All purpose sales and sales rumors/anecdotes thread next gen+

[BRiT]

I think more people buy them to use for standby duty so you never have to be corded while playing.

Surely you just swap out the battery pack for one that's charged. No need to buy two controllers, right?

 

[Bigus Dickus]

Does DS4 have a replaceable pack? Thought it was integrated.

 

[Deleted member 11852]

Does DS4 have a replaceable pack? Thought it was integrated.

The battery is easily swapped/replaced when the controller is disassembled but I can't see many people do this.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

DS4 does not have a replaceable battery. I also don't know anyone who has a spare controller to avoid playing with a USB cable. That may be the case, but it's not something I've ever seen. Given the explanations for high standalone DS4 controller sales:

1) Second controller for multiplayer
2) Second controller for when batteries run out
3) Controller for PC

...it seems contrary to Occam's Razor to ascribe a significant part of sales to options 2 and 3.

 

[mrcorbo]

DS4 does not have a replaceable battery. I also don't know anyone who has a spare controller to avoid playing with a USB cable. That may be the case, but it's not something I've ever seen. Given the explanations for high standalone DS4 controller sales:

1) Second controller for multiplayer
2) Second controller for when batteries run out
3) Controller for PC

...it seems contrary to Occam's Razor to ascribe a significant part of sales to options 2 and 3.

Why does it have to be only one reason?

FWIW, I have two dualshock 3's, but have never played a local multiplayer session on my PS3. I have, though:

• Paired the second controller to my cell phone to use with emulators
• Used the second controller when the first needed to be charged

I also like having the *option* of playing a local multiplayer game on my PS3 and should one of them break, I have another to use until I can get a replacement.

Having a second controller around is generally useful even if you don't expect to do a lot of local multiplayer, so I don't think that sales of controllers alone say much of anything about the popularity of that activity.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Why does it have to be only one reason?

It doesn't, but the important thing for identifying whether local multiplayer is still important or not is how many of those controllers are bought for second-player use, irrespective of other benefits of that controller.

Having a second controller around is generally useful even if you don't expect to do a lot of local multiplayer, so I don't think that sales of controllers alone say much of anything about the popularity of that activity.

I may be wrong, but I doubt most people are spending £40+ on a controller for ancillary benefits. Some will be buying it for PC, some as a spare, but IMO common sense says most of those sales of a not-cheap peripheral are for concurrent use, just as sales of Kinect can mostly be attributed to XB360 owners wanting to play Kinect and not PC users or roboticists or university undergrads using Kinect for their thesis.

 

[specwarGP2]

DS4 does not have a replaceable battery. I also don't know anyone who has a spare controller to avoid playing with a USB cable. That may be the case, but it's not something I've ever seen. Given the explanations for high standalone DS4 controller sales:

1) Second controller for multiplayer
2) Second controller for when batteries run out
3) Controller for PC

...it seems contrary to Occam's Razor to ascribe a significant part of sales to options 2 and 3.

I don't think #2 is unusual if you think about it. DS4 has significantly shorter battery life than DS3 and the batteries are non removable and take a while to charge. Lots of people have big TVs and sit far away (8ft +) and who wants a long cable snaking across their living room/bedroom? The cable that comes in the box isn't even that long - I think it's only 4ft. Where can you even buy an 8ft long micro USB cable at retail?

 

[DrJay24]

I don't think #2 is unusual if you think about it. DS4 has significantly shorter battery life than DS3 and the batteries are non removable and take a while to charge. Lots of people have big TVs and sit far away (8ft +) and who wants a long cable snaking across their living room/bedroom? The cable that comes in the box isn't even that long - I think it's only 4ft. Where can you even buy an 8ft long micro USB cable at retail?

Then buy a docking station, it is fully charged every time you pick it up. This is what I do, I rarely get to half charge and have never ran it dead. A charging station is much cheaper than a controller.

 

[Deleted member 11852]

Then buy a docking station, it is fully charged every time you pick it up. This is what I do, I rarely get to half charge and have never ran it dead. A charging station is much cheaper than a controller.

The official Sony PS4 docking station is rarer than unicorn shit. I pre-ordered mine and I'm was last advised that it would be March before I'll get it.

 

[djskribbles]

I just keep one of my many phone chargers by my PS4.

 

[joker454]

You just need one game to need one extra controller.. and if you even think you might get one game then you might as well get it.

I got the red one so my girl has one, and only used it for 2 things when one is flat and Knack..

That whole discussion with Shifty came about in another thread comparing the cost of pc gaming to console gaming. I was saying that to compare true costs you needed to buy both old and new consoles to play the popular games, and buy an extra controller for the old and for the new console because the console controllers were not compatible across generations, something not needed on pc since a single 360 controller could play old gen and new gen games. Looks like that spilled into this thread, but I'll leave it at that.

I think more people buy them to use for standby duty so you never have to be corded while playing.

Yeah, way back we all called it the ps3 tax, because for whatever bizarre reason Sony didn't go with a removable battery even though most everything else they sell has a removable battery, hence you were basically required to get a second ps3 controller so we all got one for when the battery died unexpectedly. I resisted at first until the battery died in the middle of playing Warhawk online, after which I broke down and bought a second ps3 controller basically as a battery, and naturally got mocked by my co-workers in the process. Sounds like they did the same thing for ps4 controllers? I guess not really surprising, since people don't seem to include that sort of thing in the true costs of the platform, hence Sony may as well use it as an extra revenue source since you basically have to buy an extra controller unless you are content gaming 80's style with a 15 foot cord.

 

[specwarGP2]

Then buy a docking station, it is fully charged every time you pick it up. This is what I do, I rarely get to half charge and have never ran it dead. A charging station is much cheaper than a controller.

But you then you can't play when your controller is charging...

 

[Deleted member 11852]

I resisted at first until the battery died in the middle of playing Warhawk online, after which I broke down and bought a second ps3 controller basically as a battery, and naturally got mocked by my co-workers in the process.

It's "natural" to be mocked by co-workers for buying something to make your hobby your enjoyable? I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

The alternative of course was to just charge it after each session. I easily get 20+ hours out of my original SixAxis controllers and more from the DualShock3 I bought later so unless you were really hardcore, running out of juice is easy to avoid.

 

[joker454]

It's "natural" to be mocked by co-workers for buying something to make your hobby your enjoyable? I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

They mocked because I resisted getting one, only to then have mine die mid game and not be able to rejoin since I didn't have a 15 foot usb cord handy either. The inevitable "i told you so" parade didn't last too long though, and I then just paid the ps3 tax like everyone else.

The alternative of course was to just charge it after each session. I easily get 20+ hours out of my original SixAxis controllers and more from the DualShock3 I bought later so unless you were really hardcore, running out of juice is easy to avoid.

I guess I'm not that diligent in that I would forget all the time. I had primarily bought my ps3 as a bluray player so that probably added to why I would forget to charge the controller. I still forget now, like my 360 controller sometimes runs out while I'm pc gaming but in that case I just change the batteries so no biggie.

EDIT: I wonder if this is another one of those USA/Europe differences. Over here in the USA having rechargeable AA batteries around is very common because so many things use them like remote controls, clocks, wireless weather stations, timers, wireless keyboards and mice, whatever. So you basically always have some around, hence why I'm guessing the 360 controller uses them. It's convenient and means no need to buy a second controller just for battery purposes. Is Europe different for that where AA batteries are more rare? I have no clue about that but that could explain why Sony doesn't support AA batteries in their controllers, batteries which are totally standard here in the USA but maybe far less common in Europe. Does the xb1 controller use AA batteries as well or did they force you to buy some custom battery?

 

[djskribbles]

I don't think #2 is unusual if you think about it. DS4 has significantly shorter battery life than DS3 and the batteries are non removable and take a while to charge. Lots of people have big TVs and sit far away (8ft +) and who wants a long cable snaking across their living room/bedroom? The cable that comes in the box isn't even that long - I think it's only 4ft. Where can you even buy an 8ft long micro USB cable at retail?

The cable is ~5ft IIRC. Dunno where you can find them at retail, but they're on ebay. I'm sure you could find a USB extension somewhere locally.

But you then you can't play when your controller is charging...

But who plays longer than 7-8hrs at a time? Put it on the dock or any charger when not in use. If you're a heavy gamer, then you might want to consider 2 controllers. I think many people keep their PS4s in standby, so you can use the PS4's front USB ports to keep it charged, too.

I think that all 3 reasons Shifty gave equally contribute to the DS4's sales.

 

[Cyan]

They mocked because I resisted getting one, only to then have mine die mid game and not be able to rejoin since I didn't have a 15 foot usb cord handy either. The inevitable "i told you so" parade didn't last too long though, and I then just paid the ps3 tax like everyone else.




I guess I'm not that diligent in that I would forget all the time. I had primarily bought my ps3 as a bluray player so that probably added to why I would forget to charge the controller. I still forget now, like my 360 controller sometimes runs out while I'm pc gaming but in that case I just change the batteries so no biggie.

EDIT: I wonder if this is another one of those USA/Europe differences. Over here in the USA having rechargeable AA batteries around is very common because so many things use them like remote controls, clocks, wireless weather stations, timers, wireless keyboards and mice, whatever. So you basically always have some around, hence why I'm guessing the 360 controller uses them. It's convenient and means no need to buy a second controller just for battery purposes. Is Europe different for that where AA batteries are more rare? I have no clue about that but that could explain why Sony doesn't support AA batteries in their controllers, batteries which are totally standard here in the USA but maybe far less common in Europe. Does the xb1 controller use AA batteries as well or did they force you to buy some custom battery?

You can use both here, and some people prefer the custom batteries you can buy in specialised stores while others prefer the official batteries.

I prefer the official batteries that come with the Plug and Play charge kit.

Aside from that, when those batteries became unreliable because of age and took a lot of time to charge but lost the charge quite fast, I removed them and I just plugged the USB charge cord in, the one which comes with the PnP kit.

They are long enough and the controller can rumble as much as you want without issues. That's why I prefer the official batteries, because of the cord.

Xbox One's cord is not as long as X360's though. I haven't tried the gamepad without the new Xbox One's battery. But I will now that you mention it.

I hope it works without the battery, just plugged via USB, like the X360's.

Plus it will make the new controller even lighter. If I were you I'd give it a try for the PC, it's even better than X360's gamepad -save LB and RB buttons, I prefer how they feel in the previous gamepad- in every possible way. (no hurry though, I'd wait for the white Xbox One to be released)

And sports games like NBA2K14, FIFA14 or Madden are popular game for local multiplayer...

That describes me, yes. I purchased two PnP charge kits, one for my original controller bundled with the Xbox One -it just had two batteries-, and another one with a new gamepad.

 

[Rangers]

Wow PS4 not only still in stock on Amazon but after shooting to #1 it's actually been bumped back down to #2 (by some sale on Xbox Live 12 month card). Dont know if I've ever seen an in stock PS4 be bumped from #1. In addition I have yet to see the quantity dip below 1000.

Truly perhaps the shortage is easing at least a bit.

 

[djskribbles]

I'd say that sales were starting to ease up a week ago, which is again expected for sales to slowdown post-holidays. By mid-late February or early March, I think it will be, more or less, readily available in the US. Bestbuy, Gamestop (and to a lesser degree) Sam's Club seemed to have gotten a pretty big shipment 1-2 weeks, now it looks like Amazon and Walmart got theirs. Who knows how big the shipment was. Bestbuy and Sam's Club are all out and Gamestop and Walmart are only selling bundles. The situation is not as good for most of the world, though... the UK is the only other country that seems to have decent levels of supply.

Plus the rankings depend on what's on sale etc. Right now, XBLG is on-sale, hence why it's ranked 1.

 

[tuna]

Seems to be available on amazon.co.uk again. Still not very available in sweden though, and all retailers have increased the price quite a bit (~€450).

 

[DuckThor Evil]

Seems to be available on amazon.co.uk again. Still not very available in sweden though, and all retailers have increased the price quite a bit (~€450).

Was it ever at 399€ over there? Nordic countries usually have a Nordisk Film "tax".