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Sony Says They May Not Hit PS3 Shipment Targets 76

Posted by Zonk from the how-could-they-ship-less dept.
Via 1up, a Bloomberg article exploring the possibility that Sony may not hit their shipment targets for the PS3. From the article: "Sony plans to ship two million PlayStation 3 players this year to the U.S. and Japan, and six million worldwide by March. The Tokyo-based company said yesterday annual profit would fall 35 percent to its lowest in five years on price cuts of the console in Japan and a recall of 9.6 million computer batteries. 'The honest answer is it's more of a target' for PlayStation 3 shipments, Jack Tretton, co-chairman of Sony Computer Entertainment America, said yesterday in an interview. 'Clearly we've had production issues.'"
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Sony Says They May Not Hit PS3 Shipment Targets More

Sony Says They May Not Hit PS3 Shipment Targets

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  • And cut to nuclear explosion montage
  • ... most people noted that they weren't surprised.

    • Re: (Score:2, Interesting)

      by abigor ( 540274 )
      I'm not really a gamer, but I've noticed that Zonk posts a lot of anti-PS3 stories. What's up with that? Is it wishful thinking on his part, or will the PS3 really crater?

      • Re:In another article... (Score:5, Insightful)

        by boris_the_hacker ( 125310 ) on Friday October 20, 2006 @01:58PM (#16518853) Homepage
        Personally?

        I love gaming.

        I have a PS2, Xbox and GameCube.

        The Xbox360 is starting to have some stonking titles coming out to play such as BioShock and Lost Planet. The Wii is looking sh*t hot and I've personally pre-ordered it. The PS3? Even Sony seem to be convincing themselves that it is a worthy investment. Regardless of cost, it looks like a mish-mash of ideas that are poorly conceived and put together. Much like the PSP it is likely to be a jack of most trades and a master of none. I hope it doesn't fail because there is a nice little 3 way competition going on which is forcing innovation e.g. The Wii. The only thing that has my interest piqued is Metal Gear Solid 4, and even that wont be out to play until late next year.

        Just my 2 pence.

        • Re: (Score:1, Funny)

          by Anonymous Coward
          The Xbox360 is starting to have some stonking titles coming out


          wtf is that supposed to mean? Is it like "stinkin'"? Are they titles you're "stoked about"? Do they have "stank" (or perhaps they've already "stunk")?

          Might as well define "stenk" for me, since that'll be the only one left. (and sometimes "stynk". haha, "thou doth stynk")
          • The Xbox360 is starting to have some stonking titles coming out
            wtf is that supposed to mean? Is it like "stinkin'"?
            Try here [urbandictionary.com]. Definitions 3 and 4 would probably fit.

      • Re:In another article... (Score:5, Insightful)

        by cowscows ( 103644 ) on Friday October 20, 2006 @02:34PM (#16519405) Journal
        The PS3 will do well. But I don't think it's going to dominate this console generation like the PS2 did. And I think a lot of people not only agree, but are hopeful that Sony gets a bit of a kick in the teeth this round. The way they've been talking about the PS3, and really a whole lot of their attitude as of late has been pompous and irritating. They've been acting like they walk on water, and gamers are lucky that Sony has the time to provide us with their hardware. And that's annoying.

        Like Nintendo before them, Sony could use a good shot of humility, maybe it'll help them refocus. They need to remember and understand that consumers have choices, and that they need to earn our money.

        Zonk is a Nintendo fanboy (so am I), and his anti-sony bent is pretty strong. All that being said, there's been way more bad news for Sony than good news for the past year or so, so it's not all Zonk.

      • Re:In another article... (Score:5, Insightful)

        by Lonewolf666 ( 259450 ) on Friday October 20, 2006 @02:35PM (#16519419)
        If it will crater = be ignored by gamers, is not known yet. A lot will depend on how good the games really are. But one thing is sure:
        Sony's delays in manufacturing will also delay game sales, and that will hurt Sony. No matter how good the finished product is, people who cannot buy it in the first place won't pay for it => less revenue.

      • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

        by powerlord ( 28156 )
        Bits of both.

        Zonk, from his own articles and admission is a die hard XBox user. There is certainly a rivalry, and Slashdot makes no bones about slant in its editors (no "Fair and Balanced"(TM-LOL) here).

        On the other end, while I certainly hope Sony succeeds, and plan on buying a PS3 (in the second wave of adopters), there have been lots of negative articles in the press about both Sony and the PS3.

        The media don't really care about the long list of grievances that most Slshdotters trot out, but they need to
        • It depends on the definition of "just fine" really.

          How did the GameCube do this generation? If you answer "just fine", as it sold a good number of systems, and had a lot of fun, exclusive game experiences, then you're probably right. The PS3 will be just fine.

          If you define how the GameCube did as failure, then the PS3 will more than likely fail as well.

          If you're looking for the PS1/PS2 style library, then you probably won't find it on the PS3, at least not for a couple of years. I'm not sure who will have i

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by Maxwell ( 13985 )
          This is slashdot. Your rational, level headed, well thought out statements are not welcome here!

          But thanks for trying.

          JON
  • The guy was only reiterating that the mark given was a target... which the article itself even says so any marginally intelligent person (read: not a monkey) would be able to decifer this amazingly cryptic usage of the word 'target'.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by kfg ( 145172 )
      . . . any marginally intelligent person . . . would be able to decifer this amazingly cryptic usage of the word 'target'.

      tar.get; n: Something the unskilled succeed in not hitting.

      KFG

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by monopole ( 44023 )
      Simple in the Sony dialect of English:
      Target:Feet
      Shoot early and often.

  • In other news... (Score:5, Funny)

    by __aaclcg7560 ( 824291 ) on Friday October 20, 2006 @01:52PM (#16518717)
    Sony is now having a fire sale on used laptop batteries.

  • So... (Score:3, Informative)

    by Admodieus ( 918728 ) <john@miLIONsczak.net minus cat> on Friday October 20, 2006 @01:52PM (#16518721)
    the 400,000 delegated for North America at launch may dip even lower? Looks like those Ebay pre-orders just rose in stock...
  • Looks like Gamestop and EB will experience shortages like they did with the Xbox 360. This will also result in people who paid ludicrous amounts for a reservation ticket from Gamestop/EB the likelyhood that they won't get a PS3 when it is released. I feel sorry for those poor suckers.

    Let the hilarity ensue!

  • Here it comes... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by PaulMorel ( 962396 ) on Friday October 20, 2006 @01:53PM (#16518747)

    They really suckered us in, didn't they? Even I was optimistic when I heard that most stores got at least 8 allocated. Now, I'm kind of shocked.

    This kind of subtle hinting always seems to leak out before the bombshell drops. At least with Sony lately, that seems to be the standard. With only a million by Christmas, there was only going to be a launch in name. If there's less than one million by Christmas, then, in all practicality, we're looking at what amounts to a 2007 launch

    • With only a million by Christmas, there was only going to be a launch in name.


      Gee. ... reminds me of the XBox 360 launch then. They seem to have done just fine (despite a lot of the negative hype that they were getting pre-launch). I think the PS3 will be just fine.
  • It can only get worst. Its going to go from 300,000 units to 200,000 units to even lower numbers. People outraged with the shortage that have stood out in line for hours will throw down their empt.... wait, you know what... what people, everyone's getting a Wii.

    • Re: (Score:1, Insightful)

      by remembertomorrow ( 959064 )
      Wii can only hope. Sony have been mistreating their customers for far too long, and it's finally time for them to pay.
  • Sony can't reach their over-inflated estimates? Inconceivable!

    • Re:All I can say is... (Score:4, Insightful)

      by AlexanderDitto ( 972695 ) on Friday October 20, 2006 @02:01PM (#16518915)
      In other news, researchers announced today that "the sky is blue and water is wet."

      More at eleven.

      In all seriousness, do we really need to keep posting this? FTA: "PlayStation 3 game console because of a parts shortage in the Blu-ray high-definition disc drive." They get a big-wig to admit that their target shipment estimate is, "just a target." Unbelievable the stunning detective work that goes on around these parts.

    • Re: (Score:2, Redundant)

      by gstoddart ( 321705 )
      Sony can't reach their over-inflated estimates? Inconceivable!

      You keep using that word. I am not sure it means what you think it means.

      =)

      • Come on mods ... (Score:1, Funny)

        by Anonymous Coward
        If the grand parent is funny, why is the above redundant? It's the other half of the same joke.

  • Vegonomics anyone? (Score:5, Funny)

    by revlayle ( 964221 ) on Friday October 20, 2006 @01:57PM (#16518835)
    yes... Vegonomics [vgcats.com]
  • Uh, Sony, I think you were the only ones who believed that you would actually hit whatever targets you specified. NO ONE ELSE BELIEVED YOU. It's obvious that the chain-of-command in charge of this process was too afraid to tell the powers-that-be that they weren't going to hit the targets, so everyone said "yes", until it became too obvious that they wouldn't. So typical.

    Regardless who cares about their shipping estimates, they won't hit their sales estimates either. They've successfully convinced thems
  • Ebay was reported to be shocked that the auctions it routinely closes have hit $3000. Though Sony notes that with all the accessories you're required to buy with the Xbox 306, the PS3 is still a bargain.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by 7Prime ( 871679 )

      With all the accessories you're required to buy with the XBox360, Sony is full of shit.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by interiot ( 50685 )
      C'mon, modded troll? I was going for humorous. I'll bet money that prices will hit $2000 on EBay (the 360 hit $1500, and it didn't have quite the installed fanbase or supply shortages that the PS3 has), and I think there's a good chance some will crack $2500. (that's not exactly hatin' on PS3, since there obviously has to be demand for prices to go up that high)

      • Re: (Score:1, Informative)

        by Anonymous Coward
        Slashdot obviously is now a Microsoft web site. It has Microsoft fanboys in it's ranks... don't say anything bad about Microsoft or you'll be modded down.

  • I'll be the first to admit (Score:4, Interesting)

    by cybrthng ( 22291 ) on Friday October 20, 2006 @02:19PM (#16519147) Homepage Journal
    The PS3 is going to sale in name alone.. i'm not going to play fangboy on any one side, but with recent light of events there are going to be a lot of upset kids this christmas if they're expecting a PS3 or a Wii and that may just help the 360 out.

    PS3 luanch linup is a fantastic linup, but only 4 exclusives that won't be available on the 360 that i'm aware of. Wii has a fantastic linup but even if there are a million units the numbers shipped by christmas probably won't be enough to fill demand.

    Another downside is after the 360 launch experience a majority of people buying these will only be buying them to resell on ebay - even if there is enough to fill demand people are going to do it because it worked so well for them last time.

    So high prices, high demand, angry shoppers.. high cost across the board...

    i'm not sure it will boost the 360 sales because of the microsoft stigma but i'm sure it will push sales to PC games, HD tv's, computers, laptops and mp3 players!

    will be interesting.. Sucks to be Sony though.. i can't imagine how they messed up supply chain management considering they're king of most of what is in the ps3!
    • i'm not going to play fangboy on any one side, but with recent light of events there are going to be a lot of upset kids this christmas if they're expecting a PS3 or a Wii and that may just help the 360 out.
      You're afraid the PS3 will make you a werewolf?

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Guppy06 ( 410832 )
      "The PS3 is going to sale in name alone.."

      In Japan, the N64 launched and sold on name-recognition alone.

      Japanese players got their N64 and their copy of Super Mario 64, played it through, and then returned the N64s to the stores. The rest is history.

      I have no doubt that the PS3 will sell based on name-recognition alone (in spite of the price tag). The real test will be whether people keep playing it after having real hands-on experience with it.
    • Wii has a fantastic linup but even if there are a million units the numbers shipped by christmas probably won't be enough to fill demand.

      Recent estimates have Nintendo shipping four million (or even up to six) by the end of December. If that can't keep up with demand, I have to say, that would be awesome for the Wii.
  • Yesterday, in a PS3 article on shipments, a number of other posters refused to believe that the reduced shipment numbers were true when I stated what I had read in the print edition of the Wall Street Journal (subscription required) on this problem.

    Please note that Sony's move to beef up it's Blu-Ray players for home/commercial use is directly related to the lower shipment numbers of PS3 units. They all use the same basic devices, and it was an intentional choice by Sony to ship fewer consoles and ship mor
  • Well as long as I can get my GameStop pre-order (I was fourth at my store that had 12 pre-orders allowed) then I'll be happy. Sure I know I'm not guaranteed anything, but I'm crossing my fingers. It should mean it will go for even more on Ebay!

  • Wow (Score:2, Funny)

    by Tarlus ( 1000874 )
    "Sony plans to ship two million PlayStation 3 players this year..."

    Why ship the systems when you can ship two million people who play it instead?

  • The timing is predictable (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Morinaga ( 857587 ) on Friday October 20, 2006 @03:44PM (#16520413)
    This should come as a suprise for absolutely no one who is familiar with corporate business.

    Sony's quarterly earnings release was at the end of last week (Oct. 12th, http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/IR/info/SEMC/200610.h tml#block0 [sony.net]). The talking heads will not give any negitive outlook prior to an earnings release and the quarterly investor conference calls. Also, unless it's a slip-up corporate communications will not voice "lower than expected" earnings, growth, results or whatever unless it's at the end of the business week towards close of the market. This is a tried and true practice of letting bad news simmer over the weekend so it can be often offset with good news sometime next week. So, expect some sort of positive communications from Sony next week sometime.

  • Hey, um, guys, there's not actually any content to be seen in the linked article. All it says is that Sony is not going to hit its expected ship targets this year, and that this is going to cost them money.

    This isn't news. We've known for months now that they wouldn't hit their initial ship targets. Nothing in this article says that Sony is not going to hit the revised ship targets that Sony detailed after TGS. 2 million consoles by the end of the year with 6 million by the end of March is precisely i

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