Rough times ahead...
http://www.technobuffalo.com/2014/05/01/sony-financial-trouble/As far as Sony is concerned, the PlayStation 4 is doing exceptionally well. The new console is outselling both the Xbox One and Wii U, and it has an early lead in the generation race that doesn’t seem likely to let up anytime soon.
Put plainly, the PlayStation 4 is kicking butt. Attribute that success to quality hardware, good branding, nice pricing and top-notch customer appreciation during an aggressive and strong marketing campaign. This is a company that managed to sway the adoration of gamers away from the Xbox platform, practically turning the Xbox One into a villain near E3.
But, let’s shift our focus to the rest of the Sony lineup. The Japanese corporation makes a lot more than video game consoles, and it was once the market leader in home and portable entertainment. Sony practically set the standard for audiovisual goods for a very long time.
Today? Sony’s in trouble.
Sony CEO Kaz Hirai, once in charge of the PlayStation arm of the company, announced another large profit forecast reduction this morning. Sony has lowered estimates two other times for the outcome of the fiscal year that ended in March 2014. Now? Hirai and Sony are warning shareholders that its operating income is set to dip from 80 billion yen to 26 billion (roughly $782 million to $254 million). The results will release in the middle of this month.
The company is trying to address its issues. Hirai is new, and he and the other executives have already elected to ditch the PC manufacturing arm of Sony. Unfortunately, the bloat extends well beyond just the Vaio line.