During his Tokyo Games Show keynote, Sony Computer Entertainment president, Kaz Hirai, said that the company plans to target emerging markets with the PS2.
Hirai demonstrated how the PS2 has outsold the PSOne (it's now sold 120 million units worldwide) and emphasised the fact that it's now an easier platform to develop for than the PS3.
Hirai told the audience:
Giving the PS2 a renewed focus is an unconventional move, with platform holders typically de-emphasising previous generation hardware once a newer model has come along. Whether the move is an attempt to bolster profits in the face of an under-performing PS3 or a bold new marketing direction that hardware companies should have been following all along remains to be seen.
Hirai also took the opportunity provided by his keynote to announce rumble for the PS3, showcase the PSP's remote play functionality and reveal that Home has been delayed.
Hirai demonstrated how the PS2 has outsold the PSOne (it's now sold 120 million units worldwide) and emphasised the fact that it's now an easier platform to develop for than the PS3.
Hirai told the audience:
"I've been telling people we have to come back to our basics at SCE so we can provide a lot more interesting games and entertainment opportunities. This has become the most important priority. I think with the PS3 we took a very important first step to move into the future of PlayStation, but... I would like to share some important ideas on how to expand our PS business."
Giving the PS2 a renewed focus is an unconventional move, with platform holders typically de-emphasising previous generation hardware once a newer model has come along. Whether the move is an attempt to bolster profits in the face of an under-performing PS3 or a bold new marketing direction that hardware companies should have been following all along remains to be seen.
Hirai also took the opportunity provided by his keynote to announce rumble for the PS3, showcase the PSP's remote play functionality and reveal that Home has been delayed.
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Comments
OptimusP 20 Sep 2007 16:10
1/2
A bold new marketing direction? Nintendo's "N64-jammed-on-a-chip-put-in-a-controller-especially-for-emerging-markets" (don't know name, must look it up) from some years ago says otherwise.
The problem with these emerging markets is piracy, Nintendo solved it by only having the game to be downloaded from gameshops into a special memory card.
The problem with these emerging markets is piracy, Nintendo solved it by only having the game to be downloaded from gameshops into a special memory card.
Hypnotoad 20 Sep 2007 23:36
2/2
Wow it's like Kazz is reading my forum posts here. I think this is an excellent move by Sony. The Wii is not a nextgen console (and god it pisses me off to see it hailed in that light). It's LAST GENERATION technology and belongs squarely in the field where Xbox1 and PS2 reside. So why the heck wouldn't Sony attack this market with renewed vigor? With 10times the install base of Wii, all they need to do is develop some of this mass market tripe that seems to be getting gobbed up and release a $25 motion sensing peripheral. They'll be half the price of Wii and have MAMMOTH back catalog (especially taking into account PS1). It's really not that difficult to understand why they'd have this renewed focus is it SPOnG? Clearly this new market doesn't give a s**t about gfx so I say go Sony here.