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Sony Sacrificed the PlayStation 4 Camera to Beat Microsoft on Price

P

Poetic.Injustice

Member
When Sony announced that PlayStation 4 would be priced at $399 to an uproar of applause from the audience at its E3 press conference, it secured a critical edge over the Xbox One. But the advantage came at a cost: the PlayStation 4 camera. According to multiple sources, in the months leading up to E3, Sony nixed plans to include the camera add-on with every system and shave $100 off it's originally planned price of $499. Most importantly, it did so quietly, informing its retail partners only of the removal of the camera, not specifying the lower price so as not to tip its hand to Microsoft.
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By relegating the camera to a $59.99 add-on, Sony has ensured the opposite — a climate of codependency wherein PlayStation 4 camera adoption will hinge upon compelling software, but compelling software will only arrive after PlayStation 4 camera adoption.

What's worse, the DualShock 4's integrated LEDs are now good for little more than visual flair. Per Sony, the light-up panels will help indicate the player associated with each controller and, when supported, react to in-game cues, such as blinking red when a player is low on health. Ultimately, the limited functionality of the LEDs without the aid of the Eye won't impact the player experience or even drastically diminish the overall battery life of the controller, but it's a lingering reminder of Sony's failure to support the tech.
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At present, Sony's abandonment of the Eye in favor of a lower priced PlayStation 4 seems to be paying off — the company claims to be boosting internal sales estimates and online retailers are reporting record breaking pre-sales — but will it be able to incentivize consumers and developers to adopt the device in the future? The odds are seemingly stacked against it, but perhaps Sony has a killer app waiting in the wings.
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http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/06...aystation-4-camera-to-beat-microsoft-on-price
 
G

GalacticMouse

Member
They can do the same thing down the road for camera-required games and bundle the game and camera for $99 later. If people are interested, they'll pick it up. If not, they probably wouldn't have bought the camera software anyway.

Wise move by Sony.
 
L

Levito

Banned
Yes and?


I bought a Playstation eye for the movie controller a few years ago and neither of them get any use now.
 
A

AndyD

aka andydumi
If they can sell it at retail for 59, then bundled it would have raised the price by $50 I imagine not $100.

But I am glad they left it out, optional is better, particularly since it gives them motivation to release compelling software for it to spur sales.
 
P

PeakPointMatrix

Member
Interesting, I didn't even think about the now defunct use of the controller's LEDs. They really did intend on shipping with the camera. It goes to show how much they've grown from last gen. A tough, but wise move considering the controllers were designed to communicate with the thing. Although honestly at $60 bucks, I'm not breaking the bank, I can see myself getting one down the line.
 
X

xKilltheMx

Member
As somebody who loves move - I hate this decision.

But as somebody who likes cheap console prices - smart move Sony.

I'd rather the included camera so developers actually use it unlike on the ps3
 
V

valkillmore

Member
It is a very smart move. Sony have been saying all along the PS4 is for gamers first. The hardcore gamers first. Those who do not give two dogshits about camera interaction, myself included.
 
C

Concept17

Member
Kinect has never been more than a marketing ploy to me. It should be optional, not forced. It is simply not essential to the platform.

Sony made the right, and obvious, move.
 
S

StuBurns

Banned
Bullshit, the camera is only $60 with a profit margin, so it obviously wasn't going to add $100.

We also knew it wasn't being included because the DS4 ad said so.
 
F

FreedomFighter

Member
I think this was pretty obvious. They were completely reactionary to Microsoft in their conference. This is a great move though - it's good for consumers.
 
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