Sony could be looking at an uphill battle with the release of its PlayStation3, according to market experts. Since the PS3’s pricing plan was announced at this year’s E3 expo, analysts and players alike have been skeptical about paying $500 to $600 for the next-generation system.

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Sony has always enjoyed strong third party support in the past, in fact, it has been a strong factor in both the PS and PS2’s success. However, that streak could end with the PS3. According to a Business Week Online report, developers are hesitant to devote resources towards a system that will be so much more expensive than a Nintendo Wii or even the Xbox 360. In fact, in a survey of Japanese developers, over 90 percent have agreed that the PS3 is just too expensive.

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"At its autumn games preview on July 13, for instance, traditional Sony ally Electronic Arts spent far more time showing off innovative Nintendo games than it did titles for the PS3," emphasized Business Week. "EA announced six Nintendo Wii launch titles and showed long working demos for two of those. But it offered only a short clip of a car-racing game for PS3. EA says it's still testing the potential of the PS3."

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Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer has defended the PS3’s price tag, stating that consumers will be paying for the system’s “potential.” By potential, we assume he is referring to the power of the system and the included high-def Blu-ray player. Spokesmen for Sony have stated that the system is actually a bargain, considering all that you get.

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"It's likely Sony will have to discount more…and faster than planned,” commented JP Morgan analyst Hiroshi Takada. But considering the already huge loss the company is taking from every system sold, that could cause new problems for the company.