Sony announced earlier today that they would be shutting down a major producer of Playstation 3 parts. This is effectively the first step in a long line of decommissioning the console. Don't worry – the black box will still be around for years to come, but the demand is far lower than it has been in recent years, which is forcing Sony to cut back on its production. With the Playstation 4 out, this was only a matter of time.
Fortunately, the factory's 220 workers won't go without a job. They will instead be relocated to different workplaces to create CMOS image sensors. This is a part of Sony's new plan to increase image sensor production from around 60,000 wafers per month to 80,000; it's clear that Sony's DSLR division is doing pretty well.
While it's sad to see one console walking out the door, the Playstation 4 has proven itself to be a replacement of magnitude. In fact, many would argue that it's done far more than the PS3 ever did in its early days. Here's to a bright future for gaming!
