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Series S-style consoles ‘have not had great results’, says PlayStation boss

ManaByte

Member

“One thing that can be said is that if you look at the history of the game business, creating a special low priced, reduced spec console is something that has not had great results in the past. We’ve considered that option and seen other executives who have attempted this discover how problematic it is.”

1200px-Wii-console.jpg
 

Abriael_GN

RSI Employee of the Year
“That, and I was at a Gran Turismo event recently where they had PS1, PS2, PS3 and PS4 games, and the PS1 and the PS2 games, they looked ancient, like why would anybody play this?” - Jim Ryan, 2017

I miss Andrew House so much...
 
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Wii isn't a Series S style console. If you're a prospective Xbox buyer you're going to get an Xbox no matter what. Which Xbox are you going to get? Jim is implying out of the choice of the two they will not readily flock to the lower spec'd one so it's a futile effort. There was ONE Wii to choose from, there weren't two different SKUs.

On the other hand his strategy was to give people the same spec but a lower price point on one as we know.

We all really know that power doesn't matter, the games do, but you've misinterpreted what he's saying here.
 
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N30RYU

Member
If you ppl don't see the difference in making a mid gen console update (or releasing a console like the Wii) than releasing two different consoles at the same time one with lower specs than the other... I don't know what to think.



The thing is that Jim doesn't understand that MS isn't or doesn't want to be in the console wars anymore... they are in the gamepass subscription war... and don't care if you play on an xbox, pc, or an smartphone via xcloud.
 
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Hezekiah

Banned



1200px-Wii-console.jpg
Well for the first couple years of its life until it was put into wardrobes and gathered dust. What was the attach rate on it?

The Series S will sell for people that want GamePass and not to buy many games, but I don't think the hardware is worth it when the PS5 DE is so close in price and is much better technologically.
 
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DIdn't the PS4 outsell the PS4 Pro when both were available?

Didn't the PS4 have like 3 or 4 years ahead of the Pro? That's one reason. Here's another, the PS4 Base was the main console of focus, it's positioned differently than the Series S. The Series S is the budget version of the two Xbox consoles. There is some FOMO when it comes to the Series S.
 

JimboJones

Member
I mean digital only consoles flopped in the past too.
OneS digital wasn't a huge seller was it and the PSPgo flopped hard but here we are.

I can't think of any specific examples of a lower tier box being available though apart from OneS which was kind of in the same boat as PS4og so it's not directly applicable.
 

Breakage

Member
Not fond of all-digital consoles at all, but at least with the PS5 Digital Edition, you're only losing the optical drive. You still get the same performance and stock hard drive as the standard PS5. Every PS5 owner still gets the same performance. With Xbox Series S, you're losing the optical drive, you're getting a smaller hard drive and a lower spec machine.
The only “positives” are the lower entry price and compact form factor.
 
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AV

We ain't outta here in ten minutes, we won't need no rocket to fly through space
Why did you stick a picture of the Wii in there?

It wasn't a "reduced" spec console, it was the only console Nintendo put out at the time. They're completely different things and that's obviously not what he's talking about considering the Wii was a smash hit.
 

Abriael_GN

RSI Employee of the Year
I am talking about throwing the Wii up there as if that is even anything to do with what he is saying either.

It has certainly more to do with it (at least it's a low-price, low-spec console compared to its generation) than anything Ryan is saying, since the example he brings and alleges was not successful in the past literally does not exist.

Imagine defending Jim Ryan's antics...
 
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DeepEnigma

Gold Member
It has certainly more to do with it (at least it's a low-price, low-spec console compared to its generation) than anything Ryan is saying, since the example he brings and alleges was not successful in the past literally does not exist.

Imagine defending Jim Ryan's antics...

Do me a favor, you love to translate the Japanese translations in the past, can you see if it was worded correctly as well? I'm curious.

I am also not defending Jim Ryan, so get bent. I am laughing at the ardent warrior bait this side is littering by select users like it's a one up cheerleader competition to carry water for a 4TF box after talking shit for months with 12>10.
 
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He could be referring to the Xbox 360 Core version (the one with no hard drive), or the 20 gig PS3 (as opposed to the 60 gig one).

And I mean, did anyone WANT to own the 360 without a hard drive? It felt like the only people that owned that version were ones who had to choose between it and not buying a 360 because the other one wasn't available.

But, both of those situations are more similar to what the PS5 is doing now so, idk.
 

tkscz

Member
People sure like to twist his words into anything. He was talking about the Wii now? You guys are so dumb.

His words
“One thing that can be said is that if you look at the history of the game business, creating a special low priced, reduced spec console is something that has not had great results in the past."

The point of referencing the Wii, Playstation 2, Playstation 1 and Switch was that he is objectively wrong. Weaker consoles have been successful
 
Didn't it just come out DMC V can't hit 1080p on S? That's not even a next-gen game. That said I'm pretty sure they're talking making such a console as an option, it's not like Wii released alongside a more powerful Nintendo option.
 
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