This isn't even necessarily as bad as it sounds (and it doesn't sound that bad at all, really). In all likelihood, they're using the fact that they'll get this increased long-term revenue, and using that to justify having a lower price for the main console - they'll make their large profits in the long term rather than short term, but the price differential is going to lead to a higher rate of adoption over Microsoft, as if that wasn't going to happen already. If they hadn't done this, the PS4 might have come in at a slightly higher price bracket, so really, it'll likely only cost you more money after 6-12 months or so - not to mention you get the free games. I mean seriously - the WiiU costs, what, $350? Sony's got to be getting that $400 price tag from somewhere. That or Nintendo are just morons... which, actually, is not out of the question, now that I think about it.
Of course, I could be wrong, and they could just be fleecing us, but you know what? It's a better service than XBL, what with the EXTENSIVE free games library and all, so anyone making the decision based on online stuff should still come down on Sony's side. It's better for Sony to edge out Microsoft on all fronts than to seriously outpace them in only a few.
I say let them have it - they've earned it, by managing to not shoot themselves in the foot like Nintendo and Microsoft, and as a 360 user, it's a dynamic I'm already familiar with.
), and while the hardware they've selected is cheaper the big drop probably does need to be funded from somewhere *scratches chin* that's actually not such a bad thing in the grand scheme of things. Depending on local price, lemme check *checks Playstation Australia website* Hmm so $69.95/yr, basically $6/month..... not a bad price actually..... It would take 7 years of paying for PS+ to make the cost of the PS4 on launch day equal a PS3 on launch day, not to mention the extras.... not a bad deal at all.
