Sony: “Wait For PS5 Sales” In Response To PlayStation’s Current Marketing Strategy

Petran · May 16, 2020

This is the information age we live in, so information is good.
I think that the lack of information from sony probably is because they are trying to re-invent their marketing.
With PS4 they were shouting from the mountain tops about "most powerful console" and they rode that 0.5 TF difference for many years, until the ps4 pro - xbox x consoles were announced.
Don't forget, they did that with PS3 too, although it didn't go as planned.
Now, day1 they'll have the less powerful system.
I am sure that many top marketing firms are on it (re-inventing marketing pitch), and new info-presentation will be out soon.

Microsoft on the other hand, they built a great momentum with xbox 360, then they blew it away.
To return to that spot, they need not only the better product but the great marketing too.

Dirtyshubb · May 16, 2020

UraMallas said:
I contend it doesn't follow. It's a weak argument because it didn't address the original question. It's essentially trying to end the convo. "oh yeah, well just wait and see" is always a weak argument, imo. Maybe that's just me.

But how can you judge a marketing campaign when it isn't fully completed or really started in earnest yet, the product hasn't been made available yet and by all metrics available the little activities they have done are dominating the conversation amongst your target audience?

If Sony had come out with what they have done and were getting universally shit on and all metrics were pointing to them making their audience disinterested in the product, the argument could be made that their marketing campaign has been bad but so far the opposite is true.

HStallion · May 16, 2020

Petran said:
This is the information age we live in, so information is good.
I think that the lack of information from sony probably is because they are trying to re-invent their marketing.
With PS4 they were shouting from the mountain tops about "most powerful console" and they rode that 0.5 TF difference for many years, until the ps4 pro - xbox x consoles were announced.
Don't forget, they did that with PS3 too, although it didn't go as planned.
Now, day1 they'll have the less powerful system.
I am sure that many top marketing firms are on it, and new info-presentation will be out soon.

Microsoft on the other hand, they built a great momentum with xbox 360, then they blew it away.
To return to that spot, they need not only the better product but the great marketing too.

Sony also knows that this trickle of info makes people that much thirstier and even revealing the controller can generate a ton of buzz in of itself. That and they've stated they no longer want to reveal games way before they ever come out because of the issues that have arisen from such a practice. It's also becoming pretty common in the tech world for companies to announce things not long before they actually release, especially if they're the most popular product/producer.

Pachinko · May 16, 2020

I don't see a world where people are at least able to buy a PS5 where the thing doesn't move 10 million units as fast as they can be built. This is without a ton of marketing beyond what Sony already does for the PS4 and has continued to do for it's entire lifespan. That's assuming a guess of 449.99 USD too , at 499.99 the "guaranteed sale" number might fall to 8-9 million and hell even if it were more I can still see 5 million people buying it as fast as it's made.

Petran · May 16, 2020

HStallion said:
Sony also knows that this trickle of info makes people that much thirstier and even revealing the controller can generate a ton of buzz in of itself. That and they've stated they no longer want to reveal games way before they ever come out because of the issues that have arisen from such a practice. It's also becoming pretty common in the tech world for companies to announce things not long before they actually release, especially if they're the most popular product/producer.

had PS5 been 12TF and xbox X 10TF, do you think you'd have received the same amount of info from Sony?

HStallion · May 16, 2020

Petran said:
had PS5 been 12TF and xbox X 10TF, do you think you'd have received the same amount of info from Sony?

Why are you bringing up teraflops?

liquidmetal14 · May 16, 2020

It's laughable how people forget this companies heritage and are so invested in their platform of choice or some old fashioned loyalty that they deprive themselves of games.

Reminds me of how wrestling fans are at times.

Akauser · May 16, 2020

I said it before but this is gonna be a case of Shout Last but Shout Loudest. Sony has of course switched to a modelnof marketing where they announce make noise and release in a short time frame. I feel this will be the same. I feel Sony will reveal all and when they do they wont shut up till launch. Theres nothing that says you cant spunk your years advertsing budget in the span of 3 months as opposed to spaced out over the year.

Alex840 · May 16, 2020

Sony are fine. MS have shown the box and some less-than-exciting 3rd party games.

UnsungKing · May 16, 2020

Sounds like they are feeding the "console war". No duh it's going to sell well, it always does. History tends to repeat itself.

Petran · May 16, 2020

HStallion said:
Why are you bringing up teraflops?

What do you mean "why"?
It's in my first post, the one you originally quoted. As i said, sony now must find a different marketing pitch

Galactic Specter · May 16, 2020

liquidmetal14 said:
It's laughable how people forget this companies heritage and are so invested in their platform of choice or some old fashioned loyalty that they deprive themselves of games.

Reminds me of how wrestling fans are at times.

This kind of brand loyalty runs deep, from the days of NeoGAF.

HStallion · May 16, 2020

Petran said:
What do you mean "why"?
It's in my first post, the one you originally quoted. As i said, sony now must find a different marketing pitch

And my post didn't mention them at all because it was about the overall mentality and reasoning behind their strategy which has little concern for the whole TF numbers nonsense. That's fanboy console wars wankery and Sony is playing to a much wider field than that. They are a long time known quantity beyond TF numbers and can leverage that to their advantage over time as they have that luxury.

Jerm411 · May 16, 2020

amstradcpc said:
On the other hand is good MS is quite agressive and healthy again, or we would get a 8 tflops PS5 without many customizations and PS ps plus would be 100 dollars per year.

Totally agree....I've maintained going into this gen that no matter your purchase decision, I'll think you'll be more than happy.

Deluxera · May 16, 2020

Console generation are a marathon, not a sprint.
Sony's plans for the PS5 are spanning over multiple years, maybe a decade.
Whether they deliver the info on May, June or July is irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.

goodretina · May 16, 2020

Petran said:
had PS5 been 12TF and xbox X 10TF, do you think you'd have received the same amount of info from Sony?

Yes. The thing doesn't come out for another 6 months.

Palette Swap · May 16, 2020

Honestly, if you're a tentpole release, marketing and messaging 6 months ahead of release (or even 3) has few downsides compared to announcing things a year ahead.
The last few miles ahead of release matter a lot more, and they'll probably be supply constrained anyway so.

____ · May 16, 2020

Petran said:
What do you mean "why"?
It's in my first post, the one you originally quoted. As i said, sony now must find a different marketing pitch

Wasn't their marketing pitch "the best place to play"?

Hyun Sai · May 16, 2020

Petran said:
had PS5 been 12TF and xbox X 10TF, do you think you'd have received the same amount of info from Sony?

Even less ! Usually the most talkative are the ones who feel they're behind.

hey it's that dog · May 16, 2020

Petran said:
What do you mean "why"?
It's in my first post, the one you originally quoted. As i said, sony now must find a different marketing pitch

Can you point to when they went hard on power for their marketing? I always figured it was the 100 dollar price difference and MS's disastrous PR that propelled them into an early lead. If they were able to lean on a power advantage that seems like a happy accident since they've never actually been more powerful than the competition outside the PS4 generation.

N.Domixis · May 16, 2020

Petran said:
What do you mean "why"?
It's in my first post, the one you originally quoted. As i said, sony now must find a different marketing pitch

Fastest console. Done

Deleted member 8674 · May 16, 2020

AmFreak said:
True, PS5 sales have never been lower.

If only there was a way to gauge people interest before launch of said product... hmm what a hassle.

hey it's that dog · May 16, 2020

hemo memo said:
If only there was a way to gauge people interest before launch of said product... hmm what a hassle.

Show us the metrics you're talking about so we can have a discussion starting on the same page as you.

tzare · May 16, 2020

hey it's that dog said:
Show us the metrics you're talking about so we can have a discussion starting on the same page as you.

We can gauge reaction to certain announcements in social media for example. And we all know what happened with the logo or de controller, don't we?

hey it's that dog · May 16, 2020

tzare said:
We can gauge reaction to certain announcements in social media for example. And we all know what happened with the logo or de controller, don't we?

Hmm, but that doesn't support hemo's argument at all 😮

Rosebud · May 16, 2020

liquidmetal14 said:
It's laughable how people forget this companies heritage and are so invested in their platform of choice or some old fashioned loyalty that they deprive themselves of games.

Reminds me of how wrestling fans are at times.

Maybe they buy a platform because it has the games they want?

Servbot24 · May 16, 2020

This statement is being taken bizarrely out of proportion. Like is this thread an intentional coordinated joke or something?

Petran · May 16, 2020

HStallion said:
And my post didn't mention them at all because it was about the overall mentality and reasoning behind their strategy which has little concern for the whole TF numbers nonsense. That's fanboy console wars wankery and Sony is playing to a much wider field than that. They are a long time known quantity beyond TF numbers and can leverage that to their advantage over time as they have that luxury.

This topic is titled "Sony: "Wait For PS5 Sales" In Response To PlayStation's Current Marketing Strategy"
I gave my explanation as I understand it, on why there is no current marketing: Because it needs to be restructured.
Could very well be that Sony now focuses on short time, more intense marketing, as it was suggested by others.
On the attached article, reply to investor did not say that though.

"Teraflops nonsense and wankery of fanboys",
now this I dont really agree to, but feel free to perceive teraflops not as a comparative measure of power between similar h/w, but as anything you wish

..and about "playing to a much wider field" than gamers, let's all remember what happened last time this approach was tried :D
-> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbWgUO-Rqcw (xbox one reveal)

.

goodretina said:
Yes. The thing doesn't come out for another 6 months.

Normally E3 would be the place for sony's formal reveal. but there is no E3.
This thread is basically about someone during an investor call asking why no marketing (now, 6 months before, just like you say).
Given the lack this year of the most specialized and famous event, the "world spotlight" for gaming, E3, I dont think the investor was trolling or was a fanboy :)
The Bloomberg article (verge article is based on) also notes that the decline in sales of ps4 is in part because of the anticipation for launch of PS5.
So, one could say that it is early, another could say it is not early...

IIFloodyII · May 16, 2020

Servbot24 said:
This statement is being taken bizarrely out of proportion. Like is this thread an intentional coordinated joke or something?

They probably didn't read past the title.

HStallion · May 16, 2020

Petran said:
This topic is titled "Sony: "Wait For PS5 Sales" In Response To PlayStation's Current Marketing Strategy"
I gave my explanation as I understand it, on why there is no current marketing: Because it needs to be restructured.
Could very well be that Sony now focuses on short time, more intense marketing, as it was suggested by others.
On the attached article, reply to investor did not say that though.

"Teraflops nonsense and wankery of fanboys",
now this I dont really agree to, but feel free to perceive teraflops not as a comparative measure of power between similar h/w, but as anything you wish

..and about "playing to a much wider field" than gamers, let's all remember what happened last time this approach was tried :D
-> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbWgUO-Rqcw (xbox one reveal)

And the entire TF argument is something that boils down to the hardcore enthusiasts and console warriors. The general public didn't much care about the power difference in the PS4 and Xbox 1 as launched neared and even less afterwards. It was MS' constant blunders around the focus on Kinect, the botched PR for their online strategy, pushing things like TV and movies and so on. Console power is something I contend has little sway on the consumer in the long run but another PR point among dozens and its far more about things like pricing, the games shown, the focus of the console overall and so on.

Sony doesn't need to restructure because they're being rewarded constantly for the drip feed of info. When their logo can garner several articles from gaming sites, hundreds if not thousands of youtubers reacting and getting all kinds of play on social media then they are doing just fine if you ask me and it bodes incredibly well for when they actually reveal the console, the games and so on. Even on here threads about rumors from unverified sources are getting dozens, if not hundreds of pages and a ton of views.

Nightwing123 · May 16, 2020

The social media response to the Controller alone shows people are thirsty for th PS5.

liquidmetal14 · May 16, 2020

Rosebud said:
Maybe they buy a platform because it has the games they want?

More games are multiplatform now then ever and I'm not really being argumentative but the 1st party or exclusives are what sells and there's a clear reason Sony has done well and I don't need to outline the countless reasons of what has made them a success.

Walnut · May 16, 2020

Wireframe said:
This feels like 2013 Sony is back.

Frankly I disagree. I don't remember 2013 Sony being arrogant and having nothing to show, while simultaneously leveraging that. Their strategy here has been strange to me, and it's even more strange to me how people are somehow hyped by it anyway.

IIFloodyII · May 16, 2020

Nightwing123 said:
The social media response to the Controller alone shows people are thirsty for th PS5.

The logo was even more so, it's so unremarkable, like almost identical to PS4's, yet the reaction was overwhelming. Would love to have seen how baffled by it they were.

Petran · May 16, 2020

HStallion said:
And the entire TF argument is something that boils down to the hardcore enthusiasts and console warriors. The general public didn't much care about the power difference in the PS4 and Xbox 1 as launched neared and even less afterwards. It was MS' constant blunders around the focus on Kinect, the botched PR for their online strategy, pushing things like TV and movies and so on. Console power is something I contend has little sway on the consumer in the long run but another PR point among dozens and its far more about things like pricing, the games shown, the focus of the console overall and so on.

Sony doesn't need to restructure because they're being rewarded constantly for the drip feed of info. When their logo can garner several articles from gaming sites, hundreds if not thousands of youtubers reacting and getting all kinds of play on social media then they are doing just fine if you ask me and it bodes incredibly well for when they actually reveal the console, the games and so on. Even on here threads about rumors from unverified sources are getting dozens, if not hundreds of pages and a ton of views.

This is my last reply to you on this topic.
I repeat, until ps4 pro and xbox x were announced, sony marketing was basically "world's most powerful console" and stuff around power, like "true 1080p, wink wink"
They will have a new marketing pitch for ps5.
IMO they take their time to make sure they pick the best one.

Jade1962 · May 16, 2020

Petran said:
What do you mean "why"?
It's in my first post, the one you originally quoted. As i said, sony now must find a different marketing pitch

They are so worried about teraflops they did a whole GDC conference 2 days after MS announced 12 TF. According to your logic they would of been too afraid to even reveal their TF number. PS4 marketing didn't hinge on being the most powerful. Seemed to focus on all the different experiences available and to come "Greatness Awaits". At least that how it was in the U.S. Xbox's strongest market.

N.Domixis · May 16, 2020

Walnut said:
Frankly I disagree. I don't remember 2013 Sony being arrogant and having nothing to show, while simultaneously leveraging that. Their strategy here has been strange to me, and it's even more strange to me how people are somehow hyped by it anyway.

They are mad lads. We're thirsty for any news.

Prototype Viktor · May 16, 2020

Where is this Sony arrogance idea coming from anyway. Just because they haven't shown a fuck ton yet?

Around this time last round yeah they showed more but they were also coming off PS3 if they didn't do it exactly the same (which they didn't) a coco v came into the picture changing things more when they were already going to be different this time

MatrixMan.exe · May 16, 2020

hemo memo said:
If only there was a way to gauge people interest before launch of said product... hmm what a hassle.

Yeah, there is, social and website engagement metrics which so far, point to there being a lot of interest in PS5. It's weird, the points you keep making prove your own argument wrong. You still have yet to provide data or information that actually supports the idea that people aren't interested in the product, or that there's a negative perception building up, and I don't think you will provide it either. Keep going though by all means.

E.T. · May 16, 2020

Sony right now

Shout out to whomever created this.

pezzie · May 16, 2020

Walnut said:
Frankly I disagree. I don't remember 2013 Sony being arrogant and having nothing to show, while simultaneously leveraging that. Their strategy here has been strange to me, and it's even more strange to me how people are somehow hyped by it anyway.

We knew about as much as the PS4 in May 2013 as we do about the PS5 in May 2020. Cerny gave a presentation on the specs in both years, though the one in early 2013 wasn't as dry as the one we got this year because the one for this year wasn't really designed for the public to digest, it was more for the devs.

The big infodump for the PS4, as well as the games, didn't come until e3 2013. Sooooo.... I don't see how this year is different than 2013? It seems like we'll be getting more info in June anyway.

N.Domixis · May 16, 2020

Some may call it arrogance, where I come from it's called confidence.

HStallion · May 16, 2020

Petran said:
This is my last reply to you on this topic.
I repeat, until ps4 pro and xbox x were announced, sony marketing was basically "world's most powerful console" and stuff around power, like "true 1080p, wink wink"
They will have a new marketing pitch for ps5.
IMO they take their time to make sure they pick the best one.

Yeah and notice how I said that was one PR point among dozens. Power is a factor but not a determining one or even an important one in the scheme of things especially when you have several world renowned and highly lauded first party studios making amazing looking games on what is not exactly the highest end of hardware, even at launch.

LJKO · May 16, 2020

I can only ask is this shots fire by Sony on us inpatients or am I reading too much into this lmao?

AmFreak · May 16, 2020

hemo memo said:
If only there was a way to gauge people interest before launch of said product... hmm what a hassle.

I would be very interested in your data showing how "Sony silence is hurting them".
Aside from the fact that we had a whole thread in the opposite direction yesterday (about how Ms is not "aggressive" enough) my point was that it doesn't matter what happens at some random time before these consoles are really unveiled and far before you can actually buy them.

E.T. · May 16, 2020

AmFreak said:
I would be very interested in your data showing how "Sony silence is hurting them".
Aside from the fact that we had a whole thread in the opposite direction yesterday (about how Ms is not "aggressive" enough) my point was that it doesn't matter what happens at some random time before these consoles are really unveiled and far before you can actually buy them.

I am also eagerly awaiting the metrics and data from that said member.

goodretina · May 16, 2020

Petran said:
Normally E3 would be the place for sony's formal reveal. but there is no E3.
This thread is basically about someone during an investor call asking why no marketing (now, 6 months before, just like you say).
Given the lack this year of the most specialized and famous event, the "world spotlight" for gaming, E3, I dont think the investor was trolling or was a fanboy :)

It is mid-May. E3 would be in June. Sony has been distancing themselves from E3 in recent years, but I think many of us expect a big reveal some time in the summer.

I responded to a specific question that had nothing to do with fanboyism. That wasn't even part of the conversation, so I don't know why you're making such a big point of it. I don't think Sony would have shared more information up to this point even if they had more teraflops.

jroc74 · May 16, 2020

hemo memo said:
If only there was a way to gauge people interest before launch of said product... hmm what a hassle.

Ok, so tell us what ways right now, today, we can gauge that you came up with the silence is hurting them.....

Because everything I see says otherwise.

goodretina said:
It is mid-May. E3 would be in June. Sony has been distancing themselves from E3 in recent years, but I think many of us expect a big reveal some time in the summer.

I responded to a specific question that had nothing to do with fanboyism. That wasn't even part of the conversation, so I don't know why you're making such a big point of it. I don't think Sony would have shared more information up to this point even if they had more teraflops.

Exactly. Because I think we can assume their marketing point will be speed. And they haven't really been shouting it.

Others have, but not them.

freshyk · May 16, 2020

I don't detect any arrogance in his answer...

FIREKNIGHT2029 · May 16, 2020

He's not lying though. Pre-console release PR is meaningless, whoever is more effective at marketing will be revealed once sales numbers come out.

Sony: “Wait For PS5 Sales” In Response To PlayStation’s Current Marketing Strategy

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