When Sony proudly announced that the PlayStation 3 would cost $599, way back in 2006, the world laughed and Sony didn’t understand why. The console was an expensive investment but a significant number of consumers didn’t like that investment being passed onto them. In 2011, Sony’s finally figured that out.
After confirming that its next big console is in the works, Sony’s Masaru Kato revealed that it will not be the costly gamble that the PlayStation 3 was: “It is no longer thinkable to have a huge initial financial investment like that of the PS3.”
With the PS3 now much cheaper to make, Sony finally turned a big profit this year, so I really hope Sony is sincere about this move. The PS2 — regarded as less powerful than its rivals at the time — was the biggest success of its generation not because it was crammed with expensive technology, but because it was cheap, cheerful, and played the best games.
If Sony returns to that world, it can eat my children and I’ll gladly wash the cutlery.
Sony: No Plans For PS3-type Investment For Future Consoles [andriasang]
