Sony Australia spills its thoughts on Nintendo

October 10th, 2006, 19:21 Posted By: wraggster

We've heard Microsoft's thoughts many a time, but what does Sony's crew down-under think of Nintendo's radical console?

Michael Ephraim, Managing Director of Sony Computer Entertainment Australia, recently spoke with Australian newspaper, The Age, discussing his company's plans for the PlayStation brand this Christmas, and, more interestingly, how Nintendo will affect what's in-store.

When asked about Nintendo's goal of attracting the mass market - something that Sony has achieved with impressive results - Ephraim said, "Nintendo is a great company as far as games development goes, they have been around for a long time, they know how to deliver an entertaining product. My only question for this Christmas on Wii is the price point. Even though it's affordable, at $400 plus whatever you need to buy accessories-wise, I'm guessing you need to spend about $500 to take home a Wii and enjoy it," he said

While playing may equal believing, Ephraim has yet to experience Nintendo's revolutionary system, but said, "I've heard good things about it. For this Christmas, I think that price point is still not family entertainment because $500 is a lot to fork out, but we welcome the Nintendo heritage of gaming where they can appeal to a broader audience because long-term that is critical for the industry."

"What we've done on PlayStation 2 with social gaming has broadened the audience and we're glad that [Nintendo is] attempting to do similar things to open up the market to families and never-before gamers. Time will tell. For this Christmas I think the price for what it specifically does as a video games machine is a bit pricey," said Ephraim, continuing by believing that it's a long term plan, for which Sony has "great respect for."

Ephraim also shared his thoughts on the handheld scene, and specifically the success of the Nintendo DS compared with the PSP. "The DS really appeals to a lot younger, very female skewed [audience], and the DS has done a fabulous job," he said. "PSP is a product that if you go back to the analogy of PlayStation and PlayStation 2, they are leaders in their field as far as the consumer offering. Price points, perceptions, or consumers coming to grips with what the device truly offers and the value that it offers, does take time."

Nintendo's Wii hits Australian shores in just over 57 days, while people wanting Sony's PlayStation 3 will have to wait until March 2007, at the earliest, when the system is expected to debut for around a 'grand'.

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