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[daoster]

in 2006 it was nowhere near as bad as it is now. tablets weren't even a thing yet and smartphones were still incredibly rare. the high-end phone experience at the time was like a $99 Razr with no data plan. now many people want a $200-400 tablet, a $300-400 smartphone and many of these people are upgrading yearly. the price crunch on these console devices should've been tighter than ever.

I don't think Tablets have have hit that "must own" category yet, and most smart phones are subsidized in the US...so for many, it'll be <$200 dollars.

There is of course more competition now, but if Sony can demonstrate the value of the PS4, then $400 is I think reasonable price to debut the console.

 

[nickp]

This is great news. I'm very optimistic that Orbis will start at $399 in the US, scaling up with Apple-like price tiers for more storage, e.g. $399 128GB, $499 256 GB, etc.

 

[Malvingt2]

For $450? no way.. $400 I might think about it.

 

[Soriku]

Oh so they expect all of this to be announced on Feb 20?

Wow.

"Finally, the Asahi Shimbun states in no uncertain terms that February 20th is the date when we'll hear all this information confirmed for real."

Edit: It's saying it's not certain right? Worded a little weirdly.

 

[Pineconn]

$99 with Sony Land packed in or bust.

 

[Discotheque]

it will be 450 to 5hunna

 

[Pai Pai Master]

i wish they'd launch at 299 for old time's sake

Hard drive, not included, $99.

Or, BC Dongle, $99.

 

[JordanLMiller]

will it have games?

How long will it take to hit its stride?

 

[Kiryu]

PS4 at $399

You still have to buy SONY PS4 PROPRIETARY CARD for $199!

 

[metalslimer]

Well, with regard to the first, I just don't see the overlap really.

Facebook -> Tablet? Yes. (Ergo, the drive to monetize mobile.)
Desktop -> Tablet? Yes.
Laptop -> Tablet? Yes.
Handheld -> Tablet? Yes.

But console -> Tablet? I don't really see it.

The casual gamer (and I use this to refer to frequency rather than type of game) that contributes to console sales still wants their GTA, Madden, FIFA and COD. And tablets are no substitute.

The casual gamer that wants those games will still be satisfied with the PS3/360 especially if there is no GTA5 at launch. This is why I say they will be fine at launch because there are definitely gamers who have been waiting for "the next big thing". However, until these platforms can differentiate themselves and have their own system sellers that don't exist on the PS3/360 they will be hamstrung by the "high" price of 399+ imo

 

[shinra-bansho]

The casual gamer that wants those games will still be satisfied with the PS3/360 especially if there is no GTA5 at launch.

That's really an unrelated point, and not necessarily one I dispute. The enthusiast will drive initial sales, as has always been the case.

At $399 with some games to show of next gen possibilities I think there'll be good enthusiast interest.

 

[schuelma]

Well, with regard to the first, I just don't see the overlap really.

Facebook -> Tablet? Yes. (Ergo, the drive to monetize mobile.)
Desktop -> Tablet? Yes.
Laptop -> Tablet? Yes.
Handheld -> Tablet? Yes.

But console -> Tablet? I don't really see it.

The casual gamer (and I use this to refer to frequency rather than type of game) that contributes to console sales still wants their GTA, Madden, FIFA and COD. And tablets are no substitute.

I just think in general there is less money to go around, both because of the economy and the rise of tablets,etc.

I also think that the legacy systems are going to take away some business, especially if the launch price is 400-450.

 

[lazer_bean]

ok but what's in the box ?
ps 4 with a controller
ps+ sub ?
camera ?
ps move ?

if rumors are to be believed $399 is a reasonable price for a ps4+controller though

 

[DieH@rd]

Oh so they expect all of this to be announced on Feb 20?

Wow.

There is no way they will announce price now. They will wait for E3.

 

[darkside31337]

Will probably buy one day one at $399.

Don't think multiple skus are a lock either. Sony took a lot of shit for $599 even when there was a model priced at $499 - going with something like 399/499 will leave a ton of attention on the 499 as the default price with the 399 model being treated as an undesirable sku even if its totally fine.

 

[javac]

Are HDD prices still inflated above pre-Thailand flood levels?

HDD prices are slowly coming back down. I'm pretty sure the Price's have returned to normality.

http://uk.camelcamelcamel.com/Elements-1TB-Portable-Hard-Drive/product/B005A97APO

 

[metalslimer]

That's really an unrelated point, and not necessarily one I dispute. The enthusiast will drive initial sales.

Yes, and I've said I expect the launch to go well.

 

[DGRE]

You guys know that over 40,000 yen means more than $400, right? If it said "Under 40,000 yen," it would mean $399.

 

[FordGTGuy]

They will most likely tell us the price and expected region launches on the 20th.

 

[AniHawk]

I don't see it. The Wii U costs that much, but the controller eats up half the price. I'm pretty sure Sony could hit that price point with ease.

maybe not with ease, but it'd be doable. they would have to make the system a bit weaker than the durango, without kinect, to make it work. and even then they might sell it at a loss.

i'd prefer that over waiting 2+ years for a price drop on anything.

 

[Basch]

This is great news. I'm very optimistic that Orbis will start at $399 in the US, scaling up with Apple-like price tiers for more storage, e.g. $399 128GB, $499 256 GB, etc.

128 or 256 GB? No, just no. 500 GB at the minimum. I'd even hope for 750 GB. Hell, PS3 already has a 500 GB model, right? They can't go lower than that? Can they? Most of my games will be digital, so I sure hope not.

 

[Darryl]

I don't think Tablets have have hit that "must own" category yet, and most smart phones are subsidized in the US...so for many, it'll be <$200 dollars.

There is of course more competition now, but if Sony can demonstrate the value of the PS4, then $400 is I think reasonable price to debut the console.

subsidized makes the problem even worse, not better. i'm not saying these items are substitutes. i'm saying these items have increased the cost of living.

 

[blitzcloud]

I'm down for $450 max. $500 only if its a super sonyfan edition with lots of extras.

This, THIS SO MUCH.

What was the point on owning a ps3 day1?

Tell the first batches of stock some love in hard times, sony.

 

[metalslimer]

They will most likely tell us the price and expected region launches on the 20th.

Unless it's launching in like August, I doubt it.

that's not really how these things work though

Who knows what could happen with the falling yen.

 

[-Pyromaniac-]

You guys know that over 40,000 yen means more than $400, right? If it said "Under 40,000 yen," it would mean $399.

that's not really how these things work though

 

[Vyrance]

I expect $399.99, no more no less

 

[JWong]

I don't care. I'll buy it at $10,000 if they want me to.

 

[Whompa]

That's perfect.

 

[Meccanical]

I don't care. I'll buy it at $10,000 if they want me to.

Seriously?

 

[Jacksonlee]

ill pick this up when naughtydog makes their first game on it.

 

[Donthizz#]

anything below $500..

 

[Thoraxes]

Too much. I'd be better suited buying another GPU for my PC at that price.

 

[zomgbbqftw]

The more I think about it the more a $349 32GB model makes sense. It would really put pressure on Nintendo as it would be exactly the same price for the same storage (unless they cut the price before Sony announce).

At £299/€349/$349 for a 32GB SKU I think Sony would clean up. Have it use the same hard drive mounting bracket as the PS3 and allow end users to fit their own drive in when they need more storage. I think that would be a killer price and 32GB is plenty of storage for saved games and a bit of DLC/patches. With the higher disc streaming speed the need for heavy duty installs will be much lower as well.

 

[onQ123]

I'm ok with this.

if people are paying $349 for the Wii U a $50 - $75 difference for 5X the power sounds good to me.

 

[brain_stew]

$400 is very reasonable and very much achievable given the makeup of the hardware. There's no new CPU architecture R& D to recoup, there's no expensive media format to subsidise, motherboard complexity is vastly reduced and there's less silicon to pay for.

£300 in the UK, please.

 

[Cheesecakebobby]

I can't remember the last time the price of a console was announced at the same time as the console itself. E3 earliest, probably later.

 

[timetokill]

Seriously?

It's JWong, dude. Of course he would.

 

[Doctor Decimate]

not sure why everyone's rounding down to $400.......

seems to me like $450 is the logical conversion

 

[Officerrob]

I think it's cute how most people are just assuming it will be $400 while completely ignoring the words "or more"

 

[Squire]

I don't care. I'll buy it at $10,000 if they want me to.

 

[FordGTGuy]

Unless it's launching in like August, I doubt it.

I don't think they're going to confirm every region but at least US, Japan and UK, Im pretty sure by now those launches are set in stone at least by month.

 

[MikeE21286]

Tablets are different ball game becuase by their nature people see them as a higher valueb device due to its multi function capability. As for smart phones, most people are not paying the 300-500 price for the phones outright, the majority are subsidizing them fully or with discount with their data plans. A straight up game machine better bring some serious innovation and games to justify a high price outside the core gamer demographic.

I wonder to myself how long the mobile explosion continues. Soon enough everyone is gonna have a 4-5 inch LTE or higher device with fast processors. Where does the growth stage stop and we enter maturity stage for the current version of the slab-like smartphone?

 

[JWong]

It's JWong, dude. Of course he would.

I put $1000 into a F2P game. Got money to burn!

 

[baxter2231]

i expect it to be 400-500 maybe two versions at each 400 and 500. Now way its lower than 400 thats the bare minimum

 

[Basch]

"Finally, the Asahi Shimbun states in no uncertain terms that February 20th is the date when we'll hear all this information confirmed for real."

Edit: It's saying it's not certain right? Worded a little weirdly.

It's saying we should definitely expect to hear it on Feb 20th. Though, I'm not so sure that'll happen. I'm thinking Sony and Microsoft are too busy playing each other by leaking ideas for their next systems to test out one another. Sony will probably wait for E3.

 

[Chie Satonaka]

$99 with Sony Land packed in or bust.

Well done.

I'd really rather not pay more than 399.99 for the hardware. If I'm going higher than that, there better be a damn impressive launch title that I just can't wait to play.

 

[FordGTGuy]

I put $1000 into a F2P game. Got money to burn!

You should do it anyway pay whatever it costs and donate the rest to charity. xD

 

[Ninja Moomin]

$399 / £299 or bust... literally.

 

[InfiniDragon]

Everything in me says $499.99 for Orbis. I'd like to be wrong though.

 

[anotherVegan]

But will there be giant enemy crabs on PS4?