Stephen Totilo investigates why some gamers have not upgraded to PS5 or Xbox Series X

[Jim Ryan]

The article is paywalled, if someone is kind enough to explain what the content is, that would be great.

He says the two main reasons are games and money.

But i would be curious to see if it's due to cost of living or hardware and software being to expensive.

 

[peter42O]

My guess would be that the vast majority of games are cross-generation. Most people are probably also waiting for a price drop on the consoles.

 

[FatKaz]

Yeah biggest issue is price and games with the biggest MAUs being still playable on last gen consoles.

I still think Sony will drop the price permanently this holiday. Perhaps they are hoping for inflation to go down at the end of the year and holds that drop also effects hardware conponents? Most nations are expecting inflation to drop as well as interest rate cuts.

 

[Entropi]

No need for a PS5 to play fortnite, right?

 

[Systemshock2023]

I'd add another reason: lots of next gen only high budget games being absolute duds

Redfall
Immortals of aeternum
Ghost wire Tokyo
The medium
Forswoken
Batman Gotham knights
Suicide squad
Forza motorsport 8

And many more.

 

[Bryank75]

No need for a PS5 to play fortnite, right?

If Sony were smart they'd push for a big update to fortnite to make it current gen only. Something like that.

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

PC games are cheaper, you get free online on PC, mod support, tons of free games (mostly fangames, mods & indies), and chances are if you at least have a DX11-gen compatible GPU and a modern-ish CPU, you can play the latest games as long as you're willing to scale back on settings.

Sony & Microsoft (specifically Sony, since for them console is still a massive part of their total business model) need to find ways to actually address this. Stuff like Game Pass wasn't the answer, but raising prices on a gaming service required for online by 33% isn't the answer either (<ahem> PS+).

Until those issues are addressed, adoption rates slowing down will always remain a problem.

My guess would be that the vast majority of games are cross-generation. Most people are probably also waiting for a price drop on the consoles.

That's also part of the reason, tho many AAA and even a lot of AA games are now dropping 8th-gen platforms. Helldivers 2, Stellar Blade, Hellblade 2, Dead Space remake, Baldur's Gate 3, Tekken 8, MK1 etc. have no 8th-gen versions whatsoever.

It's really mainly GAAS (and of those, mostly F2P types like Fortnite) and sports games still regularly getting 8th-gen releases.

 

[Jim Ryan]

I'd add another reason: lots of next gen only high budget games being absolute duds

Redfall
Immortals of aeternum
Ghost wire Tokyo
The medium
Forswoken
Batman Gotham knights
Suicide squad
Forza motorsport 8

And many more.

Poor Ghost wire, not the worst game.

 

[Zzero]

If Sony were smart they'd push for a big update to fortnite to make it current gen only. Something like that.

They don't own it? And Epic is all about chasing MAUs.

 

[Bryank75]

They don't own it? And Epic is all about chasing MAUs.

Yes, I'm aware but Sony owns a good chunk of them now and partners with them on various things. I'm sure they could work it out. They need some incentives.

 

[Zzero]

Yes, I'm aware but Sony owns a good chunk of them now and partners with them on various things. I'm sure they could work it out. They need some incentives.

I just Googled, they own 5.4 percent. Thats not enough to get the others to shoot themselves in the foot. Tim Sweeney's 51 percent would say no and that would be that.

 

[peter42O]

That's also part of the reason, tho many AAA and even a lot of AA games are now dropping 8th-gen platforms. Helldivers 2, Stellar Blade, Hellblade 2, Dead Space remake, Baldur's Gate 3, Tekken 8, MK1 etc. have no 8th-gen versions whatsoever.

It's really mainly GAAS (and of those, mostly F2P types like Fortnite) and sports games still regularly getting 8th-gen releases.

Agreed. While there were a few last year in 2023, it's not as many as last generation which is why I believe those who own a PS4/XBO are just staying there. Combine that with the still $500 price tag and no real reason for a lot those people to jump into the current generation.

 

[Dabaus]

Ps5 is still 499. If Sony were smart they’d cut the price to 399 this holiday and advertise it heavily. Bundle bell divers 2 with it.

 

[AllBizness]

Cross gen wont die. College Football 25 seems to be moving hardware as there is no PS4 version of that. GTA6 will for sure move hardware. Truth is 3rd party multiplats suck and all the good ones are cross gen still.

 

[arvfab]

With barely any true exclusives left, why should people upgrade, especially at the current prices?

 

[Box]

With barely any true exclusives left, why should people upgrade, especially at the current prices?

People keep ignoring the elephant in the room. Most people don't want to pay $499 to "upgrade" to a
ps5 only to play ps4 games on it.

 

[mibu no ookami]

I like how we pretend like by this time last generation that everyone had migrated from the previous generation...

You always have people who upgrade late, especially parents.

I didn't get an NES until about 1990 and it released in 1985. I got a super Nintendo in 1993 it released in 1991. I got a PS1 in 1997 and it released in 1995.

The first time I got a system right around launch was the PS2. I don't think I got a PS3 until 2008. And then I bought a PS4 and PS5 at launch.