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Should Sony reduce the price of the PS5?

Njocky

Banned
Let me start by stating that I want one. I am lucky enough to be able to afford all consoles and the only thing that may keep me from owning a PS5 this fall is if I'm unable to secure a pre-order. I want to experience the dual sense controller. Even if it's a gimmick, I like to have variety in my games as it's a serious hobby for me and I'm sure that God of War and Horizon will add some special controller features in addition to the fact that those are great games that I enjoyed in the current generation. So it's a buy for me, as a secondary console, just for the exclusives.

That being said, since yesterday, every time I hunt pre-orders and see the amount above the greyed out buy button being the same as for the Series X (which I managed to pre-order) I can't escape the feeling that I may be overpaying. The XSX is technically more powerful, I think that is beyond doubt. What was making the PS5 a no brainer at the same price regardless, let's be honest, was its superior (future) game library. It didn't matter too much, at least for a hardcore gamer like me, that Sony wasn't investing in a susbscription service a la Game Pass. They were committed to generations and we thought we were getting Sony's exceptional exclusives from day one. That was enough to maintain the public's interest sky high and obviously justify the prices that they unveiled a week ago.

Quite a few things have changed since. Sony has sneaked cross platform in on us without saying a word about it, they're inviting us to pay twice in order to double dip (Spider man) and most importantly, Microsoft now has the superior first party catalogue. Some games are generation defining. The Elder Scrolls is that kind of game and Starfield has the potential to be one too. Fallout is very close behind and so is Doom.
I mean the FPS genre now almost unanimously belongs to Microsoft: Halo (no need to bash it anymore, it's only one of the many standout shooters MS has), Wolfenstein (anyone's seen the DF breakdown of the New Colossus?), Doom Eternal, Quake, Rage, Dishonored, Prey, etc.. Those are ALL the most technically advanced shooters in the business. Never mind that anything Dice or Respawn makes is now coming early to Xbox owners.
MS has also had the racing genre on lock for at least a decade now and it's not about to change. The best western RPGs are now in house for them also. And the best part is that when I buy an Xbox with All Access for 25 bucks a month, the price of all the games I've just mentioned is already included.

The question now is what exactly justifies buying a PS5 at the same price as an XSX, without even the option to pay in installments with 0% APR credit? I can't play the games on my phone or tablet (remote play doesn't even work inside my house), the good ones come out every 2-3 years (6 years between Sucker Punch's last 2 games, 5 years between Naughty Dog's last 2 games, although the next GOW seems to be early), meaning that for most of the time I will be left to play multiplat games that very likely will look and run better on the XSX.
I'm trying to be objective here but short of also adopting the Netflix model in a hurry or buying Capcom or EA in the next few weeks, how does Sony justify charging way more (if you include the price of games) for less (fewer options to access the games, lower performance on most of them and at least less quantity since the quality verdict is not out yet for next gen).

I don't want Sony to enter the kind of financial hardship that would leave Microsoft as the sole main player with Nintendo and Google on the sidelines. I'm afraid that Sony's current business model, if maintained throughout the generation, will leave them a shell of what they were. Brand recognition and traditional loyalty only take you so far. Once people start realizing that Starfield is not releasing on Sony's console but their child wants it and there's this little toy like box that plays it and costs half the price of the PS5 and I don't even need to buy the game or any other game, the perception will change. Once enough people start commenting about trying the latest FIFA and Battlefield weeks before people on Playstation, without paying anything extra, word will spread. And again short of making the type of unprecedented investments that MS has just splashed and threatens to continue throwing, a price cut is the fairest gesture that Sony can make right now towards its customer base. It would prove that they are reading the market objectively and not taking anyone for granted. If they don't, the market has a way to speak back with its wallet when value perception significantly changes, even if it sometimes takes a while.
This gen will be interesting.
 
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DarkBatman

Member
[...] I mean the FPS genre now almost unanimously belongs to Microsoft: Halo (no need to bash it anymore, it's only one of the many standout shooters MS has), Wolfenstein (anyone's seen the DF breakdown of the New Colossus?), [...]

I can't follow you there, OP.
"MS bought other great shooters, so we don't have to laugh about how lackluster their Halo: Infinite showing was anymore"?
Ignoring how several Wolfenstein fans didn't like TNC and how basically everyone hated Youngblood?

While some of your points may be valid and open for discussion, some things just read like "I need to twist that so it fits my narrative".
 

Piku_Ringo

Banned
Brother they just bought Zenimax, it isn’t the end of the world. They haven’t put out the best games recently, either. Go with whatever makes you happy and stick with that, the price is fine for the value you get in games from Sony.

The hope should be that with this buy out this doesn't continue to be the trend with new partners.

brzSnmI.gif
 

jshackles

Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
Your argument is that Microsoft has a better subscription service (Game Pass), a better financing plan (Xbox All Access), better upgrade options (Smart Delivery), and more games (via purchasing studios). You're worried that consumers will reward these investments and put Sony out of business.

How is lowering the console price by another $50 going to fix these underlying issues you have with their platform?
 

Njocky

Banned
Maybe make it higher, have you...shit....HAVE YOU SEEN Pre-orders?

Humm.. I would disagree that the PS5 pre-order numbers are anything to go by and I know very well how high they are, I'm still trying to pre-order myself.
First of all, Xbox sold out equally fast and we don't know how much stock manufacturers made available so the best we can do here is speculate.
Most importantly though, the mass market wasn't queueing at EB Games or launching the amazon app at 8 am this morning. Those were the most hardcore gamers, people like me (I did both of those things).
The mass market will start really paying attention about a year from now.
 

TGO

Hype Train conductor. Works harder than it steams.
Why? MS are the ones that just spent 7.5 billion out of nowhere
 
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Keihart

Member
"Wall of Text"
Ok, i'm not going to real ALL of that, but i want to post a reply either way based on the tittle.
iu
 

DarkBatman

Member
Humm.. I would disagree that the PS5 pre-order numbers are anything to go by and I know very well how high they are, I'm still trying to pre-order myself.
First of all, Xbox sold out equally fast and we don't know how much stock manufacturers made available so the best we can do here is speculate.
Most importantly though, the mass market wasn't queueing at EB Games or launching the amazon app at 8 am this morning. Those were the most hardcore gamers, people like me (I did both of those things).
The mass market will start really paying attention about a year from now.

While you're right - we can only speculate at that point - the PSDE was sold out after a few minutes, the XSS is still available, though being 100$ cheaper.
But again: We don't know the overall picture and have to see what'll happen if the casual gamers will start buying next-gen.
 

Gamerguy84

Member
Its fair priced. Bots are getting the rest anyway. I can see none on shelves and a million on EBAY for 6 months at $900.
 

jshackles

Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
It's the games they need to reduce in price.
This absolutely. Game Pass looks like even more of an incredible value when you have the choice between a $10/month subscription cost for hundreds of games, or $70 for a single title.
 

Njocky

Banned
Your argument is that Microsoft has a better subscription service (Game Pass), a better financing plan (Xbox All Access), better upgrade options (Smart Delivery), and more games (via purchasing studios). You're worried that consumers will reward these investments and put Sony out of business.

How is lowering the console price by another $50 going to fix these underlying issues you have with their platform?
It wouldn't fix the underlying issues. It would make a lot of people more confident that they're paying what the product is worth given what the competition is offering.
Selling the Q5 cheaper than the Range Rover Evoque doesn't fix any of the underlying issues with Audi's all wheel drive (albeit there aren't many).
 
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MrS

Banned
The price of the games or the console, because next gen is looking pricey AF on the PS5. You can no longer ignore the extreme value gap between Xbox and Playstation.
What about the gap between the quality of Sony games vs Xbox games? Can that be ignored? It is a video game console, after all...
 

DarkBatman

Member
It's the games they need to reduce in price.

Sadly I don't see that one coming as long as other publishers are releasing their games with those prices.
And with the upcoming COD, people will just it regardless, thus sending the wrong message.
 

jshackles

Gentlemen, we can rebuild it. We have the capability to make the world's first enhanced store. Steam will be that store. Better than it was before.
It wouldn't fix the underlying issues. It would make a lot of people more confident that they're paying what the product is worth given what the competition is offering.
Selling the Q5 cheaper than the Range Rover Evoque don't fix any of the underlying issues with Audi's all wheel drive (albeit there aren't many).
Word on the street is that Sony is already selling every PS5 console at a loss though. Can they afford an additional $50 loss per unit, just to satiate consumer confidence?
 

yurinka

Member
Lol! PS5 will be the best selling console ever outselling the PS4, which had the record for the best 1st fiscal year shipments (4 months), and very likely will set new gaming history records for day one sales, first month sales and first year sales. They will be selling out the batches of consoles they ship in matter of a few days during months.

They are manufacturing more PS5 than they did with PS4. Preorders sold out in minutes. They have the biggest exclusive lineup ever for the first year ever with Miles Morales, Demon's Souls, Horizon 2, God of War 2, Ratchet & Clank and very likely Gran Turismo 7 plus stunning 3rd party games like Cyberpunk 2077, Resident Evil VIII and the typical CoD/FIFA/AC/Watchdogs. They have -at least timed, console- exclusives like Final Fantasy XVI and Final Fantasy VII Remake episode 2.

On top of that they have things that people right now don't realize but will very likely be a big plus for many people as they try it and will set a lead over Series X: the almost instant loading times, the DualSense features, that new 3D audio, the higher speed and reduced latency of Bluetooth 5.1 and wifi6 which will result a smaller input lag for the controller and way better Remote Pay, backwards compatibility of the -until its lifecycle point- best selling home console ever with a boost mode and a great selection of the best games of the last generation included in PS+, a subscription that almost everybody with the console will have.

Xbox will continue selling less than the half than them. The only big game for this and next year for MS is Halo and doesn't look very good, and even if they bought Bethesda their next two games, probably the ones they will release this and next year, are going to be timed console exclusives for Sony. In any case, the only Zenimax IP with great sales in the recent couple of generations are Elder Scrolls (specially Skyrim) and Fallout (specially 3 and 4). Other than that, their only big selling games were Doom Eternal (3 millions in first month, a big improvement versus the 1 million in 3 months of the Doom 2016 game).

Sony has zero reasons for a price cut. They will dominate the generation since day one and the first year it's going to be a bloodbath.
 
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Njocky

Banned
What about the gap between the quality of Sony games vs Xbox games? Can that be ignored? It is a video game console, after all...
Well, what are we comparing here? It depends which ones you pick. Since yesterday it's at best a toss. Bethesda games metacritic particularly well. And Microsoft added all of them to its stable, so that argument has become outdated I'm afraid.
 

Njocky

Banned
Lol! PS5 will be the best selling console ever outselling the PS4, which had the record for the best 1st fiscal year shipments (4 months), and very likely will set new gaming history records for day one sales, first month sales and first year sales. They will be selling out the batches of consoles they ship in matter of a few days during months.

They are manufacturing more PS5 than they did with PS4. Preorders sold out in minutes. They have the biggest exclusive lineup ever for the first year ever with Miles Morales, Demon's Souls, Horizon 2, God of War 2, Ratchet & Clank and very likely Gran Turismo 7 plus stunning 3rd party games like Cyberpunk 2077, Resident Evil VIII and the typical CoD/FIFA/AC/Watchdogs. They have -at least timed, console- exclusives like Final Fantasy XVI and Final Fantasy VII Remake episode 2.

On top of that they have things that people right now don't realize but will very likely be a big plus for many people as they try it and will set a lead over Series X: the almost instant loading times, the DualSense features, that new 3D audio, the higher speed and reduced latency of Bluetooth 5.1 and wifi6 which will result a smaller input lag for the controller and way better Remote Pay, backwards compatibility of the -until its lifecycle point- best selling home console ever with a boost mode and a great selection of the best games of the last generation included in PS+, a subscription that almost everybody with the console will have.

They have zero reasons for a price cut.

We should at least be able to admit that none of those consoles have an impressive launch line up or we're not operating with the same set of facts.
The bottom line is what the Playstation has, Xbox since yesterday also has just as much or more, it's just a matter of whether you enjoy RPGs and shooters more or less than action adventure.
Xbox however can claim a lot of things that Playstation does not have and I refer you to my OP. It's legitimate to wonder if they should charge me the same. Casual gamers who wonder like me will start speaking with their wallet at some point. It's just economics.
 

THE:MILKMAN

Member
Yep. "Hacksaw" Jim Ryan should chop the price down to £64. The amount of days from release they announced it.

They have to flex after Phil's spending spree.
 

Kings fan

Member
Yes they need to lower by at least $50 if not $100 to compete after the MS purchase, value of gamepass, and technology of Xbox to upgrade all generations of titles. If PS5 does not at least upscale like the current One x does for all games... why would you even want a PS5 until more games are released..
 
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Yoboman

Member
No, either of these systems are a bargain

I've used my PS4 nearly every day for 7 years. Games, movies, YouTube. I dont think there is a more bang for your buck piece of hardware than a console

When I think of paying double that every two years for a new phone, it is nothing.
 
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They should get rid of the dumb white plastic fins, double the battery life of their controllers, and double the storage size of the harddrive. Keep it at $500.
 

spawn

Member
Where did you hear that games from Dice and Respawn will release early on Xbox? I have not seen this reported on anywhere.

No, they should not lower the price. Every poll I've seen on here or on Twitter says more people are buying PS5
 
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