Sony PR: 1 million+ PS4s sold in North America in first 24 hours

[Icemage]

Re: Sony PR: 1 million+ PS4s sold in North America in first 24 hours

That could still be a possibility as we're left wondering just how many 360 owners are making the switch over to the PS side? When XB1 was unveiled, there was so much loathing even from the most loyal and rabid XB owners that I thought it was enough of a disruption to leave Microsoft in a weak position at launch. But that could still be the scenario after you bleed out most of the "first-adoptors" on the Microsoft camp. You're then left with a vast middle ground of consumers who've yet to feel that they need to leave behind their Wii/360/PS3 and move on to newer pastures...

(In other words, Sony has momentum, and if they keep building on it, this will serve to convince both developers and consumers that they ought to only look at PS and not anything else)

In Europe, the XB1 is definitely struggling. Prices are getting dropped at retailers, and even in North America the Titanfall bundle is now the same price as the solus launch XB1. More telling is the fact that the rest of Microsoft's so-called "Tier 2" countries (most of the rest of Europe, all of Asia, South America, Middle East) have yet to even get a hint of when an official release will occur, which is... strange.

By the by, NPD numbers are getting crunched over on NeoGAF and the consensus for the USA in February seems to be 286K PS4, 258K XB1, which seem to be fairly healthy numbers. PS4 numbers are still heavily supply constrained (and Japan launch probably siphoned off a fair number of units). Even Wii U saw a bit of a bump, to somewhere in the 86K range.

I'm guessing the XB1 numbers in January were negatively impacted by returns, much like the Wii U's were last year.

re: Mal
I don't think inFamous or any title can move any more PS4s than are already selling; it's still very difficult to find a PS4 on store shelves or online, so demand is already ahead of supply - increasing the demand won't make even a single extra unit fly off the shelf because there aren't any units on the shelves to begin with. It might create more buzz for mindshare purposes though, especially as we head into spring/summer doldrums where slaes typically flatten off.

More interesting will be whether Titanfall can push a significant number of XB1s (it should move at least "some"), at least enough to have it be ahead of the PS4 is Microsoft's major market for one month. The trouble is, of course, that Titanfall is also on PC and (coming soon to 360), so its effect on hardware sales is harder to predict.


Icemage

[Carter]

Re: Sony PR: 1 million+ PS4s sold in North America in first 24 hours

My PS4 arrived today

[Malacite]

Re: Sony PR: 1 million+ PS4s sold in North America in first 24 hours

Just saw a PS4 commercial for Destiny >.>

Kinda early considering the beta isn't even out yet but yay! Release date is September 9.

[Icemage]

Re: Sony PR: 1 million+ PS4s sold in North America in first 24 hours

Just saw a PS4 commercial for Destiny >.>

Kinda early considering the beta isn't even out yet but yay! Release date is September 9.

That's Activision + Sony's doing, no doubt. Titanfall just released, so they're trying to derail the hype train for it and steal some thunder.

BTW, did you get your PS4 yet? Apparently the weakening Canadian dollar has caused everyone, including Sony, to raise prices. PS4 is now $449 CDN and inFamous is now $70 CDN.


Icemage

[Malacite]

Re: Sony PR: 1 million+ PS4s sold in North America in first 24 hours

Yeah I've had mine since launch day.

And I pre-ordered Infamous when it was still $60, but didn't pay in full. This is some big BS on Sony's part and the Canadian government - Harper said in his throne speech that he'd finally end the bullshit disparity between prices in the U.S. & Canada. We get charged more (often a LOT more) just because we're Canadian, even on stuff that's made in Canada. At most it's a $6 difference at the moment (Canadian dollar is at 90 cents US) and yes it's been low lately but overall it's been holding almost at parity with the US dollar for years now.

This is really just a dick move by Sony and I'm not happy about it. They cranked up PS4 accessories another $5 too. Nintendo and Microsoft stuff isn't going up, JUST SONY. GTFO...

[Icemage]

Re: Sony PR: 1 million+ PS4s sold in North America in first 24 hours

Yeah I've had mine since launch day.

And I pre-ordered Infamous when it was still $60, but didn't pay in full. This is some big BS on Sony's part and the Canadian government - Harper said in his throne speech that he'd finally end the bullshit disparity between prices in the U.S. & Canada. We get charged more (often a LOT more) just because we're Canadian, even on stuff that's made in Canada. At most it's a $6 difference at the moment (Canadian dollar is at 90 cents US) and yes it's been low lately but overall it's been holding almost at parity with the US dollar for years now.

This is really just a dick move by Sony and I'm not happy about it. They cranked up PS4 accessories another $5 too. Nintendo and Microsoft stuff isn't going up, JUST SONY. GTFO...

?

Current value of the Canadian dollar is almost exactly 0.90 USD.

XE: (CAD/USD) Canadian Dollar to US Dollar Rate

So $400 USD = $444 CAD, and $60 USD = $66 CAD at the moment, with no clue where the Canadian dollar will be going forward. Seems like a smart business move to me, even if it sucks for people living in Canada. That's what happens when your currency weakens: prices on imported goods go up.


Icemage

[Malacite]

Re: Sony PR: 1 million+ PS4s sold in North America in first 24 hours

Yes but historically we've been getting gouged like crazy over stuff literally just because they can. The CBC's Marketplace ran a special on it a few weeks ago and some of the numbers were staggering.

We get ripped off for no good reason, plain and simple. This might also have something to do with Quebec starting shit over another referendum again as well - some companies are already pulling out of the province even before the vote. If it does go through, I wonder what companies like Eidos will do.

[Icemage]

Re: Sony PR: 1 million+ PS4s sold in North America in first 24 hours

Yes but historically we've been getting gouged like crazy over stuff literally just because they can.

Sure, but the important point is that right now it's not price gouging, it's adjustment to actual monetary value, at least for imported things like game consoles and software.

This can also impact the cost of non-imported items if the materials they're made from are imported. And of course, there's the issue of businesses seeing prices everywhere going up and either following suit out of greed even if they don't import anything.


Icemage

[Feba]

Re: Sony PR: 1 million+ PS4s sold in North America in first 24 hours

You guys should really just dissolve your federal government and have your provinces petition to join the United States.

I'm not really joking.

[Firewind]

Re: Sony PR: 1 million+ PS4s sold in North America in first 24 hours

Sure, but the important point is that right now it's not price gouging, it's adjustment to actual monetary value, at least for imported things like game consoles and software.

This can also impact the cost of non-imported items if the materials they're made from are imported. And of course, there's the issue of businesses seeing prices everywhere going up and either following suit out of greed even if they don't import anything.


Icemage

^ This.

if you want price gouging, look what European gamers have to put up with with the pricing of the majority of games. Keeping the price in units of currency the same ($40, €40 and £40) is gouging as it does not reflect the actual monetary value. The EU and UK should be paying less for games not more if we accurately reflect the value of the currency. I've noted many times before, even when you take out VAT, we still pay significantly more for things we really should not be. The vast majority of it comes from greed.

Prices for things going up due to a weak currency is not gouging. It's just people responding to the true value of your currency.

Also might as well mention this before someone mentions it: Australia gets screwed over purely due to how much it costs to ship stuff there.

[ItazuraNhomango]

Re: Sony PR: 1 million+ PS4s sold in North America in first 24 hours

^ This. if you want price gouging, look what European gamers have to put up with with the pricing of the majority of games. Keeping the price in units of currency the same ($40, €40 and £40) is gouging as it does not reflect the actual monetary value. The EU and UK should be paying less for games not more if we accurately reflect the value of the currency.

If you're paying less than me, then the company would be 'gouging' me! (Yeah, yeah, I know what you mean, but the phrasing bugs me when what you're really demanding is to pay the same $40, just in different currency.)

Anyway, if it's not water, food, shelter, clothing, or transportation, I'm not sure if the term 'gouging' really applies, but either way video game pricing can definitely be filed under "first world problem, minor annoyance type" category.

Should the firms involved keep up a large differential, someone will figure out a way to let EU players easily buy games at closer price to NA players, and take a cut of that as profit--as long as video gaming remain a big business. The market abhors arbitrage, after all.

[Malacite]

Re: Sony PR: 1 million+ PS4s sold in North America in first 24 hours

So while Joystiq isn't usually the best source, there was one really interesting comment (along with Sony apparently NOT officially taking the exchange into account in this) that reinforces the dick move perception (which it is).

JohnCarmichael 1 day ago
While the US may be the world's main reserve currency, technically we should be comparing fluctuations between the Canadian dollar and the Japanese yen, which is ultimately how Sony gets paid given it's a Japanese corporation. In the last year, the Canadian dollar has only weakened against the yen by 2%. Sony however is raising the PS4 price by 12%!

So this is clearly not just about pure exchange rates, but about Sony gouging Canadian consumers for what it thinks it can get away with from a position of market leadership and continuing supply shortage. We'll have to see whether Canadian consumers will put up with being gouged, or jump ship in droves to Xbox One.

The dollar's only dropped a few cents in the past several months, including prior to PS4's launch. Yet now suddenly they decide to crank up the rates? Methinks they're getting greedy again given the runaway success of the PS4. Basically they know it's in really high demand, so they're gonna stick it to us like the fuckers they are.

Again, neither MS nor Nintendo are raising any of their rates, only Sony.

[Feba]

Re: Sony PR: 1 million+ PS4s sold in North America in first 24 hours

You're taking economic advice from... Joystiq comments. Okay Mal. You do realize that the idea of Sony getting "paid" in JPY is ridiculous, right? Sony is a global company with offices all over the world, traded on both the Tokyo and NY exchanges, covering everything from the entertainment and electronics part of the corporation we're most familiar with, to banks, life insurance, chemical engineering... Their business model is not nearly so simple as a company that makes a product in one place, exports it to another place, and pockets the money.

"a few cents" is pretty damn huge. When you're talking about the price of a magazine, maybe not so much. When you're talking about a multi-hundred dollar piece of electronic equipment, being sold across an ocean? That shit adds up. Also consider the other costs Sony has to deal with by entering the Canadian market; whatever taxes, licenses, certification, translation, and other regulation they have to deal with adds to the cost, all for the sake of getting into a relatively small market (the population of Canada is roughly comparable to the state of California, or Tokyo). I remember reading about the benefits of the Euro once mentioning that there can be over a %100 "localisation tax" to practically bring many products across national borders; that being one of the major benefits of having shared economic zones and standards.

If you don't like the prices, import it from the states. Or, again, dissolve your federal government and join the union.

[Icemage]

Re: Sony PR: 1 million+ PS4s sold in North America in first 24 hours

So while Joystiq isn't usually the best source, there was one really interesting comment (along with Sony apparently NOT officially taking the exchange into account in this) that reinforces the dick move perception (which it is).





The dollar's only dropped a few cents in the past several months, including prior to PS4's launch. Yet now suddenly they decide to crank up the rates? Methinks they're getting greedy again given the runaway success of the PS4. Basically they know it's in really high demand, so they're gonna stick it to us like the fuckers they are.

Again, neither MS nor Nintendo are raising any of their rates, only Sony.

None of this means a hill of beans when we have a free trade zone between the USA and Canada.


Icemage

[Carter]

Re: Sony PR: 1 million+ PS4s sold in North America in first 24 hours

Sorted out my PS4 yesterday and have to say that, besides not many game yet (tho no bad thing!) I'm loving the new interface. Still getting used to the "options" button and complete lack of start and select

I like the way that the PSN shop is faster now. Never understood why the ps3 version is so slow given that it's basically just a web browser!

Looking forward to playing Assassins Creed 4. Have played Warframe and it's comparable to my PC version graphically etc. Yes my PC is getting old...just think it, plz don't say it!

One slight niggle is the lack of the old PS AV socket. I use it to split the audio when using HDMI on my monitor (hdmi video, AV left and right audio to speakers) and can't really afford yet another sound box / sound bar thingy just to split the audio off.

Any good ideas re that would be helpful?

Currently using the mark I Sony wireless gaming headset. It's a bit "hissy" now, and the blue-tooth keeps going weird, but at least I can hear the thing!

Anyway, on the whole colour me impressed so far...

Will be good to see FFXIV in April when it comes out. I picked up a ps3 copy [cheaply] for the code so that I can convert it to a PS4 accoutn and then re-register the new ps3 code rather than fork out £50 o_0!