It’s hard to believe that at launch, the PS3 was hardly the device it is today. While it had some interesting launch titles, its extremely steep asking price kept many gamers from making the jump, instead turning to Microsoft and Nintendo. Five years and multiple price drops later, the PS3 is a much different machine than it once was, actively competing with the Xbox 360 and Wii. During a recent investors meeting, Sony explained that they would not be making this same mistake again.

In the meeting, Sony’s Chief Financial Officer Masaru Kato stated that the recent increase in PS3 sales can be attributed to its lower price tag. He wishes to retain this profitability with the release of a new console, and as such, it would make little sense to repeat the mistakes of the past by launching it with a high price tag.

While Kato didn’t say whether future consoles would be cheaper than the PS3, he did explain that the massive investments and operational costs incurred in launching the console simply couldn’t be repeated in the future. Those who followed the launch closely will remember hearing just how much money Sony was losing with every system sold, since the retail price was not enough to cover the production costs. Even to the average consumer, it should be obvious that this business model is one that Sony isn’t looking to try again.

Whether this is a move to draw gamers’ attention away from the recent PSN outages, or a simple statement regarding the current state of the company, it’s good to see Sony taking the time to learn from their mistakes. While they may not have had the unstoppable launch they may have hoped for with the PS3, there is no denying that it has become a formidable console with a wealth of extremely strong, imaginative titles.

Even though the rumors that Sony is currently working on the PS4 have been debunked and clarified as referring instead to the NGP, the fact that they are discussing matters such as cost can only mean that planning for the PlayStation 4 has begun, at least conceptually. While we may not hear anything in the next year, Sony is at least beginning to work on the details that will lay the framework for the console.

How do you feel about the decrease in initial investment for any future Sony consoles? Did you feel that the cost of the PS3 was the reason you chose one system over another?

If and when Sony gets around to talking about the PlayStation 4, we’ll keep you informed.

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Source: Andriasang