In a strange attempt to turn the tables on the competition, Sony has accused the Wii and Xbox 360 of being too expensive in today,s next gen game console market. Up to this point, Sony has been the main recipient of much of the criticism concerning the high price points of the PS3.
Sony Australia’s Michael Ephraim, explained that once consumers totaled their Wii purchases, they would be surprised at the cost compared to the PS3. "My only question for this Christmas on Wii is the price point. Even though it’s affordable, at AUD $400 (297 USD) plus whatever you need to buy accessories-wise, I’m guessing you need to spend about AUD $500 (372 USD) to take home a Wii and enjoy it."
Ephraim continued, "This Christmas, I think that price point is still not family entertainment because AUD $500 (327 USD) is a lot to fork out, but we welcome the Nintendo heritage of gaming where they can appeal to a broader audience because long-term that is critical for the industry.”
Ephraim threw the 360 under the bus, claiming it, like the Wii, was exceedingly expensive. "I think their product offering is still not broad enough. The content is narrow and appeals only to a very core group. It’s still pricey, and I’m sure Microsoft will do everything they can, but if you just look at the offerings from each format and the marketplace that we are now playing in… we are talking about mass-market and non traditional gamers."
