Ok now that the launch excitement is supposed to wear off, I am very surprised how well current gen continues to sell despite the lack of AAA games which were traditionally sales drivers in previous gen.
This eurogamer article has some pretty good points regarding the matter.
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-11-15-who-needs-games-playstation-4s-first-year
Not only do these consoles lack AAA exclusives most of their multiplatform games are cross gen too.
Yet sales dont seem to dry off. The desire for better visuals/better versions, a better UI and infrastructure appear to be good enough motivators. But perhaps a new motivator to upgrade is probably the social aspect. Sharing the experience is one of my favorite features this gen.
I am not sure what keeps sales so high especially in the case of the PS4. It lacks a great deal of the features that are a given on the PS3. It is experiencing some "frequent" network down times on top of having to pay to play online.
Perhaps the new controller also attracts attention.
I suspect that people dont give too much attention to available exclusives for the mean time probably because both lack in the same department so this comparison that governed a purchase in the past is pretty much redundant. Yet, why do people upgrade so fast?
Quite strangely I appear to be very happy with my PS4 despite the lack of original IPs and exclusives. And I feel that I would have been the same if I owned an XB1.
I am trying to figure out what it is and below are a combination of elements that I find unique compared to previous generations:
1) Price+Value: $400 seems to be the sweet spot if we consider inflation. We have a large variety of interesting bundles too. I cant recall such a large variety of bundles and special editions in the past. Cameras, variety of good games packed in, extra controllers, special color editions etc
2) Product presentation: At least in the case of the PS4 the product design is slick and slim and the XB1 is slick. Previous console designs didnt have the form factor that made them fit in the living room like they do now. In the past they stuck out like a sore thumb. They looked bulky or like games consoles.
3) Perhaps people got used to upgrading as soon as something new is released. Perhaps tablets and smartphones conditioned people to be more willing to spend hundreds of dollars. These devices became common use. And they incorporate many aspects of social media and gaming. So probably people find it easier to feel right at home with the PS4 and XB1. Which:
4) they appear to be like companions with tablets and smartphones. They have apps that share information (Playstation App and XBL integration for example) with tablets, they share screens and have apps like Twitch and Ustream where you can watch and share experience between console and smartphone/tablet
5)which brings as to the social media syndrome. People are addicted to sharing their experiences with others. There is this type of "competition" where people try to highlight as much as possible the good things of their lives even if exaggerated. Sharing gaming experience can be a part of that. For years gamers wanted to be able to share their gaming experience. Unfortunately they couldnt do it without spending a lot on capture devices. With screenshot, DVR and streaming becoming possible with a simple touch of a button and uploading either to facebook and youtube, this is one delightful feature
6) Controller: The PS4 controller got some interesting upgrades and improvements. Despite the underutilization of its features the fact that they are there and easily observable probably attract lots of interest. With the exception of the Wii (and Wii U) which is a reimagination of gaming, I cant recall a traditional controller upgraded and as full featured as the DS4 since the NES days. The improvements are directly felt by simply holding the controller. Its robust and feels good. The trackpad, mic, lightbar and sensor are known quantities not something that the consumer needs to discover by accident despite that they are not used fully. When they are used they arent annoying implementations. They complement the experience positively. They are simple but their minimalist implementation is adequate. They do not demand complicated super advanced ideas to pick interest. The XB1 controller despite not having most of the extra features in the DS4, it has also got a superb upgrade in terms of ergonomics. You feel the improvement just as much just by holding the controller. It looks slicker too. When I saw it and held it for the first time I could immediately tell
7) Efforts to expand the console experience and make it more seamless: Despite that I am not fan of the voice commands, I presume their presence does have an impact in the perception. Even if in the case of the PS4 voice commands are often sluggish ( I experimented a bit with the voice commands on the PS4 but it is not consistent at all. Perhaps its my broken English accent. But it was annoying). I presume it works great on the XB1? The ability to run and jump to multiple apps fast is something that the consumer is looking for now. Thanks to tablets and smartphones. Both consoles are faster than last gen and incorporate lots of non-gaming features too. I also love how much faster these new consoles jump into games or the fact that you dont need to exit a game to open an app.
These are just some of my thoughts. I d like to hear yours as well as your current satisfaction levels with XB1 and/or PS4
This eurogamer article has some pretty good points regarding the matter.
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-11-15-who-needs-games-playstation-4s-first-year
Not only do these consoles lack AAA exclusives most of their multiplatform games are cross gen too.
Yet sales dont seem to dry off. The desire for better visuals/better versions, a better UI and infrastructure appear to be good enough motivators. But perhaps a new motivator to upgrade is probably the social aspect. Sharing the experience is one of my favorite features this gen.
I am not sure what keeps sales so high especially in the case of the PS4. It lacks a great deal of the features that are a given on the PS3. It is experiencing some "frequent" network down times on top of having to pay to play online.
Perhaps the new controller also attracts attention.
I suspect that people dont give too much attention to available exclusives for the mean time probably because both lack in the same department so this comparison that governed a purchase in the past is pretty much redundant. Yet, why do people upgrade so fast?
Quite strangely I appear to be very happy with my PS4 despite the lack of original IPs and exclusives. And I feel that I would have been the same if I owned an XB1.
I am trying to figure out what it is and below are a combination of elements that I find unique compared to previous generations:
1) Price+Value: $400 seems to be the sweet spot if we consider inflation. We have a large variety of interesting bundles too. I cant recall such a large variety of bundles and special editions in the past. Cameras, variety of good games packed in, extra controllers, special color editions etc
2) Product presentation: At least in the case of the PS4 the product design is slick and slim and the XB1 is slick. Previous console designs didnt have the form factor that made them fit in the living room like they do now. In the past they stuck out like a sore thumb. They looked bulky or like games consoles.
3) Perhaps people got used to upgrading as soon as something new is released. Perhaps tablets and smartphones conditioned people to be more willing to spend hundreds of dollars. These devices became common use. And they incorporate many aspects of social media and gaming. So probably people find it easier to feel right at home with the PS4 and XB1. Which:
4) they appear to be like companions with tablets and smartphones. They have apps that share information (Playstation App and XBL integration for example) with tablets, they share screens and have apps like Twitch and Ustream where you can watch and share experience between console and smartphone/tablet
5)which brings as to the social media syndrome. People are addicted to sharing their experiences with others. There is this type of "competition" where people try to highlight as much as possible the good things of their lives even if exaggerated. Sharing gaming experience can be a part of that. For years gamers wanted to be able to share their gaming experience. Unfortunately they couldnt do it without spending a lot on capture devices. With screenshot, DVR and streaming becoming possible with a simple touch of a button and uploading either to facebook and youtube, this is one delightful feature
6) Controller: The PS4 controller got some interesting upgrades and improvements. Despite the underutilization of its features the fact that they are there and easily observable probably attract lots of interest. With the exception of the Wii (and Wii U) which is a reimagination of gaming, I cant recall a traditional controller upgraded and as full featured as the DS4 since the NES days. The improvements are directly felt by simply holding the controller. Its robust and feels good. The trackpad, mic, lightbar and sensor are known quantities not something that the consumer needs to discover by accident despite that they are not used fully. When they are used they arent annoying implementations. They complement the experience positively. They are simple but their minimalist implementation is adequate. They do not demand complicated super advanced ideas to pick interest. The XB1 controller despite not having most of the extra features in the DS4, it has also got a superb upgrade in terms of ergonomics. You feel the improvement just as much just by holding the controller. It looks slicker too. When I saw it and held it for the first time I could immediately tell
7) Efforts to expand the console experience and make it more seamless: Despite that I am not fan of the voice commands, I presume their presence does have an impact in the perception. Even if in the case of the PS4 voice commands are often sluggish ( I experimented a bit with the voice commands on the PS4 but it is not consistent at all. Perhaps its my broken English accent. But it was annoying). I presume it works great on the XB1? The ability to run and jump to multiple apps fast is something that the consumer is looking for now. Thanks to tablets and smartphones. Both consoles are faster than last gen and incorporate lots of non-gaming features too. I also love how much faster these new consoles jump into games or the fact that you dont need to exit a game to open an app.
These are just some of my thoughts. I d like to hear yours as well as your current satisfaction levels with XB1 and/or PS4
