Portable Planet

IDC analyst Billy Pidgeon thinks that Sony has got to change course quickly with PS3 or the company will be in an even more dire predicament than it already is. Create more first party titles or die appears to be the philosophy.

“Software libraries are the key driver of console sales, and no console is going to sell on the promises - they’ve got to deliver,” he told gamesindustry.biz. “Sony needs more must-have first party titles to sell consoles. Gamers know Halo 3 is coming on the Xbox 360, and they can expect Mario on the Wii, but there are no established first party franchises coming to the PS3 except Gran Turismo - and that is delayed.”

He firmly believes that the company cannot simply rely on the strength of the PlayStation 2 success.

“The PlayStation brand doesn’t appear to be helping the PS3. If NPD’s numbers are correct, there are over 300K PS3s on retail shelves. That is not good for a console launch of only a million and it’s not good for publishers with PS3 software.”

“Not good” is a kind way of phrasing it. But anybody who counts the company out this early in the game is being foolish.