Sony Rivals React to PS3 Delay

Microsoft and Nintendo weigh in on the troubles their rival in the next-gen hardware race is having.

Sony has not had a good few months since its less than spectacular performance at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in May, culminating this week in the admission that the PlayStation 3 would miss its November launch in Europe, and that early shipments are down too in North America and Japan. Now Microsoft and Nintendo are weighing in on the situation.

Microsoft, which has already suffered through a global launch of its Xbox 360, says Sony's failure to make good on its promises is not unexpected and indirectly fingered the PlayStation 3's Blu-ray drive as an albatross around Sony's neck.

"We know how challenging it is to pull off a global launch," Microsoft's Chris Lewis told MCV, "so it's not surprising that Sony has backed away from their previously announced launch plan due to the unproven technology they are trying to pack in to their console."

"Europe remains a priority for us and that is why gamers have been able to experience Xbox 360 from day one and why we're confident we're going to have a great Christmas, regardless of what competitors are or are not in the market."

Nintendo, meanwhile, is keeping to its strategy of essentially ignoring what both Sony and Microsoft are up to and has instead sent out a reminder that its own production schedule is on track.

"Wii is on track to ship in [the fourth quarter of 2006]. Nintendo plans to ship 6 million systems to retailers around the world between its launch in the fourth quarter of 2006 and the end of its fiscal year on March 31, 2007," reads a curt statement from Nintendo.

Sony's next big challenge is to recoup some of the goodwill it has been losing. The next chance for that is at the Tokyo Game Show, later this month, where Sony is expected to show off dozens of playable games for the new system.

Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games