Jim Ryan, Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO and president, has touched base on the concept of releasing cheaper, lower-spec consoles, noting they have not seen great success in the past. As such, the format holder decided not to pursue this avenue with the PS5.
PlayStation Boss Talks Lower-Spec Consoles
Speaking with AV Watch, Ryan commented that he feels consumers want to invest in something that is future proof and can be used for up to seven years, rather than purchase a deice that may be outdated long before then.
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The first thing I would like to say is that I respect every competitor’s decision and their philosophies. Clearly, price is a very important factor. We respect other companies’ competitive strategies. However, we are fully committed to and believe in our current strategy and the effect it will have.
One thing that can be said is that if you look at the history of the game business, creating a special low priced, reduced spec console is something that has not had great results in the past. We’ve considered that option and seen other executives who have attempted this discover how problematic it is.
Based on our research, it’s clear that people who buy a game console want to continue using it for four, five, six or even seven years. They want to believe they have bought something that is future-proofed and not going to be outdated in two-to-three years.
They want to have faith that if they end up buying a new TV that their current console will be able to support that new 4K TV they are considering on buying.
The PS5 is launching in November in two variations, a digital-based version and a regular disc-based edition. Microsoft on the other hand is releasing the Xbox Series S and the Xbox Series X, the former being a cheaper, lower-spec version of the new system.
[Source – AV Watch via Video Game Chronicle]