I just put 100 there for exaggeration. Realistically I expect it to be 20-30 bucks a pro console.

Also, if I take that post at face value, comparing PC and PS at the same price is moot. PCs can provide more utility outside just gaming, and even for gaming, they provide more features. Not to forget that steam/gog are way more reliable than PS for a digital only future.

You are looking at it the wrong way. You could have made that point if it was a new generation, but for a midgen refresh, a lot of people have to pay extra 80-120 bucks to play games they already own of they upgrade.

I think there is also the question can a super niche item like this justify the spending on r&d, marketing, and continuous development. If we give it an assumed margin of 100 bucks, with 10% penetration in a 100M playerbase, will the 1B being made by it be enough.

And even with that, they were like " don't expect more games in future to offer free upgrade". And everyone knows about how HD2 got blocked in so many countries.

Hard to expect Sony pulling back on bad decisions. From the recent memory of this generation, I can only remember them adding an upgrade path for early crossgen first party game, and the whole HD2 thing.

Didn't mean to sound like I was defending it. 700 is already a lot for marginal improvements, but the real cost is 800 dollars for us.

Consider it $800 console. You just buy the disc drive on your own.

Since you mention that, it reminds me how even the most die hard fans everywhere online (checked reddit, twitter, and yt) are not defending today's showcase. I didn't find a single person say anything positive about it.

I am also glad I don't have to worry about how I'll go upgrading it. Sony really pulled a pro consumer move and helped me save money.