How to sell next-gen consoles, Marketing, Positioning, and Pricing [2020]


I think this is why Sony made so little noise about lack of loading in this week's The Future of Gaming presentation. That want this message to form part of the 'value equation' when they drop the price. The vast majority of prospective PS5 gamers will have no idea about how huge the switch to SSD will be - even those with SSDs in existing devices because PS5 is something else entirely. Many, many gamers will have no experience of zero-load gaming because it's not been a thing since cartridge-based 8/16-bit systems.

edit: missing word.
 
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Both consoles are going to be 499$ at least. I think Sony wants to go higher but first wants to know if MS wants to do the same. If MS reveals that XBSX is 599$ (which I think is plausible, after all the XBO X is still 499$), I think Sony may even match or stay close to that price.
 
Both consoles are going to be 499$ at least. I think Sony wants to go higher but first wants to know if MS wants to do the same. If MS reveals that XBSX is 599$ (which I think is plausible, after all the XBO X is still 499$), I think Sony may even match or stay close to that price.
If Sony retain much of their existing PS4 user base then they afford to heavily subside losses on sale of the console for the 12-24 months. They definitely won't want too but the longterm monetisation of selling games and other media through PSN, will make it viable.

Based on the inaccurate science of YouTube views/likes, a lot of people are interested in PS5. This will have emboldened them.

This year is a bit of an expensive tech blowout for me. I bought 512Gb iPad Pro 12.9" and 1Tb i7 MacBook Air just a few months ago. I'm willing to drop a decent amount on a good 55" OLED with VRR if I can find one and I'm also willing to day one purchase PS5 and XSX, along with a external 4Tb SSD for the PS5 for all the PS4 games that I know will replay. Not to mention expanding that PS5 and XSX SSD as soon as 2-4Tb drives appear. I'm also due a new iPhone and Apple Watch. My 'tech/toy fund' has been building up for some time and its time has come!
 
Appeared (and disappeared) a placeholder on a minor online shop listing ps5 at 699$
It can be simply an error, a random number waiting for the official one, or the shop wanting some free backlink
 
There's Amazon France listing of PS5 ODD for 499.99 € Euros.
Why is it always Amazon France that leaks video game stuff!?! €499 is less that I expect Sony want to sell the UHD model.

I expect the UHD model to be a clean €£$50 more just because if you want/need it, you're gonna pay it and Sony know it. As somebody with so many PS4 games on disc, I'm paying. :yep2:
 
I expect the UHD model to be a clean €£$50 more just because if you want/need it, you're gonna pay it and Sony know it. As somebody with so many PS4 games on disc, I'm paying. :yep2:
I guess it depends on point of view.
Mine is, if you don't need a drive why pay extra for it.BOM, movie playback license, loosing savings of disk for consumer.
Might depend on which sku you see as the primary/default one maybe.
I see the optical one as, you see the DD one as it
 
Might depend on which sku you see as the primary/default one maybe.
I see the optical one as, you see the DD one as it
I don't see either as primary. I can only repeat what I wrote its my last post, Sony will know that some people will want/need a UHD drive and will likely charge them more than what it costs to include it, along with necessary Blu-ray/4K licences.

Every PS4 gamer with disc-based games that they still want to play is probably going to pay that price. Over the course of this generation we're even seen digital purchasing increase but there are way more disc-based PS4 games that Digital ones. That's a lot of PS4 discs out there that will need a PS5 with a UHD drive if they want to be played on the nextgen consoles. Of course, some people may just opt to keep their PS4/Pro.
 
Shame they didn't show a UHD BluRay peripheral.
 
Why is it always Amazon France that leaks video game stuff!?! €499 is less that I expect Sony want to sell the UHD model.

I expect the UHD model to be a clean €£$50 more just because if you want/need it, you're gonna pay it and Sony know it. As somebody with so many PS4 games on disc, I'm paying. :yep2:

I'm sure it's a place holder. I don't think more than 20 people at Sony know the target price. Because of the Digital Only console, maybe Sony could offer a lower price as long as you become a PS Plus subscriber for 1 year, similar to how smartphones are sold. It was rumored MS was going to take this approach with XBO but never happened.
 
I'm sure it's a place holder. I don't think more than 20 people at Sony know the target price. Because of the Digital Only console, maybe Sony could offer a lower price as long as you become a PS Plus subscriber for 1 year, similar to how smartphones are sold. It was rumored MS was going to take this approach with XBO but never happened.
I have been a member of PS+ for years as I renew when it's on offer, even though I honestly couldn't tell you why. 95% of the free games are usually crap, or if they are good I would already have bought them ages before they're on Plus. Multiplayer? I never really play multi apart from when I played Destiny 1 and 2.
I think Plus needs a little bit of a revamp. But if it gets me a discount on a PS5, I'll take it!
 
I have been a member of PS+ for years as I renew when it's on offer, even though I honestly couldn't tell you why. 95% of the free games are usually crap, or if they are good I would already have bought them ages before they're on Plus. Multiplayer? I never really play multi apart from when I played Destiny 1 and 2.
I think Plus needs a little bit of a revamp. But if it gets me a discount on a PS5, I'll take it!

Yes, PS Plus was a great deal when it was announced. The monthly games were very good and you got some nice discounts from time to time. Also, it was probably one of the first subscription service that gave away games "for free" each month. But right now compared to Gamepass or even EA Access feels... I don't want to say outdated, but it doesn't differentiate itself enough from other services.

PS Plus is IMO the future of PS as I think they will move away from being a hardware seller to becoming a content provider. In a not so distant future maybe we will think about PS Studios the same way we think about WB or Disney. That's why offering a compelling content subscription service should be top priority for them.

I would like to see them expanding PS Plus even beyond gaming. Why not having a subscription service that also offers access to other content like movies,TV series or even live sports. Sony does produce very good TV content like Breaking Bad or For All Mankind, and they could reach a deal with other content providers like Netflix or the NBA to become a content hub.

You could have different tiers: Tier 1, only gaming. Tier 2, gaming + sony shows. Tier 3, gaming + sony shows + access to netflix or hbo... Right now streaming has segregated the content between different platforms, and you need to subscribe to different services to access the content you want. It is very inconvenient. If they could leverage having 100M media centers distributed across the world to reach deals with other providers and simplify access, it would a win-win for them.
 
I'm sure it's a place holder. I don't think more than 20 people at Sony know the target price. Because of the Digital Only console, maybe Sony could offer a lower price as long as you become a PS Plus subscriber for 1 year, similar to how smartphones are sold. It was rumored MS was going to take this approach with XBO but never happened.
Yes, Sony have be braver with the Digital Edition because they know people will buy from PSN where Sony take the retailer cut, unlike the disc versions of games where it'll be whatever retail outlet the customer prefers. While digital game adoption is ever on the rise, I would be very surprised if it rises sharply. Indeed the lack/expensive of SSD storage in PS5 may well result in people buying more games on disc out of necessity.
 
I have been a member of PS+ for years as I renew when it's on offer, even though I honestly couldn't tell you why. 95% of the free games are usually crap, or if they are good I would already have bought them ages before they're on Plus. Multiplayer? I never really play multi apart from when I played Destiny 1 and 2.
I think Plus needs a little bit of a revamp. But if it gets me a discount on a PS5, I'll take it!

Yes, PS Plus was a great deal when it was announced. The monthly games were very good and you got some nice discounts from time to time. Also, it was probably one of the first subscription service that gave away games "for free" each month. But right now compared to Gamepass or even EA Access feels... I don't want to say outdated, but it doesn't differentiate itself enough from other services.

PS Plus is IMO the future of PS as I think they will move away from being a hardware seller to becoming a content provider. In a not so distant future maybe we will think about PS Studios the same way we think about WB or Disney. That's why offering a compelling content subscription service should be top priority for them.

I would like to see them expanding PS Plus even beyond gaming. Why not having a subscription service that also offers access to other content like movies,TV series or even live sports. Sony does produce very good TV content like Breaking Bad or For All Mankind, and they could reach a deal with other content providers like Netflix or the NBA to become a content hub.

You could have different tiers: Tier 1, only gaming. Tier 2, gaming + sony shows. Tier 3, gaming + sony shows + access to netflix or hbo... Right now streaming has segregated the content between different platforms, and you need to subscribe to different services to access the content you want. It is very inconvenient. If they could leverage having 100M media centers distributed across the world to reach deals with other providers and simplify access, it would a win-win for them.

Personally, I think Sony need to do the following with PS+ :
  • Incorporate streaming tech, so that as long as you're subscribed to PS+ you can play any of your digital PS5 games via streaming.
  • Update the Remote Play app on every platform (PS4, PC, iOS, and Android) to a PS+ app. This app is then the means by which you stream anything in your digital library, or remotely access your own PS4/PS5.
  • Bring back PlayStation Home. Anyone with a PS+ subscription can access it and treat it like any other social network, but in a 3D space. Comes with a default set of homes, with 100GB of storage for video clips, screenshots, and saves. Users can buy additional homes, which come with additional storage.
  • Change the style of its monthly games to 3 games, one each from the PS1, PS2, and PS3. Running in 4K60, with the usual platform benefits e.g. Remote Play, video recording.
 
If Sony retain much of their existing PS4 user base then they afford to heavily subside losses on sale of the console for the 12-24 months. They definitely won't want too but the longterm monetisation of selling games and other media through PSN, will make it viable.

Based on the inaccurate science of YouTube views/likes, a lot of people are interested in PS5. This will have emboldened them.
The challenge here for Sony is that views don't translate into sales.
Like they've got this incredible lineup for launch right.
So what's the most they can sell?
The most that they can sell even at 100% attach rate is directly proportional to the number of consoles they can sell.
That directly sort of ties software sales to the price point of PS5. This will be interesting to see how software moves here.

I know Spiderman sold 14 million or so. But in order for MM to sell 14M, it's gonna be an insane amount of PS5 selling for the first year. That price point will really determine the success here for both H2 and MM.
 
I've missed a step there. I don't see how DSoup's talk about hardware interest and console subsidies (assuming loads of sales early on all generating long term sub revenues) relates to sales of H2 or SM:MM. :???:
 
The challenge here for Sony is that views don't translate into sales.

Selling a lot of consoles has never been a problem for Sony. They sold 90m PS3s against stiff competition following an utterly toxic launch and rough first two years.

So what's the most they can sell?
We've heard knowledgable folks say Sony will not be producing as many PS5 consoles as you would expect for a launch, so I expect PS5 will sell out and probably be sold out for a solid 3-4 weeks. Now in terms of numbers of games sold, this is unpredictable because this launch is different in that you can buy a PS5 and play your PS4 games better than ever so there is less need to buy new games to enjoy your new console. I can imagine PS5 appealing to people who loathe load-times but are not that interested in the launch games.

The dynamic of the launch console customer for whom a launch console will appeal is likely to be different this generation.

I know Spiderman sold 14 million or so. But in order for MM to sell 14M, it's gonna be an insane amount of PS5 selling for the first year. That price point will really determine the success here for both H2 and MM.
Launch games never sell well because the launch market is tiny. But I'm not seeing the relavenace? The thread is about selling consoles not launch games. You obviously want to sell launch games but good launch games will sell for years as new owners adopt a platform.
 
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