Remember when the PlayStation 3 launched for $499 (20GB) and $599 (60GB)? Most pundits agree that those prices won’t fly in 2013. The Asahi Shimbun Digital reports that the PlayStation 4 (or whatever it’ll be called) will debut at 40,000 Yen, which converts to just under 428 USD. With that conversion in mind, it’s conceivable that Sony’s next console will launch in America for $399.
Charging big money for new consoles is old hat, but the consumer electronics market is going through some fascinating changes that could put a ceiling on launch prices. Hardware manufacturers are staying away from bleeding-edge silicon and emphasizing services. Smartphones, tablets, and streaming videogame systems (Ouya for $99!) have made $600 gaming systems an iffy proposition for many consumers.
With Nintendo leading this console generation with $299 and $349 systems, I expect Microsoft and Sony to sell for a little bit higher, but certainly not double. Of course the Wii U uses relatively old chips that are more inline with current consoles than the rumored silicon inside its competitors’ upcoming machines. Still, I would be surprised if a $600 console debuted this year. If it happens, it better wash and fold my laundry after I’m done playing games.
What do you think of the $400 PlayStation 4 rumor? Do you think that’s the right price for a new console in 2013? Or do you think we’ll see another $600 machine? How much would you be willing to pay for a new PlayStation or Xbox system?
I’m not sure a $600 console can afford to come out this year. All I remember is people complaining about how much the PS3 was when it first came out, so I can’t see them being the most expensive console again this generation. Microsoft is unlikely to be the most expensive console this generation, or at least not $600, because I see them wanting to stay as competitive as they can to keep Playstation from beating them too badly. I think Playstation has closed the gap a lot in the console wars and has a great chance of outselling Xbox this generation, so Microsoft needs to make their pricing as competitive as possible while offering more things for XBL Gold members.
As unlikely as I am to purchase a new console right when it releases, I wouldn’t really have a huge issue with a $400 price point, assuming it came with a very good sized hdd and had decent specs comparatively.
I agree that a $600 console seems unlikely in 2013. CELL was a pretty big gambit for Sony and many argue that it wasn’t worth it. R&D costs, developer difficulties, etc. Like I mentioned in the article, the consumer electronics market is very different from what it was in 2005/2006. Expectations for what a console does and how much it “should” cost have changed. Will the big guys follow the market or try to play their own game?
They will sell for $600 with contracts like a cell phone I think.
That’s a lot of money for a locked down machine that they will remove functionality from after a few updates.
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Seems fair to me so far. There’s a lot of other factors I’d need to consider that are still unknown.
I can’t guarantee what console I’m going to purchase at ANY price point without more info.
Okay, so I may look back at this message in a few years and laugh at myself, but I can’t imagine that a new console would look dramatically better than current gen systems. I understand that 4k resolution is coming fast, and games will certainly look sharper than they do now. But, really, how much better can the graphics get?? Other than that, this damn thing better come standard with at least a 1tb hd, or be able to use the 3.5 inch internal SATAs. If this next gen is going to be largely motivated by digital distribution, I need at least a few TBs of storage.