SEARCH IVEY PRODUCTS
 
  More Search Options
Accounting
Entrepreneurship
Finance
General Management
Human Resource Management
International
Management Science and Information Systems
Marketing
Production and Operations Management



Product Details

9B07A014

Launch of the Sony PlayStation 3

Gloria Barczak David T.A. Wesley


Case (Pub Mat)
Source : Northeastern University

VIEW PDF  (558 kb)

Publication Date 8/3/2007

The PlayStation 3 (PS3) was the successor of the acclaimed PlayStation 2 (PS2), recognized as the world’s best-selling video game console with more than 100 million units sold. The unprecedented display of enthusiasm for the PS3 suggested that Sony had another winner on its hands. The company projected sales of six million PS3 consoles worldwide between November 2006 and March 2007, a level that the PS2 took almost a year to reach. Sony’s initial euphoria was short-lived. By February 2007, more than a third of PS3 consoles remained unsold, while some retailers reported a higher number of returns than sales. Consumers said they felt let down by Sony. The PS3 looked no better than Microsoft’s Xbox 360, they complained, even though the Xbox 360 had already been on the market for more than a year, and sold for $200 less than the PS3. Customers also lamented the PS3’s lack of interesting games, spotty support for PlayStation 2 games, and uninspiring online capabilities. Meanwhile, Nintendo’s inexpensive and quirky Wii console had become all the rage, despite its underpowered processor and comparatively basic graphics. The case examines the characteristics of a successful new product launch, particularly product features, brand loyalty, content availability, third-party support, and adherence to industry standards. The case also considers how radical innovations can be used to win market share from technically superior products focused on incremental innovations. Finally, we use a 4P marketing analysis to compare video game systems offered by Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo.

Disciplines :    Marketing ,  International
Issue(s) :  New Products Product Design/Development Market Strategy Generating Profit from New Technology
Industry :  Electric & Electronic Equipment Supplies
Setting :  United States;United Kingdom, Large organization, 2007
Difficulty : 4 - Undergraduate/MBA
Length :  18 pages

Price :  $3.95 CAD /  $3.60 USD  Printed copy
$3.30 CAD /  $3.00 USD  Permissions
$3.30 CAD /  $3.00 USD  Electronic

Related Products:
  Teaching Note: 8B07A14  (15 pages)

News & Announcements
Products Offered
Services Provided
Permission/Order Forms

The Case-Writing Process
Case Method Workshops
Register Cases with Ivey