Midway "concerned" over PS3

By Robert Purchese Published 2 August, 2007

Confident price cut will help.

Midway's CEO David Zucker has told GamesIndustry.biz that he's still concerned about sales of the PlayStation 3, but thinks the recently announced USD 100 price cut will certainly help the console in the short term.

However, worries over the uptake of the PS3 aren't enough to put Midway off supporting the luxury console, with Unreal Tournament 3 exclusive to the machine this year, and forthcoming action game Stranglehold set to feature a full-length movie on the Blu-ray game disc.

"We would not be the only publisher to tell you that we're a little concerned about the take-up of the PS3," said Zucker, in an interview published today.

"Anytime you get a hundred dollar price on hardware it will improve sales. The question is, is it enough? Will there be more?"

The Unreal Tournament 3 deal is just one way that Midway is backing the PS3, and it's confident it's a title that will make a big impact on the home console when released in November.

"When you go back to last year's E3, one of the first titles that were shown on Sony's PS3 was Unreal Tournament. So, it has always been a big title for the PS3," he said.

Head over to GamesIndustry.biz for the first part of the Zucker interview.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (43) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • mattigan #1 5 years ago

    Flame on!!

  • JohnnyWashnGo #2 5 years ago

    I like the tag 'luxury' for the PS3.

    In a time of rising interest rates, soaring house prices and rent prices, increase in cost of living, fuel bills going up and enormous national debt a console the price of the PS3 here in the UK deserves the tag 'luxury'.

  • jonsaan #3 5 years ago

    yaaawn

  • Xerx3s #4 5 years ago

    Here come those page hits.

  • BadBoyBonner #5 5 years ago

    He's got a point...

  • QPRHOOPS81 #6 5 years ago

    i wonder if the $100 price drop will use the same exchange rate as normal and mean it will be £100 off.

  • septimus #7 5 years ago

    EG loves anything negative it can get on PS3.

  • SBfistfun #8 5 years ago

    SB "concerned" over Midway and their crap releases

  • Steroyd #9 5 years ago

    Hey leave Unreal Tournament out of this.

  • ecureuil #10 5 years ago

    What's there to argue about? PS3 sales have been average at best of times, downright poor at the worse, and it's concerning for publishers. There is nothing to dispute or argue about.

  • Anthony_UK #11 5 years ago

    The Price isn't so much an issue for myself.

    The problem is, although i really want to want to get a PS3, I currently already have a Wii & a 360 with 20 games, and there doesn't seem to be anything thats twisting my arm off to convice me that there's any point.

    Look at all the stuff coming out for the wii and 360 heading up to Christmas (Mario Galaxy, SMSB, Halo 3, Bioshock, Gotham 4 etc etc), and compare it to the PS3 and there's no contest.

    To be honest i don't understand it, where are all sony's big hitters???
    Edited by 1 at 02/08/07 @ 10:12

  • BonzoBanana #12 5 years ago

    I wouldn't mind so much if the ps3 was a similar sort of price everywhere but resent the fact the superior emotion chip equipped version sells for the equivilant of £250 in the states with six blu-ray movies and a fancy remote control. If the usa price was $749 for the same package as ours fair enough but the pricing is totally unfair. Not only that but Sony work so hard to prevent people using us consoles in the uk. This doubles the annoyance.

    Sony are probably going to have a pretty crappy christmas witht the ps3 and come the new year will be forced into ultra agressive pricing.

  • sickpuppysoftware #13 5 years ago

    EG loves anything negative it can get on PS3.

    Hang on they were saying PS3 was the real next gen not so long ago.

    ZOMG EG AM BAISED 4 AND AGAINST TEH PS£ LOLROFL!!1!1!!

  • SteveB #14 5 years ago

    Totally agree with Antony_UK that it's not the price that has stopped me buying one, but the lack of exclusive games and the fact that the majority of multi format games look better on the 360. Once sony release 5 AAA exclusive games or the multi format games start to look significantly better, then i'll be straight down the shop to buy one.

    Oh and they need to include the pads with rumble as well before I jump in.

  • Les #15 5 years ago

    What the guy should be concerned about it their wrong strategic planning. They got caught up too much in MS and Sony's bullshit about HD gaming and forgot about the Wii. HD gaming is the biggest fluke in recent console history and significant price drops aren't going to change that. The masses don't care about HD versions of the games they already own on PS2/Xbox.

    Within a couple of weeks, the Wii will be the worldwide no. 1 console in units shipped. That it took so long (9 months) was caused by not being able to meet demand. You'd think publishers would get the message...

  • Bill_Gates_Bitch #16 5 years ago

    "EG loves anything negative it can get on PS3.

    Hang on they were saying PS3 was the real next gen not so long ago.

    ZOMG EG AM BAISED 4 AND AGAINST TEH PS£ LOLROFL!!1!1!!"

    Lol, I don't think EG will ever be allowed to forget that headline.

  • Dizzy #17 5 years ago

    "Within a couple of weeks, the Wii will be the worldwide no. 1 console in units shipped."

    Not this year m8... all stats point to next year but it all depends on XMas.

  • Dr_Rofl #18 5 years ago

    To be honest, I alwyas thought the hardcore fans of Unreal got it on PC, and that having it a timed exclusive on the PS3 wont actually do much for the PS3, seeing as it will be on the PC at the same time.

  • DUFFMAN5 #19 5 years ago

    I was going to get a ps3 with MGS but I have so many games on my 360, yet more on pre-order,and I still have around 5 great ps2 games to start let alone complete. I think the 360 is a brilliant machine don't give a rats who's name is on the box!. 2009 is looking like ps3 year for me.

  • Gouki #20 5 years ago

    Well as much as i dont want the PS3 to fail long term as I have one. I bought a Dreamcast that failed and that was my favourite console by far!!!!! Son fingers crossed it gets jus the right mix of games before its fall. (I guess to fall you have to rise so strike that last comment).

    How horrid it would be, Im not tryin to troll or wot eva you young kids call it nowadays but i really cant stomach the Nintedo Wii (loved the SNES damn im old). Surely this frenzy has got to stop soon! The Wii reminds me of the TV series Lost. A couple of people at work come in and say have you seen that great new TV series from the States and then like a Trojan spreads the word. Then after series two people are on their next new fad.

    Do you all not think it would leave a hole if Sony were not to make gud?

    Just for the record the PS3 is not overpriced its expensive.... there is a big difference!!

    any way.......
    Edited by 2 at 02/08/07 @ 11:11

  • Razz #21 5 years ago

    I don't see UT3 selling much anyway. :/

  • Gurgeh #22 5 years ago

    Regarding Sony and bad press, here's an interesting little story:

    [link url=http://arstechni ca.com/journals/thumbs.ars/2007/08/01/sony-cancels-press-jun ket-with-1000-payout
    ]http://ar stechnica.com/journals/thumbs.a...[/link]

    "Sony was planning something that would have tested the ethics of even the most hardened game journo: a trip to Las Vegas, airfare and accommodations included, and you get to talk about upcoming SOE games. The problem stems from the fact that... the event is under NDA so you can't legally discuss what you see or talk about until they say you can, and they'll also be paying you $1,000 for your time. The use of NDAs in this business is very common, but compensation in this manner definitely crosses a line.

    The event has since been canceled, without explanation"

    I wonder how many people had accepted the $1000 and ticket before it got canned?

  • speedjack #23 5 years ago

    Err... My understanding is that this wasn't really a 'proper' price cut anyway...

    In the US their price drop only covers their backlog of obsolete 60gb models that are more expensive to produce as they have a PS2 'emotion engine' chip installed for back compat, rather than the crappy software emulation we get over here.

    ...and over here your just getting the usual 60gb model with a couple of overstocked games free and a controller for the same price.

    Am I wrong ?

    Edited by 1 at 02/08/07 @ 11:33

  • Tasan #24 5 years ago

    "Within a couple of weeks, the Wii will be the worldwide no. 1 console in units shipped."

    "Not this year m8... all stats point to next year but it all depends on XMas."

    You're wrong Dizzy, Les was absolutely right, Wii is a matter of weeks from the no.1 spot in worldwide sales. Simply by adding up NPD's + Media Create numbers can give a reasonable idea of what is happening, no doubt Nintendo will make an official announcement when the threshold is crossed.

  • Dizzy #25 5 years ago

    "You're wrong Dizzy, Les was absolutely right, Wii is a matter of weeks from the no.1 spot in worldwide sales. Simply by adding up NPD's + Media Create numbers "

    Well that is what I did... and it points to Q1 2008.

  • The-Bodybuilder #26 5 years ago

    Worry about your in-house developers first than anything else.....

  • Machetazo #27 5 years ago

    "forthcoming action game Stranglehold set to feature a full-length movie on the Blu-ray game disc."

    Are you sure about that last bit???

    http://ww w.midway.com/rxpage/mpr_11814.html (press release of deal with SCEA)
    http://bl og.newsweek.com/blogs/levelup/a... (Here, it's revealed that the film can ONLY be watched on a PS3. Films are region-locked)
    It's also been noted several times that retailer sites are not listing a Collector's Edition of Stranglehold on PS3, in Europe.

  • Dizzy #28 5 years ago

    >PS3 is selling better than the 360 in Europe

    So wrong.

    Unless ofc by Europe you mean Spain?
    Edited by 1 at 02/08/07 @ 12:27

  • ManicDrunkMonk #29 5 years ago

    I agree with AntUK and co that are pointing to a lack of games-related reasons to buy a PS3.

    Egster can reel off lists of games that are to be released all he wants, very few of them interest me. Haze and Drake's Fortune look interesting but I'm not spending £425 to get access to them.

    There will be compelling reasons to buy a PS3 in the next couple of years but shouting out "Lair and Heavenly Sword" is like expecting someone to buy a 360 on the bases of Ninety-Nine Nights.

    /sticks tongue out

  • Tasan #30 5 years ago

    @Dizzy

    [link url=http://i45.photobucket.com /albums/f64/donny2112/Sales%20Numbers/US_Japan_June_2007.jpg
    ]http://i4 5.photobucket.com/albums/f64/do...[/link]

    Enjoy.

  • reddevil93 #31 5 years ago

    you do know that says us + japan

  • Tasan #32 5 years ago

    "you do know that says us + japan"

    Of course.

    To quote my previous post which I guess some had difficulty reading "Simply by adding up NPD's + Media Create numbers can give a reasonable idea of what is happening"

    NPD = USA
    Media Create = Japan

    Given there are barely any official european hardware figures, I hope noone is seriously going to suggest that European sales will tip the balance significantly.

    Like I said, no doubt the press release will come well before the christmas period to make if official.

  • Dizzy #33 5 years ago

    VGChartz = Fail

  • Tasan #34 5 years ago

    "VGChartz = Fail"

    Even though VG Charts has nothing to do with this or the figures used?

    Whatever, you can just wait for the press release and know you were wrong when you read it.
    Edited by 1 at 02/08/07 @ 13:50

  • cyber_nicco #35 5 years ago

    Are we suggesting the Wii is the best console because at some point in the future it might have sold the most? I'm sure Brittany Spears has sold more albums than many, many other entertainers, but does that make her best?

    The Wii has some merits, but it definitely is lacking in many areas for me. The arm-swingy remote looks great in ads, may appeal to those lacking gamepad skills, and is something new for sure, but is a poor controller option for many applications.

    It's just not a console that excites me as much as it excites some others. Oh, and look a the multitude of mediocrity that is its game library...

  • Madlax #36 5 years ago

    this article puts thing out-of their context...this is what he said:

    [link url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=27246
    ]    http://ww w.gamesindustry.biz/content_pag...[/link]

    "In terms of the PS3 price cut, do you think USD 100 dollars is enough to encourage sales?

    It is certainly going to encourage sales. I mean, any time you get a hundred dollar price cut on hardware, it will improve sales. The question is, is it enough? Will there be more? We're not Sony. We would not be the only publisher to tell you that we're a little concerned about the take-up of the PS3.

    Don't forget, there is still the Blu-ray player in there. I'm sure they'll be making decisions as and when they need to as they go forth. But with the Blu-ray player in there, it is still a pretty good value with the price cut."

    the ps3 is yet to recieve a true price-cut,all that happened until now is increased value no more,the PS3 in america was 500$ and its still 500$ but with more value,yet the PS3 sales has greatly increased,i suspect that july NPD figures will see the PS3 out-selling the 360

    whats hindering the PS3 is no more than its price,once a true price-drop occurs with the right games lines-up,things could change

  • Les #37 5 years ago

    "Are we suggesting the Wii is the best console because at some point in the future it might have sold the most?"

    I don't think anyone suggested that. Just that, from a business perspective, it should have top priority with publishers as it will soon have the largest installed base.

    It's clear publishers didn't see this coming, hence the relatively small number of Wii games so far, which often are of poor quality as well. But with the Wii proving to be such a success and development for it being relatively cheap, surely publishers can't help but give it some more love?

    It might be that in a year or so it will not be a question if some AAA IP gets a Wii release but whether publishers will actually bother with bringing it to 360 and PS3.

  • afghan_jones #38 5 years ago

    Its not just about installed base, its also about software take up. Id wager that the majority of 'casual' gamers who bought a Wii are actually quite happy forking out for just a few games a year, whilst Id have thought the average 'hardcore' 360 owner would buy about twice as many in the same time.

  • Gurgeh #39 5 years ago

    "With Europe I mean the entire continent + the UK."

    Figures please to back this up

  • Les #40 5 years ago

    @ afghan_jones

    True, take up is also an important factor. But I think any disadvantages the Wii might have in that department are off-set by the lower development cost. Besides, when publishers finally get that the Wii is the most important platform of this generation, the good games will come. And with them the non-graphics-whore hardcore gamers.

  • George-Roper #41 5 years ago

    @Egster

    "PS3 is selling better than the 360 in Europe and Japan and North America will follow soon if the current trends continue. With Warhawk, Lair, Heavenly Sword, Singstar, Socom, Ratchet & Clank, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, GT Concept, UT3 and Haze coming to the PS3 exclusively (this year for the last two) there are plenty of games to play the upcoming months. They can easily compete with what the xbox 360 has to offer."

    You're massively missing the point. 360 owners don't have to wait for releases, they already have a huge back catalog of AAA and AA titles to choose from, with some staggering ones lined up for the next couple of months.

    I know people who bought a PS3 on the Euro release date who still only have Motorstorm. What does that tell you about the state of the console?
    Whereas I bought a 360 not long back and had a shelf full of good games mere weeks later. Over 18 so far, in fact, and rising. And that doesn't include some of the gems on Live.

    Fact is, 360 has a wider variety of *good* games than PS3, here and now, on a cheaper console with better package deals.

    You'd be mad to invest in a PS3 until Sony sort their releases out and get some *amazing* AAA titles out there. It would be like buying the tastiest, most expensive , loaf of bread on Earth and watching it go stale because you're waiting for that ace new type of jam to come out. But when it does, it tastes like shite. Lair and Heavenly Sword previews anyone? Out on a limb here, maybe, but Lair = 5/10 and Heavenly Sword = 6/10.

    Meh.
    Edited by 1 at 02/08/07 @ 23:27

  • Les #42 5 years ago

    “You're massively missing the point. 360 owners don't have to wait for releases, they already have a huge back catalog of AAA and AA titles to choose from, with some staggering ones lined up for the next couple of months.”

    I think the one massively missing the point is you. Egster’s point is that the future for PS3 looks good as by this Christmass it’ll finally have a significant number of exclusives as well as a huge number of multiplatform games. It’ll be in position much closer to the 360 than currently is the case. If with it’s paltry current game collection it can already stay close to the 360, it might pull ahead when the games draught ends. Not saying it will, just translating Egster's post in such a way that your impressive intellect might actually be able to cope with it.

    "It would be like buying the tastiest, most expensive , loaf of bread on Earth and watching it go stale because you're waiting for that ace new type of jam to come out."

    Another EG post, another terribly poor analogy... Will you guys never learn?! In these cases less is definitely more.

  • George-Roper #43 5 years ago

    @Les

    "“You're massively missing the point. 360 owners don't have to wait for releases, they already have a huge back catalog of AAA and AA titles to choose from, with some staggering ones lined up for the next couple of months.”

    I think the one massively missing the point is you. Egster’s point is that the future for PS3 looks good as by this Christmass it’ll finally have a significant number of exclusives as well as a huge number of multiplatform games. It’ll be in position much closer to the 360 than currently is the case. If with it’s paltry current game collection it can already stay close to the 360, it might pull ahead when the games draught ends. Not saying it will, just translating Egster's post in such a way that your impressive intellect might actually be able to cope with it.

    "It would be like buying the tastiest, most expensive , loaf of bread on Earth and watching it go stale because you're waiting for that ace new type of jam to come out."

    Another EG post, another terribly poor analogy... Will you guys never learn?! In these cases less is definitely more"

    Significant number of exclusives? Any old publisher can push crap out of the door, what about the brain-busting AAA releases that are *needed* to prove the point? Exclusives mean fuck all if they're mediocre. As I predict Lair and Heavenly Sword will be.

    And thanks for the personal slight against my intelligence. I don't recall having a pop at anyone in particular in my post. Mayhaps I touched a nerve? Is your stale PS3 also your lover, maybe?

    Tragic.

  • zedzee #44 5 years ago

    I think what Mr Zucker is really trying to say is that Midway regrets the decision that they made in agreeing to make UT exclusive to PS3 for this year. I bet they won't make that mistake again.

    Midway's real concern, like any other developers writing games for the PS3 (or having a similar 'PS3-only for 2007' deal) must be the fact that the console's sales are sluggish, to say the least, for several factors - all thanks to Sony's shambles of a launch and sales strategy.

    Let's face it, no one really cares about a game that was exclusive and then comes out a year or so later on other platforms. By then, it's old news. By then players, games and their engines have moved on.

    By making a game 'time exclusive', developers are taking a BIG risk and judging from past experiences, it rarely (if at all) pays off.