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Wall Street Journal :"PS4 Demand Exceeding Sony's Expectations
- Thread starter MMaRsu
- Start date
RustyNails
Member
Sorry for the low quality shop.
Remember when Sony announced The Agent?
It was actually a code word for Phil Harrison to begin his Operation Agent.
Darklor01
Might need to stop sniffing glue
I traded in my XBOX 360, games w/ the system from PS3(That I don't play anyway) and XBOX 360 (And all games from that system) as well as accessories to GS. Got $577 in credit, which in store covers tax for purchases made with trade credit.
Got PS4, and three games for an additional $3(Day 1 guaranteed) yesterday. Today, that store sold it's last 2.
I did some base math, and figured that if all US GS Stores sold about 20 systems ea(sold out), the GS Install base is currently over 89k PS4 systems.
I can't figure in possible sales from other retail outlets, or how many need to be sold at launch to be considered successful, but.. it's a decent number for one company for one day not including it's online sales.
Shame for GS, all those sales of new items don't mean much initial profit, but, all the trade-ins likely made to help pay for all those system/new game sales would likely lead to a tidy profit later when people who still own the old system can buy all the used hardware/software.
I can see that the demand on PS4 is very high.
Air Holland
Member
Bold added for emphasis. I have some (flimsy, small sample size) anecdotal evidence to support this observation.
A few hours ago I went to my local GameStop to pre-order the PS4. I discussed the E3 conferences with the clerk. The clerk observed that interest in the PS4 was much stronger than in the Xbox One, and that he, too, would be getting PS4 at launch.
About halfway through the preorder process, the clerk received a call from another customer asking about preorder availability for the console. The clerk tells the customer that there are no preorders left for the XBox One, but that GameStop is still taking preorders for PS4 - after this he hangs up. I found this somewhat curious - (my local) GameStop is anticipating much higher demand for PS4, but isn't even taking XBox One orders? When I asked the clerk about that apparent conflict, this was the response I got (accompanied with what I can only characterize as a knowing smile):
"I could get fired for telling you this... when I said we're out of XBox One orders, it's not what it looked like."
I didn't pursue that line of questioning any further, but the more I've thought about this exchange, the more I'm convinced that there are only a couple of reasonable explanations for this.
(1) My local GameStop is getting more PS4 preorders than XBox One preorders, but the ratio of PS4 units to XBox One units requested by the store is even more lopsided, so the Xbox One has sold out first. This doesn't require any assumptions about the motivations of any party, but does nothing to explain the answer I got from the clerk.
(2) GameStop is aggressively trying to push pre-orderers to choose PS4, and is instructing its staff not to indicate that the XBox One is available for pre-order unless the customer speciflcally asks for it.
(3) The clerk is a fanboy and is trying to steer customers towards the PS4 on his own - based on my previous conversations with the clerk, I don't think this is particularly likely.
Again, this is one person's observations based on interaction with one employee of one GameStop location. I wouldn't draw any conclusions based on this, but if GameStop is, in fact, going to try and steer as many undecided customers as possible toward PS4 (and away from XBox One), the above would fit.
Complete anecdotal evidence here but playing Gears 3 last night with some hardcore MS fans and they were mad at MS...
for making them buy a PS4.
Paraphrasing one who said, "it's so depressing putting $100 down on that shit", but each of the 4 I heard said the same thing, basically more money, + DRM was driving them to Sony.
Having DRM when your competitor didn't was going to be a challenge for MS. Coming in $100 over their competitor's price, was going to be a challenge for them. Having both? Well I'm surprised they management at MS made that big of a blunder.
for making them buy a PS4.
Paraphrasing one who said, "it's so depressing putting $100 down on that shit", but each of the 4 I heard said the same thing, basically more money, + DRM was driving them to Sony.
Having DRM when your competitor didn't was going to be a challenge for MS. Coming in $100 over their competitor's price, was going to be a challenge for them. Having both? Well I'm surprised they management at MS made that big of a blunder.
I saw this yesterday and intended to make a thread for it, if I weren't a junior
Another anecdote, I was talking to some friends today (some have a preference for Xbox and one for Nintendo) and they actually intended buying a PS3 and PS4 after looking at the price and the no DRM stance. So I'm another one who's seeing people jumping ship IRL.
Another anecdote, I was talking to some friends today (some have a preference for Xbox and one for Nintendo) and they actually intended buying a PS3 and PS4 after looking at the price and the no DRM stance. So I'm another one who's seeing people jumping ship IRL.
Duxxy3
Member
Doesn't surprise me.
I saw this yesterday and intended to make a thread for it, if I weren't a junior
Another anecdote, I was talking to some friends today (some have a preference for Xbox and one for Nintendo) and they actually intended buying a PS3 and PS4 after looking at the price and the no DRM stance. So I'm another one who's seeing people jumping ship IRL.
I run a restaurant with about 40 teenagers employed. None are buying the Xbox, 7 are buying ps4. Last gen everyone bought xbox360s at my job. I admittedly might be swaying some minds but its not like teenagers really listen anyways.
Sorry for the low quality shop.
Don't worry, I LOL'd.
Bam Bam Baklava
Member
Most teenagers don't have a lot of money so the price is a big deal. I remember back in the days some people I talked to were interested in the PS3 but once you brought up the price it was a deal breaker.
LOL and there are people that have said that Sony should have dropped out of the gaming industry.
The sad part for MS (and I have had no love for MS since around windows nt and 2000, ME and Pre 98Se, technically there is no reason to love MS) is that they did not realize how finicky the Gamer Consumer is...
We change our stances every day. This is no Windows vs Linux vs Apple Desktop battle, which is how they treated this medium.
Which is why I'm ashamed at the PC gamers. Yall knew MS was a shit company and still bought xbox's (plural)
For shame
In the words of the once great Megatron...
Fall.. Fall... Fall......
The sad part for MS (and I have had no love for MS since around windows nt and 2000, ME and Pre 98Se, technically there is no reason to love MS) is that they did not realize how finicky the Gamer Consumer is...
We change our stances every day. This is no Windows vs Linux vs Apple Desktop battle, which is how they treated this medium.
Which is why I'm ashamed at the PC gamers. Yall knew MS was a shit company and still bought xbox's (plural)
For shame
In the words of the once great Megatron...
Fall.. Fall... Fall......
What MS delivered with the 360 was good. They just took a giant nosedive in that department on important issues to a lot of people. All this retroactive 'ms was always shit' is kinda silly. But yes the current bashing may commence and im enjoying it. I hope they now burn.
Launch ms was amazing, middle gen ms was ok, end of gen MS was anemic and repetitive. Then they follow up with a next gen $100 too high and rife with bullshit. Let em burn.
Darklor01
Might need to stop sniffing glue
Correct me if I'm wrong here, but, I think MS is now doing things Sony already tried:
Didn't Sony bill the PS3 as an entertainment device(bluray player) that plays games?
Now.. MS says their box is an all in one device
Didn't Sony promise(but fail to deliver) the idea that the PS3 could connect online to other PS3's on the net to borrow computing power from other systems which had spare power available across the net for computing?(They did this for folding at Home)
MS now is having the XBOne connect to the net to borrow computing power of servers as needed.
Weren't there some services, and features for the PS3 which Sony either promised to employ and didn't or did already do that MS is now going to do or try to do?
Didn't Sony bill the PS3 as an entertainment device(bluray player) that plays games?
Now.. MS says their box is an all in one device
Didn't Sony promise(but fail to deliver) the idea that the PS3 could connect online to other PS3's on the net to borrow computing power from other systems which had spare power available across the net for computing?(They did this for folding at Home)
MS now is having the XBOne connect to the net to borrow computing power of servers as needed.
Weren't there some services, and features for the PS3 which Sony either promised to employ and didn't or did already do that MS is now going to do or try to do?
FlyingSaucer
Banned
Wouldn't MS be able to reverse the trend by lowering the price of the X1 ? They'd eat a greater loss, but it will probably ensure stronger sales at christmas with the mainstream consummer, family, etc ?
What I was thinking about but better formulated
What I was thinking about but better formulated
I jumped into the generation after the second PS3 price drop. At the time I was thanking Microsoft for kicking Sony's ass because 2 years or so after launch the PS3, the beating was finally start to shape that mess into a console.
I still thank Microsoft for making the PS4 powerful, cheap and with far less bullshitty. The enemy has made Sony stronger. Love thy enemy.
I genuinely hope Microsoft get their shit together so competition keeps the industry growing. But they burn enough so to stop it from growing in the direction they want to.
RoninChaos
Member
If they want to capitalize, release before the Xbone.
IdiotMyshkin
Banned
This. And launch bundle coincided with bf4.
Tylahedras
Banned
Oh man. To be a fly on the wall in redmond right now.
RoninChaos
Member
Honestly? If the Xbone was backwards compatible, I'd probably still buy one to play halo and play my old 360 games. I'd put up with the bullshit, pay 500 bucks to play my old games and a few new ones. But since its not bc, I can't justify that price AND the anti-consumer bullshit.
And I was mainly a 360 gamer this generation. I felt Sony made so many stupid mistakes this generation that ms got the bulk of my gaming money. Gonna be a switch next gen. Feels like the PSOne and PSTwo days right now.
I really hope PSN steps it up though.
Take this with a brick sized grain of salt, but the guy at EB today said he'd heard <internally from other sources at EB> that they are expecting PS4 product to arrive week of Nov 17.
Meaningless rumor, please don't ban me when I'm wrong Nov 17. Just repeating what the EB guy said he'd heard.
Meaningless rumor, please don't ban me when I'm wrong Nov 17. Just repeating what the EB guy said he'd heard.
shinra-bansho
Member
Just don't get cocky again, Sony.
Evolution_1ne
Banned
looks like you got some really bright friends
OT: I can't find a serious vid on youtube in favor of xbox1. Most if not all of the MLG pro COD commentators are all talking about getting PS4 over XB1, and that's got me worried
fool me once.....
and they weren't cocky they were overly ambitious and there is a difference, remember it cost Sony more to make the PS3 then it did for you to buy one and it was the most powerful, open console ever made which is the exact opposite of what the XBone is
Evolution_1ne
Banned
not fake, just flat out not true
Zok310
Banned
Yeah, very hard, even more so considering $399 is equal to $299 in 2001. If we take inflation into effect the PS4 is launching at a cheaper price than the PS2 back in 2001!
This could be the biggest product launch ever, its cheaper than cell phones.. LOL
Oh yeah.
But it doesn't beat Tretton standing there with the biggest shit eating grin in the world because he knows he is about to drop truthfacts.
How does it feel, standing in front of a few thousand people knowing that the next words out of your mouth are going to get that kind of reaction.
maquiladora
Member
Justzisguyukno
Member
Thanks Microsoft!
James Sawyer Ford
Member
Perfect time for Sony to launch the console is on OCTOBER 29th - just in time for Battlefield and Assassin's Creed, and it also means it will launch before the Xbox One.
Sony needs to completely forget about launching in Japan this year.
For one, is there ANY appealing Japanese software available for launch? Secondly, with internal projections of demand being raised, Sony needs to do their best to meet the demands of their most important markets, and with Microsoft potentially having Xbox One supply issues, they need to do their damnedest to ensure that the American launch has massive supply to recapture the US market.
Sony needs to completely forget about launching in Japan this year.
For one, is there ANY appealing Japanese software available for launch? Secondly, with internal projections of demand being raised, Sony needs to do their best to meet the demands of their most important markets, and with Microsoft potentially having Xbox One supply issues, they need to do their damnedest to ensure that the American launch has massive supply to recapture the US market.
Rogue_Ledr
Banned
Glad to hear this!
It seems the word is getting out there!
It seems the word is getting out there!
Dr. Kitty Muffins
Member
I see alot of people turning to the PS4 but I'm also running into people who don't care about DRM, always online and used gaming policy. I think Sony needs to go after some exclusives that appeal to the Xbox crowd not just via genre but by style to keep people flipped. And quite a few of those Xbox One fans seem to care alot about what that OS might bring feature wise. And I have to admit, Sony's OS and online offerings weren't as good for quite a long time and that counts in gamers eyes.
Tallshortman
Member
Yep, they've got Japan free to themselves anyway, especially with the wii u selling poorly there. They can take their time to get more japanese games for the launch there and focus on US and europe. US is where it's going to be won or lost. Europe looks to be even more sonyland this time around.
James Sawyer Ford
Member
Exactly.
The launch lineup is amazing when you factor in that it will get the best versions of multiplatform titles. There's just a TON of stuff launching on the system, even ignoring the exclusives.
But all of this content is geared almost exclusively towards western markets.
There is no reason whatsoever for them to waste precious supply on a territory that they already have in their back pocket (even if it'll never be a huge success over there), that needs more preparation for more Japanese-centric titles, and where Sony has far more ability to potentially win over a previous Xbox owner to the PS4 in the one territory they need to do their best to reclaim.
Those people will never switch sides. They're so ingrained into the Xbox ecosystem and Xbox was probably their first console. I have a number of friends that have this attitude as well. They see no reason to switch. Can't say I understand the mentality, but more power to them.
Sony already has exclusives that cater to their demographic, and besides, exclusives aren't even the biggest factor to them since all this demographic tends to play is CoD.
shinra-bansho
Member
I just feel like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. The Sony of 2013 seems so far removed from the Sony of circa 2005.
The PS4 is:
- Significantly more powerful
- Cheaper by $100 at $399
- Easier to develop for
- Doesn't restrict resale, lending, gifting
- Isn't region locked
- Launches at the same time as the main competition
- Smaller and sleeker (ymmv) in design with an internal PSU
I mean I really can't see a competitive advantage anywhere for the XB1 unless:
- You really like Kinect and are too lazy to push an input button
- You absolutely need to play Microsoft Game Studios published games
- You want to play Titan Fall, but don't have a PC that can handle it
Darklor01
Might need to stop sniffing glue
Does this really make a difference in terms of success if all launch day quantities are already pre-sold out?
Jinfash
needs 2 extra inches
It's not like the Wii U is lighting up the Japanese charts on fire. And even if they do end up havin a successful holiday season, it won't make up for months of terrible numbers or be enough to make Sony worry about their lead.
Console gaming is as good as dead there anyways, so yeah, delaying their JP launch and focusing on the west is the smart thing to do.
Console gaming is as good as dead there anyways, so yeah, delaying their JP launch and focusing on the west is the smart thing to do.
whoa.
pieatorium
Member
Titanfall will be on 360 aswell
AranhaHunter
Banned
Looking at that list, I think Sony would do great to launch October 20-25th. It gives Beyond a couple of weeks and gives them at least 1 week headstart on MS, possibly 2 or 3. They can also time a second shipment of consoles for when around the XBone launches to ensure that there will be PS4 in stores. Sony should try to go for the jugular and try the same strategy in EU as well, especially in the UK.
SW wise, I think GT6 will release in November, but it'll sell regardless so Sony shouldn't worry about releasing the PS4 around it.
I agree. XBone is a non factor in JP, WiiU is struggling and its big games are MK8 (Spring 2014), Mario 3D (December 2013), SSB (2014), X (2014), Zelda WW HD (Oct 2013) will not have as big an impact until late in the year or next year. Also, the PS4 does not have many JP oriented games right now. FFXIV, FFXV, and KHIII will only be released in 2014 and later. Everything else is more western oriented. Even if they release Hot Shots Tennis/Golf, it won't be enough. Basically the same situation the Vita had. Maybe with 3-5 extra months they will have more JP oriented games on it.
I won't rule out a mid December release in JP though.
They probably don't actually have final numbers yet. Since they are waiting on word on whether they can even launch in Japan this year, we have to assume they only have a rough idea. In a few months they'll know what kind of production numbers they can hit so if all goes well they'll have more there for day 1.
Rebel Leader
THE POWER OF BUTTERSCOTCH BOTTOMS
I'm surprised this wasn't posted:
I have to agree with you. October 29th is perfect. Two big heavy hitters that will most likely move consoles, with Knack, Killzone, and Driveclub. You'd get a lot of impulse buys. Not to mention word of mouth starts spreading and it'll lead right into Black Friday and really catapult sales.
Sony needs to go for a spring 2014 launch in Japan. Right now I don't see any compelling software that the Japanese would eat up.
The truthfact heard around the world.
Whats the story behind this?
Didn't they say earlier they were considering ps4?
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