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Sony on PS4: "We've never been first [or] cheapest. It's about being the best."

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PaulLFC

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Sony has indicated its priority with PlayStation 4 is to have it be the "best" next generation console, not being cheapest or beating Microsoft's next Xbox to market.

Speaking on Gametrailers, Sony Computer Entertainment US boss Jack Tretton said it is better to build a better machine and have it launch after its rivals than rushing it out.

"We've never been first. We've never been cheapest. It's about being the best," he said.
"If you can build a better machine and it's going to come out a little bit later, that's better than rushing something to market that's going to run out of gas for the long term.

"Ideally, in a perfect world, you want the best machine that ships first that's cheapest. But the number one goal is to be the best machine and that's what we're always focused on."

In November 2011 PlayStation Europe boss Jim Ryan told Eurogamer it would be "undesirable" for PS4 to repeat the PlayStation 3's mistake of giving Microsoft a year's head start in the current generation.

"I think we would consider it undesirable to be significantly later than the competition [with the next PlayStation]," he said.

Tretton's "we've never been cheapest" quote is no doubt a reference to the perception that Sony hardware is relatively expensive. Back in 2005, ahead of the launch of the PS3, then Sony Computer Entertainment chief Ken Kutaragi said he wanted gamers to feel that they had to work overtime to afford one.

Now, some six years into the PS3's lifecycle, more information is coming to light on its successor, codenamed PlayStation Orbis. It is thought to be due out late next year, and a number of first party Sony developers are said to be making games for it right now.

But Tretton echoed comments made by Sony executives over the last year and a half, saying PS3 has plenty of life left. He said now, as the PS3 inches towards the end of its lifecycle, is the best time for gamers because games such as Beyond and The Last of Us truly show what it's capable of.

"We've talked about the 10 year product lifecycle back to the original PlayStation, and you have to climb that technology curve if you're a developer, and the consumer invests their money," he said.

"This is the time when the value is the best. It's my favourite part of the console lifecycle. We tend to have very long peaks. This is when you can just focus on building great games and let the consumer reap that investment they made by having great gaming experiences.

"In every platform we do, long-term lifecycles, diversity and coming up with those key franchises that are going to keep people interested in our platform, that's been really the focus through three consoles and two portables, and it will clearly be our focus going forward in the next generation."
Click to expand...

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-06-06-sony-on-ps4-weve-never-been-first-weve-never-been-cheapest-its-about-being-the-best

Hopefully the "never been cheapest" won't lead to another PS3 initial pricing situation with PS4 though.
 
I don't know how wise that is when they don't have the mindshare anymore. They better not wait too long.
 
"If you can build a better machine and it's going to come out a little bit later, that's better than rushing something to market that's going to run out of gas for the long term."

Yeah, because that worked really well last time.
 
Whether or not it's a suicide business plan, this is the kind of statement I want to hear from platform holders. If they want to delay till 2015 more power to them.
 
Well, looks like Sony is looking to go the bleeding edge route again. Hopefully they don't cut themselves to death on the PS4.
As a consumer this pleases me though. I want the best possible tech, especially give that console cycles tend to last 6-8 years nowadays.
 
PS4 will be out next year. There's no way they'll let Nintendo and Microsoft have too much time to themselves.
 
So Nintendo said they "learned" from the 3DS debacle of a launch and then yesterday made it clear they hadn't.

Sony said they "learned" from the PS3 debacle of a launch and this points to them not learning.
 
tumblr_lexf81ZcgP1qbidbp.gif
 
YES!

OMG I love Tretton now.

This is how I imagined my dream PS4 to be: not rushed, no cheap hardware.

To be the best you have to accept only the best, Sony. Like you always did <3
 
It's like they don't give a shit about their economic status, and I'm thankful for it. Well at least as long as Sony is still alive.


Just try to make it under $500, k Sony?
 
Where does Sony find the confidence to say this? Such a stangely arrogant comment coming from a struggling business.
 
Sounds good to me so long as this doesn't mean $599 again.

$399 - regular model
$499 - "premium" model

Or something along those lines.
 
Yes!! Day one for a 450$-500$ PS4. I am not going to pretend I spent less on a freakin iPad, so I would pay anything as long as my favorite IPs are released for it. I am an adult with a job, so who am I to complain.

The most important thing is they push the industry forward.
 
Paco said:
PS4 will be out next year. There's no way they'll let Nintendo and Microsoft have too much time to themselves.
Click to expand...

Except Microsoft's has been rumored to wait until 2014.

After Nintendo's showing yesterday, I don't think Sony is too worried.
 
It makes sense, especially, if around 8 years down the line services like Gakai and OnLive improve by leaps and bounds and broadband connection (with acceptable speeds) proliferate to a point where ROI is possible when going to full digital. This would essentially mean that Sony can sell PS4 as their last physical console and utilize as all future renditions without any added HW cost to the consumer (apart from controllers or other input devices) provided they have partnered up with one of the services (or even starts its own).

Personally, I see PS4 coming out late next year or early 2014.
 
Works for me to wait until everyone put their cards on the table but might be a problem for Sony or MS depending who goes which route.

I always prefer a beast of a console over a cheaper (even though a console launching 2014 could have better hardware and still be "cheap" compared to their rivals from 2012/13) one the problem is if the market refuses the PS4 it is no use. I need good games and strong support aswell.

Maybe Tretton also just said what fans want to hear and Japan has different plans with the PS4 anyways.
 
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