When Sony and Microsoft need to get consumers on board for hugely expensive new hardware launches in the coming years, they\u2019ll need every drop of goodwill they can muster.<\/p>\n
Image credit: Benedict Calano via Unsplash <\/p>\n
There\u2019s a really important piece of context that looms behind every decision, every announcement, and every news story about PlayStation or Xbox at the moment. It\u2019s a ticking clock; a countdown to the moment when Sony and Microsoft are going to have to start talking about their next-generation hardware \u2013 and begin the process of convincing the world that an almost certainly astronomical price point isn\u2019t a deal-breaker.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s going to be a difficult task under any circumstances. Game consoles do offer genuinely good value in terms of the hours of entertainment they provide over their lifespans, but the market for them is price-sensitive nonetheless. If PS6 ends up coming in at twice the launch price tag of the PS5, or perhaps even more, it\u2019s going to be a tough sell. Not an impossible sell \u2013 but both companies will need to use everything at their disposal to bring consumers on board at those kinds of prices.<\/p>\n
Damage to a company\u2019s public image makes it substantively harder to get people to spend their discretionary money on your products <\/p>\n
One of the most powerful tools at their disposal is going to be customer goodwill.<\/p>\n