Sony: PS3 will remain most expensive console on the market

January 30th, 2009, 22:16 Posted By: wraggster

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe's David Reeves has said that he believes the PlayStation 3 will always demand the highest price in the home console market.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with our sister site Eurogamer.net, Reeves admitted that there is a possibility for a price cut on the luxury console – but no plans are in place due to the current economic downturn.

"I think it will, yes," said Reeves, when asked whether he would agree the PS3 will remain the most expensive console.

"I'm not saying there are going to be any price cuts at all in the short term or the medium term. I'm not saying we don't need to do it - we are expensive. It is possible that as the cost [of manufacturing] comes down, we will be able to do it.

"But we're protecting ourselves with a very hard shell to get through the next one or two years of an economic situation. If you're experienced, you know you have to go into that mode - it's like being an armadillo. You have to be hard, and then you will come out when the sun comes out."

He added: "If, as an industry, we can get through the next six to seven months, we're going to find a massive uplift in September and October. I'm very optimistic about it."

Commenting on yesterday's results for the third quarter, which showed hardware sales across all PlayStation brands were in decline, Reeves stated that Sony's intention was to break even, rather than increase market share or gain larger sales numbers.

"The plan wasn't necessarily to hit sales, it was to hit a profit target - to do better than break even in Q3," stated Reeves.

"The financial results show a break even in Q3 for Sony Computer Entertainment worldwide. So rather than then going for market share and sales, we went for profit, at least to break even," he revealed.

And although the PlayStation 3 sold less in the last quarter of 2008 than it did for the same period in 2007, Reeves denied sales of the hardware had peaked.

"Absolutely not," he said. "We're two-and-a-half years into a ten year cycle. For October, November and December we were in a holding pattern, especially with the pricing. We had to demonstrate we could make a profit with the business model, and that's what we've done."

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...-on-the-market

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