yes, also the author of "Xbox One Eighty: Microsoft fails to sell the future, retreats to the past"
I'm not going to link it, but you can find it.
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Arstechnica: Dont read too much into the PS4s million day-one sales
- Thread starter Zombie James
- Start date
yes, also the author of "Xbox One Eighty: Microsoft fails to sell the future, retreats to the past"
I'm not going to link it, but you can find it.
Definitely. From a sales perspective, the Wii dominated both the Xbox 360 and PS3 last gen, and now that we're wrapping up the generation, it looks like the PS3 - the console doomed to third place - will actually end up finishing second, with the 360 assuming last-place position.
Nobody can know with 100% certainty how the market will adopt these machines. Early indicators seem to favor the PS4, but all it takes are a few very bad decisions to shift the market.
Thanks for stating the bleeding obvious.
I think we're well beyond being blinded by initial launch sales, the PS4's strength is it's long-term legs, what with it's first party studios, indies, ease of development, price advantage (almost certainly for the entireity of this console generation), and of course, a power advantage that will make itself more obvious as time passes.
Edit, one more thing, Gaikai, that could change everything.
I think we're well beyond being blinded by initial launch sales, the PS4's strength is it's long-term legs, what with it's first party studios, indies, ease of development, price advantage (almost certainly for the entireity of this console generation), and of course, a power advantage that will make itself more obvious as time passes.
Edit, one more thing, Gaikai, that could change everything.
zenosparadox
Member
Sure, other consoles launched with titles such as Super Mario World, Super Mario 64, Soulcalibur, Power Stone, TimeSplitters, etc... but the PS4's strong start should be an indicator the gamers are chomping at the bit for next-gen games and graphical fidelity (though GAF will argue if that is really what we are getting).
It's a marathon, not a sprint, etc etc. Most of us are excited, if causitously so, for the future of PS4 and Xbox One.
It's a marathon, not a sprint, etc etc. Most of us are excited, if causitously so, for the future of PS4 and Xbox One.
They're pointing out, correctly, that selling one million units isn't necessarily impressive. Sony could have sold more if they had the capacity to produce more units. They're also pointing out, correctly, that a strong launch ultimately means nothing. I'm sure for Sony it's better to have those million sales in hand, but we're years away from declaring this gen's winner.
I would say there should be no point to the article since people should know this anyhow, but the reactions here suggest that some people are just being blinded by hype. Ars banked on fanboys following the clickbait.
LilWayneSuckz
Member
Don't we already know this? The PS4s sales will likely decrease as time progresses but that can be held steady by a nice steady release schedule.
The reason why everyone is intrigued is the fact that the system was able to sell a million units in 24 hours (in one market region) a feat that not even the mighty PS2 could achieve, in an age where console gaming is considered to be dying out in favor of gaming on tablets and smartphones. The system hasn't even been released in the other 30-something territories yet, if they have the same reception as the PS4 did in North America then we could be seeing another million or two million sales in the coming weeks.
The reason why everyone is intrigued is the fact that the system was able to sell a million units in 24 hours (in one market region) a feat that not even the mighty PS2 could achieve, in an age where console gaming is considered to be dying out in favor of gaming on tablets and smartphones. The system hasn't even been released in the other 30-something territories yet, if they have the same reception as the PS4 did in North America then we could be seeing another million or two million sales in the coming weeks.
Dead Prince
Banned
Should we be expecting another Ben Kuchera article now too.
KZObsessed
Member
Momentum is what's important so Sony need to keep it going with regular software releases and updates otherwise sales can fizzle out, especially with much more compeition for people's money these days. Sony have done amazingly well up til now but this is the first step of a long marathon and i'm sure they know that.
You could bet on it but you'd lose
You could bet on it but you'd lose
It wasn't so much a slight against the article so much as commenting on how it feels reading a lot of headlines revolving around the PS4's launch thus far. Ars is doing their part and saying (correct) things a lot of us already know, but did it really need the opening line "Don't read too much into[...]"?
Sorry if I'm not terribly clear or doing my own share of jumping to conclusions though.
Angelus Errare
Banned
Not that it even makes sense in the first place since Dreamcast and Xbox 360 were two different generations.
Doomshroom
Member
So they are saying just because they sold alot at launch dosent mean its a hit. Well thank you for telling me i had no idea. I personally think the PS4 will keep going strong maybe not a million everyday but i belive alot of people are waiting to pick one up because of the weak launch lineup. When games like Infamous, Destiny and Uncharted 4 are released the PS4 will grow even stronger.
Pai Pai Master
Banned
PS4 has peaked, guys. Pack it up.
Will we be at the end of the generation with PS4 clearly ahead of the competition and Ars and Polygon will still be blabbering "don't look too much into Sony's best-selling generation!"
Will we be at the end of the generation with PS4 clearly ahead of the competition and Ars and Polygon will still be blabbering "don't look too much into Sony's best-selling generation!"
sounds salty to me... 720p vs 1080p doesnt matter, 70w standby mode, and now we have this article of cautionary tale.
miDnIghtEr20C
Banned
I agree. Just like this dude I saw on another site who is a big Sony fan talking about how he can see the difference so easily now that he had AC patch to 1080p on his PS4. He said that he dropped the reso down to 720 so he could see how worse it looked and then told us when he switched it back that it was so much better looking in 1080p.
Only problem was when someone called him out and said that the AC patch hasn't come out yet.. so he got the placebo! Ha ha ha.. one of the great reads of the week for me.
graywolf323
Member
I for one liked this bit
"For instance, in 2000, the PlayStation 2 sold about 500,000 units in its first 24 hours on its way to capturing a huge majority of the console market in the coming years. In 2001, Nintendo's GameCube and Microsoft's Xbox sold 500,000 and 550,000 units, respectively, in their first week on store shelves, but neither console maker was able to ride launch sales to PS2-level post-launch success."
he changes the time period while never saying how much PS2 sold in it's first week to provide a valid comparison
what an utter joke of a writer
No shit, day one sales account only for day one. So what? Better to have 1.000.000 units sold on day one than to have 700.000 or 300.000 or none. What's the point of this article?
PS4 could become a complete failure in a few months, yeah, or it could become a smashing success. Where do numbers point?
smh
PS4 could become a complete failure in a few months, yeah, or it could become a smashing success. Where do numbers point?
smh
No. This is just a preview of the type of "journalism" you can expect this generation.
Impeccable
Member
Yikes, it continues.
Sleeplessnights
Banned
One of the Ars staff is not happy with the opinions we're posing on their opinion article
It's definitely a very good indicator.
sickamore007
Banned
Them fanboys need to open their eyes up.
lol seriously this! What a joke of an article. What's up with these it doesn't matter articles these days.
They are right that what's important is long term sales. BUT at the same time hitting the biggest launch in console history is no joke either. Sony is off to a fantastic start and that's all there is to it. We are discussing it so much because that's all the info we have and we will discuss spring, fall 2015 sales too when they occur.
Pointless article is pointless. This is as pointless as their resolution doesn't matter article.
One of the Ars staff is not happy with the opinions we're posing on their opinion article
and yet again..the irony. Is this Irony monday at their office or something. Claims some are touchy...proceeds to be a touchy 'bugger' himself -_-
It's the same guy who said Vita TV is a failure because of low-resolution 1 month before he said 720p vs 1080p doesn't matter since people can't see the difference.
Ignore this douche.
A counterpoint to this is that PS4 will run many games at 1080p, so people who are on PC's or considering PC's, but don't like the cost and are sick of fiddling with them and want the comfy couch experience will gravitate towards it.
Ignore this douche.
A counterpoint to this is that PS4 will run many games at 1080p, so people who are on PC's or considering PC's, but don't like the cost and are sick of fiddling with them and want the comfy couch experience will gravitate towards it.
I thought it was a well though out article. Just pointing out that initial sales does not mean this is over and the PS4 will sell more than the PS2. Sony had a great launch but still a long way to go. Especially if they have to carry the whole industry if MS flames out since Nintendo did. It is sales in the off months year in and year out that separate the PS2 from the rest is his point.
Brawly Likes to Brawl
Member
So funny seeing people tripping over themselves to downplay an enormous milestone in the industry. Selling 1 million units in one day in just one country is insane, no matter how you look at it. Anything can happen in the coming months, but the PS4 going the way of the WiiU is not fucking likely here.
Yeah, we don't know how this will play out, but for weeks it seems that "journalists" have been downplaying everything about the ps4. First it was the DRM, then it was resolution, and now we have unprecedented launch numbers, and even that's not too important.
It's getting silly.
Also, I bought a Wii U the week after launch. Wal-mart had several units just sitting there. It's not a good comparison to the ps4 at all.
It's getting silly.
Also, I bought a Wii U the week after launch. Wal-mart had several units just sitting there. It's not a good comparison to the ps4 at all.
One of the Ars staff is not happy with the opinions we're posing on their opinion article
Dude knows what he's getting into writing that, even if it's obvious observations.
As if Xbox One owners wouldn't do the same if the situation was reversed.One of the Ars staff is not happy with the opinions we're posing on their opinion article
Bullshit gets caled out. It's the internet.
Can Crusher
Banned
Point being that the article has no merit to exist. The system just launched, why are they already downplaying the sales? What's the point of the article? To say that although the PS4 sold a million in 24 hours, it doesn't mean Xbox One won't be more successful in the long run?
There's nothing here, basically the article could be reduced to a footnote. "Xbox One can still sell more", that's the whole article. Absolutely terrible and amateurish, click baiting and knee jerk article.
They could've actually wrote about what this could and could not mean in the long run, about what it does mean for the industry right now and what it doesn't. The article is pure downplaying from beginning to end.
This:
Is all he wanted to really say. It's embarrassing, a poor excuse of a writer.
One of the Ars staff is not happy with the opinions we're posing on their opinion article
*fellate
Jesus they are salty as fuck :lolOne of the Ars staff is not happy with the opinions we're posing on their opinion article
One of the Ars staff is not happy with the opinions we're posing on their opinion article
See journalists and people like him are supposed to be above all this stuff. The fact he's even commenting shows how immature they are being. I can't even believe Andrea Rene even retweeted this.
They need to get used to it though. Forums will continue to hold these guys accountable. Hoping we'll see a similar realistic article when the Xbone fails to sell as much as the PS4.
FunkyPajamas
Member
Fucking Arguments, how do they work.
Because we obviously have to ordain the PS4 as this generations winner already.
Anything else is being a negative nancy.
lastflowers
Banned
Yep, this is basically what I've taken away from the one million sales. Gaming is a bigger market than ever before, and with the proliferation of Amazon and other digital orders it makes console purchasing a much easier decision than ever before. General enthusiasm is up, so it looks like they're fine. Sony just needs to keep up the enthusiasm by sprinkling out the big titles and differentiators.
Marc
Member
A lot of downplaying 'journalism' these days, can't remember another time period where game journo's were trying to spin news like this.
PS4 cures cancer: "Don't read too much into it, we were already developing cures."
PS4 saves man from a fire: "The difference between a burnt man and an unscathed person is actually smaller than you think."
PS4 can time travel: "The butterfly effect and chaos theory proves how the PS4 will be the death of mankind."
PS4 creates world peace: "We take a look of all the unemployed arms dealers, why has the PS4 forsaken them?"
PS4 develops new form of consciousness uniting mankind in ways unheard of: "PS4 is still susceptible to entropy and therefore not worth you time long term."
PS4 cures cancer: "Don't read too much into it, we were already developing cures."
PS4 saves man from a fire: "The difference between a burnt man and an unscathed person is actually smaller than you think."
PS4 can time travel: "The butterfly effect and chaos theory proves how the PS4 will be the death of mankind."
PS4 creates world peace: "We take a look of all the unemployed arms dealers, why has the PS4 forsaken them?"
PS4 develops new form of consciousness uniting mankind in ways unheard of: "PS4 is still susceptible to entropy and therefore not worth you time long term."