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Giant Bombcast Live - 09/13/16 - Episode 447
- Thread starter daydream
- Start date
To answer Jeff's opening PS4 Pro question directly, it isn't more powerful because Sony have learned what comes with launching a new console above $400. It's not going to satisfy people who are happy to spend more than that just on a graphics card, and it was never supposed to.
"They could have easily made a more powerful system" - with what AMD chips, Jeff? You said this so confidently I'm sure you have specific technology in mind.
And now he's on to blithely dismissing the reasons millions people choose to buy consoles over gaming PCs because they don't apply to him.
"They could have easily made a more powerful system" - with what AMD chips, Jeff? You said this so confidently I'm sure you have specific technology in mind.
And now he's on to blithely dismissing the reasons millions people choose to buy consoles over gaming PCs because they don't apply to him.
Every time I read these podcast threads I sit and wonder why some of you take this shit so personally?
Also just to go back tk what you say at the top Andrew House specifically stated that the Pro was designed to keep the people who leave their eco system for PC games mid gen from doing so.
SmoothRunningGun
Member
I don't agree with their dismissal of ps4 exclusives. Pretty strong lineup imo next year just with Nioh and Horizon ZD. Competing against pc on power is silly though. Price, ease of use, exclusives: that's what sony should focus on.
Incandenza
Banned
I had to go check the video archive to confirm that Dan and Drew were actually in the room for the back half of the podcast.
MrTroubleMaker
Gold Member
I missed this live again 
Data caps are more widespread than the crew thinks. I live in Arlington Heights (NW suburb of Chicago. Not rural by any stretch), and Comcast recently just instituted a 1TB/month cap. Sad thing is I don't have an alternative. I can get a higher cap from Comcast by paying more, but fuck that. Bill's high enough as it is. Makes me think twice before downloading games now. Kinda sucks man.
ScaryShark
Banned
It's become quite ridiculous. Brad is terrible at throwing questions/openings around the table. Especially when you have someone like Jeff who is dominating nearly every aspect of every segment.
I've been listening to a lot of 2012 podcasts because they make me happy and they're fantastic, the fuck has happened to Jeff? He's so dismissive of nearly everything if it doesn't play to him specifically.
Barry Burton
Member
Yeah, I got to that part of the Bombcast today and found myself shaking my head. It came across as "Hey, Microsoft is putting their Xbox games on PC! Why aren't people ditching consoles for PC?!", as if Sony and Nintendo first-party games don't even exist. I get it that their respective lineups don't appeal that much to Jeff, that's not exactly a revelation, but he didn't even really consider that for a lot of people they do. It was pretty dismissive, even for them.
I'm wondering how accurate the guys' reading of the complexity of the console gaming market is. They don't seem to be giving the consumer enough credit when it comes to discerning between different SKUs or different graphical preferences. Sony didn't even create a new tier with the PS4 Pro. If you want, you can say it's just a hardware revision that occupies the highest existing price point.
We live in a world where $500 smartphones and tablets come in a wide array of configurations differentiated by S, SE and Plus. If consumers can safely navigate through smartphone shopping, I think they can handle console purchases just fine. And It's not like this is a new precedent in the gaming space with the existence of the 3DS, 3DS XL, New 3DS, New 3DS XL and 2DS.
Advertising this Pro could not be more simpler. Someone in one of the dozens of PS4 Pro threads boiled it down perfectly: "It's a more powerful PS4." That's all you need to say. That's all that Apple has ever said when it comes out with its S variants.
It's kinda baffling how complicated they made this whole PS4 Pro thing seem when it's actually quite straight forward.
We live in a world where $500 smartphones and tablets come in a wide array of configurations differentiated by S, SE and Plus. If consumers can safely navigate through smartphone shopping, I think they can handle console purchases just fine. And It's not like this is a new precedent in the gaming space with the existence of the 3DS, 3DS XL, New 3DS, New 3DS XL and 2DS.
Advertising this Pro could not be more simpler. Someone in one of the dozens of PS4 Pro threads boiled it down perfectly: "It's a more powerful PS4." That's all you need to say. That's all that Apple has ever said when it comes out with its S variants.
It's kinda baffling how complicated they made this whole PS4 Pro thing seem when it's actually quite straight forward.
Ninja Scooter
Member
yeah as much as i love the GB guys, they've (particularly Brad and Jeff) been beating that "At some point you are making a case for the PC...." drum for like the last 2 E3s. At some point you'd think they'd figure that with all the success Sony (and to a lesser extent MS) are having selling consoles, there is obviously some kind of appeal there that you are not seeing.
The appeal is cost and convenience, but I think now really is the worst time to have consoles instead of PC because they really do have less exclusives (except for Nintendo) and run games at almost unplayable levels (sub 30 fps, crashing, etc) and are only going to last 2-3 years before you have to buy a new one
Ninja Scooter
Member
At some point though you have to wonder how much the mass market cares about "exclusives" and "sub 30 fps" considering how PS4s are flying off the shelves? I get why PC makes sense for a segment of the enthusiast crowd, and guys like Jeff and Brad. There is always going to be a fairly sizable group of gamers for whom a "gaming PC" is simply not on their radar. Things like the PS4 Plus and the Scorpio are for them.
SatelliteOfLove
Member
Biking crosstown (aka: Lets Go To the Arcade Without Having To Bum A Ride From A Parent)
GI Joe animated movie is Jeff's Metal Gear Solid.
GI Joe animated movie is Jeff's Metal Gear Solid.
m_shortpants
Member
My brother has a PS4 and is pumped for the Pro.
Not sure what category that puts him in. He hears there's a better PS4 and just wants to upgrade. He can't really be bothered to build a PC.
These people are out there, in droves. They consider themselves serious gamers but simply will not build a PC. I definitely think the GB crew were over analyzing a bit. The Pro is simply the thing that occupies the highest price point SKU. In the past that would be a bigger hard drive, or a SKU with HDMI (from last gen), or a slim.
This cycle it just seems both console manufacturers decided to give an option to increase fidelity slightly while not making the existing console completely out of date as well. The Pro is an easy up sell for new buyers, but I definitely think provided that Sony or GameStop or other retailers have some kind of trade up program they will also capture existing users as well.
Not sure what category that puts him in. He hears there's a better PS4 and just wants to upgrade. He can't really be bothered to build a PC.
These people are out there, in droves. They consider themselves serious gamers but simply will not build a PC. I definitely think the GB crew were over analyzing a bit. The Pro is simply the thing that occupies the highest price point SKU. In the past that would be a bigger hard drive, or a SKU with HDMI (from last gen), or a slim.
This cycle it just seems both console manufacturers decided to give an option to increase fidelity slightly while not making the existing console completely out of date as well. The Pro is an easy up sell for new buyers, but I definitely think provided that Sony or GameStop or other retailers have some kind of trade up program they will also capture existing users as well.
adamantypants
Member
The corrections on the beastcast is the worst segment of any podcast ever.
Nah, it's pretty necessary. That said it wouldn't work on the regular bombcast as they have a tendency to just deflect criticism.
I can't even comprehend this. Like what is there to be upset about it? The Beastcast people actually being corrected?
m_shortpants
Member
Yeah, Brad doesn't play impartial or try to play Devil's Advocate really. Just look at the Majoras Mask discussion lol. This also carries over to every other discussion.
SatelliteOfLove
Member
In the beginning...
And one's lost deep in the Opposite Jungle with no clue as to that they're even there.
SuperSonic1305
Member
News Flash for Jeff: people who already have ps4 have friend lists and libraries that they maybe don't want to just throw away to move to PC. Also the way Jeff just nonchalantly says "just a few clicks and 1500 dollars and a PC shows up as if that's not a huge fucking gulf between 399. Like what the fuck? Never seen someone be so dismissive on this crew before.
Barry Burton
Member
That pretty much sums me up too. Between the three consoles and a 3DS, I am set as far as games go. Had I taken the $$ I put into those systems and got a good PC instead, I'd be missing out on a lot of great games. There aren't really that many PC-only games that I'm interested in that either a.) won't run on my laptop or b.) come to consoles eventually.
I'm not anti-PC gaming or anything, it's just that I'm still getting more value out of sticking on the console side. I'm sure for others who put more value on the performance side of things, the current consoles aren't getting it done and going PC makes more sense. But for me, none of the multiplats I've played on PS4 or XBO have been rough to the point of being unplayable. To me, I see improved performance and IQ from PS4 Pro/Scorpio as being a bonus to the point where I'm willing to pay to upgrade every few years. I'm glad that choice is available to me now.
Yeah, this too. And even then, the person who buys a $1500 PC may still spend a few hundred to upgrade a CPU/GPU card down the road because they want something better. So I don't see why it's this crazy idea that someone who spent $300-400 on a PS4 or XBO might also want to upgrade to something better after a few years. Hell, I would have definitely shelled out for an "Xbox 360 Scorpio" back in 2009 if I knew that the generation was going to last another four years.
I'd rather them take more regular interesting emails than one from some dude going "Well, actually...". Also, they wouldn't have to preface a quarter of the things they say with requests to not email corrections.
Dangansona
Member
This is what bugs me the most and almost every outlet is doing it. Why is it so complicated? I feel like their biggest flaw is that they believe if the console isn't for them, and it isn't for every gamer out there, it has no purpose. If it's just to keep from losing some people to PC, satisfy other departments of Sony, and make a little extra money I don't think the Pro has to be a huge hit.
It just reminds me of everyone running around acting like the console generation is dead when the rumors came out, yet it was clearly never going to have that effect.
I have zero intentions of buying a Pro and that's cool.
(yes I tend to listen to the podcast later than everyone else).
PS The Corrections segment is great.
YES. And it's been like this ever since the Neo rumors. They've been overcomplicating this stuff to such an absurd degree when it's very simple.