Console Makers Respond to February Sales Data; Sony Claims 2008 Is 'The Year for PS3'
As in January, the PlayStation 3 outsold the Xbox 360, which Microsoft again attributed to supply issues. Both Sony and Microsoft expressed high expectations for Rockstar North's Grand Theft Auto IV (PS3, X360), which arrives on April 29.
"Xbox 360 remained in a supply constrained situation," stated a Microsoft representative, who once again reaffirmed that Microsoft is not in talks to bring Blu-ray movie playback to the Xbox 360.
"The [supply] situation is improving," Microsoft continued, "and we are confident consumers will soon be able to find the Xbox 360 SKU they seek, in time for the launch of Grand Theft Auto IV, which we expect to be one of the biggest titles of the year with huge impact on the Xbox 360 platform."
Referring to 2008 as "the year for PS3," Sony Computer Entertainment America president and CEO Jack Tretton trumpeted the PlayStation 3's Blu-ray movie playback functionality and highlighted the system's upcoming lineup.
"Consumers are recognizing the tremendous value of PS3 and we believe that Blu-ray becoming the high-def format of choice was the tipping point for many consumers," stated Tretton.
"With monster titles like Gran Turismo 5 Prologue and Grand Theft Auto IV launching in April and Metal Gear Solid 4 in June, we're demonstrating this is the year for PS3," Tretton continued.
As for Nintendo, executive sales and marketing VP Cammie Dunaway emphasized the broad appeal and now-routine chart-topping performance of the Wii and Nintendo DS hardware.
"Our momentum has not let up since the holidays and we expect it to continue throughout the year," Dunaway said. "We have the industry's strongest lineup of games for everyone from core to casual gamers."
Across 2007, there were only three instances when the Wii and the DS were not the month's top two best-selling pieces of hardware in North America.
Though the Wii ranked as top-selling hardware in January 2007, supply problems dropped the Nintendo DS to the month's fifth best-selling system.
March 2007 saw the PlayStation 2 gain a slight lead over the Wii while the Nintendo DS topped the charts. In September, the launch of Bungie's Halo 3 (X360) briefly pushed Xbox 360 sales over those of the Wii and the Nintendo DS.
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barrymaccockiner
replyMy 3rd Xbox 360 died on me in mid-January. I forked out the extra cash with Best Buy for the product replacement plan only to be frustrated over the course of three weeks and waiting for them to get new Xbox consoles that never arrived.
After growing tired of Microsoft's "supply shortage" I decided to just send it in for repairs since it is under warranty.
After 3 weeks, still no X-box.
If I didn't have about a thousand dollars invested in games I'd give up on Microsoft and just sell everything and buy a PS3. I don't care for Sony, I'd just like a product that stays alive for longer than 1 year. Seriously, I'm going to be on my fourth Xbox 360.
I doubt there is any supply shortage. I just think they are tired of getting their Xbox consoles sent back to them so they are just now taking their quality seriously and trickling out their consoles while they try to solve manufacturing problems that should have been solved years ago.
My original Xbox still works like a champ, maybe they can take a lesson from that one.-
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Its funny you say you got lucky you only had ONE dead 360 haha, its like if you haven't had a broken 360 you must never have owned one.
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Your Best Buy ran out of 360 stock? I've been researching BB's PRP, as I plan to get a 360 in the coming months. I have read stories online about them not honoring their PRP's, but I'm not sure if those scenarios were instances where the buyer, or the specific store, confused a product replacement plan with a product service plan.
Did you use the Best Buy PRP for your first 2 malfunctioned consoles?
I just want to be secure knowing I can take back the console as soon as it has a serious issue, and get another one right on the spot.-
Yes, I have a PRP. No questions there. The support people offered to give me my money back for the console, but short of buying back my GH2, GH3, RockBand, Mass Effect, and a shitload of other games it just isn't worth the hit in my pocket book.
I took one of them back to Best Buy. Another time I had to send it in as Best Buy didn't have any in stock and I didn't want to wait. That time I had my 360 back from Microsoft within 2 weeks of sending it to them. That gave me hopes this time around.
Best Buy can only honor a PRP if they have the console in stock. Otherwise they just shrug their shoulders, tell you they can't guarantee when they will get more, and they can't hold one in stock for you. You have to just luck out that they have one in stock when you go in.
My local Best Buy, and the one in Reno has not had any in stock for ages. When they do get them in, they get like 5 that sell out within a couple of hours on a Saturday morning. Besides, once I sent in my console I have to wait it out to get my new one.
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Yeah, it really doesn't seem to make any sense. There's no denying that any kind of re-design is expensive, but if they understand the problem, are spending hundreds of millions of dollars on repairs / replacements, are taking a big hit to their reputation, and are periodically introducing new SKUs... I really, really don't see why they can't fix the problem with a new model.
Even if, worse case, they had to enlarge the console to properly dissipate heat, is that really worse than what they're doing to themselves with this high rate of failure?
I know we'll never hear anything from MS, but it would be fascinating to hear from an engineer at MS what the situation is. Maybe in a few years we'll get a memoir. -
I believe the supply problem is related to retooling all the lines to make the newer, more reliable 360s.
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