| Darc Requiem said: These thread is following the usual VGChartz pattern. Sony's staunchest supporters want them to follow a strategy that will lead them to financial ruin. |
Ya pretty much. PS3 has proven that it's not about how much "untapped potential" a console has or how expensive it is that brings success in the marketplace. If PS3 didn't have its army of great exclusives, the console would be dead in the water. PS3 wouldn't have an army of exclusives if it didn't have a larger install base. PS3 wouldn't have a large install base if Sony didn't aggressively cut prices on PS3's high starting price. Launching a $500 PS4 is repeating the exact same mistake, again. As with most things, you eventually enter a point of diminishing marginal returns. It might cost $100 more to get a console 30-40% more powerful than Xbox 720 but in the end that little performance edge will hardly matter over 6-7 years. Launching a console 2-3x more powerful than Xbox 720 is inconceivable without prices skyrocketing to $600. Also, the most powerful console will suffer being held back by 2 other slower 8th gen consoles. How many developers will take advantage of the added power in the first 2-3 years? It's not out of the question that all 3 next generation consoles may focus on unique gaming experiences (tablet controllers) or something else rather than pure graphics since raw power alone costs a lot of $$ but if it's not utilized, you just end up with an expensive brick console in the first 2-3 years of its life that looks nearly identical to a console with 70% of its power but costs $100-150 less. PS4 just has to be close enough to Xbox 720 in power but doesn't have to be the most powerful console to win. Maybe Sony fans are so used to PS3 being considered the most powerful console that they don't want to consider the possibility of Sony choosing a more balanced approach for the next round (mid-range hardware with a mid-range $299-399 price)?
