PS3 仍是你的最佳選擇嗎?

2007年10月9日發售的40G的新款白色PS3

美國Bloomberg 2006年5月15日報導,高盛分析師Rick Sherlund預估, Xbox 360將有可能擊敗PlayStation 3成為日本區域以外,全球的電視遊樂器的新霸主,而且Xbox部門將在2007年3月底由虧轉盈,因為他推測微軟將在今年底PS3上市之際,調降Xbox 360的價格,且在2007年E3展前整個降幅達到100美元.

Sherlund是被法人機構投資者(Institutional Investor)雜誌評選為頂級軟體業分析師.他認為,降價之後的Xbox 360將在價格方面佔盡優勢.目前同樣內建20GB硬碟的Xbox 360價格已經比PS3便宜100美元,降價之後,價格差距將進一步擴大,而且兩個平台的遊戲品質也不分軒輊,再加上Xbox 360的零件在上市一年之後,也會變得便宜,可以減少Xbox 360的虧損.

PlayStation 2 輕鬆擊敗 Xbox 的主要原因,PS2上市時間比Xbox早許多,提早建立廣大的使用者族群,再加上某些特別暢銷遊戲被PS2平台獨占及全球最大的遊戲廠商EA被Sony的獨厚合約綁住,以及遊戲類型侷限於美國市場的偏好.

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雖然Sony一直強調PS3的科技優越性及搭配Blu-ray的未來性,但是在一般大眾對DVD及Blu-ray影片的畫質差異沒有什麼清晰的印象情況下,要怎麼説服消費大眾選擇搭配Blu-ray昂貴的PS3呢?! 499美元 VS 349美元(今年底的預估價格)?!

這次微軟推出Xbox 360之前,已經記取前次Xbox失敗的昂貴教訓,所以才會儘快趕在Sony PS3之前上市,而且大舉贊助日本著名遊戲製作人為Xbox 360製作新遊戲,以拓展Xbox 360的遊戲類型.再加上從 Xbox 即建立的網路遊戲平台經驗.

除非有幾款你非玩不可的遊戲只限定在PS3平台,否則"PS3 仍是你的第一的選擇嗎?!"

Microsoft May Surpass PS3 Outside Japan, Analyst Says

May 15 (Bloomberg) -- Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360 video-game console may surpass sales of Sony Corp.'s PlayStation 3 outside of Japan, Goldman, Sachs & Co. analyst Rick Sherlund said.

The sales may help Microsoft's Xbox unit turn a profit by March 2007, Sherlund, the top-ranked software analyst by Institutional Investor, said today in a research note. He assumes Microsoft, the No. 2 video-game console maker, will cut prices on the Xbox in a year's time.

The Xbox may outsell the PlayStation 3 because Microsoft's device is cheaper and the games are as good as those on Sony's console, Sherlund said. Losses on the Xbox will also decline as its components become cheaper to produce. Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates last week said he expects the Xbox to have a 10 million unit head start by the time the PlayStation 3 debuts in November.

Shares of Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft fell 2 cents to $23.15 at 4 p.m. New York time in Nasdaq Stock Market composite trading. They have fallen 11 percent this year.

American depositary receipts of Sony, the world's largest maker of video-game players, fell 13 cents to $47.37 in New York Stock Exchange composite trading and have risen 16 percent this year.

Tokyo-based Sony last week said the cheapest PlayStation 3 will cost $499. The most expensive Xbox costs $399 and Sherlund expects that to fall to $299 in a year's time.

Sony, the second-largest maker of consumer electronics, had 64 percent of the market for the previous generation of consoles, Merrill Lynch & Co.'s Kash Rangan said in a May 2 note. Microsoft garnered 16 percent and Nintendo Co. had 13 percent.

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雖然在"The XBOX 360 UNCLOAKED"的作者Dean 高橋的部落格中,有讀者回應指出,高盛的分析師Rick Sherlund在過去五年都是看多微軟,但現今微軟的股價已經較五年前下挫60%,表現遠遜於大盤表現.依此來質疑Sherlund預測的準確性...