In an Edge interview, Sony Worldwide Studios' vice president Michael Denny says that Sony won't repeat the same mistakes that have been made with their PS3 launch.
And new rumors suggest a $99 Xbox 360 may be launching side-by-side with their new console.
The launch of the PS3, a year after rival Microsoft's launch of the Xbox 360, is now regarded as a relatively unsuccessful one. The main gripe gamers had at the time was the exorbitant price tag, much higher than that of rival consoles. Sony argued at the time that the included Blu-ray playback functionality of the PS3 still made it a good value purchase, considering the high price of Blu-ray players back in 2006. But gamers mostly didn't agree, and PS3 sales languished for most parts until prices cuts arrived.
When asked if the PS4 would be launched at a similarly high price point, Denny was quick to suggest that Sony have learnt their lessons. "I guess the first thing to say is that we listen and learn and take the judgement from every console launch we ever have and we have to be informed by what the strengths of our PlayStation 3 system have been, but also the challenges of that. We want a system that can reach as broad a gaming audience as possible but whilst being a system that’s deep, connected, rich and immersive and is going to give a very focused and differentiated experience than anything else that’s out there," Denny told Edge.
Meanwhile, rumors have been making the rounds on the Internet that Microsoft is set to debut a $99 version of their popular Xbox 360 console alongside their new Xbox 720 'Durango" console.
Gamers were disappointed to hear that the Xbox 720 may not offer Xbox 360 backwards compatibility, but the introduction of a new budget console may solve the problem of keeping their Xbox 360 game libraries usable.
While details are light, the new console, codenamed "Stingray", may be Microsoft's plan to engage with consumers that had been on the fence in regards to getting a game console. The media capabilities of the Xbox 360, including support for a variety of video streaming services, and a vast gaming library of casual, family as well as hardcore games, and the $99 price point, could just make the difference, Microsoft may be hoping.
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