| Date: 05/16/06 11:32:41 AM]A vice president at Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. said in an interview during the E3 trade-show that the consumers should buy Nintendo’s Wii as a second game console after the PlayStation 3. A similar thing has been said by an executive at Microsoft Corp. about the Wii and, Sony PS3’s main competitor, Xbox 360 game console.
“I think Peter Moore is exactly right. I think Nintendo will be the second system consumers purchase after PlayStation 3. I haven’t had a chance to check out the Wii myself, but Nintendo has a great history of innovation and has always done great things for gaming and long may they do so. But as it relates to our strategy they are very much in a different market,” said Phil Harrison, a vice president at SCEI, in an interview with GamePro.com.
Microsoft’s premium Xbox 360 version costs $399 today, whereas Nintendo’s Wii game console is rumoured to sell for $199. The top-of-the-range version of PlayStation 3 console, which will be able to play Blu-ray disc movies, will cost $599, by contrast. Recently Microsoft’s Peter Moore said that consumers should purchase an Xbox 360 and a Wii, but avoid Sony’s forthcoming PlayStation.
Microsoft’s Xbox 360 cannot play HD DVD movies by default, but requires a separate HD DVD drive, which costs additional money. Keeping this in mind, Sony defended price-point of the PlayStation 3 and indicated that the value it will have will appeal to customers.
“It’s clearly a case that PlayStation 3’s price is justified by PlayStation 3’s value. That’s what consumers base their purchasing decisions on – value. What we have in addition to a great game system is a Blu-ray player, a network platform, a new controller, and HDD in every system combined in an unbelievably compelling package. And frankly I’m amazed that we can do it so cheaply,” Mr. Harrison said.
The PlayStation 3 will be launched on 11th of November in
Sony currently dominates the worldwide video game market with a 66% share, while Microsoft and Nintendo each hold 17%, according to Strategy Analytics.



