Sony has confirmed that the PS4 will be sold at a loss at launch, but day one game sales and PlayStation Plus subscriptions will turn a profit.
The Japanese electronics manufacturer is relying on launch title sales and PS Plus subscriptions to recoup the money lost by sales of the PS4 hardware.
Speaking to Eurogamer at the Sony Computer Entertainment headquarters in Tokyo, Senior Vice President Masayasu Ito, revealed the pricing issues with the PS4.
According to “well-placed sources”, Sony is losing approximately $60 (around £40) for every $399 (£349 in the UK) PS4 unit sold. However, Ito denied the figures, saying the company would easily make that back with game and accessory purchases on launch day.
When the PS4 release date rolls around on November 15 in the US and November 29 in the UK, Sony expects to make a profit on every console sold, independent of the number of launch titles any consumer chooses to purchase.
If Sony is making an approximate £40 loss on every PS4 console, but is selling launch titles for around £50 and a 3-month subscription for £11.99, the company will quickly make back that figure. We don’t see any new PS4 owners walking out of the store without a game to play on it.
Gamers may also choose to purchase the PlayStation Camera peripheral with their new PS4, which is priced at £55.99 or even additional DualShock 4 controllers for £54.99 apiece.
When the PS4 launches, gamers will have a raft of launch titles to choose from. These include exclusives like DriveClub, Killzone 4: Shadow Fall and Knack, as well as multi-platform blockbusters like Battlefield 4, Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag and Call of Duty: Ghosts.
Next, read our pick of the best PS4 games.
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Editorial independence
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.
Professional conduct
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.
