PlayStation 5: Thread 05

[wakka]

The PS5 Pro will probably be a moneymaker because it allows them to generate an additional mid-gen hardware purchase from fans that they wouldn't have otherwise made. I would guess that the vast majority of PS4 Pro sales were existing PS4 owners and the same will be true for this machine.

For me personally it's not an interesting product. I find the incremental improvements in resolution and framerate uninteresting, and that's squarely what this will machine will be focused on IMO - higher res performance modes, higher framerate quality modes. There is not much else it can possibly offer.

[Neon Ignition]

I still would probably best guess the Pro existing for one of two reasons (or both)

-A mistaken belief that MS would release one so they felt the need to be competitive and have now found themselves with a lone wolf product
-That the hope is that it will attract attention and some additional revenue from a very high price point to try and offset the inability to offer the real money maker, a reduced priced true Slim model

[fishbowlhead]

I agree Neon Ignition that it will sell to those keeping up with the Joneses and that’s fair, it’ll be the best way (Theoretically) to play PS5 games. But as an enthusiast, it feels unnecessary as we haven’t really tapped into the PS5 as exclusive, exceptional games are thin on the ground.

fishbowlhead It’s correct that Sony have destroyed Microsoft sales wise this generation, but releasing a step up console feels even more misguided as the competition have nothing to offer, so why fracture your market?

It’s going to be an interesting few years in the games market. Almost all games are multi format, the biggest games don’t require grunt to run, will the Switch 2 repeat the same trick, will handheld consoles become common place, will Microsoft bow out of the hardware market and VR…

Actually looking forward to what the future holds. Just wish we have a few more tent pole releases!

Their not fracturing their market though, it’s the same console just more powerful, it’s not a situation where people have to abandon their collection, not that that happened with the ps4 games but still, it’s a more powerful PS5 that’s 100% compatible, so people that want more power can hold off on a PS5 purchase, or upgrade.

I think you underestimate the modern gamers desire for more power but not get into PC gaming and making/buying a pc, there’s a market for it and if Sony can make a profit from it then they should absolutely do so.

[hudson]

Ill pick one up just for helldivers

[fishbowlhead]

Ill pick one up just for helldivers

It’s the democratic thing to do.

[Neon Ignition]

https://www.eurogamer.net/helldivers-2-has-performed-well-ahead-of-expectations-and-topped-more-than-8m-sales

Helldivers 2 sales top 8m

[hudson]

Now reskin it into a Socom and a Warhammer 40k game.

[fishbowlhead]

8m is phenomenal, the devs have also done a great job of post launch support as well given they are a relatively small studio, well done to them i say.

[Neon Ignition]

https://www.eurogamer.net/digitalfoundry-2024-spec-analysis-playstation-5-pro-the-most-powerful-console-yet

DF analysis of the PS5 Pro specs. Same outcome most have come to, incredibly niche machine that will offer some more consistency for 30fps players but not a solution for 60fps fans. Maybe some extra RT whistles but that's about it.

[fishbowlhead]

They’re doing an analysis of a leak? Get a grip DF and wait for Sony to actually send out units, load of horse s**t.

[CMcK]

To be fair to DF they do seem to have some genuine insider info and wouldn't cover this leak unless they were happy it is legit. And those specs do seem plausible. I do wonder if Sony are looking at this purely based on margins and maybe not as a tactic to cover off a mid gen refresh from Xbox.

[Neon Ignition]

Someone quoted one of the seniors in PlayStation Studios from a few months back where they had emphasised that moving forward Sony would be prioritising profitability over unti sales which feels like a lock in that PS5 Pro will be targeting low sales but at a high RRP where every unit sold makes a profit. That way they can keep the standard model at its current price which makes sense given how they find it impossible to bring down RRP's these days. Given the Pro would have entered development years ago this will be an interesting test bed for how much value Sony see's in making Pro models given MS has decided it isn't worthwhile and so the PS5 Pro's need to exist for competitions sake has been removed. Given they're likely looking at WiiU numbers at best I'm bracing for something like a £649 price point, quite a premium to maintain 1440p/4K for more seconds.

[wakka]

I think the Pro model could only exist as something which makes money per unit because I would wager almost everyone who buys one will already be a PS5 owner, so it won't actually grow the install base.

Which is okay, I think, from a strategic perspective. I mean they sell a controller for more than £200 which I guess seems to find a market. You might as well lean on your 'deep pocketed superfan' demographic and squeeze as much out of them as possible.

[MartyG]

When you're getting to that price point for a console, a PC really starts to make more sense - given the rumoured specs (you're getting towards RTX 4070 on-paper compute, just CPU bottlenecked), I wouldn't be surprised at a £749 price point.

[Neon Ignition]

Which even with trade in value really pushes the PC angle hard. It highlights the niche as well, the PC route will be the most cost effective in quite a few scenarios because even with an added initial outlay on top you're saving astronomical numbers on peripheral and software costs. A powerful PC will now typically outperform a new gen console and its eventual Pro refresh so you get good mileage without upgrading as often as used to be the case. And with a Pro upgrade it's typically aimed at people who care about higher frame rates and resolution settings - but it doesn't really deliver on them, if a gamer cares enough to shell out so much on a mid-gen refresh you'd think it would matter to them enough to make a PC seem more appealing as an option to ensure you get the results you want.