Sony’s response to Xbox One victories could be an early release of the PS4 Slim

MWEB GameZone Writes: "The Xbox One is fighting back and doing it well. The Xbox One has had an impressive victory during the month of December in terms of US sales and keeps throwing punches with an aggressive price cut of the Xbox One at $349 starting today.On the other hand, if a price cut is the only way you can defeat the opposition, can it be called a victory?

Be that as it may. How will Sony respond? With a possible earlier release of the PS4 Slim of course."

[SonZeRo]

I'll stick the my current one, its already better designed than the "very imaginitive box" called xbox one /end sarcasm

[vishmarx]

Xbox one 'victories'

imagine how the gaming media would be if xbox was actually winning

[Sillicur]

Yeh recent victories. The PS4 delay in china and outselling the PS4 two months in the row in the US are indeed victories, but not a decisive one yet.

The point was that Sony cant get too comfortable, even though they are still far ahead. MS is doing their best to come back.

[OB1Biker]

Yea when they say 'impressive victories'. I wonder what they mean by 'impressive' if at least they provided numbers.
Anyway that's something for xbox fans to be happy about so its all good

[UKmilitia]

the thing is they are giving over $200 dollars worth of stuff with it over nov/dec with a lower price of console.
of course its going to do well.
worldwide Sony was still way more sales at the standard price.

[xer0]

@UKmilitia - that's the point i was going to make.

At what cost, do they want to win?
IF selling every Xbox at a loss, and losing profit on software sales is a victory - then there's something clearly broken in the mind of whoever wrote this article.

[Mehmeh]

@xer0

Consolses several times sell with loss. That increases the install base, and the console manufacturer makes it up later in licenses for games released and sold on the console.

[Azzanation]

You should see how people carry on now with the PS4 winning in sales. Currently that's all the fans care about.

The main point I pick up from Xbox winning in Dec is that the Xbox is a successful console regardless of what fanboys have to say on the net. It doesn't have to outsell the PS4 to be successful. MS would be quite happy with the X1's sales considering its killing the 360 which sold incredibly well and the 360 was sold world wide where as X1 isn't.

[trenso1]

right i feel like the media wants X1 to be the top seller and it pains a lot of them that the ps4 is so far ahead

[Unspoken]

Whoa whoa whoa, if this statement is true

"On the other hand, if a price cut is the only way you can defeat the opposition, can it be called a victory?"

Then so is this

"At $100 less than the competition, the PS4 has gained a substantial lead, but by pricing the PS4 so aggressively and undercutting the opposition, can it be called victory?"

The Xbox is now comparably priced @ $350 to the more powerful PS4 @ $400. Buyers see appropriate value within each gaming system. When did price not become a determining factor in the majority of consumers purchasing decision?

To be so blind with certain victory you would want Sony to make rash decisions? This mob is fanatical.

[xer0]

@Mehmeh - that's the old business model.

Sony, going into this generation with massive losses, had to make a profit on each PS4 sold.

The original Wii achieved this in the last generation, and now Sony is achieving this as well.

Right, now it's hard to say when Microsoft are ever going to make a profit, if they keep discounting and slashing price so aggressively.

4.1 Million consoles sold at a profit, during holiday 2014 - is by far a massive success for Sony.

[kenwonobi]

LOL! A million consoles deficit to PS4 globally is a victory. LOL! If Xbox had done it they would say "Xbox is dominating Sony still. PS4 is in dire trouble and doom and gloom after the price cut still didnt work to outsell the Xbox.. "

[Yi-Long]

I really hope Sony won't release a Slim model, cause if history is anything to go by, the Slim model will look a lot less attractive.

PS3 Phat was stunning (especially the white version), then the Slim came and that was 'ok', and they followed that up with the Super-Slim, which just looks like plastic crap.

[Muzikguy]

They would be claiming "PS4 is DOOOOOOMMMED" then!

[guitarded77]

I know this is a small site, so I expect sensationalism and/or cherry picked headlines, but this is a norm on most sites, including most big ones. Whenever I say it I get told to get a tinfoil hat, but sites do this... they up play MS and downplay Sony in their choice of words or perspective. I understand when it's a site dedicated to a specific platform, but when bug, supposedly unbiased sites do it (toward any platform) it really pisses me off. Sony just happens to be the target in most cases, but they have all suffered from it. You can protest by not giving them hits, but most fish take the bait, so it doesn't really matter.

[XisThatKid]

Despite X1's new successes, Not taking anything away from them but I doubt Sony's worried enough to that extent especially.

[Unspoken]

“There is no greater danger than underestimating your opponent.”

-Lao Tzu

[XisThatKid]

"There's no greater enemy then ones self confidence and or insecurities"

-Xis That Kid

[XanderZane]

I don't think we'll see a PS4 Slim for at least another 2 years. Sometime in 2016 at the earliest. The PS3 didn't get a Slim model until Aug 2009. Almost 3 years after it launched. That system obviously needed a Slim model more then the PS4 does. The only response I can see from Sony is a small price cut before the 2015 holiday.

[Gamer1982]

This site just digging for hits?? The Xbox outsold the PS4 in 2 countries thanks to it being $50 cheaper and it only just beat it. Worldwide it still got beat.. Yet we still get articles trying to hide that fact and make out that Xbox won something here. Plausible deniability.

[TheXgamerLive]

I believe both the Xbox One and PS4 will release a slim model before this Xmas holiday.

[Muzikguy]

All these people wanting Sony to resond. Why?! They can keep on guessing what Sony "might" do, but it's not going to change anything. I'm sure Sony is sitting just fine right where they are now. Sony IMO is doing a great job. They don't need to fabricate a want for their product by constantly dropping the price and giving things away. The want is there, and it's real.

[plut0nash]

There'll probably be a Xbox One slim soon anyway. It's about time.

[Gamer1982]

Need smaller and cheaper hardware first and that will take around 3 years. I would guess around E3 2016 we will get the announcement and it will arrive holidays 2016. Or even immediately if they can pull it off.

[Summons75]

I agree 2016 or at the latest 2017 will roll out the slims and in the 20s we will see the next gen start to roll out.

[pkb79]

Could they make the slim look like a cassette player? :p

[Muzikguy]

With a power brick, yes indeedy

[DesVader]

Worked for Sony in the past to release a slim version, so it wouldn't be unexpected if it happens. I just don't think it would be already this year? Seems to soon. How long after the release of the PS3 did the slim version come out?

[Sillicur]

Yeh it definately worked in the past so it will work again. I know at the moment they dont need to "win more" but honestly the whole China delay and MS price cuts could spell a comeback

I think 4 years in, but keep in mind that this generation will most likely be much shorter than the previous generations.

[OB1Biker]

What's the big deal with China delay? The same thing happened for the xbone when it launched.

[FarEastOrient]

ThE Chinese launch delay was caused by government.

[qwerty676]

@FarEastOrient

yeah i saw that one coming, its a weird to have xbox one have such government involvemen.

and the ps4 was able to just have smooth sailing to launch?

it wouldn't have made sense, they're probably investigating the and changing some policies, like getting it region locked.

[kenshiro100]

Grasping at straws, aren't we?

[Gamer1982]

Slim versions are not for sales boosts they are for money making reasons. Smaller more efficient hardware means more profits and lower costs and also means they can lower the price of the console. In turn that will lead to boosts but Sony and MS care about their pockets firsts as after all there in this to make money.

[HoldenZA]

Do the 'slimmer' versions of the consoles actually make a huge impact on sales?

[Sillicur]

They definately do hey. The hardware, for example the new chips from samsung, will generally be cheaper to manufacture, which means a huge price drop. I predict the PS4 Slim to be sold at $299

[plut0nash]

I got the 360 slim because it was so reliable. Still is imo.

[bleedsoe9mm]

we might see a slim ps4 but why on earth would they drop the price and not just take the profits , then maybe add a game to a slim bundle and finally when demand slows drop the price .

[GameSpawn]

@Sillicur

The biggest drops to production cost and what allows slimmer consoles to be made is when the processors and gpus (in the PS4 and XBO case they are on the same die, referred to as an APU) are manufactured on smaller scales. Tertiary components (RAM, IO, ports, etc.) don't make as big of a dent (RAM can make a dent if the RAM being used is relatively new and still expensive to manufacture; over time this comes down; GDDR5 and DDR3 are not new by any means, though).

A smaller chip means less power consumption and in turn less heat generated. Smaller chips also mean more can be manufactured per individual "wafer" theoretically increasing yields (assuming the defect chip rate remains close to constant).

These two things lead to lowered production costs as well as having the ability to make the system smaller. Since it is not generating as much heat or requires as much power a smaller design is possible.

[jrshankill]

I thought slim console models were usually distributed when the manufacturer finds a way to cut costs on making the console, and to make the console more reliable.. not to be competitive.

I have no problem with the PS4 and Xbox One console designs. Fits perfectly fine on my TV shelf.

[BG11579]

Imagine that the smaller console actually cost less to make and permits to lower the price tag of the console.
So yes it can...

[purp13m0nk3y]

The main reason for a "slim" hardware revision from a manufacturer stand point is not too boost sales at all (though I've no doubt that is does) but to reduce manufacturing costs.

Neither MS or SONY will bother with a "slim" revision untill global foundries shrink the manufacturing process of the APU's. Doing so before hand is completely pointless.

I highly doubt we'll see a revision to the designs of either console hit the shelves untill mid 2016 at the earliest.

[HanCilliers]

Is MS really so "victories" if they have to keep on giving a price drop in order to compete?

Regardless of MS, I'm very curious to see the specs of the PS Slim.

[Tedakin]

Xbox had a great Christmas, but PS4 is still millions ahead. I don't think they have to do much but just keep trucking ahead.

[Sillicur]

Although i agree with you at the moment, I dont think that might always be the case.

I dont think they should just ignore MS's price cuts and victories (albeit how small). Do you?

[Tedakin]

Oh definitely not. But it's by no means an emergency.

[JackVagina]

They already have kinda responded, there including TLOU in every 500gig model now

http://blog.us.playstation....

[Why o why]

I didn't know that. I wonder if sony will be so kind in Europe. Thats a good deal. Despite sony being so far ahead, i doubt they want to lose momentum whilst their competitors are gaining theirs.

[lord zaid]

Having a slim does not necessarily mean their will be a price drop and neither does the creation of these new 1GB chips mean we'll get a slim PS4.

New tech is constantly incorporated into consoles as they become available to cut costs or simplify manufacturing processes. This is purely conjecture

[RegorL]

I do not think there are much to do to make the PS4 slimmer.
Take a look at images of PS4 internal...

* The 8GB memory won't yet integrate on the PS4 SoC
* Make a SoC of secondary processor and other peripherals - doable!

* Power conversions need space due to heat - external power brick?
* Scrap the Blue-Ray (digital only)?

PS4 is already very slim...

[Kingoftherodeo]

sony releasing a ps4 slim in 2015 would be stupid. even more stupid than their new walkman

[Zaphire]

Sony has been doing a lot lately

[CongoKyle]

This is great news! I've been on the fence about grabbing my first console (leaning towards the PS4 for a while) and this is definitely swaying my vote!

[joinsideke]

what… really? But even if this is true, manufacturing of this new slim wouldn't even hit the market until Fall at the earliest, Holiday more likely. If you're In the market now, my friend, you're going to be stagnant for many months to come. Take the plunge and enjoy some games.

[MasterCornholio]

Because of what Microsoft did in two months in the US?

I think not.

[Spid3r6]

They cut the lead and now are about 500K difference in the US...Oh and BTW Xbox One and 360 did better in software sales as well for every game but Farcry 4.

[MasterCornholio]

Problem is that your only taking the US into consideration. Sony isn't going to panic and drop the price just because Microsoft managed to sell a lot in two months in the US.

However if you read the NPD document you would see that out of the two systems Sonys sold the most during the entire year. If the same happens next year than the Gap will never shrink. In order for that to happen Microsoft has to outsell Sony on a yearly basis in the USA.

Even if that does happen Sony is still doing better in the rest of the world and as long as they are the market leader they will continue to sell the PS4 at 399€. Remember Sony wants to make as much profit as possible which is why they will do this.

Its just basic economics.

P.S You do know that you made the claim that Sony increased the gap by 500K right? That's what happens when you look at the whole year instead of just two months.

[Spid3r6]

Well if they continue doing that to all markets then they need to beware because its only a matter of time. And our focus selling more consoles does not really translate to how made the most money. Don't believe just look at the Wii. They sold over 100 million consoles but the attachment rates was very poor. I myself as and Xbox One owner I have 17 physical games along Download which include Peggle 2, Killer Instinct, Golf Star, D4, Halo Wars, Valiant Hearts and not to mention Ea Access. My wife also has subscribed to Xbox Music and keeps buying exercise programs for the Xbox fitness. So it gives you and Idea on how my one Xbox One counts because of their services that the One offers.

[tiffac008]

Doesn't Sony usually release their slim version like 2 years after the original?

So probably the slim in 2016 and a price cut this year.

[Der_Kommandant]

But... How could you make the ps4 slimmer???

[No_Limit]

How about removing the Blu Ray drive and make a Sku just for digital download? Sony alreay attempted that with the PSP Go but that didn't go over so well so I don't see that happening anytime soon.

[hkgamer]

its probably not a good idea. i personally dont use the drive that much but its good to know its there when i buy retail on impulse.

it has to be atleast 15-20% for people to want to.buy the thing.

pspgo was a good idea, but it floped for many reasons. psn digital store especially for psp wasnt popular or probably wasnt in existence(canf remember). it cost more than the other designs.

actually more i think about it, the better i think it will be. take out the drive, hdd doesnt need to be replaceable, ao hide it somewhere. no need for usb ports. just have hdmi, ethernet and power. if they could fit that into something similar to a wii then do that, if not then dont bother.

[NeoGamer232]

Yep, ship a console that is 100 percent DRM controlled and online dependent!

Gamers seemed to really like that when MS announced it...

/s

[No_Limit]

The PS4 is already slim enough...Sony is not apple and making every iphone, ipad slimmer every year for portability purpose as the thing is meant to be in your entertainment center and not toss around in your backpack. My PS4 looks sleek enough as it is and I don't see a point of making another form factor until for at least another 2 years or so.

[Father__Merrin]

I'm keeping my PS4 ver 1

it's slim enough and looks cool

[hkgamer]

what victories? slim version is obviously a global product so looking at global numbers makes more sense than just US.

saw another article mention ps4 sold .9m more than xbone in december.

im expecting an xbone slim around e3 though. they need to boost sales and a slim version is pretty easy considering the size of the xbone.

[ScaryMonkey]

"if a price cut is the only way you can defeat the opposition, can it be called a victory?"

nope

Talk to me when Microsoft sells 8 million more and Sony sells no more, till then Microsoft hasn't won anything.

[The_Sage]

How can you call dropping the price of a product that is not selling well to get some movement a victory?.. That is just stupid.

[Carlito]

Every time sony sells a ps4 they lose money as well

[DanielGearSolid]

Every time Carlito comments he lies as well

(see i can pull facts out of my ass too)

[madjedi]

Sony took a slight lose on ps4's sold in na at the beginning, the purchase of a 1st party title and/or a year of playstation plus and they broke even or got a little bit ahead.

In Europe and other areas sony was making profit at release due to higher tax rates, and I am fairly sure sony has already cut some of the parts costs down.

[DanielGearSolid]

Some of these journalists have to stop pretending to be business analysts...

Knee-jerk reactions everywhere

Meanwhile the Ps4's lead keeps growing

[DigitalRaptor]

The past couple of days have been an absolute Xbox knee-jerk on here. People getting their hype up for a console that will continue to sell less and have way less games throughout the year. You don't have to be a business analyst to know that PS4 has this generation sealed up, with or without a price drop or any other reaction.

It's funny to see the excitement shifting around a little bit after two months of price drop fever and heavy promotions, but once The Order and Bloodborne make the rounds, nobody's going to be talking about Xbox.

[LamerTamer]

I wouldn't count on that. Exclusives are way over rated when it comes to selling systems for the masses. That is where we are at now. Most "enthusiasts" that read sites like these and make lists of exclusives pretty much already bought their system or have decided which one they will get soon.

The masses, casuals to semi gamer types who walk into a store and buy a system on a whim don't care or know much about exclusives. They just look at the selection on the shelf, turn over a few boxes to look at screenshots, then see which is a better "value" AKA cheaper. That is what they will walk out with. Since the PS4 is still more people will think "rip off" and "over priced". They don't get into GPU specs or 1080p etc. This is where the 'bone will win and why Sony needs to lower the price, at least in NA and UK to stay ahead there.

[Erringpaladin8]

First off all all consoles at launch don't make any profits all the profits are made on software. Microsoft has not gain any any profit on the console so by them dropping the price they gain a bigger install base and sell more software, so they really aren't losing money. Secondly this was the same business move that Sony applied to the ps3 it wasn't until the ps3 was down to $299.99 that it started to gain momentum in sales last generation. We're talking about 3 years in to the 7 generation on consoles and at the end ps3 and Xbox 360 were almost neck an neck. You so called gamers are talking like it's good the Xbox is behind in sales or like the console war is over in just one year, it's just the beginning of this cycle of console sales , so stop counting out Xbox one and start acting like gamers not fanboys because that not going to stop any console from selling weather it's Xbox one or Wii U. That's just facts.

[kurruptor]

VGChartz estimates, so don't shoot me... but

December 2014 Worldwide Hardware Sales - PS4 3.2M, Xbox One 2.3M, Wii U 1.1M, 3DS 3M

I don't think Sony is worried that MS dropped the price in one single country.

MS hasn't even proven that it can complete without both a price drop and multiple game bundle.

[Gardenia]

Stop talking about the slim, it's way too early for that

[mochachino]

The title is very misleading, then the author goes on to spew fictions...the entire article is him talking out of his Azz. I'll remember not to click a Gamezone article ever again.

There's speculation and there's just plain making things up, this site practices the latter.

[CerealKiller]

LOL What a joke!

[uth11]

I would expect a 1 Tb model to drop soon, maybe at the same price as the 500Gb (the price difference in drives isn't that great)

[Mithan]

If they do, X1 will come out with a Slim version.

I really wanted a slim PS4, but it was small enough that I bought the normal one.

I refuse to buy a X1 until it goes Slim. I don't need this large pile of turd in my entertainment unit.

[SaffronCurse]

Not a very pleasant console to look at that's for sure.

[Mithan]

It is just too big. I really don't get why they don't just make consoles look sleak and slim.

Even the PS4, with its stupid angled look. Why?

[Scatpants]

If they can make a PS4 slimmer than this one then they might as well make A PS4 laptop because I would buy that, but I wouldn't buy a slim PS4.

[pac21]

Thus was a funny article and I like how everyone is damage control for sony. There won't be a slim model they lack the funding.

[TheLastColossus]

Its already slim and its the most beautiful console ever made

[iNFAMOUZ1]

i doubt the ps4 will get slimmer, its already really small barely fitting the power brick

[t-hall785]

I wonder how many gaming pc's or pc's sold to people who will use it primarily to game were sold in the same period. So much for that master race consoles are dead bs all the pc geeks holler about.

[SonyOnly4]

This is a bad sign if they are really going to be bringing out slim models this early into this Gen how long is this gen going to last?

[tekksin]

microsoft has about as many victories as team rocket.

[Jaqen_Hghar]

lol have a funny bubble

[kenwonobi]

Its not that big a deal. Only the media is making a few consoles above Sony in North America a deal. It was kinda oddly close for the having had a price cut and so many bundles. I wonder if Xbox will even be able to maintain even any of the momentum now that Christmas is over.

[Jaqen_Hghar]

The mind boggles when thinking what numbers PS4 would reach were it $330 with 2 games during the holidays. We won't know for a few years because Sony doesn't need to resort to such desperate measures just to close the gap in their strongest territory. MS didn't even bother cutting price in Europe or Japan because they know the only place they have a snowball's chance in heck of beating PS4 is in the US. And yet there they can't even gain a victory 10 months out of the year.

[F0XHOUND]

Really? Xbox has only won November/December in NA.. never once worldwide. NA is s substantial market, but please remember the other 10 or so months in which PlayStation 4 out right dominated.

Xbox will not force Sony's hand into making the slim. A price cut is more likely, with that its KO, a cut would likely drop it to £279-£299 in the UK which is just ludicrous!

The slim will come once demand is there for it. I'd imagine two models coming. One very cheap console with no HDD and pushing a PS Now/cloud save subscription plan. And another upgraded HDD with full slim redesign, both obviously being slim. Sony are known for launch models being "phat", for their own businesses model.... never forced, with the exception of maybe the Xbox 360.

[xx4xx]

Honestly, a slim version is not going to get me to buy a PS4.

A $50 price drop will (especially if they ate now including a free copy of TLOU).

[Macdaddy71]

Take PS3 it would sold better if Sony would have drop the price at first like MS did with the X1, they are a magic number that gamers will give for a system, Sony missed it with the PS3 n MS missed it with the X1,
I respect MS for not being scared to lower the price this fast, Sony just being Greedy cause they don't have the cash flow MS has,... Hey!!!! I gave $500 for X1 n $400 for ps4,
Slim systems MS n Sony knows gamers will buy them, don't know why the ones with systems would waste money to just get a smaller system,..

[user78405]

they will go slim eventually due to process technology from AMD in 2016 when cpu and gpu will go to 14nm...less power and more cooler, so Microsoft has to do as well when AMD updates its manufacturer process..lot cheaper to make and SONY has the upper-hand on this one, they done well with PS2 and PS3, its their plan to make more than one model PS4, just like PS3 models..more hdd options and accessory's, more price ranges..a $299 PS4 will arrive in 2016 while $399 PS4 will stay the same as fully loaded console with built in game plus PSN+ free year subscription, imagined what else SONY got for this E3 2015 !!!!!!!!!!!! SONY WILL CLAIMED VICTORY ON CONSOLE 8TH WAR !!!!!!

[urwifeminder]

The way Sony is headed they will be lucky to be a market stall at the local car park.

[CaulkSlap]

It's hard to imagine how they could actually slim that design down. It's so compact already. I'm guessing there will just be a few internal redesigns to lower costs for now.

Probably see PS4 slim a few years from now with an SSD or maybe a disc-less slim version selling alongside the current type.

[GNCFLYER]

I can hardly stand gaming media anymore. It's one thing if your name is PS or MS zine.

To see sites like ign who are supposed to be non biased and professional fight this console war for their choice is beyond pathetic and sad.

[JMyers]

Victories? 2 months with a heavily discounted, bundled and marketed X1? Sony knows it's too early for a slim. Maybe at 40 million sold through.

[TheLastColossus]

Victories lol

[Kumomeme]

what a click bait title