300°

Retailers Already Luring Gamers With PS4 Pre-Orders, Free PlayStation 4 Consoles

Sony confirmed a holiday release date for its next generation PlayStation 4 at PlayStation Meeting 2013, but it saved a lot of the important details like price point, actual release date and what the console even looks like for a later date. But that hasn’t stopped retailers around the world from starting to take pre-orders for the new device.

Tony Bartel, president of GameStop, told me: “We are very excited about the upcoming holiday launch of the new Sony PS4. The new system brings much needed innovation to the video game market. Our consumer base has shown strong early enthusiasm for the PS4 as evidenced by more than 100,000 people who have already signed up for our First To Know List.”

jagiii4080d ago

People are fanatics pre-ordering something without even knowing the price.

OneAboveAll4080d ago

That's the beauty of it. They can cancel anytime.

ApolloTheBoss4080d ago (Edited 4080d ago )

Not at Gamestop they can't.

Edit: People I'm being serious here. I once tried to pre-order a game there and when I decided I didn't want the game anymore they told me I couldn't cancel it. I had to pick another game. I did this five damn times and the $5 to this day is STILL in the account. Those guys are nothing but crooks.

nanostar4080d ago

Not sure if its really that different in canada but i have canceled a few from gamestop most recent being assassin's creed 3

rainslacker4080d ago

You can cancel a pre-order from GameStop. You just got a crappy rep. They get penalized from their pre-order count if they cancel a pre-order even if it isn't one they made originally, and that's one thing that really affects their hours.

I would have asked for their manager, and if the manager told you that, then ask for the regional supervisors number.

Technically, until they provide you with an actual product the money is yours. In the US it has to be kept in an escrow account until purchase, of which they collect interest on until they can move it out of escrow.

Mounce4079d ago

@Apollo

Everytime I had pre-ordered a game, I was allowed to always cancel my pre-order so as long as I never came to pick it up and showed that I had a receipt for proof of purchase. Like the time I pre-ordered Duke Nukem Forever, I was being given a BAD feeling that it was going to suck balls just 1 day before its actual release. So the next day on release I went to the guy behind the desk and was like "I Don't want to pick it up and I want to take back my pre-order" He said no problem, and gave me my full money back, and it wasn't in-store credit either since I never technically Owned the game nor used it.

gta28004079d ago

I'd pre-order it...but knowing how my girl is, she might just try and surprise me with it for Christmas so ima have to skip on the preorder lol.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 4079d ago
cervantes994080d ago

People generally know what the price will be - $399 - $499.

I'll preorder without knowing the price - if it's less than above prices then great, if it's more then so be it. I want it and I can afford it.

Nuff said!

Knight_Crawler4080d ago (Edited 4080d ago )

Am I the only one who thinks that just maybe Sony did not show the PS4 console because the Dual Shock 4 controller is actually the console O_o...hey anything is possible.

Edit: LOL... just re-read my comment and was like WTF was I thinking.

4080d ago
Donnieboi4080d ago

Yep. Like controller will store harddrive, 8gb ram, etc in it. What u been smoking?

morkendo234079d ago

"DUAL SHOCK 4 CONTROLLER" is the console. that is a possibility so its not technically a dumb ideal we'll see @ e3.

LOGICWINS4080d ago

I'm not getting a PS4 at launch. More likely when the first Slim version is announced. Still, I'm excited that Sony is turning things around this generation and have learned from their mistakes.

cervantes994080d ago

I love how you get disagrees!

It's YOUR money and you can spend how you see fit. Your logic is sound and I'm sure many will do the same.

I will have it day one! I just have to :)

Oh_Yeah4080d ago

Right there with you Logic, I got ps3 and 360 both close to launch and won't be doing the same.. Because 1. Possible faulty hardware 2. the cost 3. lack of games.. Might as well wait for the slims. Should have done that this gen.. I ended up picking up a ps3 slim 2 years ago, with a controller and all for 150$ at a pawn shop. < now that was a deal and it's currently my only working system.

evilhasitsway4080d ago

i dont really care how much it cost i will buy it even though i havent preordered sony to me has always been my choice of a gaming device. and what they showed wowed me i will but it no matter price goes the sameway with new xbox. as long as it can show me games.

rainslacker4080d ago

Or a known SKU. Would suck to get stuck in an SKU that you don't want. Stores do it to get your money, but it should be illegal since there is no actual official product UPC to use yet. They're basically reserving an idea, and not a product.

sourav934080d ago

Actually, in the UK, the retailer Zavvi are letting you pre-order the PS4, with the price shown as £399. The best part of the pre-order deal is that it has a pre-order price promise i.e. if the price drops before the release, you pay the lower price. But if the price is actually higher, you only pay the amount for which you pre-order the console for. So its more or less a win win.

BlmThug4079d ago

I've reserved mine at Shopto in the UK :) They have a placeholder for £400 so i'm hoping the price is Sub £400

+ Show (6) more repliesLast reply 4079d ago
Chupa-Chupa4080d ago

I'll pre-order and drop any price requested. I can do that too. I've done it for every console and call-girl since the Sega Dreamcast dropped.

sdozzo4080d ago

Paying for women and games since 1985.

cervantes994080d ago

I'll be right there with ya (figuratively).

I've been day one for every console since PS1.

sonic9894080d ago

ps4 day oner over here too lol

WooHooAlex4080d ago

I'm on the first to know list, now hurry up GameStop, and let me get my pre-order in!

QuebecSuperstar4080d ago

I'm on the list too! Can't wait, can't wait, can't wait.....

jagiii4080d ago

PlayStation 5 pre-orders will start soon too. Who needs any info, just give GameStop your money.

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140°

Sony Patents To Prevent You From In-Game Harassment By Reading Your Emotions

A new patent recently published by Sony wants to gather biometric data of gamers to track whether one is being harassed using AI tools.

Profchaos1d ago (Edited 1d ago )

I hope this is one of those patents that never comes to fruition.

I already dislike the fact you can pay a significant amount for a online service buy associated games and content on said service and get banned from that service over potentially a misunderstanding the bans are already handed out for flimsy reasons

I'd rather see money invested in a ban that simply removes the offensive players ability to communicate with unknown players allow them to continue party chats with friends but not with Joe blow on cod.

exputers21h ago

Agreed. Blizzard recently banned a college Overwatch 2 player who's dependent for saying "shit." Pretty harsh.

Profchaos5h ago(Edited 5h ago)

How rediculas really. You can't say a word that's allowed in most PG films and prime time TV but the game is based around killing the enemy team using guns, explosives etc.

It's just backwards.

just_looken7h ago

What your talking about is called block list

In 2006 a spaceship dropped of the playstation 3/xbox 360 i say that that generation was the last great gen with game functions/tech that has yet to comeback

Anyhow the playstation 3 if you block listed a id they could not talk to you in chatroom with either text or voice. But that was pre mind fucked 2018 when people were more human than sheep.

But hey gta 6 is coming out billion dollar budget without a single player custom character creator and without singeplayer coop off/online something saints row 1-3 had on the xbox 360.

z2g17h ago

Take my social security and bank account numbers too! Here’s a picture of my wife and our address.

phoenixwing16h ago

Cmon where's the pictures of your children. Don't hold out on them.

H917h ago

At this rate I feel Sony will eventually sell a room to play games in it where they can monitor your every breath

jambola13h ago

I genuinely get a bit worried sometimes when a friend says something that could be offensive In a party
Because I have no trouble believing some bans would happen when in a private party for saying something wrong

SegaSaturn66916h ago

I want them to censor erotic content by measuring my groin temperature so i dont get too distracted while playing black ops 2.

Popsicle15h ago

Terrible idea. Not only do I not consent to providing my biometric data, the potential for mishandling biometric data is almost a certainty. Positive stress and negative stress can produce similar changes in biometrics. Interpreting the precise emotion a person is feeling is not only invasive but could be easily misconstrued. I hope this never comes to fruition.

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130°

Sony Could Increase Your Game's Difficulty If It Sees You Complain About It

Sony has recently published a new patent that wants to dynamically handle the games' difficulty and gameplay based on the player's emotions.

jznrpg1d 9h ago

This is something I might use. Sometimes I play some good games but they don’t have difficulty option and are a little too easy.

Profchaos1d 8h ago

Souls games will be like that players struggling make it harder

PassNextquestion1d 7h ago (Edited 1d 7h ago )

I think if used correctly it could work well

jambola1d 3h ago

cool idea
cool idea for horror games especially
the way it's explained here sounds like it could never be forced hopefully, so that's ok with me

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280°

Sony Taps Bungie's Head of Revenue to Lead Live-Service Games

Sony has recruited Bungie's head of revenue Jaremy Rich to head up its live-service gaming division, Rich has announced on social media.

Read Full Story >>
techraptor.net
ChasterMies21d ago

Please do not put Destiny’s monetization into Sony’s first party games. The monetization is what’s driving players away from Destiny.

just_looken21d ago

The new temp boss is the sony cfo bean counter so i can see this being a thing get every penny.

Cacabunga21d ago

PlayStation officially losing it.. fans will never support gaas games

just_looken21d ago

@car

The new boss did a interview in japan he wants to tap into the mobile market like nintendio so he give 0 fucks about gamers/fans

https://www.pushsquare.com/...

Redemption-6421d ago

@Cacabunga
You only speak for you and those who think like you, but most fans will support what they want. Playstation and PC fans are literally supporting Helldivers 2 and that is a gaas. Maybe you wouldn't, but many more would if they like it.

Huey_My_D_Long21d ago

@Redemption-64
Look, Im not making any judgement calls about this guy, but I will say that Helldivers 2 GaaS model is unique to Helldivers, and legit the only other game I can think of thats similiar was the Avengers game except HD2 pass is still better.
The fact that you can earn in game currency in a way that doesnt make you feel like you have to grind forever, as well you being able work on that pass that you bought...on your own time without a time limit...that right there is fucking huge to me, and I can't name any game other than avengers that avoided trapping players with FOMO logic...I think GaaS on HD2 shouldn't be compared to the rest of the industry...it should be copied.

Einhander197221d ago

Cacabunga

Helldivers 2...

Redemption-64

In Europe it's a 60 40 split favoring PC.
In the US its a 60 40 split favoring PS5.

So PlayStation owners supported the game just fine, it's not getting carried by PC or anything like that.

FinalFantasyFanatic21d ago

@just_looken,
I'm perfectly fine with the way Nintendo entered the mobile market, I never touched their mobile games, meanwhile, the console/handheld stayed the way it is. As for being a bean counter, he's probably going to reel in these massive budgets that Sony's studios have had lately, I haven't played Spiderman 2, but I cannot see how they almost tripled the budget for that game.

@Redemption-64,
That's an exception to the rule, I'm expecting a lot of these GAAS games from Sony to fail, to be fair, they only need a few to succeed, but I would have preferred that they put more of their resources into other types of games.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 21d ago
DivineHand12521d ago

True their monetization is driving players away and at the same time, their decision to chop out content and convoluted systems is keeping new players away from the game.

Joe91321d ago

I don't think that will happen based on how things worked out at Naughty Dog now that we know what we do, seems they had the option to fully commit to live service games or stay making single player experences so they gave up on their live service game. We are not sure how things came about with Bend making a live service game but I hope that was not a forced situation. Sony doesnt seem like they are forcing studios to switch up but we will see, Sony's bread and butter is single player games it is how they dominated the console market.

Obscure_Observer21d ago

Yeah, I though Sony learned something from all their failures in the LS segment under Bungie´s disastrous leadership and supervision which led to games been cancelled, studios closed and all the people laid off.

Looks like Bungie still plays a major role in Sony´s LS initiative and Sony is not backtracking on their GaaS plans.

S2Killinit21d ago (Edited 21d ago )

Are we forgetting that Destiny is also a highly successful franchise? I feel like that definitely deserves mention here.

Besides, there is no reason why a person cant learn from past experiences.

Joe91320d ago

I agree, people act as if Destiny flopped when it came out lol it took 9 to 10 years for the numbers to fall yet people are still playing it add the success of Helldivers 2 no wonder Sony is going forward down this path.

S2Killinit20d ago

Personally, I see no problem with Sony also having service games as long as they make good ones, and more importantly they deliver the AAA story driven games that they are known for. So yeah, I agree 100% with you.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 20d ago
Christopher21d ago

I mean, this person made some pretty bad decisions at Bungie. I hope they've learned from them because I definitely don't see those type of ideas as good for PlaySation in general.

CrimsonWing6920d ago (Edited 20d ago )

Honestly, what’s to learn from? How to make people happily continuously dump money into a single game over its life-time? Buy season passes continuously for several years with a smile on our faces?

GaaS is a design decision that is everything wrong with this industry. The fact that Helldivers 2 did so well and people defend the monetization because it was $40 and is a fun game, scares the sh*t out of me to see that the door is open and all shift will probably be to replicate that in future games. We already know the ROI for traditional game dev cost isn’t doing it for them.

I thought with Jimbo leaving we’d see a change for the better… I’m not so sure now.

S2Killinit20d ago

Service games are being offered by everyone. Sony cannot afford to only create single player AAA games. No one can. They already said they will be doing both.

Abnor_Mal21d ago (Edited 21d ago )

Ps5 gamers in 2023 seemed to play more live service types of games, so regardless to how people feel about them, numbers don’t lie and Sony is going where the money is. I mean look at the excitement around Helldivers2, people are showing that they want live service games.

Christopher21d ago

They play long-time existing live service games like CoD, Fortnite, Apex Legends, Destiny 2, and the like. Mass majority of new live service games are considered failures and aren't moving gamers away from older games.

just_looken21d ago

Yep the huge issue with live service is they need paid players along with a reason to play them.

You forgot mobile market that also taps into that player base as well as the eve online style games there is only a certain amount of krakens/whales blind supporters compared to the amount of live service games we have its not sustainable math wise.

700 restaurants making food for every seat for 1000-3000 eaters just does not work out

Einhander197221d ago (Edited 21d ago )

Christopher

I am not a big live service fan and literally own zero of the games you listed, but that is not true, unless you call games that aren't the top games to be failures.

There are tons of live service games that are profitable.

Games don't have to be the biggest game ever they just need to make more than they cost.

I challenge you to show professionally prepared data that shows that more live service games fail than make enough to keep going.

Because all the data that I have seen shows that live service is less of a gamble than making a big AAA budget game which needs to survive off retail sales.

FinalFantasyFanatic21d ago

I sometimes wonder if we're at saturation point, where it's hard for a new game to join those ranks unless it's particularly exceptional, people only have so much time and money to devote to these types of games.

romulus2321d ago

Correction, they have no issue playing good live service games

shinoff218321d ago

Lol it's not even a quarter of the ps5s sold. Helldivers may have been a hit but let's not say most are enjoying it because truth is most(the real most ) don't care about it.

S2Killinit20d ago (Edited 20d ago )

I play what is fun. If a live service game is good I’ll play it as long as its not a money scheme which Helldivers is not.

And Im a single player gamer.

mastershredder21d ago

How do you kill a franchise that already been killed?
Destiny’s grind, cash-in-on-playbass-cha-Ching, and pop-culture-insertion mainstream-me-too bs totally killed any rep Bungie had. Sony/Bungie, if you are doing this to ward-off players, it’s already working.

crazyCoconuts21d ago

Headline truncated:
"... off a cliff"

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