Is the US market ready to embrace a $500 game console?

A look at history, and inflation, suggests it might be.

[Obscure_Observer]

I´m expecting $450 price tag for the PS5 and $550 for the Series X.

[Jin_Sakai]

Company’s won’t do $50 increments. It will either be $399 or $499.

[Obscure_Observer]

Right. So $500 for the PS5 and $600 for the Series X.

[Kingthrash360]

The xbox one launched at 500 bucks...ps4 launched at 400.

People bought both.....but no matter what the market is ready for....the cheaper console will be the one who sells most. If they cost the same the kne with the better brand and games will sell most

[meganick]

Wii and 3DS launched at $250.

[darthv72]

In the US, everything pretty much ends in 9. So it would be $399.99 (or $399.98 if wal-mart) or $499.99. And I dont know why $500 would be off putting. I remember the 3do being upwards of $699 before the uproar of the PS3 being $599.

[rainslacker]

It's a psychological thing. Seems kind of silly, but it's still relevant for a lot of people to not have that extra penny on there. Doesnt make them think that they're spending the next level of even mumbers.

[traumadisaster]

This has nothing to do with us that bought the 3DO for that price, we also had a bunch of other tech junk that the average Joe could give a shit about.

The low price is so mainstream blue collar workers, HS and college kids, grandparents Christmas gifts, and splurge buys who find themselves with 400 burning a hole in their pocket at the end of the month.

Without loads of trailer parks and apartment complexes buying these cheap the the few sold in the burbs or downtown won’t cut it. Our sale is guaranteed.

[annoyedgamer]

Its psychology. The eye reads the 4 instead of 5 and the customer thinks the product is $100 cheaper.

[b163o1]

Gaming is a hobby, and if the product justifies a $500 price tag, then I'm all in, even a $600 price tag I'm all in, I've got friends with $500 sleeping bags, and I look at them crazy, but people are going to invest in there hobbies, whether its Day1 or month's later, your gonna invest...

[CaptainHenry916]

If the Series X is $600 it will be DOA especially since it won't have any exclusives for two years.

[darthv72]

It will be fine. Outside of N4g, the exclusive argument holds no weight. People just play games, and the SX being able to play the games better than the previous xbox will have more merit.

[Jin_Sakai]

“It will be fine. Outside of N4g, the exclusive argument holds no weight.“

Pretty sure Xbox fans bashed PS3 for being $599. It was a tough sell even for a powerful brand such as PlayStation. I don’t see a $599 console ever happening again.

[darthv72]

@Jin, you forget, the reason the PS3 was bashed was because it wasnt showing any reason for it to be $599 in comparison to the 360 at the time. Sony tried playing it off because of the bluray drive since the games certainly didnt reflect the warranted price point.

Are you going to say that a 12tf SX isnt worth $600 given the price of what a 12tf GPU 'alone' costs in the PC world?

[Dragonscale]

@darth, great exclusives sell consoles fgs. Someone's been drinking too much kool aid as usual lol.

[NeoGamer232]

I think both MS and Sony learned their lessons.... Sony with PS3 being over-priced at launch and XBO including connect and over-priced at launch.

I expect both to release their next gen console at the same price. But, MS may have a cheaper version only online or gimped on storage/optical drive.

[stuckNhere4Good]

The PS3 cost $1060.00 to make, it sold at retail for half that on average. So how was it overpriced?

[NeoGamer232]

@stuckNhere4Good
The value of a product has nothing to do with how much it cost to make...

Value is how much people are willing to pay for it... There are really cheap products that are marked up 100's of percent... There are expensive products that people won't even pay a few dollars for.

I can make a $15,000 PC with all the largest storage/memory and best hardware, Who would be willing to pay $7,500 for it?

[sprinterboy]

They'll both take a loss on the console and recoup the loss after 2 games or a extra controller.
Ps5 official specs today 13.3TF both will be $499 Imo.

[MADGameR]

There's no way that the PS5 will be $450. You are completely delusional. There's leaks going out saying that the PS5 will 13.3 TFLOPs. That's 1.2TFLOPs more than the leaked specs of the Series X. So do you REALLY think the PS5 will be $450? Rethink your life.

[Smokehouse]

The US would eat up a 500 dollar console. The economy is gangbusters. Unemployment is record lows. It’s slowed right now because of corona but it’s not a problem with our economy. The bounce back after Corona dies down is going to be incredible. Buy all the shares these idiots sold!

[MadLad]

I know they hammer those who dip into politics here, but the stock market being up isn't going to affect many average a family/citizen.
When the stock market is up, those with heavy investment in the stock market are doing better. Your average citizen doesn't own stocks.
Your average American can't typically afford to gamble with stocks.

[Smokehouse]

The stock market isn’t politics it’s economics. If the markets are doing good the stock market does good. When shit with severe uncertainty happens like the corona virus it tanks over emotion. When bubbles burst it tanks. This isn’t a bubble from an unsustainable economy, this is a natural disaster cutting off supply chains. Once the supply chains are resumed the certainty will come back.

Your average American does play in the stock market with 401Ks and other retirement plans. I have a high risk 401k that plays in the stock market and I’m just a mechanic lol. I can’t afford it? It’s money that I never see and it’s matched by my employer through profit sharing. True the stock market doesn’t pay for 500 dollar consoles but everyone working does. Rising wages does. The American consumer base has never been stronger, that’s the average citizen and a 500 dollar console would never have a better time to test itself.

[capjacksparrow]

As much as I can’t stand Ted Cruz, you’re right TheRealTedCruz. Unemployment may be low, but what is the quality of those jobs? I know many people, especially teachers working multiple jobs just to make it. Rent goes up everywhere but minimum wage stays low. I’ll personally buy the PS5 at launch, but that’s because I sacrifice to be able to purchase such things. Most people won’t be able to at $500 and up.

[The_Sage]

You're completely wrong here, Ted. Because of the way things are going here in the states I have moved out of poverty and living in a trailer to owning a house and a rental property and moved into the middle class. My wife went from working a part time job for a couple dollars an hour over minimum wage to owning her own business. She grew up on food stamps and I grew up in total poverty with a father who was disabled. Add to that the fact that all off my friends that were also impoverished or in the lower end of middle class are also doing really well. There are people out there that won't try to better their station in life, but with the opportunities available now, that is on them. A minimum wage job should only be for those entering the work force. Part time high school kids and such. If you want to better your standing you have to take the initiative.

As for most people feeling no effects from the stock market... You need to do some research. The dollar being stronger alone effects everyone. Beyond that, everything from health care, electricity, and everything else is based on the market. If you have health care, whoever your provider is is involved in the stock market.

Don't listen to the idiot talking heads that are lying to you telling you that a better economy is only going to effect part of the people. That is flat out B.S.. Time to wake up.

Post Script:
I also would like to add that my friend Jay who grew up poor in a war home now owns his own financial advisor business so I get a bit of insight from him. He, my wife, and my friends Richard are also employers. They actually give people jobs and help increase the job market. There is a reason unemployment is at such a low.

[jukins]

Wow you really think that's how the economy works? Stock market good so citizens must be good. . . .as for you having a 401k to "play in the market with" 100% guarantee you didnt start that yourself and your job has been contributing to it. Besides that 401k are for retirements.

Hate to say this but it's obvious which political flag you fly. I'd really like to know where all these "strongest ever consumers" are because most people are in the same place with the same struggles

[Smokehouse]

Um yeah. America is doing great for all of the reasons I mentioned. I was saying the stock market dip didn’t show the state of our economy.

Yeah I said my employer matches me through profit sharing dummy. Did you even read what I said? I said they were for retirement dummy. He said the average American doesn’t play in the stock market and that’s not true.

The American consumer base has never been stronger. Look it up dummy. Growth has been up. The fed has started interest rates again. Record low unemployment. Manufacturing and other high paying jobs, not part time work. People leaving food stamp and government assistance. Energy independence. It’s obvious what political flag you fly by your ignorant pessimism and lack of facts. Just because you’re living in skid row over in San Fran doesn’t mean the country is struggling. We’ve never been better.

[jukins]

Yea I read that part which means you arent playing the stock market you're just enjoying a common benefit. Theres only so much you can do with a 401k and besides switching to IRA rothira most people dont do anything but let it sit and build. You're acting like you're actually watching the markets watching the tickets listening to any potential rumors and selling and buying in rapid succession.

Growth has been up? Yea but it was said it was gonna be 3% the usual growth number to indicate an actual growing sustained economy. It was 2.3% and while it doesnt seem like much when you're talking trillions it is fact huge.

Please show me these manufacturing jobs that came back. With the economy booming why do farmers need a second 9 figure bailout due to current policies. I'm glad you know I live on skidrow while currently doing the same thing you're doing browsing the net commenting on articles so must not be so good out there in Beverly hills if we just do the same thing. Guess what? Obama could even say record low employment during his last 4 years it's called riding the wave. Most americans are not personally affected by a booming stock market. Which is as fickle as anything these days. I honestly dont fly a political flag our current two party system is flawed.

[Smokehouse]

Lmao! Where did I say any of that? That’s just you making shit up. Oh sorry “my money is playing the stock market” not me lmao. I don’t play in the stock market, I pay people to play in the stock market. Sorry. It doesn’t change the fact that I’m an average American with a hand in the stock market. It depends on how you play it, I’m younger so I play high risk. Older people play lower risk. There are many ways average people join.

Yeah it was 2.3 when the feds has negative interest rates. Acting like quantitative easing is some accomplishment is laughable. Printing money = ass economy. Obama employment = part time with an explosion of food stamp recipients.

500k new manufacturing jobs, look it up. Farmers needed subsidies during the China trade war but now that the deal is done they won’t need them. In fact, they will have to work harder to actually meet the demand.

Hey who knows maybe you have an Obama phone. Most Americans are effected and what I said was good markets show a strong stock market. Uncertainty like Corona virus can shake the stock market but it does not reflect the state of our economy.

Please start a relevant 3rd party. You would never win another election again.

[Sgt_Slaughter]

"Unemployment is record lows."

That's what happens when people need second and third jobs just to survive.

[Smokehouse]

Lmao! No that’s what happens when you get rid of job killing regulations.

[The_Sage]

Wages are up too, so that doesn't hold water.

[CaptainObvious878]

@stg

Stop getting your news from the establishment media.

[Smokehouse]

News for context: people bought all the shares these idiots sold 😂. I doubled my shares. Take advantage of the 401ks people! Free money.

“ Dow Jones rises nearly 1,300 points as markets rebound from COVID-19 scare“
https://www.upi.com/Top_New...

[SpCobra]

True, I wish I had money to buy into stocks right now, it will only go up after the virus dies out or slows down. No idea how you got so many down votes must be some people here are ignorant.

[Smokehouse]

Yeah I wish I had real money to play big time. This was a no brainer.

Everybody feels the same way though, I heard a Trump guy Billionaire just bought a large stake in Twitter and plans to oust that Jack dude (Cofounder I think). Watching twitter de-leftitize with free speech should be hilarious. The meltdowns will be epic. I want in.

[ElementX]

I just paid off my student loans and I'll have a lot of disposable income going forward. I can't wait to see the new consoles and get a new TV.

[Jin_Sakai]

Great to hear. What TV you looking into getting?

[ElementX]

I haven't even started to look at this point. I don't know when new TVs are released, but I will probably look into some reviews a couple of weeks before the consoles launch.

[Jin_Sakai]

Don’t know your budget but I highly recommend the LG C9 OLED. It’s future proof with HDMI 2.1 and VRR. It also has outstanding picture quality.

[AnubisG]

LG C9 all the way! I got one of them in december. Best TV I ever owned. It's a beast.

[darthv72]

I dont know much about the LG C9 but I just got a Samsung Series 6 and that looks gorgeous. I also recently upgraded to a PS4 Pro and it (along with the X) look outstanding in 4k with HDR.

[FreeFallFrenzy]

PSA:

Definitely get the C9 OLED or newer if you go LG. Don't do C8 or older. LG does a bad job at updating its year-old TVs, even the high end ones, which I've come to find out the hard way. Even when every other brand is updating their cheapo TVs with the latest software upgrades, LG will not. They are, however, amazing TVs out of the box, and the C9 or newer will have the proper features compatible with next-gen consoles.

[isarai]

Dang a LOT of people got the LG C9...

Including me! Lol, but yeah i cant really see a better TV in terms of gaming, made even better given what i paid for it. Im coming from the $600 TCL HDR 4K LED and i loved that TV to death, still isnt even comparable ti the picture quality on the C9. Only shortcoming i have with the C9 is the lack of a VRV/Crunchyroll app, and the ABL (Auto Brightness Limiter) may bother some, it basically dimms the backlight the more peak white fills the screen. Doesn't bother me, but it does some

[isarai]

2 bits of advice if you're serious avout a new TV. Get one with HDMI 2.1 ports and support for Variable Refresh Rate.

[WhiteScythe]

Id recommend the newer 2020 versions of Vizio TVs that are coming out sometime in spring/summer from what I remember. They all have HDMI 2.1 compatibility and are much cheaper than the OLED buy-in price

[Jin_Sakai]

“They all have HDMI 2.1 compatibility and are much cheaper than the OLED buy-in price.”

Cheaper yes but the picture quality will never compare to LG C9 OLED. The perfect blacks and infinite contrast ratio makes for an incredible picture. OLED also handles motion with near instant response.

[Fist4achin]

Great feeling there!

[PhoenixUp]

“More recently, a few consoles have seen a $500 starting price at launch: the PlayStation 3 in 2006, the Xbox One in 2013, and the upgraded Xbox One X in 2017. In each case, the price was roughly $100 (or 25 percent) more than the closest competition at the time, and that price difference was often cited for the relative underperformance of the high-priced console in question, in terms of sales.”

Relative underperformance? Even when launching at $500-$600 the PS3 still sold at a faster rate than than Xbox 360 since day one with launch aligned numbers. Even the Xbox One which launched at $500 sold at a faster rate than its predecessor within the first 3 years.

[MadLad]

The PS3 became the better selling system nearing the end of the generation. A long console generation; and it wasn't selling for the original $600 for the majority of that.

[i3eyond the Circle]

After being almost dominant for 2 generations and competing against a console that got discontinued at around 20mil its previous gen...being proud that it caught up to system that wouldn’t sell a mil in Japan like the ps3 that we alll expected or a system that’s not even offered in pal regions...isn’t impressive. That’s not winning.. that’s people wanting a blu ray drive for cheap.

[Rimeskeem]

Depends if a recession hits are not.

[Donnie81]

$500 isn’t a lot of money anymore. If a series x is 500 I’ll happily buy it at that price

[arkard]

They embraced 1300$ cell phones. 500$ game console is nothing. Especially if they are a big jump up from the last generation

[AnubisG]

But you can't walk around with your console on the street showing it off to everyone that walks by. Will not get you street cred.

That is why $500 for console every 6 years is too much but $1300 for a new phone every year is a good investment.

/s

[CaptainObvious878]

I see you put the sarcasm tag, but sadly, you and I both know the majority of people really are this stupid and vain.

[CrimsonWing69]

Didn’t the Xbox One launch at $499 and i didn’t see any complaints? Oh wait it’s game journalism, I forgot nobody does any research.

[danny818]

I have a strong feeling its gonna be $500 and $600 for Series X with a release of the Xbox lesser model at $400

[Fist4achin]

Not $500. More like $499!

If it has the quality, I don't see a problem with the purchase. I just need to start saving though...

[AnubisG]

I mean, of it's $500 there is no way I will be buying it. That's just way too much. However, at $499.99 I'm 100% getting it because big difference, right?🤣

jk

[SprigganN4G]

if i had to bet, PS5 and XSX both will be sold a lt a loss.

PS5 $399 9.2TF RDNA1.0
XSX $499 12TF RDNA 2.0

[MadLad]

PS5 $499
X $599

[Jakens]

Don't know why $600 is out of the question for the X. Or $500 for PS5.

I agree. However I was way off on the XB1X price.

[mastershredder]

Yawn. We have already been here so many times. Seriously, beat this dead horse back to life why don’t you?

[Parasyte]

Already did. The Xbox One X was $499

[jznrpg]

For PS I’ll spend whatever . For Xbox I will either not buy it at all or wait for 4-5 years for Black Friday if the games I’d want are there at that point

[CaptainObvious878]

This is what I'll be doing as well as I have 2 brain cells.

MS have a long history of lying, mismanaging studios and dropping support halfway through every single generation. So I would be a fool to purchase an xsx any earlier than 4 years into next generation.

[Kumakai]

omfg. yes. the ps3 cost $600 when it launched. $600 was even more back then w/ inflation. It did have a slower start than the x360 but still went on to be a great success. The One X was $500 at launch - more expensive than any other console on the market... and it PICKED UP Xbox One sales - the fastest MS had seen evidentally. The first edition sold out.

Some people might have a harder time buying a more expensive console, but there are tons of people like myself who would rather pay a bit more to get a bit more power. And most people who want a new console and know one is coming will either start saving or find a way. If $1200 iPhones can fly off of shelves, so can $500 consoles w/ over a year of "heads up its coming" announcements.

[Thundercat77]

$499 console is ok for the hard-core audience but not for the normal audience. Waiting for Sony to drop official information in order to evaluate the situation.

[akaFullMetal]

I expect 500 for either systems.

[traumadisaster]

This has nothing to do with us that bought the 3DO for $700, we also had a bunch of other tech junk that the average Joe could give a shit about.

The low price is so mainstream blue collar workers, HS and college kids, grandparents Christmas gifts, and splurge buys who find themselves with 400 burning a hole in their pocket at the end of the month.

Without loads of trailer parks and apartment complexes buying these cheap (400)the the few sold in the burbs or downtown won’t cut it. Our sale is guaranteed but we don’t number very high.

[respekanize91]

Gladly pay $499.

[TommyVercetti88]

$499,99 is a good price for the XSX, with 12TF i see Halo Infinite running 4k@120fps high/ultra textures with Raytracing.

[DFresh]

PS5/Series X have similar architecture so I’m expecting $499 for both systems.
Though I think it’s funny the same people that complain about console price points are the same people that will spend $1,000+ on an Apple iPhone yearly. Change my mind.

[kryteris]

nope. I guess 399 would be fine w/o a fancy controller since you can use your old one.

[metalgod88]

Dude, I bought a $600 PS3 which was pretty steep back then. The hardware is significantly improved since then so yeah.. I mean, if the cost is $500, then it's $500.

[UltimateOwnage]

Yeah, I paid $600 for the PS3 back in the day, and recently plunged $500 into the Analogue N mini. A well made console is worth it when you consider these things get 5+ years of life. My PS4 has paid back the cost of ownership in entertainment value a dozen times over already IMO. PSVR has extended the value even further. I’m all in for PS5.

[AK91]

is it ready for the $700 beast that is the XSX?