Ben-DutkaWell, this is interesting.
Sony didn't expect their new console to perform as well as it has. They recently announced that the PlayStation 4 had hit the 10 million sold plateau and now, in a new Eurogamer interview , Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida reveals that this company is actually a little confused as to how this happened.
He first said Sony was very happy with the results, and the number might've been higher than 10 million if they could've kept up with demand. But then he said he's a "bit nervous:"
"You need to understand why your products are selling well so you can plan for the future, right? It defied the conventional thinking. Lots of people thought the dedicated game hardware might not be needed going forward, but still lots of people are very excited. When you see the new games coming out and being announced this E3 and Gamescom, I think there's a good enough reason for a gamer to believe this is something worth investing in."
Yoshida also referenced previously released statistics, which showed how the PS4 attracted so many new gamers to the PlayStation family. They're even getting consumers who never owned a system last generation (PS3, Xbox 360, or Wii) and that's pretty impressive. However, the fact that they're not entirely sure why the PS4 has sold so well is bound to kick off plenty of discussion…
It really shows too, they simply were not ready for popularity and desperately need game releases and huge strides in software like yesterday.
Why did it sell so well? The biggest part is that Xbox committed suicide over and over again for months. Square Enix is gonna be kicking themselves for ticking off and denying PS4 gamers Tomb Raider 2 for 6 months-1 year.
I think people still are underestimating the power of the internet to create change. You can't screw with the people anymore because knowledge is so easily accessible and knowledge is power.
The internet has allowed society to act as a large coherent body on many issues and I think this may be one of them.
To microsoft: I hope you've learned that we are the gamers and that we can make or break you.
Last edited by kokoro on 8/19/2014 10:45:17 PM
What Quistis said!
say… that's a familiar article.
hehe I think it may have a lot to do with what the PS4 wasn't. Not everyone wanted an expensive (for it's market) tablet based console or a home entertainment hub. Not to mention forced online connection and DRM crappiness plus Kinect (that only KidPresentable defended and supported) .
Sony just sorta offered your regular cost effective, powerful and accessible solution. Sometimes I don't think people want the wheel reinvented when the wheel works great. Many of us just want the standard upgrades.
Last edited by Temjin001 on 8/19/2014 10:48:32 PM
HAHA. I thought the exact same thing when i seen the article title.
No props for Temjin 🙁
Temjin said it.
I'd like to add that another reason is due to the fact that they listened to fans and developers. When you listen, people respond better when you say something. Sony made all the rights moves this generation. They went into the ps3 with 160m ps2's thinking everyones jumping ship to playstation no matter what. They were wrong, but they never gave up.
I just wish that the VITA sees some success.
They need a dope, sexy PS4 game that uses Vita as Xray glasses to see through women's clothes. Bam, sales.
Or they could just cut the memory card price and stop refusing to acknowledge that is the big issue not "lack of games". =
Also World let's not be too extreme I am already surprised that monster girl game where you have to essentially molest the girls to progress didn't make it onto Fox news or the like. XD
Thankfully FOX news doesn't recognize anything that isn't Anglo-American.
@Shauneepeak What game is that?
It s easy i think , pretty much all playstation fan stayed with them and lots of xbox owner got tired of Microsoft and switched ps side .
I don't think it is too surprising as has already been mentioned MANY people jumped ship from Microsoft to Sony only people I know who stuck with with X1 are die hard Xbox fans who would rather give up their first born child than switch to a Japanese company such as Sony. Yes there really are people like this. =Then honestly I really wonder how much Destiny has impacted sales sure it's not a Sony exclusive but Bungie is insanely popular and Sony is the console they chose to give the most support too.
Last edited by Shauneepeak on 8/20/2014 12:30:09 AM
"[The] only people I know who stuck with with X1 are die hard Xbox fans who would rather give up their first born child than switch to a Japanese company such as Sony."
Just so you know, not all of us who have X1s are racist twits who hate the Japanese.
If it makes them feel better, you can let them know the parts are from China, like all their "American-made" technology.
I think we are also getting a lot of people from the PS2 era, who were possibly scared away by the initial problems with the PS3.
Also, the PS4 itself is just a great entry level product, the premise is simple, it's a gaming console with some social features and streaming.
Playstation is well known by 20+ people as a reputable and reliable brand,
It's not like Microsoft's original sell, "it's a DRM console with a Kinect and bla bla bla bla" Sony were just like "hey, here is a console, play some games on it"
I also think that part of the reason why they didn't expect it, is because like Shuhei said, everyone was expecting dedicated games consoles to be at the end of their life. These so called market analysts. They over exaggerated the influence of the mobile gaming market.
Last edited by Akuma_ on 8/20/2014 1:47:29 AM
Spot on with the mobile console reference. Many people think that gaming is dead because people want mobile games. this simply isn't true. Also, I think they were able to get some mobile gamers by the Vita Remote Play that we haven't really seen yet.
This is the kind of response I love to see from corporations. Not another "the market has recognized the quality of the brand and our continuous efforts to bring the best bla-bla-bla" marketing speech, but instead just an honest, "wtf happened here exactly?".
But I agree with Temjin in that it probably has most to do with what the PS4 is not.
Also, I honestly think it does matter that the multiplats at such an early stage was reported to run better on the PS4, at least amongst the more serious console gamers.
I agree, too. I think last gen's early news about multiplats being better on 360 in the first half made a difference, as well. I don't think most gamers are nearly as brand loyal as we keyboard warriors like to think they are. 150 mil PS2 purchases vs. 24 mil xbox… then next gen it's 83-83 with multiplats being better reportedly on 360… that's a big market share given back.
I suppose we shouldn't be that surprised. I bet next generation after this one will continue that trend. Most consumers will go with what they believe is the best choice. Only a handful of people are loyal to a brand, I expect. They're also the ones online all the time feeding the brand loyalty machine.
haha so true about the pat themselves on the back style self boasting we're used to hearing from corporate big dogs. he seems like a relatively humble guy who isn't quick to tell everyone how "i told you so"
yeah idk y people were so surprised i knew the ps4 was going to do well all the chips in its favour.
happy gaming
Sony as of right now doesn't need to do anything…They are already successful…software companies on the other hand need to get their asses on board. If they are not developing for the ps4 they will not have high sales its just as simple as that. Tomb Raider was a mediocre game that no one is really going to be bent up about….what drives PS4 sales will be the indie games and the COD games….400 bucks gets you a system to play advance warfare, GTAX and whatever the new "indie craze" that is out.
Come on guys….I'm sure Sony has some issues…but game releases and console selling to date…is not one of them.
Ah I'm thinking it's more like he was anticipating the decline of physical hardware and the birth of cloud gaming. That's what I read in-between the lines.
Now they see we still want physical media that will leave at least a little bit of control in our hands. Hopefully we continue like this and continue to expand this sort of practice instead of trying to head to a world of illusions where you can never really own a game anymore T-T haha
Last edited by Neo_Aeon666 on 8/20/2014 6:36:22 PM
In my opinion basically Sony treated the gamers much better. Loved the ad campaign too. Sony treat their fans and gamers *much* better and provide a better product too and even if their product hasn't always been better – it's the thought that counts and they've always considered the gamers first rather than money – which is what Microsoft do. They only back tracked and cheapened things because it would be detrimental for them otherwise – rather than just doing so out of decency in the first place. And even then they wouldn't just reduce the price anyway they removed certain parts to justify the reduced price too. And PS4 was cheaper in the first place anyway and provided stuff they didn't have to including the headset – I know that's tiny and minor but still… It's the principle.. And have Xbox gone that extra mile anyway? Such as significant controller improvements that really make a great difference and look nicer and better too. (Although I don't understand changing select and start to share and options – doesn't quite ring true across the board for me). Microsoft only went back on things because of the backlash and embarrassment, not because they wanted to or felt they should or even had to – just because it'd hurt them otherwise – they don't give a damn about the gamers even if it appears that way to some of them. Sony would always go the extra mile and out of decency and because they want to treat the gamers right. And we know it. It's not just about the surface of what's being offered. It's about the respect gained by their actions also.
Yes im surprised too considering you cant play your ps3 games on the system,and yet people dont seem to be bothered by that and by the lack of game titles .