Next Generation Console Prices

[RPG_Fanatic]

With all the talk about next gen. coming in 2012-2013, what do you think the prices of the consoles will be? $500-$600? Current prices are still high (360 $300 PS3 $350 Wii $150) for being out for 5-6 years. I don't see them coming out at the same price as now. Maybe the Wii U will come out at the $250-$300 range but I don't see the 360 2 or PS4 being $300-$400 range. What do you guys think?

[Zigfried]

They'll cost $300 or less if they want people-at-large to buy them. That being said, I think we'll be looking at $350 as they try to push our pockets.

[boatofcar]

Consoles always launch high to capitalize on the impatience of early adopters and the economics of manufacturing. I'm guessing $399 for the new PS and Xbox.

[kupomogli]

Current prices are still high (360 $300 PS3 $350 Wii $150) for being out for 5-6 years.

PS3 price you're listing is for 320GB. The price for the standard console on both the PS3 and 360 is $300.

Anyways, I feel Microsoft and Sony won't be too much higher than they are right now. Nintendo is the only one to sell their consoles without a loss. Microsoft has sold theirs at a loss, not including having to fix every RRoD consoles, and Sony originally sold theirs at a major loss. Sony even stated, and it's obvious, that the PS Vita was being sold at a loss as well.

Like boatofcar mentioned, probably $400. For Sony, they're probably going to stick with Bluray and the costs of that has dropped drastically. I doubt they're really going to need larger than 50GB for a long time. Microsoft will drop DVD and go to a better format, possibly Bluray, which they'll be paying a bit more than Sony per console. With Nintendo, they said the Wii U isn't going to be cheap. From that statement, I believe it's going to be atleast $350, if not $400. I really doubt they're talking as cheap as in, Wii cheap, because 360 and PS3 are already $300 and as consoles people see them as affordable price ranges.

[WCP]

Well, all I can say is that I hope the Wii U is $249.99, because if it's more than that there is no chance I'll be buying one.

As for the PS4 and Xbox 3, I think $399 is the maximum price they will roll with, with the idea that it will mostly be the early adopters for the initial launch. You can always drop a price, but you can't really raise a price, so better to start a wee bit high.

[Trebuken]

I imagine they will launch with more than one model. I too would expect $399.99 for the low-end model at launch. The Wii-U may beat that, though no guarantee's with that controller.

The next generation of handhelds seems to have jumped in price $50 or so, why not the consoles.

[Robocop2]

I'm sure that they will go up they always do it seems. I'm more interested to see if games go up as well.

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

WiiU will be about $450 (fancy controller looks expensive), others will be $600.

[Colorado Rockies]

There is no way Nintendo would be stupid enough to price the Wii U at 450.

I say 299 max for Wii U. And 399 max for ps4/xbox 2.
Sony will not make the same mistake of pricing another console at 600

[Cobra Commander]

I would like to see the Wii U at $250, but I imagine it will be $300. $350 won't for most people. I'm sure the PS4 and Xbox3 will be over $350. I'm sure the PS4 will be $400.

[LaughingMAN.S9]

There is no way Nintendo would be stupid enough to price the Wii U at 450.

I say 299 max for Wii U. And 399 max for ps4/xbox 2.
Sony will not make the same mistake of pricing another console at 600


yep.
that.

[Vectorman0]

Current prices are still high (360 $300 PS3 $350 Wii $150) for being out for 5-6 years.

You have to keep in mind that the 360 and PS3 hardware has evolved since they have come out. If it were only the launch models that were still being sold, they wouldn't be as expensive. The 360 is almost like a completely different system now (as much as it could be while still allowing the original models to play current games).

[jcalder8]

My guess is that MS and Sony will be 500 and Nintendo will be 450

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

There is no way Nintendo would be stupid enough to price the Wii U at 450.

I say 299 max for Wii U. And 399 max for ps4/xbox 2.
Sony will not make the same mistake of pricing another console at 600

Nintendo fans are loyal. They will buy it at launch no matter what. After launch, the price will have to come down for it to succeed. I anticipate the new controllers will be expensive, as well as the new graphic chips inside both the controllers and the system.

[TonyTheTiger]

$399 would probably be the absolute ceiling. We've already seen price become a major issue and console manufacturers are streamlining their visions ala PS3 Slim. I think the Vita's $250-$300 price is a hint of how cost aware everybody has become.

[RCM]

Assuming M$ and Sony release traditional consoles. Maybe gaming on the cloud will be viable and Xbox and Playstation brands will transition from hardware to service, who knows?

Both M$ and Sony were pummeled for years by the low price point of Wii, so I'd expect their hardware to be closer to mass market in the next round, if there is one.

[chrisballer]

Consoles always launch high to capitalize on the impatience of early adopters and the economics of manufacturing. I'm guessing $399 for the new PS and Xbox.

My thoughts exactly. The way things have been going with the different price points on some electronics is the new norm IMO. I would hope these companies are smart enough now to know they need that trimmed down product to have that low number to ease the sticker shock.

[Robocop2]

New PS4 with 4G and wifi only 29.99/mo for 3 years, free console; contract required
*an early termination fee of 499.99 applies.

I'm sure that there will be a tiered release with both MS and Sony's offerings, so far there have been with this generation and I'd wager that will continue. All this fancy schmancy tech does cost more than the Wii. The reason Nintendo could sell the wii at the price point it was because it was basically a recycled/slightly revised version of the last gen hardware.

[megasdkirby]

I have a feeling the WiiU will cost $299. It's not really that expensive, though if you compare it with the current Wii price ($150), it IS expensive. It all depends on how it's viewed.

The new consoles from Microsoft and Sony will be priced at $399, though I would not be surprised if there are different SKU's to please all audiences. For instance, the console could cost $299 with a small HDD, but for $100 more you can get one with a much higher HDD.

This is what I think, anyway.

[Swamperon]

I have a feeling the WiiU will cost $299. It's not really that expensive, though if you compare it with the current Wii price ($150), it IS expensive. It all depends on how it's viewed.

The new consoles from Microsoft and Sony will be priced at $399, though I would not be surprised if there are different SKU's to please all audiences. For instance, the console could cost $299 with a small HDD, but for $100 more you can get one with a much higher HDD.

This is what I think, anyway.

I agree with the WiiU pricing. I can't see Nintendo going any higher, especially after a high price has hurt the 3DS.

I think the 720 and PS4 will be around the $350 mark. But you never can tell. No one saw the PS3 being the price that it was.

[kupomogli]

No one saw the PS3 being the price that it was.

Really? Hardware bc with the PS2. Bluray which was brand new tech at the time. Bluetooth compatibility, hdmi, wireless, USB inputs, memory stick slots. Let's not forget the architecture of the console. The first 360s didn't have HDMI, and 360s are without wireless standard, launching at $399.

It was obvious it was going to be way more expensive than the 360, though.

[dendawg]

My opinons:

PS4 & Xbox 720/: $399

WiiU: $299

If Nintendo goes any higher than that they'll blow the lead they already have.

[Dobie]

This may be a big departure from reality, but I think consoles could go the cell-phone business model route. Sony and MS have both already taken steps in that direction, why not go all the way? Subscription service which subsidizes the hardware. Xbox Live 3.0... free arcade games and DLC, matchmaking, clan/stat services, dedicated servers, cloud storage, streaming options, $30-$40 per month, 2 year commitment. Sell the console for $99. Still have retail boxed games for $60, but subscribers can opt to "install" them to their cloud and stream to their device. OnLive meets Xbox Live.

[Colorado Rockies]

Really? Hardware bc with the PS2. Bluray which was brand new tech at the time. Bluetooth compatibility, hdmi, wireless, USB inputs, memory stick slots. Let's not forget the architecture of the console. The first 360s didn't have HDMI, and 360s are without wireless standard, launching at $399.

It was obvious it was going to be way more expensive than the 360, though.

And we all know how well that $600 price tag helped Sony...

[Gamevet]

This may be a big departure from reality, but I think consoles could go the cell-phone business model route. Sony and MS have both already taken steps in that direction, why not go all the way? Subscription service which subsidizes the hardware. Xbox Live 3.0... free arcade games and DLC, matchmaking, clan/stat services, dedicated servers, cloud storage, streaming options, $30-$40 per month, 2 year commitment. Sell the console for $99. Still have retail boxed games for $60, but subscribers can opt to "install" them to their cloud and stream to their device. OnLive meets Xbox Live.

I believe this may be the direction the market is heading. Just look at the prices for a Radeon 6970/6990 and NVidia's GTX 580/590, they are ultra expensive. Unless MS and Sony come out with their own custom video hardware (highly unlikely), I can't imagine the hardware being sold anywhere near the price to manufacture it. The average consumer probably won't even notice the improvement in graphics provided by the hardware, so MS and Sony will have to entice buyers with online content and services. They'll have to market it as an online service console, or all in one set-top box. The online services market is the reason why MS got into the console business, not necessarily as a game console manufacturer.

But.....we won't see a PS4 or Xbox 720 until 2014. Sony and MS are already relying on sales through PSN and LIVE to keep the current consoles going.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20056046-17.html


If you're hoping for the Xbox 720 or the PlayStation 4 to arrive anytime soon, prepare to be disappointed.

Citing "industry sources," video game blog Kotaku reported yesterday that Microsoft and Sony aren't planning to release follow-ups to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 until 2014. One of the blog's sources said that Microsoft hasn't even decided which components its next console will offer when it eventually launches.

If both Microsoft and Sony wait until 2014 to release new machines, it would mark a dramatic shift in the way console makers have structured launch schedules.



Microsoft's senior director of Xbox product management, David Hufford, indicated last year at the Consumer Electronics Show that his company is on the same page as Sony. And with the release of Microsoft's motion-gaming peripheral Kinect in November, the company was potentially able to extend the life of its console.

"I think it's important to say that the Xbox 360 is the console of the long future for us," Hufford said before an audience at CES. "There is no need to launch a new console because we're able to give this console new life either with software upgrades or hardware upgrades like Project Natal. The Xbox 360 was designed for a long life, and I don't even know if we're at the midpoint yet."





I can't imagine the Wii U being inexpensive, like the Wii. You're looking at a console that has a controller that is almost an iPad, and even the last gen iPad is $400.




What about the Wii?
Although Kotaku's sources didn't mention the Wii, many industry watchers believe that Nintendo will be launching a successor to its motion console later this year. Nintendo hasn't said a word about what its next console will offer or even when it might hit store shelves.

Not everyone is convinced that a new Wii would even sell all that well if it did hit store shelves in 2011. In an interview with IndustryGamers earlier this year, Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter said that the chances of the Wii 2 succeeding after a late 2011 launch would be slim. One of the key additions would be HD suppport, which the Xbox 360 and PS3 have had since launch. Pachter sees Nintendo as jumping aboard that train much, much too late.

"I just think Nintendo's blown it; I think by the time they launch [their next console] if it's Christmas 2011, it's two years too late, and for sure one year too late," Pachter said in the interview. "So it's over--I don't think they can ever recover. Wii sales will continue to decline and I think Wii 2 will not sell well."

[Snesguy666]

I've almost given up on games completely.
as for over $100 for a Bran-New Game, and over $100 for pre owned games this is just getting Ridicules. EB Australia. ((thats why i import from UK :P))
Day light robbery it what it is, here in AU anyways.

I Agree Nintendo did Screw up by Announcing the wii U way to early,
and Nintendo did not give me a good reason to buy the Wii U when it was reviled.
I'd rather wait and get a 720 if it has total Xbox 360 BC.
((would buy another 360 but it'll proberbly RROD, gone through 2 360's so far not buying another.))
nothing yet to play on the wii u at launch i can see apart from my wii games.
(


one of the industries problems is people don't buy lots of games or consoles cause their to expensive, New Games should be the prices of New DVDs. not $60 or over $100.
((That is if they are still using Discs.))
Next gen Consoles should Drop Discs and go to External Drive Media For Storing Games
such as a couple of gig Flash drives act, so we don't have to worry about scratching discs any more. Discs are starting to feel old and can be accidentally Ruined to easily
or Screwed in the disc drive. ((my xbox360 killed a few discs before it finally RROD'd.

I'm expecting the next lot of consoles to be in the $399-$600 range,
considering Last gen consoles still selling at $300+
((Xbox 360 and PS3.))

[Lucifersam1]

If they do go that route (which I hope they don't, personally), they should come up with a new pricing scheme or they won't be able to peddle their crap to anyone. From what I have seen the prices for digital versions of games are on par with physical. This is an insult to the consumer IMHO, because there is nothing tangible, yet we are still paying the same high prices. If they were to go to an all-digital release there would be instant savings to them, which I would hope they would pass on (at least some of it) to the consumer. Obviously, their goal is the bottom line, BUT if no one buys their crap they are finished anyway. Could greed cause another video game market crash?





Next gen Consoles should Drop Discs and go to External Drive Media For Storing Games
such as a couple of gig Flash drives act, so we don't have to worry about scratching discs any more.

[duffmanth]

My best guess is prices will probably be similar to what the current consoles were at their launch? The Wii U will almost certainly be $299 max cuz Nintendo probably won't get away with charging more than that. Sony has hopefully learned their lesson from over pricing the PS3 and will keep the next playstation at $399 max. I think Microsoft will keep their price in line with Sony. Blu ray technology is dirt cheap now so if it remains the disc format for the time being, I can't see that adding to the cost of any console that uses it? The things I can see adding significant cost to the next generation of consoles is a new disc format, flash or SSD storage, or if R and D costs go higher, but hopefully these things won't happen?!

[Snesguy666]

another video game crash could happen, but not likely,
prices would have to be put through the roof to say $700-$900 for the consoles and no one will buy then cause no one will be able to afford them and costs of production would have to be so high that early price cuts would sell at a loss their-fore we will have a market crash.



Im going for the NON RW 3-5 gig SD or Flash cartridge based storage,
as for digital download I personally try to stay away for their are to many issues and some companies would have put into their license agreement schemes where if your HDD or SD card dies you have to "Buy" another one rather them re-download for free,
most retailers today in stores Replace discs for free, I've always been suss on downloading games.

[kupomogli]

as for digital download I personally try to stay away for their are to many issues and some companies would have put into their license agreement schemes where if your HDD or SD card dies you have to "Buy" another one rather them re-download for free

I dislike digital download, but this isn't true at all. Both the 360, PS3, and probably the Wii as well but I honestly don't know, allow you to redownload anything you've purchased already as many times as you want. Even betas are still downloadable, even though you can't play them any longer as the server is no longer open.

[garagesaleking!!]

Playstation still regrets coming out with the high ps3 prices, I say they try to undercut microsoft. And the wii better be cheap if they plan to sell any systems after the recent performance of the old wii.

[NEOFREAK9189]

My opinons:

WiiU: $349:99
Ps 4: $399:99
Xbox 720: $449.99