Shuhei Yoshida: Sony's not sure why PS4 is selling so well
- Thread starter Talon
- Start date
- Status
Disaster Nebraska
Banned
A lot of innovations are terrible. Sony wins because Sony wins. No need to invent false equivalencies to justify your bad perception on the matter.
You could argue that Sony took the risk. A lot of trends were pointing toward all-in-one boxes (not now, but 5 years ago when design began?).
Instead of going all-in-one like they did with PS3, Sony "took the risk" of making their game console a game console. And look what happened.
I would argue that Nintendo and Microsoft took the least risk. Microsoft's entire PLAN was to eliminate risk by eliminating competion, eliminating used games, eliminating other set-top boxes, eliminating everything that stood in their way. With the way DLC has been going, their plan wasn't risky at all. It was just anti-consumer.
Nintendo wasn't risky, either. They saw the rise of tablets and said "let's add a tablet!" There is literally no innovation. It was a concept from the Gamecube era, in fact.
Um, I'm confused, I thought xbox had the stereotype of the "dudebro" fanbase (least that's what I get from all the fanwars on the internet and what each fanbase likes to throw at the other). I mean I keep hearing its the console more known for COD and FPS shooters anyways. Oh, and multiplayer games.
Or are you speaking from a PC fan's POV?
AstroNut325
Member
Solid hardware
Good price
Great third party support
Excellent first party support
Intriguing elements (Morpheus, F2P, ect)
Lack of restrictive DRM
Sony is doing more than just "not f**king up".
Good price
Great third party support
Excellent first party support
Intriguing elements (Morpheus, F2P, ect)
Lack of restrictive DRM
Sony is doing more than just "not f**king up".
What did sony win again?
Pops Maellard
Member
i7 is a recent upgrade, and I've been holding off on a new GPU until NVIDIA finally gets around to releasing the 800 series. I've several times almost broke down and bought a 780, but I decided it would be worth the extra wait for an 880.
Either way, I desperately need Destiny and I'll definitely want to play Bloodborne, so I bought a PS4. Also the stupid "I want to play games on my couch" argument is vaguely true for me; my TV is more than 100 feet away from my desktop and I don't want to deal with more cables than absolutely necessary.
start shit?... I said is a console worth getting.
fallingdove
Member
Huh?
Lazy system for lazy people? As opposed to the High Energy/Active Systems for High Energy/Active People? What video game system is the opposite of what you described? Ray Bradbury's - The Veldt?
And dude-bro dream? For the PS4? That is the first time I have heard that. Generation CHCHCHCHanges.
DidntKnowJack
Member
A large percentage of market share...?
And it's up to the market to be ready to adopt "innovation" clearly they weren't this is how it works for good reason. In MS case "innovation" was scaring the shit out of people with their plan for a digital future, it didn't help the thing was more expensive and weaker due in part because they tried to "innovate" with Kinect as well.
davepoobond
you can't put a price on sparks
I agree.
I dunno, judging from what I saw posted on the net, I think the order of what upset people the most goes from:
1. Used games restriction (this seemed to have the most people upset and the most people listing it as their top reason to be upset)
2. Online requirement restriction
3. Required Kinect
And shoot, I know there were some other things people hated but I can't remember them now, they kinda fell in the lesser problems that a few really cared about and most tacked on cause they were pissed about one or more of above three.
RedHotChimiChanga
Banned
The only bad thing about the PS4 is that it's selling too fast. =3
NeoGarrison
Banned
Come closer, Shu.
Sony didn't win, Nintendo and Microsoft lost.
They tried to innovate, took the risk and failed, while Sony played it safe.
Now you know.
Lol. Maybe it's just that when it comes to innovation that's so radical and different from what's already established it will always be a huge gamble. People will either like it or hate it most of the time. That's why it sometimes it's just better to innovate at a pace that will actually let you "test" out market reactions by making small changes instead.
I think the Xbone with Kinect was actually a great and complete system with great things to offer but MS killed their whole train with the DRM fiasco. Kinect was already tested and proven and was still bringing the casuals in, people are interested in streaming as the ps camera sales have show. All MS had to do was retain their userbase which I'm sure they would of despite the PS4 being more powerful.
Disaster Nebraska
Banned
A leading position in the game market by a wide margin?
Please note, I was replying to a comment saying:
They didn't do anything great to win except undercut MS at every opportunity (which wasn't hard because MS was the equivalent of a character in a Benny Hill joint - bumping in to everything, falling over at the slightest touch etc.)
There was no real innovation from Sony; just good market positioning.
There was no real innovation from Sony; just good market positioning.
you seem to hold something against these dude-bro people
vagabondarts
Member
Neither has great games yet. Then again, imho, this year has sucked in general for everything but the Vita. And now I'm hearing the other game I'm excited for coming out for the Vita may be disappointing
. And last year was the launch day games which never are that good in my experience.This year has really sucked games wise (yeah, seperate rant really).
I Wanna Be The Guy
U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!
Maybe?
Well that definitely had something to do with me getting one. I got mine when Infamous came out. I'm not sure that was really the reason but maybe it was an excuse to get it at that point? I was always gonna get a PS4 just cause and Infamous coming out seemed like good timing to get it. Once again hindsight is a bitch. That game wasn't as good as it could have been and I definitely think Infamous 2 is a much better game. It was solid though.
Disaster Nebraska
Banned
Leafhopper
Banned
I have no interest in a PS4 because the library is not impressive to me.
If I have to say why its because the PS4 fucked up least?
If I have to say why its because the PS4 fucked up least?
Shadow_FFVI
Member
Are there really people who are just now finding out how fantastic Sony's first party games can be?
That's exactly the reason why I buy every Sony system, not including Vita lol.
That's exactly the reason why I buy every Sony system, not including Vita lol.
Nintendo and Xbox so badly wanted to force change. Nintendo with quirky hardware and Xbox's commitment to digital. Suddenly Playstation seemed to be the most familiar and the safest choice. It's a far cry from the PS3 launch. Then it felt like Sony was just using Playstation to force Bluray and to take over households with Cell powered electronics, needlessly driving up cost and pushing games to the side.
None of that means perception can't change over the life of a console.
None of that means perception can't change over the life of a console.
SpecialAgentZ
Member
Promises + hype + lots of $$$$ spent on advertising catering to casuals/dudebro + PR bullshit to promote the product as an ultimate premium product with low price + supercharged big numbers to hide the low end hardware + laziness of the competitors = profit.
Don't even need great games. That's how things work in general, not only @ Sony. And Shu and everyone @ Sony knows it very well.
Don't even need great games. That's how things work in general, not only @ Sony. And Shu and everyone @ Sony knows it very well.
Fruitster
Member
Sony made a simple console that plays games well and many people wanted that. The pricing was good, the console was seen as being more powerful than it's rival, it was well marketed and the messaging was clear and concise. The PS4 was Sony sailing a steady ship.
Microsoft meanwhile sailed their ship into a typhoon and dropped torpedoes on the deck for good measure. MS have done really well bringing the xbox one back to looking like a good alternative to PS4 after their dreadful start though. The xbox one of today is a console I wouldn't mind picking up.
Microsoft meanwhile sailed their ship into a typhoon and dropped torpedoes on the deck for good measure. MS have done really well bringing the xbox one back to looking like a good alternative to PS4 after their dreadful start though. The xbox one of today is a console I wouldn't mind picking up.
I wonder if you are happy at all if you consider a PS4 a compromised mediocrity tough to swallow.
Did you know MOST of The stuff you buy is probable mediocre, even unacceptably so, in others' point of view?
LiquidMetal14
hide your water-based mammals
They're doing well because the games. They have the most upcoming console exclusives as well. They are definitely already pacing ahead of XB easily.
I prefer that the competition shot themselves in the foot. Several times. And then aimed for the other foot. And after that one of the companies aimed for the head.
AcademicSaucer
Member
Yeah, i was thinking along those lines too , im 99% sure that the PS4 isnt going to sell more than the PS3 .
Shadow_FFVI
Member
Which should be a surprise to no one.
It is not lost on him. How big is this core audience? 30 million? 40 million? He is worried that if PS4 is only selling to core then soon the sales will completely dry off. Frankly so am I, and I'm yet to buy a PS4.
Shin-Ra
Junior Member
Stronger sales of software, hardware and services. Continued support.
Surprising level of honesty in that interview. In terms of why PS4 would do so well with new audiences, here are some possibilities which may individually or collectively account for what's happened:
1) They fluked a surprisingly effective marketing message
2) Record breaking launch led to bandwagon mentality and thus wider media hype beyond what was normal.
3) The success of the Wii primed the mass media to pay attention to gaming and thus PS4 got coverage where previous Sony consoles didn't.
4) As above but applies to Microsoft who grew significantly last gen(including Kinect)
5) People who gave their virginity to mobile/tablet games are now upgrading to a better model for gaming.
6) Diminishing returns meant people who didn't upgrade from PS2 to PS3 are now choosing to upgrade. This may include people who got a second hand PS2 that Sony have no record of(judging by game stores in the UK there is still an active second hand PS2 market).
7) Wider HDTV adoption makes PS4 relevent to a wider market than PS3
8) Microsofts weaker brand and Sonys high price limited both consoles last gen, PS4 at $399 gets audiences that a $399 PS3 may not have done.
9) Social media is transmitting publicity wider than previously possible
10) Economic circumstances may be improving for some people that couldn't afford a console last gen but can do so now.
Of course it's possible he's making something out of nothing and just saying they don't understand what's happening as an attempt to go viral and generate publicity. Does he give a percentage of how many non-gamers they've acquired? But it's definitely not good news if they don't understand what's happening. When you don't understand your audience you're at much higher risk of losing it in future(as happened with Nintendo DS and Wii)
1) They fluked a surprisingly effective marketing message
2) Record breaking launch led to bandwagon mentality and thus wider media hype beyond what was normal.
3) The success of the Wii primed the mass media to pay attention to gaming and thus PS4 got coverage where previous Sony consoles didn't.
4) As above but applies to Microsoft who grew significantly last gen(including Kinect)
5) People who gave their virginity to mobile/tablet games are now upgrading to a better model for gaming.
6) Diminishing returns meant people who didn't upgrade from PS2 to PS3 are now choosing to upgrade. This may include people who got a second hand PS2 that Sony have no record of(judging by game stores in the UK there is still an active second hand PS2 market).
7) Wider HDTV adoption makes PS4 relevent to a wider market than PS3
8) Microsofts weaker brand and Sonys high price limited both consoles last gen, PS4 at $399 gets audiences that a $399 PS3 may not have done.
9) Social media is transmitting publicity wider than previously possible
10) Economic circumstances may be improving for some people that couldn't afford a console last gen but can do so now.
Of course it's possible he's making something out of nothing and just saying they don't understand what's happening as an attempt to go viral and generate publicity. Does he give a percentage of how many non-gamers they've acquired? But it's definitely not good news if they don't understand what's happening. When you don't understand your audience you're at much higher risk of losing it in future(as happened with Nintendo DS and Wii)
NeoGarrison
Banned
I think you do bring up valid points as far as delivering products to a new user base for sure. I would look at this from the point of view of a consumer or shareholder and it wouldn't paint a good picture either way thou, PS4 is having a great time with the sales but yoshida is already mentioning exhausting the core gamer userbase when the console is just reaching 10 mil. Not to mention that as a consumer seeing them talk about catering some new crowd they haven't figured out yet isn't so good either!
That's kinda like whats going on the the SONY in general at the moment thou. They let go of PS Mobile a while ago because they couldn't figure out the market, Vita is going to hell in a hand basket because they can't figure out that market either. And let's not even talk about PSNOW which hasn't even released and they still act like they have to clue what to do with it...
How is the core audience 30-40 million when the PS3/360 sold 160 million last gen?
DidntKnowJack
Member
I can't say this is why the PS4 is selling so well, but I especially like how quick it is to do the installs, or at least have the ability to play while it's installing. In that regard, Sony addressed a problem that plagued the PS3 while the Xbox seemingly adopted it.
You think every single person who bought PS360 was core? Really dude?
BennyBlanco
aka IMurRIVAL69
Anecdotally, just from people I know, they ate a shitload of MS's market share in the US. I know 5 people who went from 360 to ps4 after the unbelievable failure that was the Xbone reveal.
It has a lot of indies that are fun to play and it's the best console to play some big multiplatform games on. Just because it doesn't have gazillion exclusives like Uncharted, Last of Us etc. doesn't mean it has no games. That's silly talk of console warriors who too easily dismiss the importance of multiplatforms (i.e. a platform's offerings = exclusives only, multiplatforms aren't +1s to the number of games they consider a platform to have), exaggerate the importance of exclusives (i.e. they are the only games that matter when the fact is those are rarely the best-selling titles on any other platform but Nintendo's) and ignore indies (i.e. much like multiplatforms, they don't matter in the game library warz).
So why did they buy them?
Disaster Nebraska
Banned
In all fairness, we had a fair amount of multi-console ownership last gen as well as multiple 360 purchases due to RRoD (I am specifically talking about purchases made, not returns and refurbs from Microsoft's warranty program).
Pretty much. Everyone wants to upgrade to nextgen but don't want to buy an xbox one.
Imru al-Qays
Banned
We did not have 100 million+ multi-console ownerships and RRoD purchases last gen. The core market is by far the largest part of the console market.
Nintendojitsu
Banned
Nintendo was on track to do well early on but the flagging sales of the 3DS and a rush to stop that put a serious crunch on production of key software releases for the Wii U. This is why there was such a lull in software releases after Holiday 2012 and thus why the Wii U is in its current situation now.
- Status