When you think of most memorable gaming consoles, the SNES, N-64, Sega Genesis come to mind. When you think of most influential or popular, you think Xbox 360 and the NES. Best-selling, PS2 and the Wii.
It's not looked at as a great commercial success, nor a memorable well-received console.
However, it arguably had the greatest console comeback.
A Rocky, Expensive Start
The PS3 launched in 2006, and its launch was alright. This is definitely where they fumbled. Coming off the hugely popular and game (no pun intended) changing PS2, Sony was riding high. But the PS3 was just too ahead of its time.
It launched at $600 US!
It was too expensive for consumers, and too difficult for game developers. The reason for both of these are 3 factors:
1) Its Cell Processor, built from the ground up, made the console very expensive to produce (around $900) and difficult for developers to work with, as this was completely new technology, tools, and coding techniques at the time.
2) It was fully backwards compatible with the PS2, but not by software emulation. It took the actual PS2 hardware into the PS3. Essentially getting 2 consoles in 1. But it made it even more expensive to create (and heavier).
3) It’s overall design and packed in features. It was the first console to include an HDMI Port, built-in wireless internet connection, and a Blu-Ray drive. Its media centre also contributed to the price.
All these factors led to Sony’s high pricing, and a negative response from both gamers, and developers.
Battle of the Consoles
The PS3's main competitor was Microsoft's Xbox 360, which launched its console a year before Sony's, and at $200 less.
The PS3 was actually more powerful than the Xbox 360. But more power doesn’t get you power. Often times the ‘weakest’ console is the best-selling because it’s quicker/easier to develop, and more affordable.
For the first few years that these consoles were on the market, the same third-party game looked better on the Xbox 360. Because it was easier to develop for. Thus, Xbox was centre of the party, the PS3 in the corner.
And the 360 had a more streamlined experience, especially with its strong online service, Xbox Live. Though Sony’s PlayStation Network was free, it was notoriously unstable, and was actually hacked in 2011! And the PS3 didn’t have a party chat!
The Comeback
I do believe the PS3 is the greatest console comeback.
And it all started in 2009. After 3 years, Sony released the PS3 Slim, a less bulky version of the original. PS2 backwards computability was removed, the media hub gone. And it was sold at $400 now, much more affordable.
By this point, Blu Ray won the format war against HD DVD, and it became the main storage format.
They stuck to their guns and never gave up on their console. They took those massive growing pains and turned them into strengths. But it also lay in their games, the biggest ingredient for a consoles success.
Incredible Games
When the PS3 launched, it was criticized for a lack of quality exclusive, and really just a lack of exclusives at all.
Some hits for its first few years included Resistance, Metal Gear Solid 4, Ratchet and Clank, but they never reached the heights of Microsoft’s Halo, Gears of War, and others.
It wasn’t until 2009 when Uncharted 2 came out. The graphics, gameplay, technological achievements, and overall gameplay, story, and enjoyment experience started the trend of Sony’s first party games getting better and better. Soon we had; Killzone 2, Uncharted 3, Demon’s Souls, God of War 3, and The Last of Us.
These exclusives helped rebuild Sony’s reputation and faith in their player base and developers.
Comeback Realized
By the last few years of the console generation, the tables had turned. Microsoft wasn’t really pumping out many exclusives, only sticking to long-established franchises, and games were starting to look better on the PS3.
By 2013, near the end of the 7th console generation, the PS3 finally overtook the Xbox 360 in sales.Final figures are around 87-88 million for the PS3, and 84-86 for the 360.
This comeback was a long but eventually, prosperous one. Sony took every wound as a lesson for the PS4, which has since put them back on top.
Sony had to overcome its poor brand and imaging, and huge losses in sales. No other console before (Sega Saturn, GameCube) or since (Xbox One, Wii U) has managed to recover from a rough start, both in sales and imaging.
What do you think? Is the PS3 a better console now than when it released? What are you fondest memories of it? Your favourite games? Comment down below.
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