One of the topics that Sony stayed far away from during the PlayStation 4 event this week was any discussion of the next generation console’s price tag, or how much its software will cost. While we still don’t have a definitive answer to either one of those questions, two Sony execs have stepped up to suggest that we might be able to afford the system without having to “work more hours to buy one“.
Speaking to IGN, Sony Worldwide Studios President Shuhei Yoshida revealed that even though the PlayStation 4 does have a significant technology leap when compared to the PS3, the company will be able to keep the new console competitive in terms of price. Yoshida credited the decision to use custom AMD hardware over the PS3’s Cell architecture as one of the major cost cutting factors.
“The architecture choice we have made this time around has allowed us not to invest to create dedicated factories and conducting factories and things like that — so that helps in order for us to provide an affordable price to consumers.”
While Yoshida would not comment on the PlayStation 4’s target price point, his statements certainly seem to indicate that we will not be reporting a PS3-sized launch price for the new console.
In a separate interview, Sony Computer Entertainment America’s CEO, Jack Tretton, spoke to CNBC about the cost that consumers can expect to pay for software on the upcoming PS4. Tretton noted that the console will support all models, and gamers can expect to see pricing that is in line with current trends.
“We’re going to welcome free-to-play models, games from $.99 up to those $60 games… I think people are willing to pay if they see the value there. The heat for the true gamer is on the console.”
“You’re going to see some of the greatest games ever created and the consumer is going to have more ease of use, the ability to sample games before they buy them and have more breadth of games than they’ve ever seen before,”
Personally, I think that Sony is going to have a hard time moving PlayStation 4 units if the price is anywhere North of $400, and I suspect that they will have their work cut out for them even at that price point — same goes for Microsoft’s next Xbox. The PC market is a much bigger threat this console cycle, and the global economy is in far worse shape.
That’s just my opinion, let us know your sweet spot for PlayStation 4 pricing in the comments below.
