PlayStation 4 Facing "Sell-Out Situation" in Europe

[Vyress]

More pre-orders than the PS2? They should at least send Microsoft a fruit basket or something for their service.

At the very least, a "thank you" card.

OT:

It's a nice situation to be in, I guess. But Sony has to realise that many of those pre orders will be from Xbox refugees very sensitive to issues like this, and thus more likely to to cancel and go back to their beloved MS. So Sony best get as many out as possible as to not give these people a reason to cancel.

I never understood this. Would you really buy a worse - more expensive - product on a whim (and yes, worse since in this case they would have picked PS4 rather than Xbone) instead of just waiting a week or two? Especially stuff with these kind of price tags. I can't imagine anyone doing that to be honest.

And those same Xbox refugees weren't too sensitive to buy the damn Box more than once due to RROD. How sensitive can they be?

 

[TheComfyChair]

I do get the feeling that this is more marketing than physically not being able to produce the consoles. The APUs are pretty bog standard tech which, by now, will have good yields on a stable process, and the rest is just standard PC components that are made by the bucketload. For example, AMD ships around 70-100m discrete graphics chips a year (PC gaming is a stupidly big market), so ~15m (if the PS4 sells like hotcakes for a console) APU chips in a year is not a major increase in chip production.

Maybe Sony itself doesn't have the production capability though for actually assembling the consoles, which seems a more likely bottleneck.

 

[fix-the-spade]

So is this one of those intentional things where they intentionally release less to the public to drive up demand, or are so many people choosing the PS4 over the xbone that this is a genuine issue?

No, while perceived scarcity also generates demand (it's a trick Apple have been pulling for a decade after all) I don't think this day one shortage is artificial at all.

Historically there are never quite enough consoles to meet launch demand, the alternative is to spend a year building up production numbers and potentially have nobody buy the hardware. Even if sales are good the over supply would damage the company as you've had to pay out for all that production ahead of sales, every day a console sits unsold you lose money on it, even more so if the price has to be dropped to maintain demand. Nintendo tried this with the Wii U and it's backfired tremendously.

Sony will have ordered a first run of PS4s that it was sure would sell within three months, after the 360, PS3, Wii U and even Wii all having pretty slow launches that number was probably on the conservative side. Now they're frantically upping orders as it looks like the pre-release production will all be sold before release day, which is a nice problem to have. They might be upping the traditional 10-15million hardware units sold in the first year forecast too.

PS, it's also worth noting that all the Playstations so far haven't hit their highest sales figures until the second or third price cut. Sony were probably aiming for the same again, but the combination of being $100 under Microsoft's price (which they planned for) and Microsoft screwing the pooch (which nobody planned for) is driving demand in a way they weren't expecting.

 

[fix-the-spade]

The issue isn't how well the console sells at launch. The issue is how well Sony maintains the momentum after launch. The Wii U had a huge number of pre-orders and outsold the PS3 and 360 at launch, but Nintendo fucked up the momentum.

Niontendo's problem was/is the total lack of big name games either from itself or the third parties, seemingly because they rushed the hardware to avoid being stomped by the PS4/Xbone (and despite a late release being no problem for the Wii).

The new console generation is going to be dropping in with a new Battlefield, new Call of Duty and new Sports games, then have another round of CoD/Sports in 2014 and probably Battlefront 3, Battlefield 5 (or Bad Company 3) in 2015. Plus whatever Naughty Dog/343/Insomniac/Polyphony and so on are working on. Then there's Bethesda, Deep Silver, Epic etc. Even if the first party games fall flat there's enough support from outside to keep the momentum going.

As far as games go the next two years look well planned out for both Sony and Microsoft, which is nice.

 

[Jamous]

Huh. Nice one Sony I guess? I may have to look into one sooner rather than later (I was always going to pick one up because KH3 [DAMN YOU SQUENIX I WAS GOING TO GIVE THIS GEN A MISS] and a few other exclusives I don't want to miss) but I'll prolly just wait until I've seen it in action. Who knows, I might be pleasantly surprised.

 

[Abomination]

While I was never going to buy a console it's nice to see what happens when one company acts pig-headed and another company doesn't.

Sends a nice clear message that you serve your customers, your customers do not serve you.

 

[Griffolion]

-snip-

Can't really explain it, brand loyalty can cause fiercely irrational behaviour. Hence, the fanboy. If you're bought into one system and have been for a while, the cognitive harmony of sticking with the brand despite the blatant flaws can outweigh the cognitive dissonance of jumping ship to the relative unknown.

 

[erbkaiser]

Yeah I already missed the November shipment, but I do have a guarantee I'll get mine in December at least. Anyone who pre-ordered after August here in NL apparently has to wait for 2014 to get one.

As to why I pre-ordered: I am getting one anyway, so might as well be as soon after launch as possible. With the Gaikai and PS+ stuff I'll have a tonne of games at launch anyway.

 

[Strazdas]

So is this one of those intentional things where they intentionally release less to the public to drive up demand, or are so many people choosing the PS4 over the xbone that this is a genuine issue?

considering the fact that according to some sources PS4 is selling up to 10 times more than Xbone, it could be that they are genuinely running out of stock.

I never understood this. Would you really buy a worse - more expensive - product on a whim (and yes, worse since in this case they would have picked PS4 rather than Xbone) instead of just waiting a week or two? Especially stuff with these kind of price tags. I can't imagine anyone doing that to be honest.

Its hard to believe i know but there are plenty of people just going "my kid wants a console for christmas. he said play station or something but all i see is this Xbox. well he has some xbox now so ill get him that"

 

[J Tyran]

I never understood this. Would you really buy a worse - more expensive - product on a whim (and yes, worse since in this case they would have picked PS4 rather than Xbone) instead of just waiting a week or two? Especially stuff with these kind of price tags. I can't imagine anyone doing that to be honest.

And those same Xbox refugees weren't too sensitive to buy the damn Box more than once due to RROD. How sensitive can they be?

Parents wanting to buy their kids a console for christmas perhaps? Most don't follow gaming news so how terrible the Xbone announcement and how not terrible the Sony one was will have passed them by, they don't tend to pre-order gaming stuff either. By November those parents will be trundling into Gamestation to pick up a console only to find out "ok the PS4 is cheaper but you will have to wait until 2014" and you can bet the staff will be told to work hard to shift Xbones (maybe Wii Us as well, unless the kids made a big show and dance of "don't get me a Wii U!").

This is Sony's first big mistake and it will cost them a fair number of sales.

 

[SinisterGehe]

Maybe because like in Finland I can use all PS4 functions but only 10% of Xbox one. Because there is no localization for any of Xbo "selling" functions.

 

[Ruley]

pre-order numbers they've never seen before? gee, might that be because the last console pre-order session was 7 years ago and they might have steadily gained new customers over that 7 year period that chose to purchase after the launch of the PS3 and then liked the console so much they chose to pre-order the PS4? Not to mention the general growing interest in gaming causing the net worth of the industry to rise year on year? This is the first stupidity i've heard from sony about the next console generation. of course you were going to sell more units in the first year than you did with your last console!

Just keep your production line going and heck, speed it up! If this is pre-order demand, what do you think Christmas demand will be from parents on behalf of kids, wanting their new babysitting machine?

 

[masticina]

Maybe because like in Finland I can use all PS4 functions but only 10% of Xbox one. Because there is no localization for any of Xbo "selling" functions.

I love that one, being dutch, I don't have a supposed cable subscription that somehow is better with Xbox One. No I don't get ESPN, CBS, .. all that stuff is utterly worthless here.

Hell on the PS3 we still don't have netflix. Netflix is working on things...

I haven't pre-ordered the PS4 but yes I am drawn to owning on. Because.. most services that are added on the xbox one are indeed USA only, aka worthless to us europeans.

Happy the PS4 is selling well, Sony had a very bad and deserved bad start with their PS3. I mean nice hardware but damn where they cocky. And now Microsoft is all cocky and thinking they can do whatever they want.. guess what nobody likes a jerk.

I hope that even yes in america the PS4 gets at least a 50% share. That will make microsoft work allot harder to get things back in order.

 

[SinisterGehe]

Maybe because like in Finland I can use all PS4 functions but only 10% of Xbox one. Because there is no localization for any of Xbo "selling" functions.

I love that one, being dutch, I don't have a supposed cable subscription that somehow is better with Xbox One. No I don't get ESPN, CBS, .. all that stuff is utterly worthless here.

Hell on the PS3 we still don't have netflix. Netflix is working on things...

I haven't pre-ordered the PS4 but yes I am drawn to owning on. Because.. most services that are added on the xbox one are indeed USA only, aka worthless to us europeans.

Happy the PS4 is selling well, Sony had a very bad and deserved bad start with their PS3. I mean nice hardware but damn where they cocky. And now Microsoft is all cocky and thinking they can do whatever they want.. guess what nobody likes a jerk.

I hope that even yes in america the PS4 gets at least a 50% share. That will make microsoft work allot harder to get things back in order.

I just want to know how they are planning to get even with the expenses with so much focus on America. There is a lot, even more gamers in "european economic zone" than in America total.

They are leech money faster than they can make it unless they find way to localize to Europe - which will be hard since almost very country here has their own language and media.

Hell my apartment has no cable, antenna or satellite. If I want a TV I'd have to buy a TV antenna or pay my ISP for landline to Digibox.

 

[masticina]

I just want to know how they are planning to get even with the expenses with so much focus on America. There is a lot, even more gamers in "european economic zone" than in America total.

They are leech money faster than they can make it unless they find way to localize to Europe - which will be hard since almost very country here has their own language and media.

Hell my apartment has no cable, antenna or satellite. If I want a TV I'd have to buy a TV antenna or pay my ISP for landline to Digibox.

I don't know either.... Either they somehow get the rights and get their television stuff working OR the XBox One will never get those functions in europe. In short you pay for and yet get no access to functions.

I do hope the PS4 does very well and it looks that way. They are not back on the target of gaming and that is a good thing. We like games, we buy games, we game!

 

[fix-the-spade]

This is Sony's first big mistake and it will cost them a fair number of sales.

I bet that by two weeks before Christmas there will be plenty of PS4s kicking around, it's day one sales that they're not guaranteeing and release day is four weeks after release day, by then Sony will have whatever extra numbers they are ordering made now arriving in stores. I also think that a hundred bucks (or eighty Euros) will be a stronger pull than a short wait to a lot of customers right now.

 

[SinisterGehe]

I just want to know how they are planning to get even with the expenses with so much focus on America. There is a lot, even more gamers in "european economic zone" than in America total.

They are leech money faster than they can make it unless they find way to localize to Europe - which will be hard since almost very country here has their own language and media.

Hell my apartment has no cable, antenna or satellite. If I want a TV I'd have to buy a TV antenna or pay my ISP for landline to Digibox.

I don't know either.... Either they somehow get the rights and get their television stuff working OR the XBox One will never get those functions in europe. In short you pay for and yet get no access to functions.

I do hope the PS4 does very well and it looks that way. They are not back on the target of gaming and that is a good thing. We like games, we buy games, we game!

I'd happily replace my Digibox that I am required to have to watch TV with a console.
But I know for sure that YLE (FBX Finnish Broadcasting Company) will not allow sell their broadcast (And they own all broadcast towers and cables, other companies just buy shares of them) to be tied in to service like Xbox. (because of our tax and legal regulations) So that would mean they would need to do Internet broadcasting, but none of the Finnish TV/radio channels will sell to them because they are involved or own a service of their own.

So TV out in Finland is for sure.

It is sad fact but... PS4 has no competition other than Xbox fanbase. General consumer base will just get PS4. I just want to see what they advertise as selling points of Xbox here. Because there really isn't any.

If I get money and figure how to use controller with with right hand's handicap... I wonder if there are controllers with reversed button layout...

 

[masticina]

I'd happily replace my Digibox that I am required to have to watch TV with a console.
But I know for sure that YLE (FBX Finnish Broadcasting Company) will not allow sell their broadcast (And they own all broadcast towers and cables, other companies just buy shares of them) to be tied in to service like Xbox. (because of our tax and legal regulations) So that would mean they would need to do Internet broadcasting, but none of the Finnish TV/radio channels will sell to them because they are involved or own a service of their own.

So TV out in Finland is for sure.

It is sad fact but... PS4 has no competition other than Xbox fanbase. General consumer base will just get PS4. I just want to see what they advertise as selling points of Xbox here. Because there really isn't any.

If I get money and figure how to use controller with with right hand's handicap... I wonder if there are controllers with reversed button layout...

At least us europeans are not in the shoes of those in australia where games not only come late but also are expensive. Or in places where no actual games are sold only copies and you need to buy a cracked console to make it work. We are not that bad off, but I agree.. no way that they get all the different television services to work nice with the xbox one. Hell they have a hard time getting the licensing through to get netflix our way..netflix. Streaming movies :!

That leaves the xbox one has a neutered console. Sure it still will play games, awesome, and yes play movies, awesome but some things americans have we never will get here. Oh well, PS4 being cheaper and without those things that are so american based makes for a better price point to say the least.

We shall see what happens. Personally I am going to wait, I don't require to own a next gen console yet..I wait on a few games and then I buy it with those games.