Ben-DutkaGuess this is the big week. We'll finally get to see what that PlayStation 4 unit looks like! 🙂
Would you be surprised if the PS4 debuted at only $350?
First, Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter said that based on the bill of materials he's seen, the PlayStation 4 might debut at only $350 . Only a few days later, Sterne Agee analyst Arvind Bhatia essentially agreed with that sentiment, saying his firm anticipates a sub-$400 price point as well. This is even lower than earlier estimates of $420 and $520 for two separate models and to be honest, I'm a little surprised. I mean, I know Sony is using much cheaper components this time around, but I never would've expected a $350 console. Let's not forget that when the PS2 launched way back in 2000, that was $300. Now, 13 years later and we'll get a system with the capability of the PS4 for only $50 more…? Really?
On the one hand, it concerns me a little that the architecture is a little too cheap for comfort. On the other hand, lower prices are key to getting new hardware rolling. Well, that and general availability, which has always been critically lacking for each new PlayStation hardware release. Even if the top-end PS4 model is $399 or something like that, if you deliver a fantastic launch lineup and plenty of systems to go around (for the first time in the brand's history), I'd say Sony will be off to a good start. Don't you think so?
Here's my attempt at being optimistic about Lightning Returns
I know I've been down on Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII pretty much ever since it was announced. I could defend that by saying every FF fan on earth has been down on the new entry, but that's not really fair. So let's try this- first, take a look at the new E3 trailer . Now, a few things come readily to mind: Firstly, that doesn't look like an RPG. Secondly, it doesn't look like a Final Fantasy . Okay, but so what? That doesn't mean the game can't be good , right? After all, most games aren't RPGs and most aren't called "Final Fantasy." So if we put all the bitterness aside concerning Square Enix's total, depressing decimation of a once-fabled franchise, we might be able to enjoy a pretty decent…um…action/adventure game.
Remember when I said we should just think of it as something else? Like a new IP? Try that. The only problem is that it still has "Final Fantasy" in the title. They're still saying it's an official entry in the legendary series. So long as they keep doing that, I will be increasingly incapable of viewing it in this optimistic light. I will, however, desperately try to be as objective as possible when it comes time to do the review. Who knows? Maybe I'll love it!
…uh….or not.
Personal gaming update
It's all about The Last Of Us . That game is so unbelievable, it's really hard to describe. The review could've been twice as long because I could've continued to praise it to high heaven. I expected great (it's Naughty Dog, after all), but I'm not so sure I expected elite, masterful, top 5 of the generation. I had a few very small reservations but they disappeared after the first hour with that game. And I thought I might actually have a quandary because Remember Me got to me at about the same time. And you know, it had a ton of promise. It really did. It was disheartening to see the developers fall so short, especially when the game had so many good ideas. They aimed so high and I wish it had come out better.
Anyway, you can also expect reviews for Grid 2 and Time and Eternity this week (if I can get around to the latter). Thankfully, there really isn't anything I desperately want to play between now and September ( Grand Theft Auto V is out September 17), so I can play a bit of catch-up. …maybe I'll even start a new game of FFT or FFVII, because I haven't had my fix in a long time. Sometimes, I just can't help myself. 😉
I'm playing through my PSP version of FFT: War of the lions. I -really- find that version superior. Currently on chapter 4. Just picked up Reis and Beowolf, and will soon be off to open the floodgates to stop battle, so to speak.
I definitely agree that WotL is superior to vanilla FFT in every way I can think of. I'm continually disappointed that it was never ported to a real console. = (
My only complaint is that the "re-do" was only partially completed.
I want more of those gorgeous cut scenes and for the glitches (especially the worsened slow-down) to be gone.
Last edited by Fane1024 on 6/9/2013 5:21:08 AM
It's an update and so of course, it was a little better. It's still basically the same game, though, and it is too bad it never came to consoles.
One big difference between this launch and ps2 and ps3 is that this time Sony isn't ushering in a new media standard. Blu Ray is still plenty capable for storage:
I don't have any expectations for Lightning Returns. I can't be disappointed that way.
PGU: finished Sonic 4 episode 1. It was good. I could've lived without so many cheap deaths but it was a nice classic throwback. I officially started Darksiders 2 tonight. I get the feeling it may be one of my best played experiences this gen. There's just something about exploration in these hack n slash types that make them feel so compelling. I think it's one reason open world style games have taken off this gen. That feeling of adventure, exploration, and mystery presented at the game play level is hard not to like and the sort of processing we have these days just makes them feel so immersive.
I get to meet Todd McFarlane this next week. I'm gonna draw a picture of Spawn for him to autograph. That's exciting. Something different than tracing and implementing Djykstra's algorithmic stuff until my eyes feel like they'll bleed. But still, dynamic programming is cool. Megadeth's new album Super Collider is good too. Dance in the Rain is probably its best song.
Anyway E3 Sony conference Monday! Booya!
Oh man, I love Spawn. The HBO series was incredible. I want McFarland and Christopher Nolan to reboot the movie. Still got my copy of In The Demon's Hand for Dreamcast.
If you like high planes adventure and enjoy some Japanese mainstays you should play Nier if you haven't already.
I think that's a massive point, with the ps4 still using blu-ray that will save a lot of money for Sony and hopefully that is reflected in the RRP!
Darksiders 2 was mindblowing. Ended with a fart, though. It seems with the ending of THQ, they ended development prematurely to get the game out the door. Still one of the most wonderful hack'n slash adventures of this generation. I really hope on a three-quel.
No format Battle + Efficient development + Inexpensive components = More resources and focus on content and services. This puts the spotlight on exactly where PlayStation shines the most. GAMES!
All that other stuff… Movies, Music, Television services etc… can all be accomplished on a PS4 and within a few years.. just about anywhere. I Am A GAMER!
Yah, World, Spawn was a big inspiration for me in middle school. I remember copying Todd's comic art back then and pretending to pass it off as my own =p
MasterShams, Darksiders 2 seems real awesome. It sucks thinking this ip was on THQ's boat. HOpefully a miracle makes Darksiders 3 happen.
I'd probably have a heart attack if PS4 were $350. I just don't believe it right now, it's got to be at least $400 to recoup the cost of development (including new software services, acquisitions, etc) I mean a lot of this stuff is gonna be free for us.
Stoked for E3 next week. Something tells me nobody will be mentioning DRM.
I'm gonna try to be optimistic aboot Lightning Exits too but my biggest problem AFTER the utter destruction of my favorite franchise and the most moving and spiritually uplifting emotional series in all entertainment known to mankind I'm worried about the story. XIII-2 was revolting trash imo, outside of my opinion it was just stupid. So now that Light is in another time period saving the world from a lame countdown clock while talking to Hope on an interdimensional cell phone I doubt the narrative here is going to wow us. I'll play it at some point, but I kinda hope that clock helps the scores come in under 7 so SE can get the clue.
I'm playin Crysis 2 and currently downloading Deadly Premonition Director's Cut (Need dark/horror detective type stuff to fuel my mind for my own projects).
Also having a helluva time putting together a collection of D2 on Dreamcast. Anybody wanna sell me theirs? I miss BikerSaint.
Re: Deadly Premonition. That game has some crazy shit. Interesting detective story involving a serial killer and the supernatural, some weird bosses, but beware, the driving absolutely sucks!
Thanks for the heads up, I'm really looking forward to the game. I could have gotten The Last of Us, but I figure it will be super cheap as the hype for PS4 grows.
I'm normally not an early adopter, but with the launch lineup already in place, a $350 price tag could very well provoke me to get a PS4 on day one.
I found the first XIII was damn near unplayable, and that part 2 did nothing to improve on that. So I think it's safe to say that part 3 doesn't interest me too much.
PGU – I've been switching between games for the past couple of days and finally settled on Torchlight II. So far, I'm enjoying it alright: a little Diablo-ish, but I'm ok with that.
Regarding the price I'd rather look at it the other way around; it's not that it's so cheap now, it's rather that it was so expensive before. Just imagine the r&d costs.
It is insanely expensive to design your own architecture from the ground up. "Unreasonably expensive", I'd say.
To have the entire manufacturing world being primed and ready to print your parts puts you in such an entirely different position on the negotiating table. And that's only the production costs. The engineering efforts are now a fragment of what it must have been before.
So it's not that it's unreasonably cheap this time around. It's rather that it's been unreasonably expensive before.
Last edited by Beamboom on 6/9/2013 4:15:36 AM
obviously the cheaper the better, but 400 seems too cheap to me let alone 350.
plus theres already a big outcry that the ps4 is a 5 year old outdated PC, so the cheaper price tag is just going to even more enforce that.
and $ony are hardly in the position to take losses on the system.
trying oh so hard to enjoy remember me, but i just cant!
theres SO many nuances in it that just beg you to scream in what universe would this be considered a good idea?
you can really tell this is the first game they have ever made, its a shame you would of thought crapcom would of been watching over them saying pssssst thats not a good idea……
its a shame the game is so combat focused and so scripted, if it wasent you could forgive the faults and infuriating with the combat system.
the world truly is beautiful, the characters truly are interesting and engaging, and the story is interesting and most importantly woooooo we FINALLY have some backstory here!
its a shame that the game chooses to put its weight on its shortfalls, rather than its lights.
i always said this would be elder scrolls skyrim, a beautiful world, interesting characters, interesting story, but shallow and pointless because of its emphasis on its wafer thin boring combat.
and sadly, as usual, i was spot on!
Last edited by ___________ on 6/9/2013 4:27:13 AM
It's so darn unfair that so much of praise is being given to The Last of Us since Monday, but we only get to play it from this Friday here in the UK. I think I'm getting a heart attack from waiting to play this game!
I guess Sony wanted a super positive vibe surrounding it going into E3, and didn't want TLoU reviews to clash with their ps4 unveiling.
We end up paying the dollar number in pounds for new consoles here in the UK, so $399 will mean a price of £399. It sucks, but this is always how it's been. With my ever growing backlog of ps3 games, mainly due to the PS+ IGC, I'm on the fence about whether i'll adopt ps4 on day 1. If this whole DRM greed takes over the next generation, I'll definitely wait to see what the impact on my beloved hobby is first, before parting with my money.
That price structure is uber unfair to the American-impaired.
@Dukemz_UK
Just be thankful that you don't live in Australia; they REALLY get hosed!
ITS E3 TIME !! My favorite time of year to be a gamer. If the Ps4 would launch at $350.00 dollars the Ps4 would be my second ever launch day console the first was being Microsofts XBox-360 witch in my eyes was the biggest mistake gaming wise in my life.
As for Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII i will give it a chance just like i did with every other Final Fantasy this generation. Im not much in to Final Fantasy but i least i give the games a chance & truefully i never was big on the Final Fantasy series at all.
PSU: Not much lately i've been bored with the games i currently have & havent been in the mood to pick up anything new lately. Hopefully The Last Of Us gets me out of this funk. i've been on Playstation Home lately catching up with old friends from my old fam that i recently rejoined after leaving awhile back. Speaking of PsHome What ever happen to PsExtreme's Videos in home Ben?
-HAPPY GAMING PLAYSTATION NATION-
Last edited by TrueAssassin86x on 6/9/2013 7:15:30 AM
I wonder what it's like to work at ND. I think the concept artist must have the best job in the industry, while the code writers have one of the hardest. They must be relieved to see the game done and get so many elite reviews.
PGU: I gave up on U3 on crushing difficulty. I made it to the cruise ship, but that heavy soldier in the moving cargo box fight put me under. I guess I still suck at video games. So I picked up KZ3 instead. The 3D tv warranted another playthrough. And after some serious level grinding I made it to lv100 enchanting and some dragon armor on Skyrim. At least I have that going for me.
Who else is excited for Friday?
Also, what ever happened to Jawkee and The Highlander? Haven't heard from those two in a while.
There's a really cheap way to get past him. I'll admit I used it on my Hard playthrough, but strangely I found crushing easier and didn't use it. I'm still ashamed though xD
When the heavy comes, just jump on the container and onto the other, where the treasure is. He can barely get you from there, but you can get a few shots with your uzi. Don't bother using the KAL 7 – it's useless at long range. Avoid the granades, and it's pretty easy going.
Don't worry, there aren't any other difficulty spikes after that.
heres my experience with uncharted games crushing mode. played drakes fortune on normal first, pretty typical playthrough. then i played on hard, completely had to change my approach. rushing in will get you killed and so is running around too much. only move when i had to. head shots will be really critical too. so with everything i learned in hard mode, i went after crushing. surprisingly, crushing was alot easier for me than hard mode was. since then i always started uncharted on hard and never had a problem with crushing mode. so use hard mode as a way to learn some, i dont want to use this word, tricks on approaching the hardest difficulty. its how i vot ghrou other games like killzone 2 on elite or call of duty on veteran (not difficult, its just a combination of cheap game mechanics)
Looks like Ben will work over time this week again.
so I made a list of the plus games that I can track since getting plus. I felt like sharing it just to show the value of it over the past few years. the biggest value being more recently. here goes:
PlayStation 3 digital retail games
Super Street Fighter IV (Arcade Edition)
Little Big Planet 2
Demon’s Souls
BioShock 2
Vanquish
Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition
Sleeping Dogs
Borderlands
Infamous 2
Just Cause 2
Darksiders
Saints Row 2
Spec Ops: The Line
King of Fighters XIII
Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine
Tomb Raider: Underworld
Far Cry 2
Shift 2 Unleashed
Sly cooper
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Saints Row: the third
Uncharted 3
Xcom: enemy unknown
Little big planet karting
PlayStation Vita retail games
Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward
Gravity Rush
BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extend
Uncharted: Golden Abyss
Wipeout 2048
Disgaea 3: Absence of Detention
Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus
Jet Set Radio
Chronovolt
Tales from Space: Mutant Blobs Attack
The Pinball Arcade
Plants vs. Zombies
PlayStation 3 and Vita
Zombie Tycoon 2: Brainhov’s Revenge
Knytt Underground
Retro City Rampage
Foosball 2012
Germinator
Marvel pinball (zen pinball 2)
PlayStation 3 PSN
Machinarium
Double Dragon Neon
Pac-Man Championship Edition DX
Lara Croft and the Guradian of Light
The Walking Dead (Ep. 1 & 2)
Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown
Closure
Renegade Ops
Dungeon Defenders
NFL Blitz
Quantum Conundrum
Rochard
Anomaly: Warzone Earth
Joe Danger 2: The Movie
Mega Man 10
Mega Man 9
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
Starhawk (single player only)
Hard Corps: Uprising
Guardians of Middle Earth
Sideway: New York
The Cave
Gotham City Imposters
Choplifter HD
Payday: The Heist
Bloodrayne Betrayal
Labyrinth Legends
Zombie Apocalypse: Never Die Alone
Malicious
Outland
Trine 2
Rock of Ages
The King of Fighters XIII
NBA Jam: on fire ed.
Shank 2
Swords and Soldiers
Frogger Returns
Super street Fighter II Turbo HD remix
Golden axe
Sonic the hedgehog
Sonic the hedgehog 2
Streets of rage 2
Alterd Beast
Comix zone
Bomberman ultra
Costume Quest
Stacking
Battle Fantasia
Tron
Supersonic Acrobatic rocket powered battle cars
Critter Crunch
Mahjong Tales
Magic orbz
Cuboid
Burn zombie burn!
Comet Crash
Back to the Future: the game
Magic the gathering
Shatter
Inferno Pool
Digger Hd
Mushroom wars
Lead and gold
awesomenauts
Little big planet sack boys prehistoric moves
PSP
God Eater Burst
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
Final Fantasy V
Tekken 6
Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny
Mega Man Maverick Hunter X
PS One Classics
International Track and Field
Hot Shots Golf 2
Crash Bandicoot
Crash Bandicoot 2
Crash Bandicoot 3
Crash team racing
medievil
Syphon Filter
Syphon Filter 2
Syphon Filter 3
Destruction Derby
Warhawk
Rally Cross
Jet Moto
Spyro 2
Spyro year of the dragon
Um Jammer Lammy
2xtreme
Castlevania:sotn
oddworld: abes oddysee
Silent hill
Resident evil D/c
Resident evil 2
resident evil 3
castlevania chronicles
Disney Lilo and stitch
PS Mini
Ronnie O’Sullivan’s Snooker
Farm Frenzy 2
Kaleidoscope
Bermuda Triangle
Gold Medalist
Guerrilla War
Street Smart
Lets Golf
Hero of Sparta
Dr. Maybee and the adventures of scary girl
Stick man rescue
Defenders of the mystic garden
Blast off
Echoes
Aero Racer
Age of Zombies
Alien Zombie Death
Jelly Pops
Bubble Trouble
Mecho wars
Kahoots
Pix'n love rush
Vempire
Bashi Blocks
Rumble trucks
Fieldrunners
a space shooter for 2 bucks
breakquest
enigmo
canabalt
I must run
Doodle fit
Kaleidoscope
Dynogems
Karimogi
Babel the king of the blocks
vector td
1000 tiny claws
Duael invaders
Orbit
OMG-Z
Hungry Giraffe
Velocity
pipe madness
me monstar
farm frenzy
The 2d adventures of rotating octopus character
floating cloud god saves the pilgrims
mad blocker alpha
Ninjamurai
revoltin youth
where is my heart?
speedball 2 evolution
crap, looks like I missed a couple of those. Though maybe you were on board before me.
I've been meaning to compile a list such as this but never got around to it. This is how the value can most be displayed. I have basically downloaded everything that is available from Plus. Since the beginning I have stated that this is how you maintain customers, with an ever growing library.
Hold on to your physical collections guys because I think this is where the game industry is heading. Netflix for games eventually.
oh my lord. i only signed up the last month legitimately without promotions and codes and got 21 new games. used 180gb data off the bat. wish i didnt miss out of the other games :'( as is the case with me scraping past okami hd
beautiful service for gamers
ive had plus since the start. i dont want to say day 1 but probably week 1. i do know that i got it originally on july 4th. if that was 2010 they introduced plus then this will be 3 years next month and it runs til 7/23/14 on my current time. by that time that list i posted will be even bigger. to keep all that for only $50 is a great deal.
i also forgot to add to the list all of the qore episodes they gave out before cancelling it. the list also doesnt have any of the dlc or betas that they gave out. or the timed trial section. or the free avatars and themes that they gave out. or any of the games i bought cheap with a plus discount.
so xbox live gold is so great why?
Last edited by frylock25 on 6/9/2013 8:50:53 PM
Would an analyst/s lowball a price in order to make the true price seem too expensive. I wonder sometimes how severe corporate warfare can become. Ah conspiracies, gotta love 'em. Good thing there is no evidence of such practices.
Anyway, I am under the impression that Sony is on a mission with this next generation. Coming in at $300-$400 range would disrupt the status quo. No media format battle means they can laser focus on content and services. The elephant in the room this E3 is DRM. Has Sony been quiet on this front because they are going in a similar direction than the competition or is the strategy to slam MS on the Little Big Brother policies. Interesting times indeed.
PGU: GOW: Ascension. One Trophy away from Platinum. I only Platinum Franchises I follow or somehow get drawn into. I must admit. This was the glitchiest GOW I ever played. Same thing with Tomb Raider. Great games but two glitches are blocking the Plat.
Can't wait to be one of The Last Of Us!
Just realized that I did not mention Lightning Returns. That is how interested I am. I understand what SE was trying to do but did they need to outright abandon the tried and true formula in the process. They should/could have developed two paths for the Final Fantasy Legacy.
Pachter would.
I wonder then how would Pachter benefit. It can't simply be to stir controversy.
Self serving. If it really comes out higher then all the gaming news sites will contact him for comment and he can further his influence. Always stay in the news, that's the rule for the career-minded.
no opinions on the ps4 price. just going to wait for e3. maybe the shells are just super cheap china imported (akin to the first ps3 v-7.1 headset) and the pc-like components are self explanatory.
and wow youre hopefully reviewing time and eternity by weeks end? didnt expect it so soon. cool cool
PGU: started up castlevania los again to gear up for the sequel at the end of this year. Man I'm pumped.