Sony Claims NGP Will Be "Affordable"

[Logan Westbrook]

Sony Claims NGP Will Be "Affordable"

How much to charge for the NGP has been a concern since the project began, says Sony.

While it isn't tripping over itself to talk numbers, Sony is keen to reassure people that the NGP - the newly announced [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/107321-Sony-Finally-Confirms-New-PSP], and long rumored, follow up to the PSP - won't cost an arm and a leg.

Sony Europe boss Andrew House said that he couldn't talk in exact figures - not even ballpark figures - but said that the NGP would be "affordable", and would have a price point in line with the rest of the mobile gaming sector. Shuhei Yoshida, head of Sony Worldwide Studios, also didn't talk in exact numbers, although he joked that the NGP would definitely cost less than $600.

Yoshida said that the price point for the NGP has been a concern for Sony since work began on the project began in 2008. He hoped that when Sony eventually did reveal the price, consumers would recognize the value it represented. It's rumored that Sony will sell the NGP at a loss, but House said that after its experience with loss leader hardware in the past, it was hopeful that it could sell the NGP at a profit.

House's and Yoshida's comments make it sound like Sony is still trying to decide how much to charge for the NGP. With all the technology packed into the device, it's almost certainly expensive to make, so it really comes down to how much of a loss Sony is willing to take. Selling it at a competitive price compared to the 3DS and the iPhone would help Sony shift units, but also means that it will take more software sales to make any money from the platform.

Source: Eurogamer [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-01-27-sony-ngp-price-will-be-affordable] and Game Informer [http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/01/27/sony-39-s-yoshida-on-pricing-the-ngp.aspx]


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[josemlopes]

Meh, at least it has two analog sticks and nice graphics, but from what I saw it is full of gimmicky shit. Has anyone here saw the Uncharted video? The rope climbing is just awfully retarded.

 

[Simalacrum]

"He hoped that when Sony eventually did reveal the price, consumers would recognize the value it represented."

......Right, that pretty much means their going to sell it at a premium, this is the excuse that Sony always makes when they're products end up being more expensive than the competition =\

 

[Corpse XxX]

I have never before even considered getting a handheld gaming device..

but now im actually starting to consider it.. And having analog sticks aswell might give a better feeling of an actual gaming experience worth having..

Hope its not shitloads expensive..

 

[Lord Beautiful]

If this thing can let me take Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 from my PS3 to the sidewalk, I'll pay up to $250 for it. Otherwise, fuck no.

 

[Flying Dagger]

I'd probably pay 150-200 pounds for one of these, if the games were good and it had backwards compatibility with my current psp games... but I may have to wait for it to come down in price a bit if it's more. I really enjoyed my psp til it broke, and if they can increase battery life as well as putting in a second analog stick I might just be getting excited for this.

 

[KaosuHamoni]

Yay. Although I hope that this isn't some PR bullshit, and it ends up costing me an arm and a leg.

Yes Sony, once again, I am looking at you. =_=

Still want it though... ¬_¬

 

[Delusibeta]

I'm going to predict at the very least $300. A touch screen, a touch pad and enough graphics capability to output PS3-level graphics? It's going to cost quite a bit of wonga.

 

[KEM10]

Shuhei Yoshida, head of Sony Worldwide Studios, also didn't talk in exact numbers, although he joked that the NGP would definitely cost less than $600.

This just in, NGP priced at $599.95. Shuhei Yoshida commented, "See, under $600!"

 

[Jamash]

Is that affordable "because you'll want to get a second job just to afford one" affordable, or normal, every day affordable?

 

[Atmos Duality]

After the love-HATE relationship I had with the PSP, it's going to take a very very strong lineup of games to bring me back.
They finally addressed the control issue. Good job Sony! It only took you SIX FUCKING YEARS to make an adjustment people were complaining about since day one!

Though given how the entire game market is contracting by genre (more funds are proportionally going to huge releases like Halo, CoD4.3, etc), I'm curious (or worried) that there won't be anything on the NGP but shitty tie-ins and ports of mediocre mainstream games on it.
Lets hope this is not true.

 

[Vault Citizen]

So its both packed full of features and powerful hardware and its affordable? I await a catch (apart from battery life)

 

[Truly-A-Lie]

Meh, at least it has two analog sticks and nice graphics, but from what I saw it is full of gimmicky shit. Has anyone here saw the Uncharted video? The rope climbing is just awfully retarded.

I'm really hoping there's an option to use the left stick. Not only because using the pad like that looks stupid, the way you have to hold it to do that action looks deadly for what will no doubt be an expensive device. I don't want to risk dropping it every time Drake has to climb a rope.

 

[uppitycracker]

although he joked that the NGP would definitely cost less than $600.

you heard it here first, folks!! $599 for the NGP!!!

 

[-Seraph-]

Meh, at least it has two analog sticks and nice graphics, but from what I saw it is full of gimmicky shit. Has anyone here saw the Uncharted video? The rope climbing is just awfully retarded.

I'm really hoping there's an option to use the left stick. Not only because using the pad like that looks stupid, the way you have to hold it to do that action looks deadly for what will no doubt be an expensive device. I don't want to risk dropping it every time Drake has to climb a rope.

From IGNs hand on preview with the device, they got to play Uncharted on it and you could use either the touch pad OR the Second stick. The touch screen/pad, and axis control and all that are just alternative control functions that may or may not be used in innovative ways. Guarantee that you'll have the option to go with whatever control scheme fits the game best for you.

 

[mjc0961]

Meh, at least it has two analog sticks and nice graphics, but from what I saw it is full of gimmicky shit. Has anyone here saw the Uncharted video? The rope climbing is just awfully retarded.

Yeah I saw it. It made me laugh because right about the time I was thinking to myself "That is awfully unintuitive" during the rope climbing, the voice over comes on and says that it is intuitive. Read my mind all you want video, but making me massage the back of the system isn't as easy as using the joystick, and in fact serves more to remind me it's a game than it does to draw me in.

Anyway, about price: it's going to be expensive no matter what. All that remains to be seen is how much so. But after reading all the comments about the 3DS' price, I can't wait until Sony tells us how much PSP2- sorry, "NGP"- will cost. Those should be some funny comments.