Sony has revealed the PlayStation Camera is selling well as a “secondary purchase” option for the PS4.
Unlike rival Microsoft and the Xbox One, Sony made the decision to leave the PlayStation Camera peripheral out of the PS4 box, instead offering it as a separate optional purchase.
Now, Sony has revealed that its motion gaming peripheral has been quietly selling quite well, announcing the news during a Develop in Brighton conference keynote.
When asked whether Sony discussed including the Camera in the package, Lead PS4 system architect, Mark Cerny was quick to answer.
“It was pretty obvious decision,” said Cerny. “The camera makes sense as an independent proposition. It does not need to be included with the hardware to be a success. If it offers something that is perceived to be invaluable then it is a great thing to have in the PlayStation 4 ecosystem.”
Andrew House, President and Group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment, outlined that the company had various financial issues to deal with when developing the PS4, attempting to pack as much in as possible without making the console too expensive.
“In the first instance there were financial pressures, but it had us think through the consumer proposition again…,” explained House. “If we were making the platform much more about consumer choice than perhaps our previous platforms had been, then having the camera as an option for consumers was not a negative. It was offering people choice.”
Even before the PS4 release date, the Sony executives could see the potential of game sharing, possibly in part due to the decision to add a Share button to the DualShock 4 controller.
“The other thing that we were starting to see was, not the full potential but certainly the glimmering of the potential of what experiences like The Playroom could be. Of what game sharing and sharing of gameplay could mean. That, inherently, was enough to drive [the PlayStation Camera].”
“Rather than forcing it onto consumers and by extension forcing it onto developers, we’re saying that if we’ve got enough experiences that people will embrace it and embrace it as a secondary purchase. Happily, that’s what has been happening.”
Microsoft announced it would launch a Kinect-free Xbox One in June.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
