After Sony dropped the price on PS3 to $299, launched the new model PS3 Slim and kicked off an appealing new marketing campaign, the console finally seemed to gain the momentum it (and Sony) so desperately needed.
Sales have picked up nicely, both here (up 300% at top retailers) and overseas, and Sterne Agee analyst Arvind Bhatia recently noted that pent-up demand for PS3 is even stronger than expected. Shortages could be a possibility, he said. Apparently, Bhatia was spot on, as Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Jack Tretton has now acknowledged that shortages could happen this holiday.
Speaking to Reuters, Tretton commented, "We are up about 300 percent over where we were pre-price drop. We are up significantly versus last year. In a very difficult economy, I couldn't be more optimistic about our fortunes for the rest of the year and for the future. If things continue at this pace, it is conceivable that there will be product shortages."
Sony says it's on track to meet its goal of 13 million PS3 units sold in the current fiscal year ending next March.
