The PlayStation 4 system is comfortable in the skin it is in, and why would it be anything but? Since the consoles began sales in November of 2013 it has skyrocketed, not only to the top of the world-wide sales charts but to some of the best numbers for a consoles sales performance in the history of Video Games. Let’s face it, a number to the tune of 18.5 million units as of January of this year in consoles sales is nothing to shake a stick at. At Sony, they have wiped the word disappointment from their video game vocabulary. With Sony repeating as king this month again in sales, there looks to be no reason for them to change the tune of what they have been doing to this point. However, with news hitting yesterday that Japan was getting a price cut to the PS4, builds more to the speculation of a holiday cut in the States is beginning to gain more traction than just a rumor.
Sony has been taking note of what Microsoft is doing in their corner of the video game landscape, because a corner is about all the competition has had up to this point. However, with a lineup of games such as Gears of War Ultimate Edition, which launched in late August, Forza 6 dropping this week, Halo 5 in late October, and Rise of the Tomb Raider launching in November for the Xbox One, Microsoft has set themselves up for a very successful Holiday. The PlayStaiton 4 however has nothing that can’t be had on either console in its back pocket for this year and prospective fans of the system, and current owners, will have to wait until next year to see the big things that Sony has coming…. and they are coming. However, we are focusing on those that don’t already own the console at the moment and what they will look to buy when it comes to the season of buying for yourself…er….giving. That time frame sits right around the bend; believe it or not this is the time that companies are making the last tweaks to their holiday strategies.
Sony seems to be doing the same as Microsoft did with the Xbox One last year, by putting themselves in a similar spot for a drop in the bottom line this year, in terms of the PS4’s selling price. If you will remember the first Xbox price chop came overseas as well, when the Xbox One took a dive by 30 euros in the UK about 8 months before the cut in the US. Sony on the other hand has the means and the reason to cut now. For Sony, their ploy this holiday seems to be the games can wait, and they are going to be hitting soon, but instead following the motto: “if you price cut it, they will still come”. Sony has to continue to maintain a competitive advantage and games have not been in their cards for the year. We have seen just one major release of an exclusive in the last 6 months for them with the recently released Until Dawn. While it has done a decent amount of sales, it still finished seventh among the top game sales of August. Needless to say, it isn’t moving many consoles for Sony.
So, if you aren’t putting the games out, you have to take another measure to ensure that the system sells and nothing speaks louder than putting money back in the consumers pockets. Microsoft did just that when the slashed the Xbox One to $349 last November and wound up ending Sony’s steak of consecutive months leading the console race. With the games mentioned above though, Microsoft has positioned itself again to make a big run at the mega-consoles stranglehold at the top of the charts. Not to mention the effort and focus that Microsoft has given to the choices in console designs and options with packed-in games, or accessories, that will be at the disposal of consumers for the holiday.
It may only be a price cut in Japan at this point, but make no mistake, Sony is being very strategic and a price cut here in the states is immanent. They can’t afford to go up against the game lineup that Microsoft and the Xbox One is putting forth this year with nothing heading into the holiday. It is just a matter of time until they announce that the PS4 will be between $30 and $50 less than it was at this time last year. Success of a console, user install base, plus price cut or Options in bundles, games line up, plus already low price? That is the question we will all have to answer with our money this holiday season. What will matter most to you and which do you think has a stronger case moving into the holiday season? Games or new price cut? Sound off in the comments below.
Wilbur Smith
Completely disagree with this. Sony has zero need to cut the price in the States. Still going strong with console sales even with all of Microsoft’s price drops. Only reason they drop the price overseas is to bury Microsoft in those territories.
You’ll see more bundles instead of price drops.
rudero
Totally disagree. The thing is, microsoft has milked those franchises dry. They do have their fan base but it is the exact lineup of last year 2012 and 2011. Forza and halo. There is no mass appeal anymore.
Next year will be interesting though with new games from Microsoft and no sign of a long drought like they had for the last 10 months which is still way too close to microsofts last three years with the 360 and it’s horrible drought and focus on kinect.
Consumers are acting off history not the pr clean up job and promises of what’s to come.
This holiday will be interesting and I believe Sony was smart in their moves this holiday. Limited edition Star Wars ps4 AND cod. Two games that will outsell any of microsofts exclusives and people are aware of the benefits of the extra umph in sonys console.
xboxmaster
SONY 2015:
The Order 1886
Bloodborne
MLB 15 The Show
God of War III Remastered
Until Dawn
Tearaway Unfolded
Uncharted The Nathan Drake Collection
Bloodborne The Old Hunter
and many more jrpg , AA and indie exclusives
+exclusive content in Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, Mad Max, Batman Arkham Knight, Destiny, Call of Duty Black Ops III, Star Wars Battlefront and many more
VS
XBOX 2015:
Forza 6
Halo 5
and that’s it lol
sorry but i’m with sony, and judging by sales many other are too
Tha-Truth
Sony have already delivered far higher quality exclusive games in 2015 then what Microsofts cheap, worthless, last – gen Poverty Box is offering. Bloodborne by itself got a higher score on Metacritic then ALL of the cheap shovelware games on the Xbox DONE put together.
The Gears Of Bore reskin didn’t move anywhere near as many consoles as Microsoft were praying it would and it got completely torn apart on Metacritic for it’s trash gameplay, trash storytelling, trash graphics and trash online. Flopza 6 hasn’t been a system seller either.
Microsoft have released nothing but cheap, pathetic, low – quality, reskinned trash shovelware games for their dying console and that’s why the PS4 has absolutely destroyed the Poverty Box in the sales charts for the past 22 months in a row. Sony don’t need to cut the price to outsell the Poverty Box, they just need to keep doing what they’re doing – by having a far better console and far better games.
miyamoto
Exclusives vs Exclusives,eh?
Who has the more popular exclusive?
http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2015-09/09/youtube-until-dawn-tops-trending-chart
Until Dawn was the most popular video game on YouTube in August. The streaming video site places the PS4 surprise hit at the head of its monthly top ten trending games.
Devon Day
Hmm… this early? Seems that Sony really is now heading for the throat (metaphorically speaking).
XanderZane41
We’ll see. The reason they dropped the price in Japan is because the sales aren’t as high as Sony would like them to be in that market. In Europe & US the sales are much larger. If Sony dropped the price of the PS4 before the holiday, you can bet Microsoft will do the same as well.
Seventizz .
It’s amazing that Sony is winning with some of the worst exclusives in history. Meanwhile, Microsoft keeps hitting it out of the park with software.
Revolver Ocelot
Software? What software? Only thing you have is waiting and empty promises, Seventits. 🙂
Stoney
It could be 100 bucks and i still would not touch any Sony made garbage.