I bought one of those PlayStation 4 cameras about a week after the system’s release, and because I’m not the sort to show off my junk on the internet, it’s been sitting gathering dust under my TV. I used it to demo Playroom..for about 5 minutes. I severely overestimated how much use I’d get out of the thing. Sony, meanwhile, says it’s underestimated the camera’s potential.
The sales attach rate for the peripheral have been oddly high; roughly one in seven PS4 owners own the PlayStation camera. With seven million PS4’s in the wild, that means that roughly 1 million exhibitions and/or suckers have thrown down cash for a peripheral that’s good for not a whole lot right now.
Only it had the potential to be more; a peripheral actually used by game developers to make their games more…gimmicky, I suppose? Speaking to Gameinformer, Sony’s Andrew House says if there is one thing he’d have changed about the PS4’s launch, it would have been to include the camera.
It’s not a major one, but I was a big advocate for the PlayStation camera and that it was going to be a bigger part of the landscape than we were anticipating.
Within Sony, the idea of bundling the camera – similar to Microsoft’s packed-in Kinect – was an unpopular one.
Not to be critical of some folks in our organization, but I think there was a bit of conventional wisdom that said, “If you look at most console launches and look at the adoption rates of a core peripheral, they tend to be very low.” I think we did sort of subscribe to that a little bit. As a result, we underestimated the potential in that area.
I think Sony made the right move, leaving the camera out and keeping the console at a more palatable $399. If it were priced the same as the Xbox One, I’m not sure the split would be quite as much in Sony’s favour right now. To most consumers, price is more important than pixels.
Where the camera will come in to use is with Sony’s Virtual Reality Project Morpheus; it will allow the system to track the lights atop Sony’s motion-controller lollipops; PlayStation Move.
Last Updated: May 8, 2014
Rincethis
May 8, 2014 at 10:05
Quite frankly he should have said ‘We dodged a bloody bullet’.
Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!
May 8, 2014 at 10:06
Heh. That’s exactly what I wanted to say
Weaner 'some arsehole' dog
May 8, 2014 at 10:29
What he is saying is that they now have 1 million unhappy s?u?c?k?e?r?s? customers. Also as I believe that the developers are only going to use it meaningfully/ annoyingly (delete inapplicable) if everyone’s got it or at least the majority.
Rincethis
May 8, 2014 at 10:30
I suppose they can use it to keep papers from flying off your shelf? Prop up books?
Alien Emperor Trevor
May 8, 2014 at 10:35
He sounds a bit disappointed by it too. It’s like they dared someone to shoot at them, they did, but missed. You’re a Japanese company, next time try dodging a bullet train if it’ll make you happier.
Rincethis
May 8, 2014 at 10:37
Yeah like “we poked this huge tiger in the arse, and it didn’t bite our heads off, le sigh”.
Kensei Seraph, Sparkly Samurai
May 8, 2014 at 10:07
I’m glad they didn’t include the camera.
It’s one of the main reasons I intend to get a PS4 over an Xbone (after a few years).
Hammersteyn
May 8, 2014 at 10:08
Andrew House is an advocate for the camera even though only roughly 14% of PS4 owners bought the camera. What do you want to bet that the stats would almost be the same for The XBOX One were the consumers given a choice?
Kensei Seraph, Sparkly Samurai
May 8, 2014 at 10:09
I’m sure that no one would take that bet.
Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!
May 8, 2014 at 10:08
Including the camera would have increased the price and would have damaged initial early adoption.
There’s a reason 6 million users bought the PS4 only while 1 million decided to get the camera extra.
If it had been bundled you would not have had 7 million sales. #justsaying
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May 8, 2014 at 10:13
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FoxOneZA
May 8, 2014 at 10:17
Your avatar suggests it grows boobs too.
Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!
May 8, 2014 at 10:18
Don’t reply to the bots. It just encourages them….
Rincethis
May 8, 2014 at 10:21
I just wonder why they bother. Can’t be that many fucking morons out there that would click?
Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!
May 8, 2014 at 10:23
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Alien Emperor Trevor
May 8, 2014 at 10:24
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Rincethis
May 8, 2014 at 10:25
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! I see you are no longer in an irritable mood 😉 How many coffees died to make you happy?!
Alien Emperor Trevor
May 8, 2014 at 10:29
I had a cup of tea.
Sir Rants A Lot Llew. Jelly!!!
May 8, 2014 at 10:29
Earl Grey, Rooibos or Five Roses?
Alien Emperor Trevor
May 8, 2014 at 10:30
Five Roses.
Rincethis
May 8, 2014 at 10:31
Yeah, you come across as a rose boy…
Alien Emperor Trevor
May 8, 2014 at 10:32
It makes me very popular on Valentine’s Day.
Rincethis
May 8, 2014 at 10:29
TAKE THAT BACK!
Alien Emperor Trevor
May 8, 2014 at 10:31
Don’t question my self-medication. Tea is for irritable. Coffee is for tired & grumpy.
Weaner 'some arsehole' dog
May 8, 2014 at 10:48
People buy homeopathic medicine. That has been diluted so much that none of poisons that are the active ingredients are present in any level that could actually kill you. I suppose it does help with return customers.
Rincethis
May 8, 2014 at 10:50
I don’t know man., Pretty difficult to return when you die of whatever the bullshit treatment was supposed to help you with in the first place…
Weaner 'some arsehole' dog
May 8, 2014 at 11:03
True but remember that when the homeopath business plan was developed you probably had a longer life expectancy by not visiting the medical doctor.
Hammersteyn
May 8, 2014 at 10:23
You saying I’m fat?
DrKiller
May 8, 2014 at 11:11
His/Her/Its comment made me lus for KFC… 😛
Hammersteyn
May 8, 2014 at 11:25
hahaha
HvR - THE Average GAmer
May 8, 2014 at 10:55
Stupid corporate PR, MS exec is probably going to come out as well and say he is so impressed that all XB One customers embraced the Kinect.
These guys must get such a high of all the hot gas they are passing.
Jonah Cash
May 8, 2014 at 11:12
As I have said many a times before!! Kinect fooled me once, no camera will ever get the chance to fool me again!! The Kinect was left in a cupboard after 30 minutes of play!!
Tom Krager
May 8, 2014 at 11:20
I still don’t know which console to get lol . ..
Rick Rambo
May 8, 2014 at 21:06
“To most consumers, price is more important than pixels.” Price had nothing to do with my purchase. When the difference is only $100, I still think far to many people are saying its price that’s the biggest selling point for Sony. I say no, its the better PlayStation hardware, rather than price, that’s selling. “Well, I would buy what I really really want but its a whole $100 more.” I dont see it. Maybe if it were 2-3 hundred more, I would agree.
kasino31
May 9, 2014 at 10:11
Maybe…but 100 bucks is considered a lot of money to a lot of people. 7 million purchases are not that concerned with hardware man (in my opinion). I think that you (and myself) are in the small percentage that bought the ps4 based on hardware.
Son of Liberty
May 8, 2014 at 21:31
Each Ps4 game cost $59.00+ tax with all the money you spend on games you can buy a good gaming PC. If you round it up, 4 PS4 games that cost $60.00 each if you add it up and you get a total of $240 bucks. If you buy 10 PS4 games and each cost $60.00 the total is $600. Now if you buy 20 PS4 games and each cost $60.00 it adds to $1200.
kasino31
May 9, 2014 at 10:17
that is logical sense, but don’t you think consoles are popular because of the convenience? it’ like paying extra for 1st class flight compared to coach…both seats will get to the same destination…..it’s more convenient when you are in first.