Lawlight said:
Yes and through newer services like PS Vue, PS Music, PS Video. A decrease in hardware sales in the later years mean nothing as there is a limit to how many units a console can sell. It’s all about how you engage your customers. You’re focusing on hardware when the PS4 has made Sony more money than the PS2 ever had at a fraction of the number of consoles sold. |
PS4 does offer more services than PS2 ever did, and charges for them, but the article is mostly about the stock price and where it's potentially headed. A decrease in PS4 sales later on does mean something. Whether it means new customers are buying another console brand instead, or the PS4 is seen as old and out of date, it has importance. Especially in terms of when shareholders can expect next gen hardware to hopefully continue the PS4's momentum.
There is a limit to overall unit sales, but that limit is much higher than 100 million, even 200 million sales. PS4 could probably sell 500 million, if they could find a way to convince many more people to sit on the couch and game, instead of doing something else with their time and money. Convincing those non gamers is very tough. Convincing an existing gamer, who isn't into online gaming, or anything requiring a sub, is easier, but still tough. Convincing a brand new user, is much much easier period.
Let me put it this way. If your a dog lover, and you want to be able to teach a dog tricks, what's the more logical option? Go to the pound/shelter and buy an old beat up dog, or find a new litter and buy a young pup? If you have someone who has owned a PS4 for 3 years now let's say, and they still haven't bought into PS PLUS or any other service, are you as a PS businessman, going to try to convince them to buy into one, or are you going to push more console sales knowing there is plenty of room to grow and for every 2 or 3 new customers who buy a PS4, you are guaranteed one or two subs as well? There is a reason they say you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Now everyone knows that's false, that old dog can learn, it's just a huge pain in the butt to accomplish that goal. A new young pup however, once it's slightly matured, will do what you want for the most part quite easily.
As for keeping PS4 users on board, if you own a PS4 now, and switch to Switch, odds are that you fit the Nin/Switch ecosystem better. You may also just want variety and will play on both platforms. PS4 can offer as much as they want, like PSVR for a more than reasonable reduced price recently, but the true way to really hold onto these gamers, is to offer them something as similar as possible to Switch. This is why it is important for PS to pay attention to how the market is reacting to Switch, and decide what the best future approach is. Maybe it's a PS Switch, maybe it's more affordable VR, maybe it's a super cheap PS4. Highly affordable PS4 and PSVR, are much easier than making a PS Switch. All are possible if deemed necessary though.
Last edited by EricHiggin - on 08 December 2017
