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[PaintTinJr]

Sounds like a happy coincidence for PlayStation that any single console Xbox gamer now preparing for the future on a console that doesn't have an EoL vision/strategy will be charged at full price.

If they've been able to take the day 1 loss and turn that into a healthy profit, like we know they have, the current argument doesn't stack up IMO. They are just choosing direct hardware profit over backend software sales cut, and are probably right to do so. Of my friends that didn't buy a PS4 and dropped down to just Nintendo gaming, none of them will pay more than £250 for a PlayStation(with the UHD optical drive too), and with the Portal costing nearly that, I think PlayStation are deciding that some gamers just aren't worth competing for, anymore.

 

[KungFucius]

Too expensive for whom really? It's a few hundred dollars which you pay once and then can play the latest games for a whole generation. It's an amount of money which would barely pay a week's rent in big cities throughout the developed world. Are console gamers this hard up? If they are then there's hardly any point Sony pandering to them anyway, they must be too penniless to buy games and generate profits for them.

C'mon. The median income in the US is something like 50k. Lots of people cannot afford 500 bucks plus tax plus 70 for games. In the past consoles would drop 25% or more during the cycle and this would bring more sales but also a lower full price game attach rate for those sales. More recently, console prices are stable and old games outside of the blockbusters are still being sold at full price. People are absolutely being priced out.

I think the only shot of a PS5 Pro, is Sony hoping enough PS5 owners upgrade and sell their old systems as this is the only way to provide some lower cost units. Otherwise the Pro is just low to negative margin hardware that costs 10s of millions to bring to market to make games a little smoother for people already invested in their platform.

 

[Elysium44]

C'mon. The median income in the US is something like 50k. Lots of people cannot afford 500 bucks plus tax plus 70 for games. In the past consoles would drop 25% or more during the cycle and this would bring more sales but also a lower full price game attach rate for those sales. More recently, console prices are stable and old games outside of the blockbusters are still being sold at full price. People are absolutely being priced out.

I think the only shot of a PS5 Pro, is Sony hoping enough PS5 owners upgrade and sell their old systems as this is the only way to provide some lower cost units. Otherwise the Pro is just low to negative margin hardware that costs 10s of millions to bring to market to make games a little smoother for people already invested in their platform.

The PS5 is affordable in any first world country, anyone who can't scrape together $500 in America in 2024 has bigger problems. How do they afford anything, if that amount of money upsets them? Sony doesn't need to be chasing people who are penniless or useless with money in that case. I'm not well off and never have been, so this isn't me saying haha poor people.

How do those people afford rent deposits, rent, used cars, utilities, all their other bills, everything has shot up in price but people think games consoles should be unique and stay static or keep falling? Even though the costs of making those things has risen, the people who make them, sell them and deliver them to you all have bills to pay which are rising too? It's not reasonable to expect that.

 

[Audiophile]

I wonder how they're gonna price it next to the Pro.

I expect the Pro to be $599.

With that, I'd expect the 'Slim' to drop from $449/499 to $349/399 normally, but I wouldn't be surprised if we see $379/429 or even $399/449.

Anything less than a $150 gulf between a base and pro system at these levels just doesn't seem like it'll fly. Unless Sony's play is "you're spending this much, why not spend a little more".

I mean even if you're not super-techy, if your option is a $479-499 box and a $599 box that's more than twice as powerful, in a nicer chassis, possibly with more storage and a better long-term resale value you'd be a bit of a numpty to go for the cheaper one. If you're already getting a $479+ box to begin with you're probably not on the rocks financially, I'd do an overtime shift or save for an extra month and get the better box.

 

[playsaves3]

Welp, they will release the Pro at $600...

i actually hope its 700 and they go in on specs but 600 without disc drive is almost a lock

 

[blastprocessor]

Super difficult.

 

[playsaves3]

Is the Pro going to be $650?

i was hoping the pro would be 700 and they go in on the specs and make it premium this announcement confirms it wont be far from that thankfully

 

[Leonidas]

Too bad, guess the PS5 will never reach PS4 level sales. I wonder if they'll go for a weak/strong system next-gen to hit lower price points...

 

[MikeM]

Until the Pro drops anyhow

When????

 

[WitchHunter]

C'mon. The median income in the US is something like 50k. Lots of people cannot afford 500 bucks plus tax plus 70 for games. In the past consoles would drop 25% or more during the cycle and this would bring more sales but also a lower full price game attach rate for those sales. More recently, console prices are stable and old games outside of the blockbusters are still being sold at full price. People are absolutely being priced out.

If you can't afford a PS5 and 70 dollar games with that income, then go fuck yourself. Ridiculous. Like 50k per year is some kind of poor man's reality. Gimme a fucking break.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

i actually hope its 700 and they go in on specs but 600 without disc drive is almost a lock

From a form factor perspective, it'll be interesting to see if they do release two skus of PS5 Pro and whether the disc drive is removable and if it is removable with the same drive as the standard PS5 or if they're going to have to put out PS5 Pro disc drives and PS5 disc drives.

 

[Mibu no ookami]

Super difficult.

That's still 527 USD more than the PS5 launched for in the US. The PS5 launched for 449 GBP, so not much of a price drop here.

With the UK in recession and Europe likely to follow in many areas, it makes sense to adjust the prices that were already sky high.

 

[playsaves3]

I got the impression when PS5 Pro was first being mentioned that it would $599, which would in turn result the disc based "vanilla" PS5 staying at $499. Not going to call this confirmation, but it seems to be heading in that direction.

I just wonder at what point the pricing costs them customers that would otherwise buy the console and then spend a fair bit of money on subscriptions and games. There are a lot of people who jumped on PS4 in the back half of the lifespan and spent money on PS+, micro transactions, and of course, games.

Kinda glad I got $349 XSX panic bundle. Gives me more room to wait and see how this plays out.

im actually hoping the pro is 699 makes it more likely they really go in on the specs. i think 599 without disc and 699 with would make a lot of sense (maybe 650 without disc)

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

When????

I say around October

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Too many gamers are spoiled, expecting real terms price cuts just because they're used to it.

That's what happens when companies do predictable pricing strategies. People wait.

It's like buying button shirts for the office. Why buy regular price when the store has shirts on sale for 40% off every week. One week it's these brands, the next week 40% off other brands. It's a revolving door.

If game companies want to maintain margins, just do what Nintendo does. First party hardware and software prices barely move. I just checked Best Buy Canada and Super Mario Odyssey is $80 CDN. The same price as it launched. I dont think the typical Nintendo gamer waits for bargain binning because Ninty barely tosses their products into discounts of doom. So if they want a game, might as well just get it without waiting.

But most companies do slash their prices. So for many consumers, they'll wait. Just like me and office shirts.

 

[SonGoku]

Cant they just use the PS5 Pro SoC design and shave off the GPU bits until its just powerful enough to run base PS5 games.
Didn't they do something similar for the PS4 slim die shrink?

 

[playsaves3]

$599 would be ideal, but they aren't using the Pro to gain new PS owners, they're selling to their hardcore fanbase, so $645 with a larger profit margin isn't out of the realm of possibility.

i want them to make the pro just a straight 699 make it the firts playstation to be 700 and go for some real premium specs and build quality

 

[asdasdasdbb]

Anything less than a $150 gulf between a base and pro system at these levels just doesn't seem like it'll fly. Unless Sony's play is "you're spending this much, why not spend a little more".

It would be $150. Presumably you wouldn't get the drive at $599.

 

[playsaves3]

C'mon. The median income in the US is something like 50k. Lots of people cannot afford 500 bucks plus tax plus 70 for games. In the past consoles would drop 25% or more during the cycle and this would bring more sales but also a lower full price game attach rate for those sales. More recently, console prices are stable and old games outside of the blockbusters are still being sold at full price. People are absolutely being priced out.

I think the only shot of a PS5 Pro, is Sony hoping enough PS5 owners upgrade and sell their old systems as this is the only way to provide some lower cost units. Otherwise the Pro is just low to negative margin hardware that costs 10s of millions to bring to market to make games a little smoother for people already invested in their platform.

they could also not expect it to sell well and just price it at 700 make it premium

 

[playsaves3]

I wonder how they're gonna price it next to the Pro.

I expect the Pro to be $599.

With that, I'd expect the 'Slim' to drop from $449/499 to $349/399 normally, but I wouldn't be surprised if we see $379/429 or even $399/449.

Anything less than a $150 gulf between a base and pro system at these levels just doesn't seem like it'll fly. Unless Sony's play is "you're spending this much, why not spend a little more".

I mean even if you're not super-techy, if your option is a $479-499 box and a $599 box that's more than twice as powerful, in a nicer chassis, possibly with more storage and a better long-term resale value you'd be a bit of a numpty to go for the cheaper one. If you're already getting a $479+ box to begin with you're probably not on the rocks financially, I'd do an overtime shift or save for an extra month and get the better box.

i think it will be 599 discless and 699 with the drive but i can also see 650 discless and 700 with the drive (some think it will be 699 without the drive but i think thats too extreme)

 

[playsaves3]

When????

end of this year

 

[playsaves3]

From a form factor perspective, it'll be interesting to see if they do release two skus of PS5 Pro and whether the disc drive is removable and if it is removable with the same drive as the standard PS5 or if they're going to have to put out PS5 Pro disc drives and PS5 disc drives.

literally no way it doesnt use the slims disc drive i do expect different plates though

 

[playsaves3]

I say around October

i expect november

 

[Mooreberg]

im actually hoping the pro is 699 makes it more likely they really go in on the specs. i think 599 without disc and 699 with would make a lot of sense (maybe 650 without disc)

Yeah, that could be their approach for sure