The Cost of Next Gen
Bloomberg reports PlayStation 5 cost
The price of manufacturing PlayStation 5 consoles has risen to $450 per unit according to a Bloomberg report citing “people with knowledge of the matter.”
The PlayStation 4 was launched in November of 2013 at $399, and was estimated to cost $381 to manufacture. If Sony is looking to maintain a similar profit margin (or rather cost parity), then the PlayStation 5 could be priced around $470 at launch.
Memory woes: According to the report, the problem is securing a reliable supply of DRAM and NAND flash memory, since both are in high demand. Other parts, including the “unusually expensive” cooling system are not subject to the vagaries of supply and demand and are not at issue.
Price wars: If Sony can’t control manufacturing price, the PlayStation 5 is likely to be sold at a loss in order to remain competitive with the Xbox Series X, the report claims. In a sense, Microsoft will be determining the price of the PlayStation 5 when they announce the Xbox Series X price, as Sony executives are waiting to see whether they need to respond.
Time For A Quick Daily Quiz?
What was the serial killer who kidnaps Ethan’s son in Heavy Rain called?
- The Origami Killer
- The Swan Killer
- The Raincoat Killer
- Stabby McStabberson
The answer will be revealed at the bottom of today’s issue. Join up with our community on Twitter and Facebook to discuss what the answer could be.
Daily Fact
Diddy Kong Racing DS switched out Conker and Banjo for Tiny and Dixie
The 2007 Nintendo DS remake of Diddy Kong Racing for Nintendo 64 was actually developed by Rare.
That may not sound so strange since they made the original game, but Microsoft bought Rare in 2002 so the game couldn’t include characters like Conker or Banjo since Microsoft now owned those IPs.
Conker and Banjo were replaced by Dixie Kong and Tiny Kong, apparently requiring some serious nipping and tucking to fit Tiny Kong into the Banjo-shaped hole in the game. In the end, she ends up looking both taller and older than her big sister Dixie.
Join up with our community on Twitter and Facebook to discuss today’s fact.
Pokemon GO's Legal Blues
Niantic in Safari Zone ticket trouble
Pokémon Go’s Safari Zone promotion in Liverpool has gotten in trouble with the UK’s Advertising Standards Agency as the advertised prices don’t quite match (https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2020-02-14-pokemon-go-fans-contact-asa-over-liverpool-ticket-prices) what players are actually being charged for the event.
Niantic’s marketing material claims that “general admission tickets will be £12, and early access tickets will be £18”, but fail to mention that additional tax and fees are added at checkout, adding £3/£4.20 and an additional £3 to the final price.
Letter of the law: It is illegal to advertise a product or service without including mandatory taxes and fees in the advertised price: “Rule 3.18 of the CAP Code states that ‘quoted prices must include non-optional taxes, duties, fees and charges that apply to all or most buyers’,” reads the guidance from the ASA.
ASA takes action: “We can confirm that we’ve so far received over 180 complaints about the advertising of tickets for this event,” said an ASA spokesperson. “We consider the omission of taxes and service charges in the ad is a clear problem under our rules.”
The Safari Zone events are also being held in St. Louis, Missouri and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States.