Dean Takahashi, of Mercury News fame, has gone on record to suggest that Sony Corp. has “pleaded” with third party developers to ensure that support for the its PlayStation 3 console remains strong despite slow sales.
“One piece of news that came out this week was that Sony pleaded with third-party developers not to abandon its struggling platform. That change in attitude is a marked difference”, said Takahashi, in wake of the NPD’s latest hardware sales figures.
“The argument is that the PS3 will show its strength as developers learn how to make games for it.
He also pointed out that developers realise they are able to staff as many as up to four or five Wii projects with the same number of people it takes to produce just one game for PS3.
“We may have a glut of Wii games soon, but that’s not as bad as not having enough games on the PS3”, he added.
Rounding off his comments, Takahashi stated that he expects Sony to be beaten out by competing machines from Microsoft and Nintendo during the upcoming retail battle this holiday season.
“Sony managed to crack the top ten finally with a PS3 title, Heavenly Sword. But beyond Ratchet & Clank, it’s unclear what is going to be a big seller for the company this season”.

Sony just needs to keep on refining Playstation Edge and maybe others will grasp it. It's foolish to think that the PS3 will always be the difficult platform considering the PS2 was just like that back in '01. Like the article implies the PS3 is just in a shortage of really good games. I'm a firm believer that the PS3 has more future-proof potential than both the Xbox 360 and the Nintendo Wii and games that break technological grounds like Killzone 2 are paving the way for a true next-gen experience.
"it’s unclear what is going to be a big seller for the company this season” well, that may be true, but GTA IV it right around the corner. Nuff said.
what about Uncharted? its going to be a big seller!!
true that this season isnt that big but wait until early 08 for the big games to come out and wipe the competition
I hope no developers give up on the PS3 because its good to have a choice of consoles to own, and if the PS3 "failed" (but with MGS4, FFXIII, and Killzone i don't see that happening) personaly i would have to start gaming on my PC cause i wouldn't buy a 360 cause i ain't paying for live and i think the wii is a piece of cheap tat, and is way to casual imo.
Playstation has always been a difficult platform to make games for, it's just the way it always been and I don't think Sony will change that...although the downside is that programmers doesn't have an easy time learning their new machine and the true potential is only fully discovered after 3-5 years time! Patience is becoming short, but it must also be understood that for developers...time is money...that they don't have! I sympathies with the developers and Sony, but those who wait will triumph and be remembered and cherished for creating something memorable (games)!
why people dont make sences of their minds.don't you see that sony always get victories in ALL THAT IS CALL TECHNOLOGY.hdtv,walkman,dvd players,radios,ps 1,ps 2,blank dvd's,dvd recorders,and yet they still having unbiliving minds of SONY technology.MAN IT'S SONY.SONY IS THAT,SONY.
psn id: gingo.... uncharted, ut3 if it comes out, haze, i can name a few other than rachet and clank so this guy clearly knows nothing
Sounds like the usual bad press to me. Anyone gonna take it seriously?
"Mircosoft pleaded with Takahashi," says Loserkid. That's what I see. Nonsense crap.
Once the big hits like Uncharted, Ratchet and Clank, Eye of Judgment, Tekken 6, Final Fantasy XIII, and Metal Gear Solid 4 get released, other devs will fall into line and realize the potential
In contrast to what has been said, the developers have more or less a waning decision on undertaking a PS3 game. It really shows people's true color to stick it out an make fantastic games instead of takng essentially the easy route with developing other titles on the wii for example.
But of course resources an manpower are always looked into and its important to not that the PS3 does take a lot to develop but the rewards can be just as good if done right. :)
Arent Rock Band and GHIII coming up at the holiday season?? lol, this guy cleary doesn't know anything about gaming
"He also pointed out that developers realise they are able to staff as many as up to four or five Wii projects with the same number of people it takes to produce just one game for PS3. "
well that just goes to show that nintendo only care about productivity and not the quality of the outcome - at least we know that that one PS3 game will most likely be better than all those Wii games, because PS3 is all about quality not quantity!
Here is what I worry about, The corporate scene has long been a bunch of sniveling bottom liners that care little about what people want. They are only concerened about what makes them the most money in the shortest time. Its sad really as it doesnt seam to be a competition of making the best game anymore, its all about selling the most.....Halo 3 anyone. That said, devs could make a ton of games for the Wii thinking that its the best choice, whn in reality the games they are making are going to be crap as they are on basicly a GC with motion remote. Sad, so Sad.
WOW, these people are hilarious!!!!! Ya, because I would rather buy an Xbox 360 only to stare at the space it used to sit while I send it back to them to fix it. Oh it may be covered for 3 years now, but that doesn't mean the peice of C**P won't die every few months. Or I could buy the biggest gimick of all time the good old Nintendo game cube, oh I mean Wii. : )
One thing I learned from College (computer science major) was that programers have very BIG egos. So I doubt there are developers just giving up. It is going to take alittle while to comprehend the limits of the PS3, but they will get ahold of it very soon and then we will all be staring back at this and laughing.
Surely its more awarding to create an epic AAA tilte on the PS3 than easily make a not so AAA title on 360?
PS3 needs to try and survive through this holiday season and hope MGS wont go to 360. Also hope gears of war 2 wont kill them. Right now the PS3 is sucking the dust from behind Microsoft. Halo 3 has single handedly ruined the PS3 for this year. You cant deny that either, if you do, your in denial.
This is insane. Now people are making Sony sound desperate.IMO since this guy is saying " four or five Wii games" for every PS3 Wii games are going to be hitting a climax soon.Big sellers are all over the place. Uncharted, COD4, Guitar Hero 3, Haze.
Haze D-bag
Just another attempt for some wanna-be trying to get hits. Anyone who knows what the PS3 is capable of does not give this article a second thought. Granted programming for the PS3 has handicapped some of the programmers temporarily as it has a steep learning curve but as they get more and more experience with it...it will come more easily...just as with the PS2. Sony has already released a new, more advanced set of developer tool softwares to help. Also they are actively supporting any programming/developer teams with any assistance they need to take full advantage of the system. I am not too worried about this holiday season with the titles already slated to come out before the end of the year. I know I already have numerous preorders for my PS3. As far as developing for the Wii....enough said. The statement made says it all. It is easier to program for because it is a much inferior machine (essentially a turbo Gamecube). I haven't played my Wii since Metroid came out which only took a day to beat. All Sony needs to do is keep focusing on getting the games out and they will prevail.
IMO this guy is slanting his statement to grab headlines. The Playstation brand is just as strong as it ever was and the PS3 will do just fine once developers learn how to program for it. And where exactly is all the third party support fo the Wii he was talking about, a crapload of secert projects or Wiiboard games?
The PS3 isnt a failing format.. it already has a support base of over 5.5 million people.. and yes you may be able to build 3-4 Wii games by the time you account for one on the PS3 - but look at the quality! Nuff said.. you look at what you can achieve with a machine that is revolutionary and you look at what you can achieve with a half-a**ed system like the Wii. And "finally cracked the top 10" - Ahum, need I remind this fool of Resistance? MotorStorm? Fight Night? Geez.. and Sony dont "plead" - that have no need to! Developers are stoked to work with the PS3 - its only the ex-Microsoft-turned-GameDevs or the lazy a-h0les that dont know what they're doing - but for the smart companies like Insomnia - they're cashing in! And good on em. That was a cheap shot.
You need like what 4 people to make a Wii game? There's a remarkable differance between a wii game and a Hi-def, next gen game. You want to glut the market with low quality wii games that no one will buy because they're too busy playing Wiisports for the hundreth time because that's all they care to play? Or do you want to make cool games?
Yeah great Im gonna go buy a wii because Ubisoft is about to launch 4 Petz games??? Yeah the wii gets a boatload of games, but a bunch of crappy games for kids, it will keep the kids busy, but who is the target consumer??pennyless kids? This whole "ps3 is crap" buisness is really getting to me, cant we have a good rivalry againts the two companys like the sega master system and the nes back in the day??
Ya know... It's really sad to hear that Sony had to beg developers to stay with us. I mean now they must finally be understanding that it's the software that sells the console; not the hardware. I do believe that sony will be beaten this season by a land slide. We need more better games, or Sony's ps3 may end up having a tragic death like the Dreamcast.
dumb, good night
Well, if for some reason Sony isn't ahead by next holiday season, we do have God of War III. If Final Fantasy, Killzone, or MGS can't do anything (which is stupid to think they won't), GoW III is going to kick some serious a**.
Another ZOMG ZOMGSONY DOOMESS FOREVA!!!!!! prediction