Sony 'PlayStation' division sees shrinking losses

Sony's videogame unit, sometimes known as the "PlayStation" unit, has announced that it is expecting to see its losses shrink by about $956 million USD for the 12 months ended March 31, 2008. Because of PlayStation 3 start-up costs , the previous 12 month period had seen the division lose about $1.43 billion USD.

The figures are according to the Japanese Nikkei daily and the whole corporation is expected to see its operating profit increase five fold. Even with that growth however, the corporation is expected to miss its profit targets.

The January forecast was $3.91 billion USD but the Nikkei predicts that the company will only see a $3.63 billion profit, far below its estimate.

Sales of TVs and digital cameras were very strong for the year and official full year earnings will be released next week. Sony spokespeople said they would not comment on the Nikkei's report.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 5 May 2008 16:36

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16 comments

iluvendo

Everyone is buying PS3 instead of a standalone BD player. Dual purpose and less expensive.

5.5.2008 16:41 #1

bdoggie08

just a great system, but shitty games. Best built system, with a low failure rate, no RROD, and an internet browser. Next it'll cook food and make our coffee.

5.5.2008 17:25 #2

JorDogg

Originally posted by bdoggie08: just a great system, but shitty games. Best built system, with a low failure rate, no RROD, and an internet browser. Next it'll cook food and make our coffee.If only it made our coffee.... ahh coffee!

5.5.2008 18:13 #3

domie

Bring back the Goblin Teasmaid NOW !!!!!!

5.5.2008 18:44 #4

susieqbbb

no thank you i am happy with my dvd converter that upconverts dvd's to 1080I and besides dvd' are cheaper i am not willing to spend 70.00 for special edition bluray movies when i can get dvd special edition movies for only 30.00

5.5.2008 19:09 #5

viny1313

Originally posted by susieqbbb: no thank you i am happy with my dvd converter that upconverts dvd's to 1080I and besides dvd' are cheaper i am not willing to spend 70.00 for special edition bluray movies when i can get dvd special edition movies for only 30.00PS3 upscales to 1080P ;)

Good to hear... Funny how last year was all losses and this year is pretty much the opposite... Must have been the ads :P

5.5.2008 19:31 #6

Hunt720

Quote:PS3 upscales to 1080P ;)Very true.

I mean, if you are going to rely on upscaling your DVD's for the time being... and you own an HD set that supports 1080p (and is larger than 40 inches) you might as well upscale to the highest level.

But then again.. if you can afford all of these.. you can probably afford a Blu-Ray disc.

5.5.2008 19:43 #7

nobrainer

Originally posted by iluvendo: Everyone is buying PS3 instead of a standalone BD player. Dual purpose and less expensive.doubtful, and if it was true (lmao) how is this good that sony has basically priced every other manufacturer off of the shelves, what incentive is there to make the players if they cannot compete?

@ susieqbbb

exactly that is what everyone is doing.

Blu-ray hits bumps in the road to HD market dominance Originally posted by hyperlink: Published: May 05, 2008 - 02:37PM CT

Mid-February was a good time to be a Blu-ray backer. Media moguls who had championed the technology were busy floating on yachts in the Pacific, chomping cigars, and stroking white longhaired cats; the billion-dollar payday was at hand. But numbers out last week indicate that standalone Blu-ray player sales plummeted in the early part of this year, and enthusiasm for the hi-def format appears as lukewarm as the applause at an REO Speedwagon concert. Where did all the buyers go?

Last week, both ABI Research and The NPD Group delivered the news: the standalone Blu-ray player market did not suddenly rise up and walk after HD DVD quit the market. Instead, it remained in its bed and took a turn for the worse. NPD reports that player sales dropped by 40 percent from January to February 2008 and increased by only 2 percent the following month.

ABI argues that the Blu-ray player market won't improve to full health for more than a year, perhaps as long as 18 months. "BD player prices remain high, and supplies are limited," says ABI Research principal analyst Steve Wilson. "This is good for the market because most current players do not support all the functions that studios place on the discs. Lacking support for�or upgradability to�BD Live! or Bonus View (picture in picture), consumers cannot utilize all the available options. Manufacturers would rather sell more fully-featured models."

The BPI Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, EMI.
The RIAA Soundexchange Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, EMI.
The IFPI Are: The same anti consumer lot as listed above!
The MPAA Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, DISNEY, PARAMOUNT, FOX.

6.5.2008 03:24 #8

SDF_GR

6.5.2008 06:55 #9

viny1313

The best system is bound to have the best games... Eventually...

My Christmas list is already full :)

6.5.2008 08:08 #10

7thsinger

Quote:The January forecast was $3.91 billion USD but the Nikkei predicts that the company will only see a $3.63 billion profit, far below its estimate.
Isn't that a damn shame?

6.5.2008 09:19 #11

tyrant897

I don't know if it's just me. But I am the type that is pleased to have a quality piece of equipment first, the games will follow and I will gladly wait patiently for them.

I feel the ps3 network is top notch for being free, being able to play the sytem with the stereo on a lower volume if needed and be able to hear the game not the system whirling away.

I am about ready to sabotage the wifes ps2 so I can get a second one and finally stop fighting and bringing it up from my son's room to have a turn =)

6.5.2008 12:55 #12

nobrainer

Originally posted by tyrant897: I don't know if it's just me. But I am the type that is pleased to have a quality piece of equipment first, the games will follow and I will gladly wait patiently for them.

I feel the ps3 network is top notch for being free, being able to play the sytem with the stereo on a lower volume if needed and be able to hear the game not the system whirling away.

I am about ready to sabotage the wifes ps2 so I can get a second one and finally stop fighting and bringing it up from my son's room to have a turn =)what's the point in owning a console and paying the current price with the hope of decent titles being released that aren't multi format. why not w8 until several decent games have been released instead of paying a high premium to just look at your ps3 and maybe the ps3 will drop in price again now that foxconn sweatshop labour is being used to manufacturer them!

6.5.2008 13:44 #13

tyrant897

I have not said I bought one and let it sit, I have used the ps3 since the day I bought it. And yes the next one will be cheaper than the first.

That is also more in response to the, "No games for it" , sure there wasn't the vast selection but I have been very happy with it thus far. Reminds me of when the Sega Genesis came out slightly before the super NES I think. Sure there were 600 games for the NES in the first week but I was glad with the genesis purchase and the games did come.

6.5.2008 14:04 #14

xblade132

Here's an idea that I bet nobody thought of..!

Buy whichever system you want.

6.5.2008 17:22 #15

Hunt720

Quote:what's the point in owning a console and paying the current price with the hope of decent titles being released that aren't multi format. why not w8 until several decent games have been released instead of paying a high premium to just look at your ps3 and maybe the ps3 will drop in price again now that foxconn sweatshop labour is being used to manufacturer them!Translation: "wahhhhhhhhhh"

The PS3 already has several good titles and this year has confirmed releases of several more. Thus the "good titles" point is officially dead.

I'm not sure if you have noticed... but your anti-sony crusade has yet to change anyones mind about the Playstation or Blu-Ray despite your ranting.

7.5.2008 15:36 #16

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