Sony cutting jobs

[cmlancas]

Aye. The pre-tax breaks for me more or less save me about $1000 overall because my company I work for tacks on a free $750 at the end of the year to my 401k completely tax free.


Yes, it is in fact, FTW. Not enough people know about the Roth IRA. I think it should stay that way.

[Yegolev]

I should get on the 401k horse. I'm not getting any younger.

Yeah you should.  Do some research and put something away.

[Roac]

To derail momentarily into something, y'know, interesting.. this has always bothered me a bit.  We keep telling folks to save, save, save.. but if everyone has a million at 60, well then.. we're all fucked.

Not really, but the thing to note is that a million bucks 30 years from now won't be worth as much as a million today.  It'll be closer to $400k in today's money which, while not pennies, isn't a ton to live on for a few decades.

[cmlancas]

To derail momentarily into something, y'know, interesting.. this has always bothered me a bit.  We keep telling folks to save, save, save.. but if everyone has a million at 60, well then.. we're all fucked.

Not really, but the thing to note is that a million bucks 30 years from now won't be worth as much as a million today.  It'll be closer to $400k in today's money which, while not pennies, isn't a ton to live on for a few decades.

Note again that $400,000 USD > $0.00 USD.

[SnakeCharmer]

Note again that $400,000 USD > $0.00 USD.

Hard to argue that logic...




Anyway, glad to see I don't need to waste time arguing with Sairon, since others have done it better than I could have.

Aye. The pre-tax breaks for me more or less save me about $1000 overall because my company I work for tacks on a free $750 at the end of the year to my 401k completely tax free.

You'll pay taxes on it later, trust me.  There isn't a single thing out there that qualifies as 'tax free'....

[Sairon]

And I'll say it again. I didn't buy the Wii for innovation. The two games I lusted for on the Wii at release were Red Steel and Madden 07, and I loved them both, despite their flaws. I've played some mediocre games on the Wii, and have said so when I played them. I have yet to play a SHITTY Wii game, but then I haven't played them all, so I can't speak to every game being shitty. But the games I bought the system for delivered the goods, as did Zelda.

I'm fully aware some people get the Wii for its current games, even if the only game who's scored a decent score is a gamecube game. That's the reason for why I said I think that most people buy it for the potential.   Of the 2 games you mentioned 1 is a multiplatformer and another one is a game which has been slaughtered by the majority.

[HaemishM]

Read my post again. CASUAL GAMERS DO NOT PAY FOR POTENTIAL. MOST OF THE WII USERS ARE CASUAL GAMERS.

In other words, to use schild's logic about the Wii, people who buy a system for mini-games aren't wondering when the next Rayman Raving Rabbits is coming out. If it's in the store, they buy it. If it's not, they don't. For them, there is no potential, only the now.

[schild]

Casual Gamers. Har.

Really now.

Casual Gamers?

We've been over this. It's the price point, not the attraction of minigames. The sell-through rate on most of that shit has been total trash.

[Roac]

We've been over this. It's the price point, not the attraction of minigames.

It's the total package.  People aren't buying the Wii because it's cheap.  They're buying it because it's affordable and reasonably priced for what it offers (fun games).  The PS3 is either not affordable, or not reasonably priced for the majority of gamers.  If people didn't like the games that were on it, they wouldn't buy it, cheap or not.  Your thinking is fundamentally broken.

[Triforcer]

Mario Galaxy, Metroid, SUPER SMASH BROTHERS MELEE.

The Wii is winning on Zelda and (according to Schild) trash right now.

The lead is suddenly going to get SMALLER when the flagship products come out?  Those three games alone give Nintendo a window to maintain (or expand) the lead until the rest of the dev houses have time to make the high-end stuff.

When I'm living in Japan circa 2009, I'll send Schild PS3 games I find half-submerged in urine in Tokyo subway station bathrooms.   

[LK]

Playing the Wii as a gamer of 20 some years was a breath of fresh air.  360 and PS3 are more of the same traditional style of console gaming.  So I'd really like to get a Wii.  The reason I haven't dropped for one (and the same for the PS3) is that there just aren't enough games on the system.  The fact that 3rd party developers are shifting over to Wii development is good because I think Nintendo's primary problem with their system is that not enough games come out for it.  Their flagships are good but you still usually get through them in a month (and that says something about them!), but there are 9 other months in the year.

I didn't pick up the 360 until late July 2006, when the crop of triple-A titles was coming out.  Chromehounds, Dead Rising, Splinter Cell: Double Agent, Rainbow Six.  I actually bought a big-screen TV just so I could play Gears of War on it As It Was Meant To Be.

I'm afraid that not even Metal Gear 4 is going to get me to buy the system.  I'd rather save $600 and play it at my company's break room.

[Signe]

I should get on the 401k horse. I'm not getting any younger.

You and your roommates should all take out life insurance policies on each other.  It'll make living in the same house interesting and edgy.  Make me the executioner of your will, too.  I'll avenge you! 

[Roac]

Playing the Wii as a gamer of 20 some years was a breath of fresh air.  360 and PS3 are more of the same traditional style of console gaming.  So I'd really like to get a Wii.  The reason I haven't dropped for one (and the same for the PS3) is that there just aren't enough games on the system. 

If it were just me, I wouldn't have gotten a Wii when I did for the same reason.  The reason I got it when I did is because the wife was all over it, and gaming with the wife is  .  I'm wanting either a 360 or PS3 (I don't see reason to get both), but need a HDTV first.  Maybe this Christmas.  It will probably be 360 just because the games are there - Fall of Man is about it for the PS3, and Gears looks so much better.

[LK]

Playing the Wii as a gamer of 20 some years was a breath of fresh air.  360 and PS3 are more of the same traditional style of console gaming.  So I'd really like to get a Wii.  The reason I haven't dropped for one (and the same for the PS3) is that there just aren't enough games on the system. 

If it were just me, I wouldn't have gotten a Wii when I did for the same reason.  The reason I got it when I did is because the wife was all over it, and gaming with the wife is  .  I'm wanting either a 360 or PS3 (I don't see reason to get both), but need a HDTV first.  Maybe this Christmas.  It will probably be 360 just because the games are there - Fall of Man is about it for the PS3, and Gears looks so much better.

The Wii definitely becomes more of a must-have if you have friends that come over and hang out and play.  We had a party at my friend's house who had a 56" or some other human-sized television set with Wii Sports on it, and while we were playing poker it had been on all night keeping people entertained.

[Merusk]

Save more then the other shmoe then.  Not to wave epeens but I max the 401k and a Roth IRA contributions every year, along with the company match I should be quite comfortable regardless of inflation.  Also, there is something to be said for how you manage the money in the accounts that will show up at the finish line.  If you're putting it all into safe 4.5% bonds well, don't be surprised when Pablo The Lawn Boy tells you he has no job openings available for a 70 yr old.

I actually make about $400 more a paycheck in the deferred tax savings due to the 401k.  Sure I can't touch that money untl I retire but, that's what it's there for, I'll takeFuture Worth Value at 8 - 10% (or more, go go index funds!) over the next 20+ years for the win Alex!.

Maxing sounds great and all.. but that's a HUGE chunk of my paycheck.. like "go live under a bridge" huge.  For SOME crazy reason I'd rather keep my kids in a house.   Instead I max the company 50% match, plus a little extra.  Yeah, it's not going to be a huge amount later, but fuckit.  I'd rather die than live in a nursing home, and I've seen what happened to my grandparent's estates when taxes hit, so I know that 401(k) money is going to the gub'ment later.

Besides, Angry.bob's revolution should hit before then, so it'll all be wasted money anywho.  :-D

[Chimpy]

I should get on the 401k horse. I'm not getting any younger.

  Make me the executioner of your will, too.  I'll avenge you! 

Do brains taste better if you remove the head from the body before eating them? 

[Miasma]

Besides, Angry.bob's revolution should hit before then, so it'll all be wasted money anywho.  :-D

Exactly, either that or the chicken little "the sky is falling" due to whatever environmental calamity is the cool trend at the moment.  I've been wasting my money by maxing out my RRSPs (Canadian equivalent of 401K/IRA) and doubling up my mortgage payment to pay it off faster.  Now I'm going to spend my money on cocaine and fast cars instead!

Has anyone invested in the iShares stuff from Barclays?  Specifically I'd like to know if there is any way that the assets could be wiped out due to some dodgy accounting at a cut-throat investment bank like Barclays.  I wouldn't think so since they are all just index funds which should be buying the appropriate underlying securities...

It seems quite difficult for fund managers to beat the indexes so I might as well invest in the indexes themselves and enjoy the benefits of an extremely low MER.

[Righ]

I'm wanting either a 360 or PS3 (I don't see reason to get both), but need a HDTV first.  Maybe this Christmas.  It will probably be 360 just because the games are there - Fall of Man is about it for the PS3, and Gears looks so much better.

I'm still waiting for Mass Effect. That's the point at which I finally cave and get a 360. Unless Signe caves first.

[HaemishM]

At some undetermined future point, I'll spring for a 360, but it'll be after I get an HDTV of some kind. Maybe Christmas, probably next year. A PS3? I've yet to see one good reason I should even consider it.

[Signe]

I've seen one game that I would really like to play on the PS2 and that's just not enough to inspire me to buy one.  We got our big screen HDTV a few years ago, cheap because everyone wanted a plasma and we didn't care so much.  When we buy a house, I probably won't want such a big thing in our living room so maybe then we'll upgrade.  This monster suits us fine for now and I'm going through a cheapy stage in my life and Righ is going through a spendy stage.  I don't know what the hell is going to happen!  We should try and go through our stages together, sort of like us women and our monthly curse.

[Tairnyn]

A PS3? I've yet to see one good reason I should even consider it.

And now there may be one less reason, bringing the total to -1.

[schild]

Katamari isn't a system seller. So sorry.

What's weird is before the katamari, I knew nothing about Katamari on the PS3, all I knew was there was going to be a Loco Roco. I thought the next Katamari was a X360 exclusive - not that it matters, since the original people aren't involved.

[cmlancas]

Katamari isn't a system seller. So sorry.

What's weird is before the katamari, I knew nothing about Katamari on the PS3, all I knew was there was going to be a Loco Roco. I thought the next Katamari was a X360 exclusive - not that it matters, since the original people aren't involved.

What about the Metroids and Super Smash Brothers?

Aren't those system sellers? Super Smash Brothers with nunchuks sounds amazing.

[schild]

Katamari isn't a system seller. So sorry.

What's weird is before the katamari, I knew nothing about Katamari on the PS3, all I knew was there was going to be a Loco Roco. I thought the next Katamari was a X360 exclusive - not that it matters, since the original people aren't involved.

What about the Metroids and Super Smash Brothers?

Aren't those system sellers? Super Smash Brothers with nunchuks sounds amazing.

Metroid hasn't really ever been a system seller. Weirdly enough. It's the nichiest of the Ninty games. Pretty sure the Advance Wars stuff outsold it. Not Battalion Wars.

Super Smash Brothers with nunchuks sounds amazing.

Don't be gay.

[cmlancas]

Don't be gay.

To each his or her own, but I know I always sucked at the original and GC Smash Brothers although I had a good time playing.

[angry.bob]

Besides, Angry.bob's revolution should hit before then, so it'll all be wasted money anywho.  :-D

The People's Revolutionary Justice Council will still honor people's 401k's. The fact I keep my annual contribution at the cap each year made that an easy decision. Seriously, put every cent you can into your 401k.

[Merusk]

Awesome.

And again, I'd max if i could. But the max contribution would be 35% of my annual gross salary. That just doesn't fly.

[Tannhauser]

Those ads don't even deliver entertainment, much less promote the PS3.  Sony's marketing sucks, their vaunted PS3 is too expensive and their company is ran by slack-jawed elitist pricks.  They are completely out of touch with the consumer since only the 'elite' (read: the idle rich) can afford their system.  Which has very few titles anyway.

Hey Sony...
1. Drop the price of your system
2. Get some titles
3. Profit.

Sony is in the downward slide because of their befuddled management and I'm happy as hell to see it.  I'm not buying a Wii because I like modern graphics but I understand their strategy.  I like my 360, except that in order to keep it running I can't play movies in it. You know....like it was MEANT to do.

This current generation sucks, let's hope for the Wii Wii and the NeXt box.  Forget the PS4, it'll cost two kidneys and your house.

[Righ]

If the PS3 represents supercomputer performance for ONLY $600, the PS4 will be so powerful that Homeland Security will ban it for fear of rendering military grade encryption useless. So no need to worry about the cost then.

[Tairnyn]

PS3 is a technological masterpiece for the price, but I personally only know of one person who bought one to play games on it. If it's possible to connect multiple systems to play games Sony needs to woo some developers that are willing to make games that scale up to support it. Even then, the above-average consumer isn't going to shell out in excess of $1200 for gaming hardware bliss without a good base of titles that can make awe-inspiring use of it.

Sony could get into the distributed architecture hardware business and start selling systems pre-configured with Linux to better leverage private sector and government sales but it's a tough sell to get money for serious computer hardware called a Playstation when it's a brand name most of the people signing the checks associate with games that their children or grandchildren play.

I respect Sony's ambition and I'm glad to see distributed architectures gain more traction, but it seems like a schizophrenic design.

[Righ]

Sony could get into the distributed architecture hardware business and start selling systems pre-configured with Linux to better leverage private sector and government sales

No, they couldn't. They could build something entirely different with no BD drive and more than one network port and people might be interested if the price was right. But honestly, the only bit that anybody might want is the IBM Cell BE processor as a floating point node, and they probably don't have the deal to sell that for non-PS applications. Their deal with IBM and Toshiba probably gave them those markets.

[WindupAtheist]

I enjoy watching Schild squirm and mouth "We didn't need that game anyway!" as development focus swings away from the PS3 and towards the Wii.  I'll probably get to see it a lot in coming months, too.

[Rasix]

You're trying too hard.  We get it already.

[cmlancas]

as development focus swings away from the PS3 and towards the Wii.

As much as you would like this to be to spite Schlid, as long as game developers think they can sell games on the PS3, it will still get dev focus. Note that the new Katamari was scrapped due to porting issues.

[WindupAtheist]

If the sales numbers were reversed, I somehow think they would have found a way to work through the "porting issues" involved.