So it seems I should have saved some of my comments for this week, as I once again find myself lacking for a topic. So it’s a hodge podge for you folks today.
Of course the big story of the week is today’s launch of the Xbox 360. Microsoft hasn’t convinced me to get the system yet, but I suspect it won’t take long for me to start looking at my Xbox and saying “Damn, you’re looking ugly. I need me a new woman…I mean new console.” Ahem. Anyway, I don’t know when it will happen, but I already look at my PS2 in pity.
Speaking of looking at the Playstation in pity, I have to wonder about what’s going to happen to Sony thanks to this massive digital rights management debacle they’ve Mr. Bean’d their way into. I find it amazing that a company can say yes we will f*ck up your computer and no we’re not doing anything wrong when we do it, but that’s the line that Hollywood is taking. “We do this all the time” is a line I’ve read coming from someone in the RIAA. Were they DRUNK when they said this? I don’t know.
What I do know is this: Sony is already hurting. 2005 will probably go down in the history books at Sony as the worst year in corporate history. Losing money, class action lawsuits springing up all around the place, recalling the affected CD I don’t think I’ve seen a company mangle so many things all at once since…gee, I don’t know, I think this even tops Sega. Can they recover? Absolutely. Microsoft has managed to screw up almost as much as Sony when it comes to their 360, so it’s not like Sony can’t begin printing money again once they launch the Playstation 3. And all the PSP needs is a little bit of support to get the ball really rolling. (Maybe a Katamari ball, as has been announced recently?) The flow of games has started to trickle out, and now that theres a possible killer app. out on the market with Liberty City Stories we may yet see a flock of new PSPs selling this holiday season. Anyone out there who wants to send me one can feel free, by the way.
OK, it seems like someone at Sony has figured they can’t launch at $500. They just can’t. Instead they are going to launch at around the same price as Microsoft, somewhere between $300 and $400. Don’t believe me? Here, read it straight from the boss. http://money.cnn.com/2005/11/21/technology/playstation_fortune_112805/
Back yet? Good, I’ve got more to say. We have now seen two separate Sony Big Wigs give us two totally different opinions on the price of their upcoming console. Ken Kutaragi, who commands the Playstation division of Sony has said you’ll need to forfeit an arm, possibly a leg to purchase the system. Now Sir Howard Stringer, Sony’s chief grand poobah has said nope, we’ll eat the cost and launch between three and four hundred. Both could be wrong, but I like that the guy who will have the final say is playing the good cop, if you can look at $400 as being the good cop.
Lastly, since this Friday is Black Friday, as it’s known in retail, I’m also going to give you another link so that you can make your post turkey day plans appropriately. http://www.bf2004.net/ The URL says 2004 but hey, I bet the domain name was cheap so leave em alone. It might prove very useful to some of you shoppers.
Anyway, may you all have a Happy Thanksgiving, and I’ll see you next week. PS: Oh, and while you’re digesting that Turkey and browsing that list of Black Friday shopping deals, take a gander at the Xbox 360 Launch Guide we here at the Pulse put together for you.