Sony has been the leader in the game console market for over a decade–a distinction that definitely has its advantages–but SCEA President, Jack Tretton, bemoaned the fact that this position carries quite a bit of pressure to perform, in statements made to EGM.
Tretton said, "Because we’re in that leadership position, there are a lot of expectations thrust upon us and some of them are a little unrealistic." He alluded to the idea that people cheer for the underdog, leaving Sony out in the cold. "If we were a distant third in the platform race, people would have a warm spot in their hearts for the good old days of PlayStation and they’d actually root for us to get back on top. But I don’t know if we want to pay the price to get that kind of [support]."
Despite the difficulties that Sony may face, Tretton said that he had every confidence that the PS3 will succeed. "I think we’ve got a better machine. I think we’ve got a better business model, and I think we’re going to win in the long term."
Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft are all vying for supremacy in the game console market, hoping to leave its competitors in the dust. However, each company’s machine seems to have fairly different demographics that are being targeted. It’s not inconceivable that, in the long run, it may turn out to be a three-way tie, as opposed to any one console manufacturer ending up the clear cut winner.
