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Should Sony drop PS2 support and move targets to PS3

Dorfdad

Dorfdad

Gold Member
Should they should do the unthinkable. Stop supporting the PS2, Leave 3rd party software developers support it, but Move EVERY 1st/2nd party title to the PS3?

Why? the same reason Microsoft and Nintendo stopped supporting there cosoles to force users to buy the PS3. I know this will not be a pleasant move as the PS2 is the only thing floating the division right now, but they need to do it.. 2 Months after the Ps3 was released they are now sitting on shelves I've seen 10+ sitting for days at local stores and heard many stories from others.

As a gamer who invested in the PS2 I would not be happy with that move, but for the future of Sony they need to push there titles on the PS3 not the PS2..

God Of War 2 should be a PS3 exclusive..(beef up the graphics a bit and leave it at that)

All is not lost and I know March is coming with a few titles for the European launch and US..

From a PS3 business standpoint should Sony stop supporting the PS2 to drive people to the PS3?
 
No because they need the ps2 to be strong and continue to sell till they get the ps3 down to a resonable and market friendly cost.
 
PS2 makes money, PS3 does not yet.

And one of the biggest complaints we have with both MS and Nintendo are last gen port ups.

Leave PS2 games on PS2.
 
Should Sony drop PS2 support? Absolutely not.

Should they probably move some of their planned PS2 titles to the PS3? Absolutely.
 
Yes, this would be a good idea for them. Release the PS2 games that can make it out this year, but anything slated for 2008 and beyond needs to be fast-tracked to PS3.

Them's the brakes given the competition's strength. PS3 needs help.
 
I agree. I mean, look at what happened to the PlayStation 2 after Sony decided to put Syphon Filter 3 on the PSOne after the PS2 launched. Had Syphon Filter 3 arrived on the PS2 instead, I'm sure the resulting generation would have been far different.
 
Well most of the Sony pulished/developed games are already coming to PS3 with GoW2 being the only major profile title coming to PS2.

I hope they bring over Siren 2!

Why would they stop supporting their biggest moneymaker. The PS2 is the only thing that is keeping Sony's gaming division afloat.
 
I understand the PS2 point, but if the developers keep making PS2 titles and focusing on the PS2 there is not as much incentive for Sony fans to get a PS3 when they have a PS2 already.

I understand it would effect there PS2 profits but there fighting for the future nothing will take what the PS2 did away, they need to focus 100% on PS3 and get titles out that the consumer says now thats what I want to play.. Right now and for the forseeable future the PS3 just does not have that aroma..

It's feeling as if the PS3 has become the Gamecube of last gen, developers jumping and bad mouthing the console of late..
 
BuddyC said:
I agree. I mean, look at what happened to the PlayStation 2 after Sony decided to put Syphon Filter 3 on the PSOne after the PS2 launched. Had Syphon Filter 3 arrived on the PS2 instead, I'm sure the resulting generation would have been far different.
Click to expand...

You know what happened to Syphon Filter 3? I bought the game still, that's what happened.
 
I dont think they should. The ps2 is still very profitable, people are still buying them in droves, and money can still be made. A great start even now on PS2 can cement a good position on PS3.
 
That would probably be the stupidest thing to do.
There is a reason why Nintendo and Microsoft did stop to support the GC and Xbox, only one: the sales weren't worth it and they had to renew their image and excite the customers with something new.
Right now, the PS2 is super healthy -- it would be stupid to canibalise those sales as their matter just as much as any PS3 sales and are actually easier to do than PS3 sales.
The PS3 will sell more in due time, it will get the focus when the PS2 will begin to really fade away.
 
Uhm NO. The PS3's price has delayed the PS3 for probably another 2 years for most people. Why should Sony help their fanbase switch to their competitors by pulling the plug on the PS2, especially when it's the most profitable for them, while the PS3 is costing them money?
 
besides of gow2 - which big ps2 games sony is developing ? it`s not really that much...
 
Dorfdad said:
It's feeling as if the PS3 has become the Gamecube of last gen, developers jumping and bad mouthing the console of late..
Click to expand...
Okay, I'll bite because this reasoning blows my ****ing mind. Start listing some developers that were significant on the PlayStation 2 that have abandoned Sony for round 3. And before you begin, no, Capcom does not count. Neither does Konami.
 
Hrm...tough call. If you're gonna put a slug in the PS2, you'd better friggin' guarantee that the PS2 userbase is gonna jump to the PS3...and not to one of your competitor's consoles.

I think a lot of companies pull the plug on their systems too early, and leave themselves up the river without a paddle, so to speak. Just look at what happened to Sega, when they killed the Genesis. And Nintendo killed off the SNES WAY, WAY too early in North America, in my opinion.

Gameboy Advance and Playstation 1 were safe bets to kill because their successors took off like a rocket.

Playstation 3 has not. So, it'd be smart of Sony to keep the PS2 around for a while.
 
Nope for the simple reason is that the PS2 is making them money people are still interested in it and with a very expensive machine it'll help expose those who bought it in the franchises that will make their way to PS3 (like God of War, and Ratchet and Clank for example).

And how else is Sony going to fend off the wii's uber cheap pricepoint?
 
IF Sony new there prices would put off users for 2/3 years why release such an expensive console to consumers. The Life cycle of consoles is less than 7 years anymore for the majority of users more like 5 years..

360 has been out 1 year leaving it 4/5 more years if Sony is planning on keeping the PS3 the main console longer than the 360 than they will find themselves behind the curb once again..

Microsoft will release a new console probably in 5 years, one that tops the PS3 processor and graphically, full HD, blu-ray or HDVD standard and at a cost for the average consumer again, and Sony will be behind for two generations..

I know there thought was put out the mother load and it will last us longer than the PS2 did, but if it doesnt sell as well as the PS2 and Sony looses this next gen, Regardless of what you say Sony is in a real bad position..
 
I like how you're ignoring my inquiry in favor of blazing on ahead with your pre-planned responses. By all means, please continue with the inability to back up your statements.
 
I strongly disagree.

Sony should promote PS2 as system for casuals who can't justify the PS3 pricetag. All big-budget games from SCEA should obviously be on PS3, but Sony should continue pushing smaller games that appeal to a more broad audience. If Sony drops PS2 support, they lose the mainstream/casual audience for at least 3 years (i.e. until they can get the PS3 down to ~$199).

In a nutshell, Sony NEEDS PS2 to compete with Wii. I've even suggested that Sony repackage the PS2 with a similar motion control scheme.

Also, Sony needs to figure out how PSP fits into their strategy. Its not enough to be PS3's remote terminal/media player. PSP needs games that are clearly focused on its strengths.
 
I think with the situation the company is in they don't care they just want to make money. The way they are doing it this time is allowing for a smooth transition between consoles. Everytime someone buys a ps2 that is someone not buying a 360 and more likey to buy a ps3 down the road. So they are keeping MS from building up a huge lead.
 
Look, they ought to do it. They have too much ridiing on PS3, so this console needs all the juice it can get NOW.

That's what happens when you build one machine to fight on two different fronts - games and HD movies. If PS3 doesn't succeed as a game console, how can it be expected to win a format war?

With the gaming division providing the lion's share of Sony's profits, they need to keep that division strong. Fire up PS3 now or prepare for very lean times in the next five years.
 
BuddyC said:
Okay, I'll bite because this reasoning blows my ****ing mind. Start listing some developers that were significant on the PlayStation 2 that have abandoned Sony for round 3. And before you begin, no, Capcom does not count. Neither does Konami.
Click to expand...

Not avoiding you but please explain why Capcom and Konami don't? Also im not saying 100% drop off from Sony support but honestly people bought the PS2 because it was the only console to have the games they wanted. Thats just not the case anymore and ever title that goes multi-console is considered a LOSS for sony and a Win for Microsoft at this point. They are gaining momentum and and optional choice for consumers driving sales from Sony to the more established console.

If all there developers start cutting back, pushing back PS3 projects until the user base is size X than it could cause some major problems.. Having Game X after another console is a good way to ensure your not in first place.. Most gamers are impulse shoppers and wont wait 6 months for a game that has been hyped for years.. Those who can wait are not the norm..
 
History has proven it's a bad strategy (people have referenced them already).


There is a massive amount of gamers that are "late adopters". They are just as likely to have "brand loyalty" as the early adopters are. By pulling the plug on your console, you are sacrificing a large contingent of gamers.

When we look back on this era, one of the key mistakes MS made was not fully supporting the Xbox. Their hand was sort of forced because of the prohibitive costs of making the Xbox on the cheap .. but they lost alot of potential customers to Sony and Nintendo in NA.
 
ToxicAdam said:
History has proven it's a bad strategy (people have referenced them already).


There is a massive amount of gamers that are "late adopters". They are just as likely to have "brand loyalty" as the early adopters are. By pulling the plug on your console, you are sacrificing a large contingent of gamers.

When we look back on this era, one of the key mistakes MS made was not fully supporting the Xbox. Their hand was sort of forced because of the prohibitive costs of making the Xbox on the cheap .. but they lost alot of potential customers to Sony and Nintendo in NA.
Click to expand...

100% true. The people in the market for a new Ps2 now, and those considering a high priced next gen are two completely different markets. The only thing killing the Ps2 would accomplish would be turning potential customers into Wii buyers.

As it is, Sony's best strategy is to keep it going as a moneymaker until they can find a way to get costs DOWN on the Ps3 and make it appealing to the mass market.

Not avoiding you but please explain why Capcom and Konami don't? Also im not saying 100% drop off from Sony support but honestly people bought the PS2 because it was the only console to have the games they wanted. Thats just not the case anymore and ever title that goes multi-console is considered a LOSS for sony and a Win for Microsoft at this point. They are gaining momentum and and optional choice for consumers driving sales from Sony to the more established console.
Click to expand...

Capcom has always been a multiplatform developer. The history for this goes all the way back to the days when they ported Street fighter II to the SNES and Genesis at the same time. Even last gen when Resident Evil was supposedly GC exclusive, the PS2 still saw Re: Outbreak and Resident Evil: 4. Do you really expect a company that whores it's franchises out as much as capcom does to stay exclusive for long? There wouldnt be eleventy-jillion megamen and Street Fighter II's if Capcom didn't love money more than quality or exclusivity.

Konami is a different story. Rumors aside, their biggest title/franchise (metal gear) is still a Ps3 exclusive, and the poor sales of the metal gear ports (Twin Snakes, MGS:2 for Xbox) point to it staying that way, especially since the Xbox is still getting obliterated in japan.
 
Funny, this is in the top post on the other thread about Sony's FY PS3 shipments.

IDC analyst Billy Pidgeon has told GamesIndustry.biz that Sony must produce more first-party software for PlayStation 3 or risk seeing more and more units left on shop shelves...

However, he continued, "The PlayStation brand doesn't appear to be helping the PS3. If NPD's numbers are correct, there are over 300K PS3s on retail shelves. That is not good for a console launch of only a million and it's not good for publishers with PS3 software."

...Pidgeon warned that Sony must focus on the games available for PlayStation 3 and the number of first-party titles in development, stating, "Software libraries are the key driver of console sales, and no console is going to sell on the promises - they've got to deliver.

"Sony needs more must-have first party titles to sell consoles. Gamers know Halo 3 is coming on the Xbox 360, and they can expect Mario on the Wii, but there are no established first party franchises coming to the PS3 except Gran Turismo - and that is delayed."

Pidgeon did say that first-party PS3 games Heavenly Sword and Motorstorm "look great", but observed, "They are new and less anticipated."
Click to expand...

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=138131

Sorry if the above sparked this thread. Chicken and egg, you know... but I agree with the analyst.
 
Dorfdad said:
Not avoiding you but please explain why Capcom and Konami don't? Also im not saying 100% drop off from Sony support but honestly people bought the PS2 because it was the only console to have the games they wanted. Thats just not the case anymore and ever title that goes multi-console is considered a LOSS for sony and a Win for Microsoft at this point. They are gaining momentum and and optional choice for consumers driving sales from Sony to the more established console.

If all there developers start cutting back, pushing back PS3 projects until the user base is size X than it could cause some major problems..
Click to expand...
Konami doesn't count because I've yet to see any of their major franchises release on the Xbox 360 instead of the PlayStation 2 or 3. Same for Capcom.

Show me Devil May Cry on Xbox 360. Show me solid proof of Metal Gear Solid 4 on Xbox 360. Show me Final Fantasy XIII on Xbox 360, Ratchet and Clank 360 or Tekken 6 360. Give me sales data that proves Virtua Fighter 5 (or hell, Sega) actually factors into the greater scheme of things. Then we'll start to talk about major developers jumping ship.

You've got some breathing room here. Your move.
 
ToxicAdam said:
History has proven it's a bad strategy (people have referenced them already).


There is a massive amount of gamers that are "late adopters". They are just as likely to have "brand loyalty" as the early adopters are. By pulling the plug on your console, you are sacrificing a large contingent of gamers.

When we look back on this era, one of the key mistakes MS made was not fully supporting the Xbox. Their hand was sort of forced because of the prohibitive costs of making the Xbox on the cheap .. but they lost alot of potential customers to Sony and Nintendo in NA.
Click to expand...


If MS had been able to have a decent BC solution, they could have supported the Xbox and still avoided the legacy costs of XBox1 hardware. It's too bad it didn't work out that way.
 
Dorfdad said:
Not avoiding you but please explain why Capcom and Konami don't? Also im not saying 100% drop off from Sony support but honestly people bought the PS2 because it was the only console to have the games they wanted. Thats just not the case anymore and ever title that goes multi-console is considered a LOSS for sony and a Win for Microsoft at this point. They are gaining momentum and and optional choice for consumers driving sales from Sony to the more established console.

If all there developers start cutting back, pushing back PS3 projects until the user base is size X than it could cause some major problems.. Having Game X after another console is a good way to ensure your not in first place.. Most gamers are impulse shoppers and wont wait 6 months for a game that has been hyped for years.. Those who can wait are not the norm..
Click to expand...

Obviously Capcom and Konami don't count. They are still providing PS3 support in a big way. DMC4 is currently PS3 exclusive. MGS4 is PS3 exclusive, and at +25GB, it will clearly be gimped if it ever comes to 360.

I don't even see where you get Konami from. They haven't offered any outstanding support to xbox360. Capcom has put weight behind the 360, but they will also be support PS3 in a big way.

As for your comment about "ever title that goes multi-console", what about Ninja Gaiden Sigma? How is that a "win" for Microsoft?

There's no question that 360 is gaining momentum compared to the original Xbox, but PS3 = Gamecube? GTFO!
 
Fatghost said:
Hey now...them's fighting words :)
Click to expand...
Sales data I said, sales data! I guess another way to say it:

Prove that the Virtua Fighter sells enough to justify a one-console release.

I'm not trying to play the pro-Sony advocate here, nor am I trying to say that Sony's got a clear winner on its hands or even that they've done a spectaular job thus far, but I think some folks are laying on the doom and gloom awfully thick.
 
My god, the next-gen war even started yet and people are talking about "Damn, SONY is in trouble. The PS3 isn't selling well" WTF just wait some months and THEN we can talk.
Can't believe this sh*t
 
It would be an awful move to kill PS2 right now. It's keeping the Playstation brand afloat. If Sony actually got out a good PS2 emulator on PS3 that IMPROVED games, I'd definitely get a PS3. I think PS2 development should continue for a couple of years if possible. PS2 development and the PSN arcade offers a viable alternative to those developers who can't afford PS3 development, and PS3 owners aren't penalized because they can play these games on the PS3 due to backwards compatibility. Sony needs gamers to have a Sony system to play until the PS3 can get established.
 
BuddyC said:
Sales data I said, sales data! I guess another way to say it:

Prove that the Virtua Fighter sells enough to justify a one-console release.
Click to expand...


Saturn numbers coming up! j/k


Honestly though, I expect to see a nice bump in PS3 sales when VF5 hits. I don't know if it will bump the 360 the same way though since it's 6 months later...

Can hardcore fans wait to buy it? I dunno...I thought I could, but I broke down and bought a PS3 for VF5 a few days ago.
 
Luckyman said:
Do some research. After GoW2, PS2 is done for Sony-titles.
Click to expand...

What about MLB The Show?

My question is, do the folks at SCEA Santa Monica really see God of War as a AAA big budget epic first-party franchise or do they see it simply as a Devil May Cry-clone which happened to sell well?

Because if it's the former, then it sure as hell should be sharing the load of driving PS3 sales, why? Because it can, that's what AAA big budget epic first-party titles do, they carry consoles, they don't wait for a console to establish a userbase then jumping on, and because the PS3 needs quality first-party games.

The notion that "oh if God of War 2 sells well maybe we'll see a God of War 3" shows a lack of confidence in the IP, do they think God of War 1 sales was a fluke? People liked God of War and supported it with good sales, why wouldn't God of War 2 sell well? If they think of God of War as a franchise, they need to start treating it like a franchise.
 
BuddyC said:
Sales data I said, sales data! I guess another way to say it:

Prove that the Virtua Fighter sells enough to justify a one-console release.

I'm not trying to play the pro-Sony advocate here, nor am I trying to say that Sony's got a clear winner on its hands or even that they've done a spectaular job thus far, but I think some folks are laying on the doom and gloom awfully thick.
Click to expand...

what about in Japan? seems like its a juggernaut in the arcades.
 
Kittonwy said:
What about MLB The Show?

My question is, do the folks at SCEA Santa Monica really see God of War as a AAA big budget epic first-party franchise or do they see it simply as a Devil May Cry-clone that happens to sell well? Because if it's the former, then it sure as hell should be sharing the load driving PS3 sales, why? Because it can, that's what AAA big budget epic first-party titles do, they carry consoles, they don't wait for a console to establish a userbase then jumping on, and because the PS3 needs quality first-party games.
Click to expand...

Are you suggesting Sony should've pulled a "Twilight Princess" on us?
 
SCEA isn't even supporting PS2 except for God of War II...

Hint to SCEA:
· SCEJ and SCEE also make games. Singstar, Buzz, EyeToy, Formula 1, Minna no Tennis, Wild Arms...
 
Fatghost said:
PS2 makes money, PS3 does not yet.

And one of the biggest complaints we have with both MS and Nintendo are last gen port ups.

Leave PS2 games on PS2.
Click to expand...

Kameo was my favourite last gen port up.

EDIT: Zelda is more of a port-over than a port-up before everyone starts flaming the hell outta me!!
 
A more interesting analysis will be to look at how PS1 sales continued on and eventually tailed off a couple years after PS2's release...

then compare it to the Xbox tailing off.

Then you'll see clearly who has the more salient strategy.

...

The real life span of a Sony console is a decent amount of time... 5-8 years... The PS2's lifespan will also be in the region of 8 years... and so will the PS3's.... probably even longer actually.

It's just that Sony release new consoles around the last third of their previous gen's lifespan, in order to have a consistent sellthrough for the Playstation brand as a whole.
 
No, PlayStation 2 has a lot of life left in it and MANY customers who have purchased and still own that machine. Sony should keep supporting it with AAA-titles: PLAYSTATION 3 owners, thanks to the machine's backward-compatibility feature, will be able to enjoy those good games too.
 
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