Aaron Greenberg
Responding to this month's NPD figures, Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg has viciously attacked Sony, saying that retailers have told his company the PlayStation brand is "haemorrhaging" and saying that PS2 gamers are abandoning Sony for Microsoft.
Greenberg pointed to the 360's lower price point as a driving factor, saying, "The PS3 was down in February two percent even with the launch of Killzone 2, that's months of year-over-year declines. Xbox continues to head north while the PS3 is heading south. We're gaining share".
Being in Yorkshire, we're pleased to see that Microsoft treats 'heading north' as a positive. Also being from Yorkshire, we wish he'd say, "Xbox is gaining. PS3 is losing." But hell, if you've got a dull job, you've got to spruce it up somehow.
This comes just as Sony Computer Entertainment America's senior VP of marketing, Peter Dille, has said that Sony is not out for market share on the PS3, it's out for profit. He did give the impression, however, that he wouldn't mind a price cut...
The PS3 isn't the end of the story either, according to Greenberg. "But what we hear from our partners is that it's not just PS3, it's also PS2 down 62 percent year over year. With that business declining, and with the PS3 business declining, it's been described to me as hemorrhaging at retail right now, and it just keeps getting worse."
A big part of that, Greenberg says, is Sony console owners switching brands. "What we're finding in our research is that a large portion of the volume we're driving with Xbox 360 purchasers is actually PS2 owners choosing Xbox for the next generation. We're switching people from the PlayStation brand over to the Xbox brand." He didn't quote any figures, nor did he say where the research is coming from.
He also pointed to the appearance of franchises usually associated with PlayStation on Xbox as a key factor. He said that Resident Evil 5 was selling better on the 360 than on the PS3 in the US, as Street Fighter IV has done.
"That follows in the steps of [franchises like] Grand Theft Auto -- and we all know Final Fantasy is coming", he added.
Source: Gamasutra
Greenberg pointed to the 360's lower price point as a driving factor, saying, "The PS3 was down in February two percent even with the launch of Killzone 2, that's months of year-over-year declines. Xbox continues to head north while the PS3 is heading south. We're gaining share".
Being in Yorkshire, we're pleased to see that Microsoft treats 'heading north' as a positive. Also being from Yorkshire, we wish he'd say, "Xbox is gaining. PS3 is losing." But hell, if you've got a dull job, you've got to spruce it up somehow.
This comes just as Sony Computer Entertainment America's senior VP of marketing, Peter Dille, has said that Sony is not out for market share on the PS3, it's out for profit. He did give the impression, however, that he wouldn't mind a price cut...
The PS3 isn't the end of the story either, according to Greenberg. "But what we hear from our partners is that it's not just PS3, it's also PS2 down 62 percent year over year. With that business declining, and with the PS3 business declining, it's been described to me as hemorrhaging at retail right now, and it just keeps getting worse."
A big part of that, Greenberg says, is Sony console owners switching brands. "What we're finding in our research is that a large portion of the volume we're driving with Xbox 360 purchasers is actually PS2 owners choosing Xbox for the next generation. We're switching people from the PlayStation brand over to the Xbox brand." He didn't quote any figures, nor did he say where the research is coming from.
He also pointed to the appearance of franchises usually associated with PlayStation on Xbox as a key factor. He said that Resident Evil 5 was selling better on the 360 than on the PS3 in the US, as Street Fighter IV has done.
"That follows in the steps of [franchises like] Grand Theft Auto -- and we all know Final Fantasy is coming", he added.
Source: Gamasutra
Read More Like This
Comments
Showing the 20 most recent comments. Read all 21.
Mornelithe 20 Mar 2009 14:19
2/21
Oh noes! MS stating their competitor is doomed!! Whatever will Sony do?!?! LoL.
FYI - If the PS2 owners currently sittin on the fence, went with the 360, they'd be pushing far more units than a paltry 400K in a month. Considering there are more than twice as many PS2 owners, than Wii owners...yeah, Aaron, you're more full of it than a whale without an @$$hole.
Morne
FYI - If the PS2 owners currently sittin on the fence, went with the 360, they'd be pushing far more units than a paltry 400K in a month. Considering there are more than twice as many PS2 owners, than Wii owners...yeah, Aaron, you're more full of it than a whale without an @$$hole.
Morne
Umomsbox 20 Mar 2009 15:04
3/21
Sony fanboys are stunned, they were not expecting a kz2 febuary leadup to result in another year over year loss. It's freak out time for them...
more comments below our sponsor's message
DoctorDee 20 Mar 2009 15:12
4/21
Umomsbox wrote:
Sony fanboys are stunned, they were not expecting a kz2 febuary leadup to result in another year over year loss. It's freak out time for them...
I don't think even Sony fanboys are surprised.
The PS3 is simply too expensive, especially in the current economic climate. I personally think its a better overall package than the 360... looks a lot better, feels better built and doesn have RROD. But I still think, at the current respective prices, and certainly when one considers the bundles that were available in the hliday season, the 360 is a better deal. Standalone PS3 needs to be £199.
e 20 Mar 2009 17:08
5/21
IMO the 360 has reached its peak… its not going to get any better for the 360... leaving only one direction for the 360… I have both 360 and PS3, I compare things I never read in these Xbox fanboy write-ups...
Also we should do some real like-for-like comps...
- HD-DVD vs Blu-Ray... what the *@%! are people supposed to do with this obsolete HD-DVD thing MS sold?????
- price comp Xbox Live and PSN... for what I use it for, they both play the games online...
- Wireless…
- Bluetooth…
- 3rd party memory...
- 3rd party hard drives...
Sounds like you SPOnG guys (and some readers...) are on the MS payroll….
I’m not interested in helping Sony or MS make more money... I refuse to "root" for either to sell more units or earn more profits... I just want to play great games on a reliable console.... at home and online!
Also we should do some real like-for-like comps...
- HD-DVD vs Blu-Ray... what the *@%! are people supposed to do with this obsolete HD-DVD thing MS sold?????
- price comp Xbox Live and PSN... for what I use it for, they both play the games online...
- Wireless…
- Bluetooth…
- 3rd party memory...
- 3rd party hard drives...
Sounds like you SPOnG guys (and some readers...) are on the MS payroll….
I’m not interested in helping Sony or MS make more money... I refuse to "root" for either to sell more units or earn more profits... I just want to play great games on a reliable console.... at home and online!
headcasephil 20 Mar 2009 18:28
6/21
the price thing not that BAD if you look at things a little closer
Official Xbox 360 Play and Charge Kit - Black (XB 360 HW) £14.99
Xbox Live 12 Month Halo Wars Gold Subscription Card + 1 Month Bonus (XB 360 HW) £39.99
Xbox 360 Limited Edition Red Elite Console with Resident Evil 5 (XB 360 HW) £229.99
Grand Theft Auto IV £24.99
Far Cry 2 £39.99
Total: £349.95
trying to get deals that gave you the same but can not get a ps3 with resi5 so have found a 3 game deal with 2 games the same
Sony PlayStation 3 80GB Console with Killzone 2, Far Cry 2 and GTA IV (PlayStation 3) £339.99
as you can see there is not much in it if people were to actually work out how much it cost to play on live i think there would a big change in things but yes i all so feal that the ps3 needs a price drop make it around the same price as the elite and sony would be on a roll
Official Xbox 360 Play and Charge Kit - Black (XB 360 HW) £14.99
Xbox Live 12 Month Halo Wars Gold Subscription Card + 1 Month Bonus (XB 360 HW) £39.99
Xbox 360 Limited Edition Red Elite Console with Resident Evil 5 (XB 360 HW) £229.99
Grand Theft Auto IV £24.99
Far Cry 2 £39.99
Total: £349.95
trying to get deals that gave you the same but can not get a ps3 with resi5 so have found a 3 game deal with 2 games the same
Sony PlayStation 3 80GB Console with Killzone 2, Far Cry 2 and GTA IV (PlayStation 3) £339.99
as you can see there is not much in it if people were to actually work out how much it cost to play on live i think there would a big change in things but yes i all so feal that the ps3 needs a price drop make it around the same price as the elite and sony would be on a roll
DrkStr 20 Mar 2009 19:01
7/21
Umomsbox wrote:
Sony fanboys are stunned, they were not expecting a kz2 febuary leadup to result in another year over year loss. It's freak out time for them...
Most ppl, even "sony fanboys" can count tho. KZ2 was on sale for 2 days of Feb in the US. Not much time to shift many PS3s compared to the rest of the month!
PreciousRoi 21 Mar 2009 15:41
8/21
I still think the PS3 looks unattractive and its case certainly doesn't look more solidly built than the 360's.
Couple that with my indifference to BluRay at the moment, XBL, and solid preference in controllers and I still see the 360 as the console of choice. RROD is in the past, its simply not an issue for current stock 360s and PS3 still has nothing compelling (enough on the whole of it) to offer me.
As an aside, I expected more from Sony in its marketing of KZ2...the one advert I keep seeing is totally uninspired and uninspiring...for a game thats supposed to be as pretty as it is, for them to use a that (completely and utterly boring) slomo, non-gameplay, shot of the bullet for the entire campaign...I didn't see anything there that made me want to play it at all...just some faceless red-eyed guys (look like people in masks, even their weapons look Earthly in manufacture, I assume they're supposed to be some kinda alien) watching this bullet go by...puts me to sleep, doesn't create a desire to play it...
Couple that with my indifference to BluRay at the moment, XBL, and solid preference in controllers and I still see the 360 as the console of choice. RROD is in the past, its simply not an issue for current stock 360s and PS3 still has nothing compelling (enough on the whole of it) to offer me.
As an aside, I expected more from Sony in its marketing of KZ2...the one advert I keep seeing is totally uninspired and uninspiring...for a game thats supposed to be as pretty as it is, for them to use a that (completely and utterly boring) slomo, non-gameplay, shot of the bullet for the entire campaign...I didn't see anything there that made me want to play it at all...just some faceless red-eyed guys (look like people in masks, even their weapons look Earthly in manufacture, I assume they're supposed to be some kinda alien) watching this bullet go by...puts me to sleep, doesn't create a desire to play it...
Dreadknux 23 Mar 2009 11:01
9/21
e wrote:
Sounds like you SPOnG guys (and some readers...) are on the MS payroll….
I'd personally like to know how SPOnG are responsible for what someone at Microsoft says.
OptimusP 23 Mar 2009 19:40
10/21
Svend Joscelyne wrote:
e wrote:
Sounds like you SPOnG guys (and some readers...) are on the MS payroll….
I'd personally like to know how SPOnG are responsible for what someone at Microsoft says.
You have an Underwater Castle!! You know how much leverage that gives you! you can all be like "hey, global warming flooding your lands...order your spot now...and MS, we need you to say this and this for that spot".
You power-hungry bastards!
Joji 24 Mar 2009 12:35
11/21
Sony are too greedy to drop that price, and sowed the seeds of the undoing.
By the way, 360 is actually less than the £349 you state. £229 is the peach price for an Elite, as the extra you mentioned can be had for less. GTA4 can be found for 20 quid. A play n charge kit you don't need, as 4 rechargeable Energizer batteries will do fine.
I woke up to 360 at a good time, after Dead Rising was announced. I've had my 360 for 3 and half years, and it serves me well enough, that I might not need to get a PS3.
By the way, 360 is actually less than the £349 you state. £229 is the peach price for an Elite, as the extra you mentioned can be had for less. GTA4 can be found for 20 quid. A play n charge kit you don't need, as 4 rechargeable Energizer batteries will do fine.
I woke up to 360 at a good time, after Dead Rising was announced. I've had my 360 for 3 and half years, and it serves me well enough, that I might not need to get a PS3.
OptimusP 25 Mar 2009 08:50
12/21
Joji wrote:
I woke up to 360 at a good time, after Dead Rising was announced. I've had my 360 for 3 and half years, and it serves me well enough, that I might not need to get a PS3.
Good for you! Especially in these dire times, can't go trowing around money.
Still I believe the so-called PS2-crowd has become split and moved on different platforms, one being the Xbox360 by ps2-owners who like some "serious" gaming but don't want to pay for a PS3. The DS probably absorbed the Japanese PS2 crowd with all its JRPG's and other great s**t that we don't see on our shores. In the US and Europe its probably a smaller percentage. And then you have PS2-people that also bought Wiis...to play Guitar Hero and Boogie and We Cheer on it.
Accidently, We Cheer (or another one of those cheerleading games, don't remember the name) supposed to be a really good but hard game. The game requires you to really mimick actual cheerleading moves, so if you're out of sync a bit, the game will tell you that.
Now we need someone to post cheerleader pics to make this complete
e 25 Mar 2009 18:18
13/21
Svend Joscelyne wrote:
e wrote:
Sounds like you SPOnG guys (and some readers...) are on the MS payroll….
I'd personally like to know how SPOnG are responsible for what someone at Microsoft says.
no one is responsible for what MS says... apparently... now you know... and as a "Media Centre" providing gaming news SPOnG should be responsible for how they present any news... and by responsible i mean unbiased. The title alone is biased, while there are some PS2 gamers buying 360s there are also Xbox gamers buying PS3s... also there are people still buying PS2s along with new PS2 games... not really the 360 rush this article makes it out to be...
PreciousRoi 25 Mar 2009 20:15
14/21
As the resident (self-appointed) headline police, I can say categorically that the headline of this article, and, indeed the article itself are neither misleading or presented in a biased manner. You are, quite simply, completely incorrect in your assertions that they are.
Allow me to break the headline down:
OK a reader who knows his s**t from Shineola™ will read "Microsoft", then they see the colon and without even having to think about it, they realize that the story is about something Microsoft is saying and think to themselves "I wonder what those bastards in Redmond are saying"...then they read "PS2 Gamers Jumping to Xbox 360" and think "Well they would wouldn't they."
Somewhere or another the people responsible tor your programming failed to enter the colon recognition code into your firmware, I suggest you report for a Critical Update immiediately.
In short,
HOWEVER, I have, in my detailed and thorough investigation of the article in question discovered an error most egregious. Aaron Greenberg is quoted as saying the PlayStation brand is "haemorrhaging"...as I assume he's an American, I can assure you that none of my countrymen would say such a thing, therefore your quote must be in error.
We say "hemorrhaging".
Allow me to break the headline down:
SPOnG wrote:
Microsoft: PS2 Gamers Jumping to Xbox 360
OK a reader who knows his s**t from Shineola™ will read "Microsoft", then they see the colon and without even having to think about it, they realize that the story is about something Microsoft is saying and think to themselves "I wonder what those bastards in Redmond are saying"...then they read "PS2 Gamers Jumping to Xbox 360" and think "Well they would wouldn't they."
Somewhere or another the people responsible tor your programming failed to enter the colon recognition code into your firmware, I suggest you report for a Critical Update immiediately.
In short,
PreciousRoi wrote:
All your base are belong to :
SUCKER!
SUCKER!
HOWEVER, I have, in my detailed and thorough investigation of the article in question discovered an error most egregious. Aaron Greenberg is quoted as saying the PlayStation brand is "haemorrhaging"...as I assume he's an American, I can assure you that none of my countrymen would say such a thing, therefore your quote must be in error.
We say "hemorrhaging".
e 26 Mar 2009 00:26
15/21
PreciousRoi wrote:
As the resident (self-appointed) headline police, I can say categorically that the headline of this article, and, indeed the article itself are neither misleading or presented in a biased manner. You are, quite simply, completely incorrect in your assertions that they are.
Allow me to break the headline down:
OK a reader who knows his s**t from Shineola™ will read "Microsoft", then they see the colon and without even having to think about it, they realize that the story is about something Microsoft is saying and think to themselves "I wonder what those bastards in Redmond are saying"...then they read "PS2 Gamers Jumping to Xbox 360" and think "Well they would wouldn't they."
Somewhere or another the people responsible tor your programming failed to enter the colon recognition code into your firmware, I suggest you report for a Critical Update immiediately.
In short,
HOWEVER, I have, in my detailed and thorough investigation of the article in question discovered an error most egregious. Aaron Greenberg is quoted as saying the PlayStation brand is "haemorrhaging"...as I assume he's an American, I can assure you that none of my countrymen would say such a thing, therefore your quote must be in error.
We say "hemorrhaging".
Allow me to break the headline down:
SPOnG wrote:
Microsoft: PS2 Gamers Jumping to Xbox 360
OK a reader who knows his s**t from Shineola™ will read "Microsoft", then they see the colon and without even having to think about it, they realize that the story is about something Microsoft is saying and think to themselves "I wonder what those bastards in Redmond are saying"...then they read "PS2 Gamers Jumping to Xbox 360" and think "Well they would wouldn't they."
Somewhere or another the people responsible tor your programming failed to enter the colon recognition code into your firmware, I suggest you report for a Critical Update immiediately.
In short,
PreciousRoi wrote:
All your base are belong to :
SUCKER!
SUCKER!
HOWEVER, I have, in my detailed and thorough investigation of the article in question discovered an error most egregious. Aaron Greenberg is quoted as saying the PlayStation brand is "haemorrhaging"...as I assume he's an American, I can assure you that none of my countrymen would say such a thing, therefore your quote must be in error.
We say "hemorrhaging".
self-appointed headline police?? If I find your self-appointed services of any value I’ll let you know…
SPOnG, from a pure reader perspective, this is what I read...
"Hey everyone who was on the fence, the PS2 community has just announced their unanimous decision to jump on the 360 so rush to the store and get your 360 while supplies last”
colon or no colon... It’s propaganda… maybe you’re just the messenger and maybe somewhere in this article there’s some news, but what’s missing is balance.
PistolPete 26 Mar 2009 12:09
16/21
I don't see what you are fussing about. I personally still only own a ps2 and in my spare time I play Okami and... actually, I'm pretty much only playing Pro Evo, because I'm addicted to the premier league, and football, and goals - pretty ones- but nevermind...
Ah, I read this article and immediately only thought 'damn Microsoft, I know they are being exaggerative but from my experience the majority of people I know have Xboxes and as I can assume they have all lived for the past 20 years (as they have body hair and claim to have lived at least that long), I can assume their talk of old games refere to the lovely (aforementioned) ps2.(as the mentioned games appeared on the console)."
SO my actual thought train wasn't so elaborately explanatory, but they are my thoughts so I understand them better.
And I see clearly now that this is more of a ramble, but I haven't been near the forums of late (out of chronic SS4 fear).
Quickly then, my point is that most of the people i know do have Xboxes, did have ps2's and are talking more and more (or going ahead with it) about buying ps3's. I still only own a ps2, I am happy enough as I don't make enough money and can't afford enough time to justify the expense to expand. Well, I could get a 360 like, but I wouldn't buy such a cheap and ugly machine... This article is not biased, some of the posters are of course, as peronal opinion makes for lovely free debate (about noisy clunky unshapely...), it is a report on a claim by Microsoft that is exaggerative but not entirely untrue. I read it and my opinion on Microsoft and the Xbox didn't even flutter in the slightest breeze of change. I think the majority of 360 owners may move on to a ps3, but that will be decided upon by Nitendo and Microsoft and time, and not by Spong brainwashing readers (into wanting to buy such a piece of shi...).
And anyway, brand loyalty is all petty nonsense for fools...
Ah, I read this article and immediately only thought 'damn Microsoft, I know they are being exaggerative but from my experience the majority of people I know have Xboxes and as I can assume they have all lived for the past 20 years (as they have body hair and claim to have lived at least that long), I can assume their talk of old games refere to the lovely (aforementioned) ps2.(as the mentioned games appeared on the console)."
SO my actual thought train wasn't so elaborately explanatory, but they are my thoughts so I understand them better.
And I see clearly now that this is more of a ramble, but I haven't been near the forums of late (out of chronic SS4 fear).
Quickly then, my point is that most of the people i know do have Xboxes, did have ps2's and are talking more and more (or going ahead with it) about buying ps3's. I still only own a ps2, I am happy enough as I don't make enough money and can't afford enough time to justify the expense to expand. Well, I could get a 360 like, but I wouldn't buy such a cheap and ugly machine... This article is not biased, some of the posters are of course, as peronal opinion makes for lovely free debate (about noisy clunky unshapely...), it is a report on a claim by Microsoft that is exaggerative but not entirely untrue. I read it and my opinion on Microsoft and the Xbox didn't even flutter in the slightest breeze of change. I think the majority of 360 owners may move on to a ps3, but that will be decided upon by Nitendo and Microsoft and time, and not by Spong brainwashing readers (into wanting to buy such a piece of shi...).
And anyway, brand loyalty is all petty nonsense for fools...
PreciousRoi 26 Mar 2009 12:40
17/21
Well, what can I say, I tried, but you are stubbornly determined to remain ignorant of the function and meaning of the colon.
e 26 Mar 2009 14:05
18/21
PreciousRoi wrote:
Well, what can I say, I tried, but you are stubbornly determined to remain ignorant of the function and meaning of the colon.
PreciousRoi: I am the resident headline police, I determine whether headlines are biased and provide correct interpretation for ignorant readers.
note colon... my gift to you roi, I told you I'll let you know when I find your services of any value...
PreciousRoi 26 Mar 2009 15:05
19/21
And I'll be sure and let you know when and if you ever contribute anything positive or constructive.
e 26 Mar 2009 15:25
20/21
PreciousRoi wrote:
And I'll be sure and let you know when and if you ever contribute anything positive or constructive.
point taken... i can see how i can sound a bit negative.... in the future I''ll do my best to sound more positive...
DoctorDee 27 Mar 2009 09:41
21/21
OptimusP wrote:
You have an Underwater Castle!!
The "Underwater Castle" was simply a castle until we got Global Warming. No one ever said it was a waterproof underwater castle. We sit at our desks in Scuba gear.
When I say "we", I mean "they" of course. My ivory tower still peaks above the waves. I have to travel to work by rubber dinghy though.