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Forums - Gaming - Is releasing a $400 plus console a bad Idea?

Chark on 02 February 2013
NintendoPie said:
No. We don't need people getting multiple jobs this gen just to buy a system. That's craziness!


Unemployment rate solved?



Before the PS3 everyone was nice to me :(

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green_sky on 02 February 2013
Chark said:
NintendoPie said:
No. We don't need people getting multiple jobs this gen just to buy a system. That's craziness!

Unemployment rate solved?

I wanted to say that but this time sadly there are no second jobs. Unemployment rate for people under 30 is bordering 15% here in the north. All is good though in government's eyes as long as full time positions are converted to part time. 



Stefan.De.Machtige on 02 February 2013

In this "recovery" economy: yes, i would say so...



In the wilderness we go alone with our new knowledge and strength.

KHlover on 02 February 2013
Chark said:
KHlover said:

And yours is the exact opposite :P

@Bolded 1 (B1): Might be, but will the number of hardcore buyers be sufficent? PS3's sales started really slow and did not get better until a price cut + 1st party titles arrived. I don't think Sony can afford their console to sell so slowly in their current situation. For $400 with a "traditonal" controller they can already build a far superior console (compared to the WiiU) graphicswise that should sell at an acceptable rate.

 @B2: Erm, you do know inflation is actually bad? You get less for the same amount of money. As we say in Germany inflation "eats away" the wage increases. Also, wages were more likely to be cut in the wake of the crisis, not to increase. People won't shell out $600 for a console again.

They could pull something off at $400 and we might be surprised what kind of hardware they can get for that, especially with their off the shelf approach. But the possibility of being more is there and I think people are just a little to quick to regard it as a catastrophe so I explained the reasoning behind it.

Inflation is what can spur on wage increase. I know with the economy many wages have become stagnant but there was a wide sweaping minimum wage increase in the US after the last consoles launched. Small amounts of inflation are what occurs in the economy and a decent job would expect at least an annual increase to take in for account of the increased cost of  living because of it, 3%. You must be thinking too much on hyper inflation.

We can't put our blinders on when evaluating this kind of business decision. What will the economy be like over the course of 5+ years? Why make business decisions on a market that just experienced a deep recession and is starting to come out of it. While public opinion is fickle, consumer growth is occuring. Maybe $500 is a tough sell this year, but is $450 next year? or $400 the year after? I'm just not sure where this sentiment that consoles should be dirt cheap upon launch. The current console are still selling at $200-$300. People are too demanding and will undershoot the expected price because cheaper will always benefit them. This is an expensive hobby and we can't fool ourselves into thinking it isn't.

They shouldn't be dirt cheap, but they also shouldn't be too expensive. Starting into the Gen overpriced to reduce the price each year seems to be a bit sketchy for me...



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DaRev on 02 February 2013
d21lewis said:

Probably a bad idea but if you're gonna release at such a price, you damn well better have some amazing piece of software to show off on day one or your name had better be Apple.

Spot on as usual.



Nintendo Network ID: DaRevren

I love My Wii U, and the potential it brings to gaming.

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Chark on 02 February 2013
KHlover said:

They shouldn't be dirt cheap, but they also shouldn't be too expensive. Starting into the Gen overpriced to reduce the price each year seems to be a bit sketchy for me...


Until recently it seemed the normal sentiment was that new consoles should launch at $299. Now more reasonable minds are debating the idea and I think $400 is the real target for Sony and Microsoft if they can manage it.



Before the PS3 everyone was nice to me :(

KHlover on 02 February 2013
Chark said:
KHlover said:

They shouldn't be dirt cheap, but they also shouldn't be too expensive. Starting into the Gen overpriced to reduce the price each year seems to be a bit sketchy for me...


Until recently it seemed the normal sentiment was that new consoles should launch at $299. Now more reasonable minds are debating the idea and I think $400 is the real target for Sony and Microsoft if they can manage it.

$400 really is the price to go IMO. It seems most peope (me included) are not willed to shell out more than this on a new console, no matter how fancy it is. Everything over $400 just makes me want to buy a PC instead...



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DaRev on 02 February 2013

$400 plus will be a bad idea initially, but will turn out OK eventually as the price drops and games get better and competition gets stiffer.

I'll buy a $400 plus console day one, but I assume that many gamers that console manufactures depend on to be 'successful' will not purchase the console until later.



Nintendo Network ID: DaRevren

I love My Wii U, and the potential it brings to gaming.

Dgc1808 on 02 February 2013

The market has spoken time and time again against expensive consoles.



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KeptoKnight on 02 February 2013

$399 is the cookie cutter with the next 3 consoles. PS4, Steambox, Xbox 720.