PlayStation TV was a really smart move by Sony – Here’s why…

Even though new systems will emerge and old consoles shown the door to relative obscurity, they still remain unforgotten in a lot of people’s minds, especially the games accompanying them.  In fact, one could easily argue that it isn’t necessarily even the consoles themselves which interest people at large, but the software that’s to be used on them – that’s what really matters.  Well, given Sony’s rather extraordinary library of titles one would have to be completely insane to want to limit access, especially when there’s always a new generation of gamers emerging to check them out.  In short, Sony’s new invention – the PlayStation TV basically solves a number of problems while simultaneously opening the door for new legions of consumers to explore the work of “microconsoles”.  Moreover, when you consider that there’s now talk that the PSTV will only cost around $100, well, it’s basically an offer that’s too good to refuse, as they say.

What is the PlayStation TV, anyway?  

For all intents and purposes, the PlayStation TV is a PS Vita without a screen, some additional components and of course you can hook up a DualShock 3 controller to it.  Via this microconsole you can play over 100 Vita games, PSP titles, PSX games, even (eventually) stream content directly from the internet (likely via Sony’s acquisition, Gaikai).  In essence, we’re talking about a complete solution to accessing the PS back catalog which is supposed to eventually include all the various PS3 titles as well.  The kicker of course is that it connects directly to a television via HDMI, thereby cheaply and easily converting your existing entertainment setup into an awesome gaming center.

Sony also has plans to infiltrate Chinese markets

From a business standpoint, it’s obvious why Sony would be interested in trying to popularize the PSTV in China – it all boils down to population statistics, right?  They clearly have a very large population of eager individuals who want to own a console but can’t due to state government laws prohibiting ownership, etc.  Basically, we’re talking about a completely untapped market here on the console side, with their PC gaming industry being the largest in the world (worth $6 billion).

This will open the door wide for people currently considered to be non-gamers

There seem to be a number of factors which prohibit people who are generally considered to be non-gamers from purchasing a console – one, the price, and two, the “intimidation factor”.  Simply put, for a lot of people dropping in excess of $300 on a console just isn’t at all appealing, especially if they’re a novice and have never experimented with games before.  Having a quick and easy solution, which might also offer other fringe benefits once connected the PlayStation Network, is obviously the best course of action to bring additional people on board.  Additionally, this provides past gamers who might have drifted away from gaming due to age or concentrating on their professional careers and easy way to get back into the groove – by exploring many of the titles which they previously played in the past.  One should never rule out just how important the “nostalgia factor” is, after all.

It’s also going to force competitors to match or exceed Sony in their ability to deliver access to classic content

Clearly, Sony isn’t the only company out there which has an exciting and interesting library of games to its credit.  Its major competitor, Microsoft also touts an amazing back catalog of titles, but they’re not really addressing the issue in any meaningful way at the moment (much to the chagrin of fans).  Needless to say, this extra bit of TLC is likely to further strike up appeal for the Sony brand as well as force MS to begin working on their own delivery solution (if they aren’t already).  At the same time, any amount of finances that they are devoting toward competition means that they are limited in the way of new and future developments, there again allowing Sony to gain an edge or lead on them in the long run. Moreover, it’s very likely that they’re going to make quite a hefty profit with this venture which will win over new fans and even perhaps allow them to finance even loftier projects they currently have on the back burner, so to speak. Reasons Why a PlayStation TV and PS4 Console Bundle could Eliminate the XBOX One, among other things… – another interesting read.

You can’t beat that price (around $100)

Lastly, just consider the price of the PlayStation TV – around $100.  The truth is that you can’t beat that, especially when you consider all the content you’ll be able to access for that price.  All in all, the general level of user appeal is just too great, if people don’t begin searching for the device in droves it will come as quite a surprise.  After all, people routinely spend more money on new smartphone / data plans, why wouldn’t they want to tap into such an awesome gaming resource that’s already compatible with the large flatscreen they have at home?