Consoles are not about making money. The games are what makes them most money. Consoles are just a means to get you to buy the games and invest into the ecosystem - headphones, controllers, earbuds, portal, the stand, the disc drive etc. They are in some ways loss leaders. And it's not something new, consoles have never given huge profits to the company.
Gaming PlayStation 5
- Thread starter ArmandTamzarian
- Start date
I've a number of PS4 discs and a couple of PS5 games on disc, and I use the console as a Blu-Ray player. Most of my game purchases are digital but I like to get the disc if available for some of the more special/memorable titles.
Not most but I’ve got 5 physical PS5 games and they’re sort of the biggest titles that I just wanted the disc versions of. I used to also buy disc versions for some games because of the possibility to sell it off and recover some of the cost
What’s the deal here? What does someone who has made those purchases do?
I think the point is it’s a premium console so it should have a disc drive included - not saying I agree with that.
Personally I think the Pro is far too expensive. In addition the first half of that presentation was basically shitting on the PS5 which is just bizarre.
I'm not the target audience and I haven't owned a Sony console since the PS2, but I'm still going to weigh in a little as I speak to a few friends in a group chat who have other consoles (I only have the Switch, which they do also, and seem to get much more use from that or Steamdeck than anything else).
I just don't quite see the point of this. The PS4 Pro seemed more necessary at the time and I thought that was an OK move. I get that these Pro consoles realistically have a smaller target audience of the hardcore console player, but this price is very drastic for what you get IMO. The PS4 Pro came in at a time when they could reduce the cost of the PS4 and slot the Pro in at the PS4's original price, and despite it probably not being anywhere near possible to do that these days I just can't see it making much sense. PS4 Pro came out at £400? 8 years later or so, the PS5 Pro is at £700 (or nearly £800 if you want to use discs)... That's a huge mark up in a short space of time. As some have said, the PS4 Pro made up about 15-20% of PS4 sales. This isn't something everyone is expected to replace their PS5 with. Games will still be developed almost entirely for the base PS5 and I'm not sure how many will developers will put in the effort to take full advantage of the Pro's capabilities for a while.
75% of people pick performance mode over visuals, but marketing seems to promote the sexy graphics more than anything else. I suppose the target is to keep that performance level but give those players better visuals? Eh, the people who really want it will get it. Hopefully they're happy with their purchase and I expect these to sell out initially, but over time maybe not too much fuss about it.
Lastly, while easy for me to say from someone who hasn't played any of the acclaimed games on PS5, I don't feel like I'm missing anything when I check in on what's happening. Lack of exclusive games seems to be a running theme from my friends. It doesn't seem good enough to me, it feels like Sony has gotten a bit complacent again like they did early on in the PS3 era cos they sell the most consoles almost every time.
I just don't quite see the point of this. The PS4 Pro seemed more necessary at the time and I thought that was an OK move. I get that these Pro consoles realistically have a smaller target audience of the hardcore console player, but this price is very drastic for what you get IMO. The PS4 Pro came in at a time when they could reduce the cost of the PS4 and slot the Pro in at the PS4's original price, and despite it probably not being anywhere near possible to do that these days I just can't see it making much sense. PS4 Pro came out at £400? 8 years later or so, the PS5 Pro is at £700 (or nearly £800 if you want to use discs)... That's a huge mark up in a short space of time. As some have said, the PS4 Pro made up about 15-20% of PS4 sales. This isn't something everyone is expected to replace their PS5 with. Games will still be developed almost entirely for the base PS5 and I'm not sure how many will developers will put in the effort to take full advantage of the Pro's capabilities for a while.
75% of people pick performance mode over visuals, but marketing seems to promote the sexy graphics more than anything else. I suppose the target is to keep that performance level but give those players better visuals? Eh, the people who really want it will get it. Hopefully they're happy with their purchase and I expect these to sell out initially, but over time maybe not too much fuss about it.
Lastly, while easy for me to say from someone who hasn't played any of the acclaimed games on PS5, I don't feel like I'm missing anything when I check in on what's happening. Lack of exclusive games seems to be a running theme from my friends. It doesn't seem good enough to me, it feels like Sony has gotten a bit complacent again like they did early on in the PS3 era cos they sell the most consoles almost every time.
The only way this is selling well is if GTA6 runs like absolute ass on a base PS5.
Maybe the expectation is that by 2026 the base models won’t be able to deliver 60fps for the AAA titles. 600 dollars is still understandable but 700 without a stand or disk drive is pure madness
Also can someone explain how it’s 700 dollars and 700 pounds too?
I guess as it’s 700 dollars plus tax.
They usually do 1:1 exchange these days as it equals out sort of.
I see they also put the controller prices up a bit as well.
Guess Concord crashing had to be paid for.
Guess Concord crashing had to be paid for.
Americans pay tax, I believe.
I read about that. I should buy the new controller asap given the old price still applies
They're already not delivering 60 fps in some AAA titles. Dragon's Dogma 2 comes to mind, Final Fantasy 16 was all over the place in performance mode and I imagine it's not going to get any better. There's virtually zero chance that GTA 6 will have a 60 fps mode on base PS5 and Series X.
$700 for City fans, £700 for United fans. IYKWIM
Crackheads
I think some of that is just poor optimisation. I meant I think Alan Wake and Avatar look much better than FF16 (as does FF7?) and run smoothly. I think 2026 will be a good time for me to consider the Pro - I’m anyway 2 years behind the gaming cycle and by then the base PS5 will probably be struggling a bit.
If that's the case, GTA 6 is realistically Sony's only hope of moving this machine. Then again, I have friends who own consoles that barely believe 60fps is even a real thing, they just don't care. Then you'll get some people that'll go down the budget PC route instead. Mainly those who are pissed off with Sony's cash grabs at this point.
GTA 6 will probably get rereleased on ps6 and be even better
That’s odd. I just can’t go back to 30fps now.
It's odd, but true. One of them is playing through RDR2 in 30fps on PS5 at the moment.
Dragons dogma 2 has been patched I think. I got it about a month ago and it is regularly over 100fps now, capped at 120 and falls no lower than 48fps from what I have seen.
I do have vrr on though which I think helps smooth frame drops, but generally I have had no issues I can remember at all frame rate wise.
I refuse to pick that game up again! 30fps is ugly, just patch it but no doubt they’ll try and extort money from us all.
I think that's almost a certainty.
Given the development time for big games now, it stand a decent chance of making the PS7.
Agreed. RDR2 was actually one of the main reasons I primarily moved to PC. Waiting around for "patches" or developers extorting money as you say becomes a frustration. Not like it couldn't run at 60fps on base PS5 with the right optimization either.
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Ok, I might have mad a mistake by selling my PS5, already!. I expected the Pro to be £600 not £700. I also thought for £700 then it will come with the stand. Just going to have to take the price on the chin.
Yeah, US price does not include VAT. Even taking that into account, in the UK, we're still being overcharged by like £50.
In the UK, and EU you can get physical games cheaper than digital due there being competition online and in store. Digital you are locked to the closed eco system. Sony don't even allow digital keys of games to be sold via 3rd parties.
And of course, you can resell your physical games on if you like.
To say nothing that it's a machine priced more at the enthusiast market who will probably also be people that are collectors of things like physical games.
A lot of games now don't really have a lot of replay value to them and the introduction with PS Plus means that a lot of games I play end up digital anyway. I like to blast through games with a platinum and then trading them in. Means I am perhaps spending £30 max for a game at a time rather than the £60 or £70 that it is digital.
I even bought the disc drive in prep! Digital foundry suggested it might well sell out after the pro reveal. I've checked and it is sold out in a few places. So, I might have been correct on that call.L
This is quite a clever idea of overspending on things you want to buy
Yup, sold out here as well, which pretty much confirms that the PS5 Pro is going to sell out as well, even at that price. I guess that's just how things are these days.
No doubt the pro will sell out, at first. Long term, it'll probably sell less than the PS4 pro, though.
They add VAT after. If tax is 15% over there it will be $803.
I don't think there's any doubt it will sell less, unless Sony have a big title or two up their sleeve that looks and plays significantly better on the pro and does things the base model version can't. Given the power difference, that's highly doubtful. Also, even if these titles exists, selling that to the average console consumer sounds near impossible seeing as most aren't into technicalies. They just want to play new games.
I kind of hate the fact that PS6 is probably already a long time on GTA6’ business plan
The average consumer will never spend £700 on a console for one game. Even for GTA6. Unless it runs like complete ass on PS5, but I find that hard to imagine. Base PS5 will be where the majority of their playerbase will be playing on release. They have to make sure it runs well on that machine.
The Pro is aimed at giga enthusiasts. The price is getting too close to what you would spend on a decent PC, though. I'm finding it very hard to see how this does well.
Well. I'm probably going to bite the bullet. I'm a PC guy, but GTA 6 and getting FIFA back on the big TV will probably provide more than enough hours of entertainment to justify this.