The PS3 had a notoriously rocky launch in 2006 due to several factors. However, Sony steered the ship in a more positive direction and ended the generation on top. Fortunately, the company seemed to have learned its lesson and the PS4 launched spectacularly and kept the momentum going throughout its continuing life.
Here's hoping the company keeps up their winning streak with the PS5 and does not repeat any of the same mistakes they did when launching the PS3. To Sony's credit, the beginning years of the PS3 were arguably the lowest they've ever gone in the gaming medium, since the PS1 and PS2 were astounding successes out of the gate.
10 Hurt: Initial Games Reveal
The first reveal of the PS3 and its games during E3 2005 goes down in history as one of the biggest farces presented by a company. Most of the demos they presented were simply pre-rendered trailers not made in an engine, presenting false hopes as to what the console could actually accomplish. Once actual gameplay footage was released, expectations were quickly put in check.
9 Saved: Slim Models
The initial PS3 design was bulky and unattractive. Later on they redesigned it and changed the infamous Spider-Man 3-looking font into something more original. Even after this, Sony released a super-slim model which is just a fraction of the first edition's size. The insides count the most with gaming consoles, but people still want something aesthetically appealing in their living room. Portability is also a factor to consider.
8 Hurt: Price
The PS3 launched with two different models. One contained 60 gigabytes and sold for $599, while a 20 gigabyte model went for $499. This is extremely high by itself, but it was particularly damaging when compared to the Xbox 360's $299 and $399 prices. The PS2 and PS1 both launched for $300, and the prices do not even out when adjusted for inflation. Despite the high cost, the system was still sold at a loss.
7 Saved: Price Cut
Eventually, parts became cheaper to produce and more readily available and these cost-cutting measures seeped down to consumers.
A 40 gigabyte model released in late 2007 for $400 made the console more accessible to the buying public. The super-slim model offered more options to consumers with significantly cheaper prices. Fortunately, the PS4 launched with a reasonable price and did not have to endure these growing pains early in its life.
6 Hurt: Multi-Platform Games Performing Worse
The PS3 was notoriously difficult to develop for, something which effected multi-platform games. Some specific games which ran infamously poorly compared to the Xbox 360 were Bayonetta and The Orange Box. The latter is particularly egregious because Half-Life 2 came out in 2004, and one would expect that a console coming out two years afterward would be able to run it optimally. Later ports would fare better as developers acclimated to the hardware.
5 Saved: PlayStation Plus
Unlike Xbox Live, playing with friends over the internet was free on PlayStation 3. In June of 2010, Sony launched the PlayStation Plus subscription service. One could still play without it on the console, but a subscribers netted additional benefits, not least of which were several free games every month. The PS4 requires a subscription to play over the internet, but the free games every month is still a solid incentive to keep a subscription, even if one is disinterested in online multiplayer.
4 Hurt: Launch Lineup
Launch lineups are rarely all that impressive, but the PS3 had particularly weak launch titles. Notable exceptions included Resistance: Fall of Man and Tony Hawk's Project 8. Several other highly anticipated games promised for launch were delayed, so gamers had to wait a little while longer for more quality titles. This dearth of exciting releases combined with the high price gave many little incentive to pick one up at launch.
3 Saved: Blu-Ray
Despite its rough spots, Sony still had one ace in their pocket with the Blu-ray player. The format was introduced as the best way to watch movies in HD. Microsoft tried to compete with HD DVD, but Blu-ray ultimately won out. Regular Blu-ray players at the time were generally just as expensive as a PS3, so most consumers would rather just buy a PS3 for the added gaming capabilities and multi-media features.
2 Hurt: Data Breach Of 2011
In April of 2011 the largest data breach in history occurred, which compromised the data of over 77 million PlayStation Network accounts. On April 20th, 2011, Sony shut down the servers entirely for 23 days. Such an incident is a nightmare for any company and its clients, and some hurled criticism towards Sony for their reaction to the crisis. Upon reactivating the servers, Sony offered users a slew of free games and a complementary 30-day PlayStation Plus subscription as compensation.
1 Saved: Killer Exclusives
For fans of Sony, the console was worth owning purely for its incredible exclusives. Metal Gear Solid 4 is still only available on the console, and Naughty Dog solidified their legacy with the Uncharted franchise and The Last of Us both starting life on the PS3. Ratchet and Clank also continued strong into this generation. For more creative types, Little Big Planet offered an in-depth level creator.