment.

I agree with you - despite not seeing anyone complain about innovative games, or companies being too small. And I'm totally against fanboyism, but then I'm also against Root-kits and the complete arrogance Sony has been showing towards their customers rights. I'm very excited about the PS3 only Assassins Creed, but games are a secondary consideration when it comes to supporting companies with which you have ethical troubles with.

It's not called fanboyism to abandon Yahoo because of the way they have behaved in China, and it's not called fanboyism to abandon Sony because of their stance on DRM and Piracy.

Re:

[Erwos]

I just want to point out that Assassin's Creed has long been rumored to be in parallel development for the 360 as well - and remarks from the developer have more or less confirmed that at this point.

-Erwos

Re:

[GundamFan]

I agree, "abandoning" Sony because you don't like what they are selling or the way they sell it is perfectly reasonable.

But what I take issue with is that people don't stop at not buying the PS3 they are doing there best to paint it in as negative a light as possible... it's as if Nintendo is paying for this negative press campain.

I would like to be able to look at some of the potental drawbacks of the Wii without getting into an argument on how bad the PS3 is going to suck (I have actualy had this conversa

Re:

[Masami Eiri]

Wii

Pros:
Inexspensive
Inovative game play potental.
Cons:
May have weak 3rd party support.
Huh? I don't have the link right now, but IIRC, Nintendo said there's a number of 3rd parties interested, including EA.
Games may not make use of the Wiimote.
So? The Wiimote is cool, but look at the DS. The touchscreen isn't overly utilized in most games.
Bacwards compatability looks like it requires rebuying your old games.
OK, have to agree here, except on the Gamecube ones. Those play directly off the disc. Plus, if y

Re:

[Wdomburg]

Games may not make use of the Wiimote.

Games for the PS3 may not make use of the tilt features in their controller either. Or may have used rumble if Sony hadn't dropped that feature.

Bacwards compatability looks like it requires rebuying your old games.

There should be 100% backwards compatibility to the Gamecube, so this only applies to the earlier cartridge based systems and games for other consoles.

Re:

[Burlap]

how is the Virtual Boy and N64 a con? cause they bombed? couldnt you also say that learning from those mistakes makes them a pro?

Re:

[GundamFan]

Nintendo seems to have the attitude that they know how to make games and consoles without any real input from the consumer... most of the time they are right but sometimes they lay a big fat brick on the market. Big N has been doing well lately and I hope it continues (they are the only ones who seem to care about younger gamers plus compitition is good). IF the Wiimote is hard to use or just not very widely used (wouldn't it suck to have to buy a normal controller to play 90% of your games fully) and if th

Re:

[poot_rootbeer]

Nintendo seems to have the attitude that they know how to make games and consoles without any real input from the consumer...

Are Sony and Microsoft any better at getting "input from the consumer"? I don't think Joe Playstation who plays mostly GTA and Madden was clamoring for a Blu-Ray drive.

Guess what happens when you base your strategy on what the consumer thinks he wants. You get an Atari Lynx that's so large that it barely fits the definition of "portable"--because some dumbass focus group indicated

Re:

[GundamFan]

Since when is a personal preference a con? Just because you don't like the games doesn't mean everyone else doesn't. Which is not to say it's not true, just that it's not a valid con when phrased that way. Perhaps "The stable of games so far seem to be mostly games the general gaming crowd would not buy, like the Xbox" would be better, but you'd still need to back this up somehow, since you do not solely speak for the general gaming crowd.

I only speak for myself... and I am not interested in many of the ga

Re:

[MemoryDragon]

Actually, the Wii lineup is pretty strong lets face it: Wii at start time has about 10-30 must have titles, depending on your taste, some of them pretty innovative, some of them more on the classical side. XBOX360 at this time around 5-10 must have titles if at all. PS3 I cannot see any title which justifies to plunk down 700 Dollars/Euros... (probably euros as well because companies try to swallow the difference if it feeds their earnings)

Re:

[Phisbut]

rue, true. I especially noticed your objective analysis that when Nintendo charges for backwards compatability, it's only A couple dollars a pop. Big deal., but when Sony has [free / $500] backwards compatibility that has a history of working better than any other console company's, we should expect it to not work properly.

Last I checked, the Wii is supposed to let you put a GC disc right in and play. That's backward compatibility (if it works), and I don't see how it would cost me "only a couple dollars"

Re:

[GundamFan]

as Well as 'Konami Support' lest we forget about Snake being in Smash Bros.

I haven't forgoten... but having there mascot charecter in a brawler is not the same as Konami putting a MGS4 port on the console. It isn't about playing as snake... it's about playing a Metal Gear game for me.

Re:

[GundamFan]

True... very true... I guess we will see what happens.

I won't decide what (if any) console to buy untill I can compare the games and games I want to play are on the market.

Re:

[orasio]

And since when does nerds opinion matter to Sony Corporation ?
It's a tradition in /. the idea that nobody in RL cares what /. nerds think, if windows is hard to maintain, if ubuntu is a C00l desktop, if apple is good or bad.

Of course, maybe we have some weight in other peoples choices. But I don't think Sony executives care about /. users opinion about their console, I don't picture them crying with hurt feelings, because we say they are stupid trying to sell a game console for 500+ dollars.
And I don't thin

Re:

[Traiklin]

I was with you untill this point

They are spending lots of money behind yet another braindead Sony proprietary media format

this argument comes up EVERY TIME Blu-Ray is mentioned, it is NOT a Sony Proprietary media format, unless Sony secretly bought 136 companies without anyone knowning, Sony is NOT the only company that can make Blu-Ray discs, Sony is NOT the only company that can make blu-ray drives, Sony is NOT the only company you can buy Blu-Ray discs from, so how is it a Sony Proprietary Media Form

Re:

[Sparr0]

Because, if the PS3 succeeds, Sony will be the supplier of something like 99% of the Blu-Ray players in consumer's hands. Which it won't, of course.

Re:

[eln]

You're giving geeks on the Internet way too much credit. No matter what, whenever something new is announced, a portion of the Internet population will go around posting that it's the greatest thing since sliced bread, and another portion of the population will say it sucks ass and they wouldn't get one even if you paid them to.

News flash: people take extreme positions on the Internet, and argue them into the ground. However, I don't think there's any real evidence that arguing on the Internet actually c

Didn't they learn from the PSP?

[abigsmurf]

Having a shortage of consoles can drive up sales...

If there are no products that compete with it. If people can't get a console, they'll possibly look to another console such as the cheaper 360 or (potentially) bargain Wii. Sony have received enough bad press over the PS3 in regards to price (especially in the UK where we get especially ripped off), copycat features and lowered tech specs.

The PSP shortages hurt Sony as lots of people bought the cheaper DS instead and as a result the PSP didn't get that vital early userbase.

Re:

[masklinn]

The PSP shortages hurt Sony as lots of people bought the cheaper DS instead and as a result the PSP didn't get that vital early userbase.

Me thinks the shortage of non-ports-of-PS2-games didn't help either...

Re:

[abigsmurf]

The UK, ie. Sony's whipping boy.

Translation

[neonprimetime]

GS: Speaking of dates, its three months to the day from now that you guys are going to launch. - translated to : you guys are so screwed, you're never going to get ps3 released!
KH: Correct. Yes. - translated to : shut up, so we screwed up a few times, leave me alone!
GS: How are things looking there? - translated to : so is there any chance Sony can still profit from ps3?
KH: Everything's pretty much on track. - translated to : if I owned Sony i'd just scrap the whole project right now and begin working on PS4.

Re:

[poot_rootbeer]

if I owned Sony i'd just scrap the whole project right now and begin working on PS4.

Hey, it worked so well when Atari scrapped the Panther project to focus on Jaguar, and when Sega abandoned 32X to focus on Saturn...

Re:

[NeMon'ess]

The Panther was even less powerful than the Jaguar. Focusing on the Jag was the right way to go.

The 32X never should have been released. In fact, that comparison works. There's a semi-reasonable argument that Sony should scrap the PS3 and ride the PS2 for a few years. Just like Sega should have scrapped the 32X and coasted on the Sega CD/Genesis combo for a year until the Saturn came out.

Wow...

[Schezar]

I've been following the "Jack Thompson Rule" when it comes to covering/reporting on/commenting on Sony in the past several months. Essentially Sony, like Jack Thompson, must be ignored unless the most recent news about them tops the previous news. For example:

Jack says something stupid: write a comment
Jack says something else stupid: ignore him
Jack kills a baby: write a comment

Congratulations Sony! You've gotten me to once again comment on your amazing incompetance.

don't fret

[dolson]

Everyone who has the money and the desire to spend it on this system need not worry. It doesn't take long to manufacture a dozen consoles.

Re:

[DrXym]

While I can't say for certain if I'll buy a PS3 (let the early adopter suckers beta test it first), I know that I want something that does more than just play games. I only have a finite amount of space and plug sockets by my TV and multi-function device is more useful to me. If the PS3 can play movies, stream (& rip) music, be a passable web browser and even possibly even support Linux (and by extension homebrew, emulation etc.), that makes it well worth the money.

At that point you're talking about s

Re:

[monopole]

...the relatively liberal DRM in the PSP...
Liberal compared to what? With a new crippling "feature" with every patch? With people desprately downgrading their software at every turn? With UMD proving to be BetaMax2005?

Oh wait, we're dealing with Sony, the company that has shipped BluRay drives which won't play BluRay disks:
http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/08/ 11/1815258 [slashdot.org]
Yeah, in comparison the PSP is relatively liberal with it's DRM.

Re:

[DrXym]

Liberal compared to what? With a new crippling "feature" with every patch? With people desprately downgrading their software at every turn? With UMD proving to be BetaMax2005?

Liberal compared to what Sony had every right to make it. It could have been far worse. As it stands it plays ripped movies & music in a variety of formats, including WMA & AAC. From Sony that's very liberal. The only people desperately trying to downgrade are pirates and homebrewers. Now I'm the first to support homebrew, bu

Are you hinting ....

[demonic-halo]

Are you hinting that the PS3 is some sort of Vaporware?

It's real dammit. I believe in the blue ray!

69 days before the 360 shipped...

[Hamster Lover]

I am too lazy for Google for a link, but apparently the time between the start of manufacture of the 360 and the launch was a scant 69 days. I think we all know how well that went. With under 90 days until the PS3 launch in Japan and North America I am not at all confident that Sony can produce the 2 million units they expect to be ready for launch.

I think Nintendo might steal significant thunder from Sony if PS3 shortages are a drastic as I expect by offering the Wii in quantity with the quality and quantity of launch titles that are anticipated. If a parent walks into a store around Christmas asks for a PS3 only to hear that it's out of stock looks at the Wii, the breadth of launch titles, the comparitive price, the innovative control style, the name Nintendo and the fact that it's in stock, well then maybe Nintendo can clean the floor with Sony. I hope NIntendo realizes this. Anyone who doubts that it might happen need only look at the success of the DS versus the PSP.

Re:

[batkiwi]

You haven't seen their latest backtracking... they want 2 million by the end of the year, not on launch day.

Exactly where they intend to be.

[tprime]

Sony knows that their price is high, that is probably one of the reasons they have not yet started manufacturing the PS3, it costs them too much. Every day that passes means that the already expensive components of the PS3 drop just a little bit in price. When they feel that they will be able to produce enough units to meet their outrageous price, they will start production. It will minimize their losses on the devices. Regardless of price or number of units able to be sold, they need to just RELEASE th

Blown out of proportion?

[alvinrod]

I think that things might be slightly blown out of proportion here. First of all, I think that Cell chips, RAM, GPU's, and Blu-Ray drives have already been produced for the PlayStation 3, however they have not been assembled yet. Perhaps there aren't enough of any particular component yet to start ramping up production without running out of said component. Additionally, Microsoft didn't start manufacturing consoles until September either, and they still managed to get the Xbox 360 to market, albeit fewer t

Re:

[buswolley]

But the Wii started production in July.

Re:Another Non-Story - Zonk FUD Story

[Daetrin]

Zonk, give it a rest. You're accomplishing nothing other than making yourself look ridiculous.

Are you suffering from the misapprehension that Zonk is somehow making these stories up out of wholecloth? A lot of negative Sony articles are getting posted, but i suspect that's because a lot of negative Sony articles are being submitted. Zonk also posted the article about the marketing study saying "PS3 Predicted to Lead Market Through 2011." [slashdot.org] Note that no one congratulated Zonk for overcoming his anti-sony "bias," or argued how this study proved that all the other articles Zonk posted were wrong. Instead everyone criticized the study as being unrealistic and uninformed. Right or wrong the majority of the vocal slashdot crowd seems to have it in for Sony, and these are probably the same people sending in articles.

I think the ones constantly railing against Zonk's "tirades" and "favortisim" are the ones who are looking more and more ridiculous at this point.

Re:

[Hope Thelps]

Are you suffering from the misapprehension that Zonk is somehow making these stories up out of wholecloth? A lot of negative Sony articles are getting posted, but i suspect that's because a lot of negative Sony articles are being submitted.

I expect there are plenty of negative stories out there but this isn't a story at all.

Zonk contrasts a genuine statement from Sony that they haven't started producing PS3s yet with a statement by Zonk himself in a previous Slashdot summary where he referred to "Phil Harri [slashdot.org]

Re:

[Pluvius]

Zonk also posted the article about the marketing study saying "PS3 Predicted to Lead Market Through 2011." Note that no one congratulated Zonk for overcoming his anti-sony "bias," or argued how this study proved that all the other articles Zonk posted were wrong.

Yeah, why wouldn't we congratulate Zonk for posting a stupid, unrealistic, pro-Microsoft article just so he could say "see, I'm not always anti-Sony"? Duh.

Rob

Re:

[AcidLacedPenguiN]

forget the tinfoil hat, we need to get you into a tinfoil room FAST!

Re:

[Daetrin]

Great thing they are concerned about the consumer. Really, are they nuts? Charging hundreds more than their competitors (one of which has a released product and one of which has a product which will be released near it that also has better press) for the console, and running a freaking shortage?

In Sony's defense, they probably don't have the resources to produce as many units as they'd ideally like to. Economies of scale only apply up to a certain point and over a certain time frame. They probably can't s

Re:

[aapold]

Indeed... the originally submitted article referenced that slashdot article. I do see it listed under "related" articles.

Hehe

[spun]

You know, someone hanging from a noose could be said to be "in full swing" too. Just sayin'...

Re:

[poot_rootbeer]

Toyota might not be a great example of the success of JIT production, seeing as how the demand for their Prius hybrids has far outstripped their ability to supply (in some parts of the United States at least), resulting in wait lists of a year or longer, and selling prices far above MSRP.

Re:Sounds like "NIT" to me

[fujiman]

As in "Not In Time"

"Just in Time" requires precision calculation as to how much inventory is required to BUILD a product, not deliver a product. For example, if Sony Stockpiled too many Cell processors, that is bad, and wastes warehouse space (although cell chips wouldn't take up appreciable space). If there are too few, demand goes unmet.

"JIT" does not refer to completed product. That calculation is different, and is based on market demand, not manufacturing capacity (which is only indirectly based

Depends on a lot of factors

[BitterAndDrunk]

Lots of things drill down to that decision, which is what a product manager's job essentially is.

Off the back of a napkin, you need to know:
Forecasted sales, by region
Distribution network capabilities
lead time of product manufacture, and an analysis of any potential long-lead parts. Long lead parts are any electronics product that potentially take 5-6 months or longer to acquire. I don't know what the allocation picture is on electronics right now (if there even is one) as I've been out of high tech for

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

Fact 1 - the PS3 will sell pretty much every unit Sony can produce this Xmas (if they can get it manufactured. It may be late, don't be suprised.)

No doubt, the PS3 will probably be very difficult to produce and will be in very short supply.

Fact 2 - Everyone that has a PS2 and loves it (and also uses it as their primary game machine) wants a PS3. (Just as PS1 owners wanted a PS2.)

That's not a fact, being that I own and love my PS2 and have no desire to purchase a PS3 I am a example which negates your everyon

Re:Real PS3 facts pulled from experience and thin

[MemoryDragon]

I would not count on brand recognition being a driver for sales. Sony has an awfully lousy brand reputation over here in Europe, and has earned that rightfully due to lousy customer service, expensive out of warranty repairs, lots of repairs etc... If you ask an everage person over here, they probably go for other brands first unless there is a real reason to buy Sony. Sony used to be good, but their quality has gone down the drain the last years once they centralized their repair network and once they started to treat their customers like John Romero wanted to have his customers in a famous ad...