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"PlayStation 5 Will Be Dead on Arrival with Sony's 'Hardcore Gamer' Strategy"

Neat

Neat

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
1,107
New York City
CCN, a financial news site with a focus on gaming, posted an op-ed in response to this article from the WSJ, in which Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida has revealed that the company will position the PlayStation as a niche product aimed at serious gamers. Yoshida also stated that "details when making games have become more important than ever", and to that end talked up the need for high-end hardware that allows for ray tracing and faster graphics rendering.

Here are some quotes from the op-ed:

Restricting the PS5 to a niche audience could be a big problem. Video games research provider Newzoo has classified gamers into eight categories. A bird's eye view of those categories indicates that the majority of gamers don't fall in the hardcore category that Sony is targeting.

Just over a third of the gamers belong to the hardcore category according to Newzoo's classification. These include those types of gamers who will spend money on hardware, though to varying degrees. For example, only 9% of the gamers are hardware enthusiast who will keep up with the latest machines, while 13% belong to the "ultimate gamer" category that spends all of their money on games.

On the other hand, 46% of gamers belong to the "time filler" and "cloud gamer" category. The time filler plays a game only when he or she has to kill time, while the cloud gamer inclines toward streaming services and doesn't believe in spending a ton on hardware.
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It then went on to mention how Sony's rivals such as Microsoft is embracing and doubling down on cloud tech and playing games on multiple devices, which will be a big component of Microsoft's strategy moving forward. The article doesn't mention Google Stadia, but they too obviously, are focused on a similar trajectory.

It concludes by saying:

Sony's competition is looking to tap into a much wider universe of gamers by supporting more than just big-budget tiles that requires premium hardware. This could pose a problem as focusing on the premium end of the market with a costly console and pricey games could price out a big chunk of gamers and dent sales of the PlayStation 5.
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More at the link: https://www.ccn.com/news/sonys-playstation-5-dead-on-arrival-sony-hardcore-gamer/2019/07/09/
 
fracas

fracas

Member
Oct 27, 2017
4,634
PS5 will absolutely not be DOA, but I think if Microsoft delivers on the games, their strategy of getting the Xbox ecosystem into pretty much any screen/box imaginable is going to pay off big time.
 
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demondance

demondance

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,808
Targeting a niche market that spends disproportionately large amounts of money isn't necessarily a bad idea but it is one with a poor track record in console history.

It really depends on just how far they go with price. $500-600 would probably be fine when this comes out, especially if they support the PS4 well for the first couple years of transition to keep selling games to a larger audience.
 
entremet

entremet

You wouldn't toast a NES cartridge
Member
Oct 26, 2017
59,902
Hard to tell. Pricing is a big unknown for example. Every generation seems like a crapshoot, so who knows?
 
MJForum Poster

MJForum Poster

Member
May 25, 2019
6,020
London
I'd be hesitant to say something like this until we know what Sony really means by targeting the hard core. It may not mean dumping all of their resources into big, AAA exclusives - it just may mean they prioritize certain features that they know the hardcore want in a console on Day 1 in order to build an install base and drive word of mouth.

With so little known about either console's plans, this is just baseless speculation.
 

Everywhere

Banned
Jun 12, 2019
2,104
Yes because casual gamers will be the first to buy the new expensive $500 dedicated video game console.
 
Galkinator

Galkinator

Chicken Chaser
Member
Oct 27, 2017
8,937
Lmao.
Just carrying the PlayStation name is enough for them to do well. If they do everything right like this gen it's gonna be #1 again, they have nothing to prove.
 
Jarod McChicken

Jarod McChicken

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,073
That's harsh.

I mean, it's really harsh.

wkyM3To.jpg
 
Cronogear

Cronogear

▲ Legend ▲
Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,976
Didn't the PS4 do the same approach at launch?

Besides, after the disaster that was the PS3 launch, I don't think any Sony console can be called DOA.
 
IvanSlavkov

IvanSlavkov

Member
Oct 27, 2017
1,900
Bulgaria
fracas said:
It's absolutely not going to be DOA, but I think if Microsoft delivers on the games, their strategy of getting the Xbox ecosystem into pretty much any screen/box imaginable is going to pay off big time.
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In the US perhaps/maybe. PS is a worldwide recognized brand heavily associated with casual/hardcore gaming. The article is a clickbait and nowhere has Sony explicitly said they are turning back on indies.

PS
Still ove articles who talk competition moving to cloud gaming but always fail to mention Sony are the ones with an up and running service as of now. :D
 
John Bender

John Bender

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,058
We all know this is true. Without games like Life of Black Tiger or Super Lucky's Tail the PS5 is DOA. Mark my words.
 
Ivan2Nguyen

Ivan2Nguyen

Member
Oct 25, 2017
496
So this is why I heard a guy saying physical games were dead this morning. Then again he went on to tell his friend how GameStop bought steam a while back to diversify.
 
Kill3r7

Kill3r7

Member
Oct 25, 2017
24,374
All of this hand wringing and prognosticating is good for clicks but that's about it.
 
bsigg

bsigg

Member
Oct 25, 2017
22,536
gotmypopcorn.gif

But so I don't get banned, Sony's focus on hardcore gamers is what got them back to where they are now. They delivered hardware and games over the last 6 years that have made the system a must have. I would expect that to be the same going into the launch of the PS5. Now long term it'll be interesting to see what they do with MS really pushing Xbox to available in as many places possible.
 
MaitreWakou

MaitreWakou

One Winged Slayer
Avenger
May 15, 2018
13,180
Toulouse, France
Is it going to be that "niche" ?
It's Playstation. It has brand recognition. Not only the "third of gamers" that are "hardcores" will buy it.
People who only play Fifa and NBA2K each year will buy their ps5, as they did with their ps2, ps3 and ps4. People who buy a call of every once in a while will buy it.
People who likes to casually play good action or narrative-driven games will buy it. Maybe not at launch. But they'll buy it. It's called a Playstation. It going to sell.
 
Symphony

Symphony

Member
Oct 27, 2017
4,361
Since when is a £400+ console ever going to be something you can market at a casual audience? Launch period is when you push for the hardcore and early adopters, price drops later on and an established library is what draws in the mainstream market, barring oddballs like the Wii it's a tried and proven stategy.
 
Lant_War

Lant_War

Classic Anus Game
The Fallen
Jul 14, 2018
23,529
Why are they acting as if the PS5 wouldn't have the new FIFA and COD. It'll do fine amongst casuals
 
tommy7154

tommy7154

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
5,370
If the thing were actually going to be $800 maybe I'd agree.

In reality though it won't be and this persons opinion is fucking trash. I'm annoyed I bothered giving it a click.
 
rochellepaws

rochellepaws

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,448
Ireland
The same strategy worked perfectly well for the PS4, the enthusiasts might only be a small section of the audience but have a big domino effect into the mainstream market and among 3rd parties when a system is supported in big numbers from an early stage.
 
RestEerie

RestEerie

Banned
Aug 20, 2018
13,618
i recall reading some movie analysts saying that Marvel's focus on the hardcore fans with the avengers movies (as in the movie are increasing 'newbie unfriendly' with its character crossover and references from other MCU movies without further explanation to newbies) is going to cause problem with casual movie-goers....

infinity war and endgame boxoffice probably's laughing at those analysts.

Hardcore gamers might not be the 'majority' but they bought games, dlcs and microtransactions. I thought those analysts should have known that it's those content that's the money making machines. Not the box itself.
 
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