The Success of Sony EyeToy
Sony EyeToy
(1) Although sales figures for EyeToy Play have been impressive, those for EyeToy Groove have been disappointing. What are reasons for EyeToy Play's phenomenal success, and Groove's failure to emulate EyeToy Play's performance?
Success of EyeToy
Video gaming was a $30 billion-a-year global industry, covering both hardware and software sales. With this big amount of industry, Sony was the market leader with its two generations of PlayStation consoles. Sony introduced EyeToy, which is a way to connect a camera to the PS2 and interpreting the incoming video signal; ‘part of PS2’ was raising the complementary effect on PS2 sales with leading the additional console sales and additional software sales. There are some factors of success of EyeToy as following:
EyeToy play was a bundle of software and hardware, sold together in one box; and contains of 12 minigames.
Targeted to nongamers and young children; every family members can join and play the game together, almost like a traditional board game.
Use of the USB ports that were a standard feature on all PS2s, EyeToy was a simple plug-and-play device. It is very easy to use that it does not require a manual.
EyeToy’s innovative way was able to appeal to the broader target rather than “hard-core” gamers: without hand-held controller, active with social responses.
Preorder a large number of cameras to qualify for a relatively low per-unit price.
Use of mobile EyeToy demo units, the dissemination of point-of-sale materials, a regular TV advertising campaign, and the development of a Web site.
Failure of EyeToy Groove
There are three big factors of failure of EyeToy Groove as following:
Unlike Play’s, Groove’s software had not come bundled with a camera; customers not having PS2 or EyeToy camera had to buy them in more expensive way.
Customers had to buy Groove for 40 Euros and then have to purchase Play separately
Because it was designed as a dance mat game,
(1) Although sales figures for EyeToy Play have been impressive, those for EyeToy Groove have been disappointing. What are reasons for EyeToy Play's phenomenal success, and Groove's failure to emulate EyeToy Play's performance?
Success of EyeToy
Video gaming was a $30 billion-a-year global industry, covering both hardware and software sales. With this big amount of industry, Sony was the market leader with its two generations of PlayStation consoles. Sony introduced EyeToy, which is a way to connect a camera to the PS2 and interpreting the incoming video signal; ‘part of PS2’ was raising the complementary effect on PS2 sales with leading the additional console sales and additional software sales. There are some factors of success of EyeToy as following:
EyeToy play was a bundle of software and hardware, sold together in one box; and contains of 12 minigames.
Targeted to nongamers and young children; every family members can join and play the game together, almost like a traditional board game.
Use of the USB ports that were a standard feature on all PS2s, EyeToy was a simple plug-and-play device. It is very easy to use that it does not require a manual.
EyeToy’s innovative way was able to appeal to the broader target rather than “hard-core” gamers: without hand-held controller, active with social responses.
Preorder a large number of cameras to qualify for a relatively low per-unit price.
Use of mobile EyeToy demo units, the dissemination of point-of-sale materials, a regular TV advertising campaign, and the development of a Web site.
Failure of EyeToy Groove
There are three big factors of failure of EyeToy Groove as following:
Unlike Play’s, Groove’s software had not come bundled with a camera; customers not having PS2 or EyeToy camera had to buy them in more expensive way.
Customers had to buy Groove for 40 Euros and then have to purchase Play separately
Because it was designed as a dance mat game,