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August 2016 NPD (U.S. Hardware) Predictions - Closes September 8th

C

CosmicQueso

Member
Kill3r7 said:
One would assume that Sony knows the UHD Bluray market better than anyone else.
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Sure, but it's a format that hasn't even really started yet. And instead of trying to boost that market (which helps Sony via royalties), to just not include the drive in a device that would likely be one of the leading systems driving format adoption? That's kinda crazy.

The big studios have been hoping that UHD would help with the declining physical sales. This move will have them wondering what to do next.

orochi91 said:
According to Andrew House in an interview, Sony isn't seeing much demand for UHD physical media, hence the mention of only streaming UHD content.
Click to expand...

Well sure, there were very few devices on the market that could play them, and little content. As with many bleeding edge technologies.

If Sony is completely throwing in the towel on physical media, well that's a very interesting development.

DriftingSpirit said:
Sony just left the door wide open for Nintendo with that move.
Click to expand...

Is this a new meme I'm unaware of?
 
V

Vena

Member
Kill3r7 said:
It's pretty good value for someone who wants to pick up a PS4 next week. Personally I would not buy a slim when for a $100 more you could get a Pro but I realize that is not the case for most people/parents picking up consoles for the holidays.
Click to expand...

Oh I am not arguing against value, both the X1S and the... Slim, what do we even call the new PS4? Are better deals than their predecessors, so the value proposition has obviously gone up. But it feels like a very minor incremental change in the value proposition on the latter while the former actually gives a very nice utility gain on top of the value proposition change.

As I said, that whole presser just left like no impact.
 
O

orochi91

Member
CosmicQueso said:
Well sure, there were very few devices on the market that could play them, and little content. As with many bleeding edge technologies.

If Sony is completely throwing in the towel on physical media, well that's a very interesting development.
Click to expand...
Not throwing in the towel quite yet, since they have a standalone UHD Player set to launch at a later date.

I imagine they'll have a UHD drive whenever the PS5 rolls around in 2019/2020, since by then 1/3 of households in the US are projected to have a 4K TV set.
 
C

CosmicQueso

Member
orochi91 said:
Not throwing in the towel quite yet, since they have a standalone UHD Player set to launch at a later date.

I imagine they'll have a UHD drive whenever the PS5 rolls around in 2019/2020, since by then 1/3 of households in the US are projected to have a 4K TV set.
Click to expand...

Let me rephrase then. It's certainly a philosophical change.

PS2 pushed DVD to the masses. PS3 was intended to do the same for Blu-Ray with mixed results. Certainly, PS4 Pro having UHD would continue the tradition.

By not going with the drive in the Pro, it definitely signals a change in philosophy/thinking about this kind of stuff.

It's a very interesting time to be sure.

As for having the drive in PS5 in 19/20... with the pace of things changing in this market, kind of hard to be too certain of anything.
 
K

Kill3r7

Member
CosmicQueso said:
Sure, but it's a format that hasn't even really started yet. And instead of trying to boost that market (which helps Sony via royalties), to just not include the drive in a device that would likely be one of the leading systems driving format adoption? That's kinda crazy.

The big studios have been hoping that UHD would help with the declining physical sales. This move will have them wondering what to do next.
Click to expand...

Agreed, especially when considering the cost of including it is seems pretty negligible. If Sony does not believe in physical media than who does? It also does not help that HDCP 2.2 is a DRM feature that will force most people to upgrade their entire home theater system again which can be an expensive proposition.
 
O

Omnistalgic

Member
I want to chime in and just say being on a forum, I feel compelled to hop on the bandwagon with the whole ultra 4K thing but in real life, i haven't bought a Blu-ray in years. And I know they look better than online high def downloads and streaming, but honestly not enough for me to start a Blu-ray collection. The jump to 4K Blu-ray seems even less appealing.

I dunno, I'm not sure this was as dumb a move as people making it out to be, particularly considering Sony could just add this feature in next years model or at any point really if demand is actually high for it.

Even with games getting as big as they are, my digital library is growing, it's just much more accessible and convenient. I really don't want to buy movies on a disc anymore.
 
S

slavesnyder

Member
Sony not believing in UHD is remarkable. They really seem to concentrate on games for a gaming console first. It's somehow the strategy they had for the whole gen and it worked.
Better looking games is Sony's story. VR is, nice pricepoint is.

The comment that Blue Ray looks better but in the end who cares isn't totally wrong. VHS to DVD was unbelievably huge in all kind of reasons. DVD to Blue Ray was nice, but not lifechanging. Blue Ray to UHD will even be less relevant. All technical tests, colour ranges, definition etc apart - it's fine but not amazing. People stream with Netflix or prime or whatever and they are happy and will not leave the convenience of quickly getting stuff you consume for 2 hours and then never again.
Do we have a ratio of DVD sales vs BlueRay? Take this ratio and project it to BlueRay vs UHD and you have the demand roundabout.

Nevertheless it's irritating, with Sony always being a format pusher, hardware manufacturer and film producer. As strange as Nintendo going mobile.
 
P

PanicFreak

Member
CosmicQueso said:
Sure, but it's a format that hasn't even really started yet. And instead of trying to boost that market (which helps Sony via royalties), to just not include the drive in a device that would likely be one of the leading systems driving format adoption? That's kinda crazy.

The big studios have been hoping that UHD would help with the declining physical sales. This move will have them wondering what to do next.
?
Click to expand...

If I were a betting man, I would bet that they kicked the UHD drive in favor of a 2016 release.
 
Chobel

Chobel

Member
Also, was NMS a big success like it was in UK?

Welfare said:
How big was the XB1S? Did fat XB1 sales fall off a cliff? Is Deus Ex a dud (<150k)?

Oh and did 3DS do better this month?
Click to expand...

Fat XB1 pretty much discontinued so its sales should plummet hard, mainly because of lack of stock.
 
Bruno MB

Bruno MB

Member
The most important question since we are in a prediction thread is the top 3 hardware ranking, I want my bonus for correct order :p

1. Xbox One
2. Nintendo 3DS
3. PlayStation 4

Regarding software I'm interested in knowing if Deus Ex: Mandind Revolution also had a much worse opening than Deus Ex: Human Revolution which sold 224,000 units 5 years ago.
 
S

Sterok

Member
CosmicQueso said:
Neither.
Click to expand...

Nintendo's FF failed to do better than Nintendo's FF? Wow, I thought for sure that would be a safe prediction. We are talking at least in the five digits range right?

XB1 seems disappointing. I guess MS failed to drum up as much excitement as these sort of releases usually do.
 
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