Sony Must Manage the Transition to the PS4 Perfectly

Push Square: "Sony’s commitment to the oft-discussed ten year life cycle is generally a positive thing. As a consumer, you can be fairly confident when you buy a new PlayStation product on launch day that it will be supported for a full decade at the very least. That’s reassuring – gaming is an expensive hobby, and no one wants to be lumbered with an obsolete piece of hardware before it’s even hit its stride. But while the platform holder’s dedication to legacy support is largely admirable, it must make sure that it gets its priorities right when navigating the transition to the PlayStation 4 later this year."

[stuna1]

From the look of things, their off to a good start!
All they need to do is come out with a reasonable pricing scheme, it will be pretty much a done deal! The hype is definitely there.

[LOGICWINS]

It's clear that the pricing scheme will be no more than $499 for the base model, thats great. But Sony still hasn't clarified if people will need to repurchase PS3 games that they already paid for via Gaikai. You can bet that many people will want to trade in their PS3 towards a PS4 in the fall. These people won't be happy if their digital library doesn't cross over.

Also, we still don't know how much Gaikai will cost. Anyone who thinks that'll be a free extra is dreaming.

Also, how good does a person's connection need to be for Gaikai to work effectively?

There are still way too many unanswered questions to give Sony the benefit of the doubt.

[DragonKnight]

.

http://kcyaclothing.com/med...

[BitbyDeath]

Wouldn't Gaikai be included in the cost of the games? eg. $1-$5 dollars will go to them for each purchase.

I doubt Sony would just have one fee and offer everything.

[LOGICWINS]

@DragonKnight- Being negative and being realistic are too very different things. Btw, I acknowledged that Sony will be making the right moves in terms of pricing this gen.

[DragonKnight]

Given that you usually are negative, and given that your answer to questions you brought up here is the pay more money route, I'd say you're being pretty negative.

[LOGICWINS]

Well, idk what to tell u. When I spend $500 on a system..I ask questions.

[DragonKnight]

As do most. I'm just saying you sound like you're subscribing a bit too much on the "expect the worst" side of things. But hey, your choice I suppose. I am personally choosing to A)Keep my PS3 (I don't needlessly rid myself of older consoles just because new ones come around) and B)Choosing to believe Sony will continue trying to build up on their current positive trending streak.

[MikeMyers]

If Logic asked questions about the upcoming Xbox it is highly unlikely DragonKnight would be calling him a negative Nancy. In fact DragonKnight has been nothing but negative towards the upcoming Xbox. It is fair to ask questions on both systems.

I too want to know what is going to happen with my digital library. Will my Plus membership carry over? Will Sony allow dual consoles linked to my PSN ID at the same time? How much will the PS3 be? There are still many questions left to be asked and we don't need people like DragonKnight constantly doing damage control on Sony's behalf. That's their job, to answer questions. Just like it will be Microsoft's job to answer all the questions about all the rumors that DragonKnight and many others are already speaking negatively about and want answers as well.

So go ahead and hit your disagrees all you like, people want to know. So far the PS4 sounds very promising but we still need lots more information.

[fermcr]

There are still way too many unanswered questions related to the PS4.

[Foxhound922]

I think Sony has learned many valuable lessons from the last generation. This generation should be interesting, and hopefully a successful start from all the video game camps.

[Jaqen_Hghar]

Too late. See WiiU's start.

[My_Name_BTW_Is_Dante]

That's not going to happen. It can't even play PS3 games that you've already bought. If anything, you'll have to buy them again. It may have been ok with PS2 games because of the HD collections if you didn't have the earlier PS2's but it's unacceptable to do it for PS3 games.

[Foxhound922]

Here's a thought, keep your ps3....

[avengers1978]

That's what I'm doing. Plus there still new titles to get for ps3 the last of us beyond 2 souls both look very promising.

[jimbobwahey]

Imagine if Apple did something like that when releasing a new iPhone. If you want access to all those apps and content you purchased, just keep your old phone around!

What about Valve? Oh you bought a new PC, well sorry all that digital content you purchased on Steam won't work any more, keep two PCs around!

[JBSleek]

Am I the only one who finds it absurd for digital purchases to not come over even PSN titles. I find that backwards.

[delboy]

I will keep my 60GB BC ps3, it's worth gold.
But Sony lost all 3rd party exclusives, and no real BC in ps4 is gonna bite them in the as, belive me.
I've chosen ps3 over xbox360 only because I thought I must go with Sony to be able to play FF, MGS, ect. but they are multiplat now.
I could care less about a handful first party games,(except for N games) and 98% of my game library is multiplat.
So why would I go with Sony for the fourth time, I see no reason at all.
One could say I'm a disappointed Sony user, Sony made to many mistakes with ps3.

[Foxhound922]

@jimbo

Lol nice try dude but having a phone and a dedicated video gaming console are not even in the same galaxy in terms of backwards compatibility. A console is a 5 to 10 year purchase and does not require bc, where as a cell phone is a non dedicated 1-2 year mobile device that makes bc a lot easier. Logic goes a long way bro.

[stuna1]

@Foxhound922

Exactly! I have 3 years to go on my warranty for my ps3 + 3 on my vita no issues there! With the ps4, I plan on having 1 big happy family.

[MRMagoo123]

Im gonna keep my ps3 right next to my original ps and ps2 and use them when i want to play games relative to the system. I dont use the ps2 to play ps games and i dont use the ps3 to play ps2 or ps games.

[AkatsukiPain]

Sony is doing all the right moves with the ps4, if there is one flaw its just BC but even so I believe we will learn more about how they will use gakai to get BC. I aint worried too much about BC but for those who are will have to wait for more info from sony showing how exactly it will work.

For me though im already sold on the ps4 from what we already know about it & the launch lineup looks to be one of the best launch sony has had & we all know there will be tons of great new exclusive ip's for the ps4 & thats my main reason I will be buying one at launch.

Shinra Tensei

[Jaqen_Hghar]

*flies into wall*
STOP SAYING THAT! THIS HURTS!

[AkatsukiPain]

Lmao

shinra tensei shinra tensei shinra tensei shinra tensei shinra tensei shinra tensei shinra tensei shinra tensei shinra tensei shinra tensei shinra tensei shinra tensei shinra tensei shinra tensei shinra tensei shinra tensei shinra tensei shinra tensei shinra tensei shinra tensei shinra tensei shinra tensei shinra tensei shinra tensei shinra tensei shinra tensei shinra tensei shinra tensei hahaha.

Shinra Tensei

[Jaqen_Hghar]

don't you have a few seconds in between? Besides a man is just going back and fourth now.

[AkatsukiPain]

I forgot there is a 5 second delay after using it once before i can use it again.

Shinra Tensei

[Serjikal_Strike]

Transition looks good so far.
Im sure E3 will be mind blowing from both Sony and Microsoft.

[jukins]

This is something I've been worried about too. There's still a good number of ps3 games coming right before, during, and after the ps4 launch. With rumors of some of those games also coming to the ps4(beyond, last of us, gtav etc).

Because we all know how much it sucks to buy a game then few months later the super ultimate edition(cough capcom cough) comes out at full retail price forcing you to buy a game twice or potentially miss out on some cool content.

[Jaqen_Hghar]

They'll have full details on PS4 launch at E3 so if Beyond, LoU, or GTA5 are coming a man bets we'll know.

[Indo]

Its a win win for Us. Great exclusives for both PS3 & PS4.

[GribbleGrunger]

There WILL be calls for the PS3 to be dropped 'to save the PS4' at some point. It's the wormhole we call the internet. But it won't be a 'transition', it will be a coming together of generations, as it always is. Sony recently said they see the PS4 as 'an ADDITION to the PS family', do people need any more clues than that?

[wishingW3L]

with the lack of BC they already started with the wrong foot.

[nevin1]

I dont see how anybody can disagree with that.

[stuna1]

Backwards Compatability is a cop-out if you ask me! It just a way of a company saying we'll let them play sometime from the previous generation so we don't constantly stay on the ball releasing new games immediately! Why do you think the new consoles of past gen launch games were so sparse?

[madjedi]

@Nevin "I dont see how anybody can disagree with that."

Very simple rational people will keep their ps3s to solve any potential bc issue, you could still buy ps2's at walmart not long ago. If not there is always the gaikai option.

I will be very surprised if the 720 is fully bc, it would be smarter get rid bc and concentrate fully on the next generation. Assuming it is a hardware solution and complicating the 720's design.

Are we really that lazy that we can't hit another button to got to another system, they make hdmi splitters.

People act like sony and ms have tiny bomb in their systems, that will render the systems useless when you buy a next gen system.

I didn't buy a ps3 to play ps2 games, it was a nice features but the next gens lacking them isn't going to be the end of the world.

It's a inconvenience that requires you to think about the solution to the problem, when you use it every day.

[kungfuian]

lack of backwards compat might be problematic during the transition. And the giaki streaming service solution sounds like it wont be ready in time for the transition, the time when it will be the most important.

One idea is a PS3/PS4 CROSS BUY PROGRAM!!!!

During the transition many games will be made for both ps3 and ps4. Watch dogs, call of duty, destiny, etc. The largest game publishers will be making cross gen games for sure, because the low install base of ps4 will not be profitable enough (plus why leave potential customers out?)

So why not put both ps3/4 games on one disc and offer a sort of cross buy program. This minimizes the problem of backward compat for purchasers of at least the newest ps3 games, and would really helps software sales of ps4 games imo.

Think about it. It's not like many sales would be potentially lost (who buys a game then gets an upgraded version of the same game later?). In fact; a cross buy system like this could encourage gamers from holding off on getting games at the end of the generation (many skip buying games toward the end of a generation because they are waiting for the better version on the next system and saving their money for the newest best thing). Publishers win because they get the instant ps3/ps4 base to sell games to (somewhat combines base for game sales) and gamers would have a special incentive to keeping getting games for their ps3s because they'd be building up a library of ps4 games (adds a special incentive to buy ps4 too).

Any reason why something like this wouldn't work?

[razor76]

I like the way you think ,didn't think that much about the possibility of that. One thing though could be a price issue though because ,it cost more money to develop two versions and what does make the price , to high to profit without pissing people off? They would have to offer three different retail disks , one for ps3,ps3/ps4 and one for ps4 . My guess is it would have to be somewhere around $70-90 for the combo disk and that's a bit of a niche market to target you think? Would be cool though. Just thought it would really be a great idea via digital download !

[kungfuian]

I think they would have to make just one version or the ps4 version comes with a download code for the ps3 version or something. Multiple skus or more expensive skus would not sell imo, at least not much.

[rainslacker]

The PS4 version could possibly be used in the PS3. The Cross-Buy thing shows up in the XMB, so it's possible to just get the downloadable version on the PS3. That would be the most efficient use of it. If something like this were to come to pass, then they could just have 2 SKU's. It's hard to imagine publishers making only a PS4 version, since it may make people think that it won't work on the PS3.

In all likelihood it would just push sales of the PS4 version, and likely help Sony in pushing PS4 units in the future. Not something most publishers seem to care about given their outlook on the Vita.

I think it's a pretty good idea though, and if Sony hadn't thought of it, it may be worth looking into. Realistically though after the first year it probably won't mean much for most games since all the AAA titles will move onto next gen, and casuals aren't likely to be swayed as much.

[kungfuian]

Thought about it some more and think my idea is the equivalent of offering a sort of UPWARDS COMPATIBILITY for ps3 owners.

A program like this would not help day one ps4 buyers or people who have both systems. I actually plan on getting a launch system and of course keeping my ps3s so something like this would not help me at all! What's the point of a ps3 version of a game I can play on my ps4 after all.

But a ps3/ps4 cross buy would be great for the millions of PS3 owners who might be sitting on the fence about getting a ps4, and also those sitting on the fence about whether they should still get games on their ps3.

The value proposition of a ps3/ps4 sku would likely be much higher than a ps3 only sku. It would entice ps3 only owners to continue to buy games on ps3 because each purchase would be an investment in the future. Instead of feeling like they should just save their money until they get their ps4 or for the ps4 versions of the same games.

Think about pc gaming. If I want to upgrade my rig do I have to go out and buy Crysis 3 again? NO! Wouldn't PS3 players want to buy a game that they know they'll be able to play an upgraded version of once they get PS4!

Plus the small catalog of ps4 games they now own offer a strong incentive to upgrade to ps4. Every cross buy PS4 game in your library is a nagging little reminder that ps4 is you next system of choice. You already have an investment toward that future purchase.

From a publisher side I do not see them loosing money. A combined ps3/ps4 sku is not going to sell significantly different numbers than a separate ps3 and ps4 sku. The install base will have significant overlap for the first year or two. Plus the added value for ps3 owners might translate to higher sales from that group.

[stuna1]

That's an excellent idea! Buy it for the PS3 for $60 or less, with the PS4 version already on the disc and like with online passes pay extra to unlock the PS4 version.

[kungfuian]

*see my comment above. I've clarified my idea a bit.

I think this would work really well for the first year or two; to help with the early transition to ps4.

As a feature,'upwards compatibility'is actually something I want much more than backwards compatibility.

[kungfuian]

Sony could market it as 'FORWARD COMPATIBILITY' and make everyone forget all about lack of backward compatibility. The marketing slogan could be "THINK FORWARD" or something like that :-)

[stuna1]

Seriously kungfuian you should pitch some of your ideas Sonys way!

[razor76]

Think you're on to something there kungfuian but , I guess they would have to have Blue Ray disks bigger than 50 gig in my opinion. Maybe that is another thing they haven't revealed yet! I think I remember hearing back in the day that MGS4 used up the 50 Gig disc, not positive. If so then Next Gen is sure to take up that at minimum and more as the Gen goes along,so 100 Gig discs or more would be awesome!

[MRMagoo123]

Allllllll these ppl complaining about BC prob dont intend on buying a ps4 in the first place and dont even have a ps3 anyway. But if you do have a ps3 then keep it and stfu about BC cos it isnt needed ffs.