Sony Computer Entertainment of America's President, Jack Tretton, spoke to the LA Times recently in regards to the sales performance of the PlayStation 3. Currently, in the United States, the PS3 has sold a respectable 1.2 million consoles since its launch. The Nintendo Wii has so far sold 2.1 million, and the 18 month old Xbox 360 has accumulated 5.3 million.
In regards to not making their fiscal prediction of having 6 million PlayStation 3s shipped, Tretton claims: "We didn't get into PS3 for the first six months of 2007 – we're into this for the next 10 years and beyond. A million units one way or another at this point isn't going to worry us."
Tretton is essentially claiming that sales so early on in the life of a console is not a direct reflection of its performance down the line. Additionally, this statement also rebukes the ridiculously absurd rumor of Sony introducing a new PlayStation within the next two years.
Billy Pidgeon, IDC Analyst, shares Tretton's sentiments: "The PS3 is ahead of the market, while the Xbox 360 and the Wii were designed for immediate market impact." Sony's inclusion of the Blu-Ray drive continues to be the biggest factor behind the sales of the PS3, as it is directly related to the console's price-tag. But Sony stands firmly by their decision to include Blu-Ray support by looking at it as a feature that'll benefit them in the longterm.