zupertramp

Weird to come back to this thread and read a "I scalp but really I wanna smash the system" stance.

@AlwaysCorrect we learned at the feet of masters my friend, at least when it comes to war.

Junk food, on the other hand, yeah that's all us.

@jmoss you're not wrong there. I could live with that assessment, that they could have gotten away with a price bump if they'd throw in six months of plus essential or something.

@Ralizah but yeah at the end of the day if people feel anger then they feel anger. Who am I to say what the correct reaction is. I mostly just proffered that one could view Nintendo's higher priced upgraded model as an earlier increase. Even if, as @serpenterror also argues, one feels the extra features justify the additional cost well, I mean, they still decided to slap it together to warrant charging more. Not like they needed to release it. Switch had been selling fine regardless. But why settle for x amount of money when you can make more?

I do recognize that the situations are different though to be sure as I agree this is unprecedented. But then these are seemingly unprecedented times. And with basic necessities where they are at price wise, I just can't muster anything more than ambivalence toward Sony over this. Really I just want a house but I don't know who exactly to yell at concerning our nationwide housing shortage and high interest rates. But I digress.

Certainly a tablet only option would be nice. I won't argue with that. I'm not really one for handhelds myself which is probably why I have such a sour view on the premium priced OLED model. There isn't much improvement there for me.

@Ralizah point taken on Sony being the anomaly there. Really thought Microsoft took a similar route with their upgraded Xboxes, which I honestly couldn't keep track of if my life depended on it, but if you say they were more then okay, yeah, fair enough. I still don't think the Oled Switch is worth the extra $50 but I already conceded that's for each individual to decide.

But I still don't get anger as a response, no. All of these companies are making amoral, calculated profit- driven business decisions. If the numbers change tomorrow to justify a price hike for Nintendo or Microsoft (based on whatever internal parameters they have set for that), they'll most likely do it.

To really bring it around to where I view it I'd have to go back to the OLED switch. It's simply too expensive for me. Do I hate Nintendo? Have I sworn off of them like some are doing right here in the comments with Sony? Lol, no. These companies aren't making insulin for heaven's sake. They're consumer electronics and where they set their prices aren't personal. Should Nintendo come down a little I'd probably buy the newer console.

On the flip side, if I didn't have a PS5 already and I lived somewhere it went up too much, yeah I might not buy it. It's the same way with vehicles. I own a Tundra. It's old. The engine went out. It's too expensive to fix and the cost of a new Tundra is hilariously high. So do I put a hex on Toyota and devote my life to hating them or do I move on and find a different model?

@Ralizah so market conditions existed for Nintendo to be basically the only console maker to not release their refreshed console at their base console's original price and that's justification enough but no market conditions exist to justify what Sony has just done? I'm a little perplexed by that yes.

Also inflation wasn't anywhere near full swing when Nintendo decided to charge more for a console that really could have just been $299 given its age (upgraded kickstand and all).

So in conclusion, what I'm saying, and what I said in the beginning, is yes Nintendo isn't raising their price because they already did when they released their upgraded console (years later) at more than the price of their launch console, which no one else typically does. That's the comparison I'm making here.

@Ralizah weird because in a similar situation, with no historic worldwide inflation, Sony gave us the Pro for $399. Obviously a higher end product than the base PS4 but they didn't ask more for it. Only in relation to the base console's reduced cost, unlike Nintendo who didn't reduce base model's cost and thus asked more for the oled version - that's not greed?

Now yes, the PS5 hasn't changed but the cost to make them likely has. Hence the price hike. Just like everything else on the market right now.

**And yeah Nintendo isn't raising their price because it's been high for awhile now. And seriously y'all... give MS some time.

@Ralizah But all the other unchanged components would be cheaper to manufacture. Look, I personally don't see justification for it being more (it's why I decided against getting one despite having a wife who plays exclusively in handheld mode) but obviously everyone's outlook on that could differ.

I was merely adding perspective that historically speaking aging consoles go down in price over time. And when we had a cycle that warranted a refresh, those upgraded console (for both MS and Sony) took on the price point of the aging console.

To not see Nintendo's decision to ask an additional $50 as a tad greedy (and to not lower their initial launch price of the OG Switch to boot) but then see this as Sony being the devil in corporate form just seems a little weird to me.

Oh and sorry if you got a reply notification that wasn't there. I was mid rant and I inadvertently hit reply before done lol.

@Futureshark this Sony business prompted people to ask competitors in the market if they had any plans to raise prices. Those competitors released statements as to their intentions in this regard. That's quite literally news.

@shred5 I really think the PS4 to PS4 Pro vs. Switch to Switch OLED comparison makes more sense because they were both mid cycle refreshers where the original system was improved upon and in Sony's case, released at the same price whilst lowering the price of the original system. The Switch Lite just does less so it's naturally cheaper.

The original Switch still being at the same launch price is like a de facto price increase to be honest.

@rockodoodle I hear ya, there was just no reason to charge more for a console of that age for some slight improvements. Like the PS4 launched at $399 and so did the Pro.

@get2sammyb But I recall a lot of folks being shocked and appalled at Nintendo's decision to not just set their barely refreshed handheld at the original Switch's price point. Everyone's clearly over it now and acting like Sony's the first company to want to make buckets of money.

I don't like corporations and I'm not here to white knight for them but the response to all this has been a tad unhinged imo.

This seems to ignore that Nintendo already raised the price via their OLED model.

A certain to be CGI nightmare with the writer of Lost Girl and Sorority Wars in charge of story... sign me up!

It is what it is as far as I'm concerned. Not saying this is a welcome development but it's far from price gouging. Now if you wanna raise the pitchforks at oil companies, healthcare industry, energy sector, mondelez and the like... I'm all for it. That's gouging. This is just how luxury items be sometimes.

@Royalblues but wouldn't you agree it's worse to raise prices on things people absolutely have to buy? which is what just about every company is doing. just hard to muster up much outrage at Sony for raising the price of a game system when I'm going broke every time I do that extravagant thing I do each week known as buying food for my family.

@KidBoruto thanks.

@get2sammyb I'm confused then, is this a new game entirely or a reworking of the original Layers of Fear?

I'm sure it looks indistinguishable from the PS4 remaster. And I'm sure I'm a schmuck for buying it day one. Looking forward to it anyway.

@PhhhCough casuals who want to seem pro and have money to burn? really just a guess.

I certainly can't see a need for this controller but hey, options are always nice right.

I remember thinking (and probably saying) the first thing I'd buy when I got a PS5 was an SSD but after 10-11 months of use I've found that just having a standard external is sufficient enough for my needs.

So maybe if I see the SN850 below $100 w/ heat sink I might grab it but otherwise I'm good.

@AnnetteM the digital version will still work

30 percent is pretty steep. Be one thing if there were another digital storefront for Sony games but there's not. So not sure what everyone's beef is with the lawsuit but I say more power to them.

Hoping the gameplay is a little more diverse this time around. First was far from bad but despite really liking the setting, the premise, and the light horror aspect, I was disappointed to get near to the end and still basically just be avoiding/herding rats. I ended up not finishing it but I could see a sequel being a lot less of a one trick pony. Plus the art looks quite a bit better. We'll see.

This was never going to be a Game Pass killer. They streamlined Plus and Now whilst also padding things out with a few more titles. That's it. And if you take it for what it is, Extra is a pretty good deal. Premium not so much (yet).

@Darude84 really wish they'd just give this away on Plus in some way. I gave away my disc copy but would like to finish it at some point. There's no way I'm spending any amount of money on a second copy though.

Astro's Playroom was fine but given its traditional format it couldn't match the magic of Rescue Mission. Definitely looking forward to more VR titles from this studio.

But would the game still work if it weren't a lamb?

Like everyone else, not sure adjusting the default sort settings really fixes anything but it does show they know it's a problem so maybe a more long term solution is being explored. Guess we'll see.

I'm somewhat hopeful, though as usual, just a small bit of communication from Sony would go a long way.

@z0d15g0d kinda feel like I got a lesson in both conflict minerals and supply chains for no reason there but okay. And with regard to demand I maintain, again, consoles are seeming a safe bet in the immediate future. Will that be true 20-30 years from now? Maybe not but then, that doesn't exactly sound like a "fast approaching end" to me is all. This could just be a matter of your definition vs my definition on that front.

@z0d15g0d I'm not sure what relevance the current crisis has on the future viability of consoles honestly, especially when considering said future tvs are probably going to need comparable components that are, under the right circumstances, prone to scarcity.

But I mean it's fine to doom monger, I just don't see anything on the demand side that would lead me to believe interest in consoles is on the wane. That's why GPUs were hard to get for a minute there, yeah, but nothing like what's still kinda going on with the PS5.

@nomither6 I think when you're well-versed in all things PCs, that freedom and versatility is a plus. But when you're on the outside of that, which is a far greater amount than I think the PC crowd realizes because their knowledge encases them in something of a bubble, that freedom and versatility can just become a headache. The possibilities become too endless and thus overwhelming. The average person hates shopping for a new computer for this very reason. There's a dozen or more different brands and an almost infinite amount of configurations. No one but enthusiasts get into that.

With consoles there's like 3 choices. You buy one. You buy a game. You play it. No driver concerns. No hardware spec concerns. No waiting for Windows to suddenly do one of its twice weekly updates that may or may not break one program or another. No worries about your tech becoming obsolete in two years or less.

PC is always going to be superior in terms of performance but that'll always come at a cost most people aren't willing to pay.

@z0d15g0d really don't think consoles are going anywhere any time soon. Got close to another decade on the PS5 with possible refresh. And with them selling as fast as they can be stocked not sure why Sony would just be like "Nah" on a PS6. So tack on another decade at least. That's what, 2040?

Even in a streaming only age (I shudder at the thought) a console is almost always going to be the more convenient option. Streamlined model options. Gaming-centric hardware and interface. Infrequent OS updates. Day one exclusives for those that care about that, which is probably most. Not to mention cost.

Not particularly interested in any of these but that doesn't mean it's not a fair selection. Just not my month is all. Still plenty else for me to play on Extra/Premium.

Trying to manage racing while also constructing things on the track sounds like a nightmare honestly. Like Fortnite but with cars. But if it's Burnout-like and you don't necessarily have to customize during the race then idk, maybe. We'll see.

@Ralizah this is kinda my view. Like, Nintendo proves that exclusives sell hardware. Which I assume drives other revenue sources as well. Sony's business model seemed comparable. Maybe that's changing. I'm just not sure why. Seems like a situation where they just end up shifting where the money comes from, all while risking some pretty valuable, years in the making intangibles.

I think I'm more surprised when games don't get delayed now. Which is just as well. I'm all for devs taking their time. Still think HFW should have done the same.

@Dudeman1 Wait, did you just compare my PS5 to a Prius?

Ouch.

It's times like these that my Sony rewards points come in handy.

@Mikey856 I quite like remakes as graphics don't necessarily make the game but updated graphics can definitely improve an aging game that was already great. I often have trouble getting into games I once loved because my expectations of how things should look increases over time. Remakes fix that problem.

@TeapotBuddha definitely seems to be a trend at the moment where every villain needs a complex motivation which, yeah, isn't always necessary imo. for better or worse though, I was kinda just guessing in regards to this revolutionary group. Could also just be the Fireflies too, as others have mentioned.

And I'm all about nitpicking lol, so no worries there.

I remember a casting call for a hearing impaired actor going out on Twitter for someone that sounded a lot like Sam. Only IMDB entry I can find for Keivonn Woodard shows he played a deaf student in something so I'm assuming this was for Sam after all.

@nessisonett @Would_you_kindly could be they've revamped the hunters in Pittsburgh (now KC) to have aims outside of just, well, hunting people.

I'm actually surprised it's only half.

@JJ2 yeah those shop bundles are the worst. I agree there. But no, bundles aren't specifically the problem. I kinda like getting a game with a new console actually. I do usually prefer to have at least some choice in which bundle though. But it's early in the PS5s life so there will surely be more down the road.

@BartoxTharglod yeah not a total diss of the 64. It just ended up not really hitting for me. But then I never owned a PS1 so I can't say it would have been better. Could have just been how things were at that time in my life. I was in high school and probably had other things on my mind than video games.

@Ralizah Mario 64 was a rare game for me in that I went all in on it, completing every possible thing one can do in that game. It was fairly near and dear to me at that time but I haven't revisited it since so I imagine yeah, it's probably almost unplayable now. MK64 was a blast with siblings so I look on it fondly for that reason more than anything else. And I always preferred Descent over Star Fox. I have no idea if that holds up though.

@JJ2 yeah it's never been charity. which is okay. just not sure I buy the somewhat common refrain that things have changed for the worse in this regard.

@Ralizah I swear I played maybe 5 games tops on my N64. Potential was there obviously but what a sad little console. Still kinda worth it just for Mario 64 and Mario Kart though. Kinda.

"and will increase our product portfolio."

I find this amusing in that I think there's a tendency to wax nostalgic about a time in video game history when it wasn't all about money, a time before all the greedy corporations took control and ruined everything.

But this guy is literally telling us in the interview that this move is mostly about selling more stuff to more people.

@JJ2 @zebric21 only problem I can see with bundles is when it's the only way you can get a console. Be one thing if individual consoles and bundled consoles were readily available and consumers could choose between the two (or just between different bundles) but no one is getting that option really.

One bothersome thing about them having a PSN discount on a game that's currently being sold with the bundle is it really negates any savings you typically get from a bundle. Which is kinda crappy of Sony imo.