Screenplay has a great interview with Sony Australia’s Michael Ephraim discussing, among other things, the uptake of 3DTV and the difficulties facing the 3DS. He also revealed that Sony’s swish $700 PlayStation 3D display, which allows gamers to play split screen games on a full screen via 3D glasses, will only have a limited test release in Australia – through Harvey Norman.
According to Ephraim, Sony is using this limited launch to test the market.
“We’re going to test it because it is innovative technology. We really wanted to test it before we made a big commitment because it’s not like a Memory Stick kind of product, there are long lead times on manufacturing, high price,” said Ephraim.
“I can tell you that we will sell it initially exclusively through Harvey Norman. It is Harvey Norman embracing new technology and us having a partner there that we can test it with.
“If it goes extremely well, we’ll keep supporting it. It is a high ticket price item and there is 3D TVs out there, we just want to make sure there’s a market for it.”
Harvey Norman seems like a strange partner for what is essentially a niche display aimed at gamers, but Sony Australia has had a stories relationship with Harvey Norman as a retailer – holding their main PlayStation 3 midnight launch at one of its stores back in March 2007.
Still, it doesn’t seem like the ideal testing ground for such the device…
Limited launch for PlayStation 3D display [Screenplay]
Republished from Kotaku
ErraticFocus
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 10:17 AMJB HiFi would have been better!
Lindsay
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 1:21 PMI disagree, JB are big on doing a blanket love of everything and selling what sells, not selling what may sell. HN is different in that they have little deals and allegiances left right and centre. Not only this, but HN head office can send how many units they want to their electronics franchises and the franchisees are the one who will lose the money if it does not work and not head office or Mr Harvey.
It is a business model that sucks badly for almost everyone involved but the ones with the most money…
Ross
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 10:25 AMAny word on pricing? but i’m guessing coz its HN it would bloated compounded with sony tax on top.
mdrit
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 2:17 PMOn the Age article it says it will be released for $699.95 on 3rd Nov
Joel
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 10:40 AMGood way to make sure no one buys it, sell it in an over priced tech store that no one likes :D
glennc
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 11:37 AMdo these split screen games need to support this tech… e.g full HD on both screens (so to speak)?
Nick
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 12:30 PMFuck Harvey Norman. I will never set foot in one of those stores ever again.
Gerry Harvey is the ultimate douchebag.
Matthew K
Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 12:58 PMWhile I’m the last kind of person to join in on a boycott, I have to agree. Harvey Norman are an unsightly wart on the Australian consumer electronics market and I have no interest in dealing with them.
I’m not a particularly smart consumer, but I’ve never been dissatisfied with the outcome of a trip to JB Hi Fi or Bing Lee.
zac
Saturday, November 5, 2011 at 12:40 PMHarvey norman is probably the best reatailer to sell this product imo, the company is well established nation wide. here in tasmania there is only 1 Jb as far as im aware.