archbrix said:
This says it all right here. If the system had launched at $199, a further price drop to $169 would have never been needed in the first place, at least not that soon. Great software would have carried it through the holidays at that price and us ambassadors would have never had to pay that extra $50 for a bunch of "free" games we already have. $250 is just too much for a dedicated handheld device. For example, the PS3 at its $599 launch price was actually not overpriced. Getting a cutting edge game system and a blu-ray player for six hundered bucks in 2006 was a steal. But there's a profound difference between overpriced and too expensive, which the PS3 was. The 3DS at $250 was both. |
So, Archbrix, 3 question areas remain:
1) Is the Vita at 250$ overpriced? How do you judge the price in a hypothetical scenario where compelling games exist on the platform and you absolutely want it no matter what? What price kills the momentum despite must-have games?
2) Is overpriced a factor when the market buys it anyways? Of course I don't encourage it, but within this thread, if consumers do buy it due to compelling games or must-buy features (like say blu-ray), then where does pricepoint come into the equation, at what point or moment? For which demographic?
3) When can overpricing be the most deadly, at holiday season or post holiday season? What about pricing of competing products?
These questions lead to this: Something can be overpriced (for instance the iPad), but if people want it and no competitor is able to convince otherwise, why would it matter? I think you see what I mean.
Granted, in the case of the Vita, apart from hardware and one or two compelling, stellar titles in the west, high price is an issue. But the 3DS could've had a hypothetical situation of must-haves where consumers would not have refused to buy it at an overpriced 250$. That's the situation Carl and I both talked about. After that, it all depends on the market penetration you're looking for.
