Is the PS4 Camera Doomed?

Sony originally planned to include a PlayStation Eye with every PS4, but in an effort to undercut Microsoft’s Xbox One, the company changed courses ahead of E3. According to a report from IGN, in the months leading up to this month’s tradeshow, Sony decided to make the PlayStation Eye an add-on that is optional to the PS4, and in the process, they brought the price of their console down to $399.

Sony may have damned the PS4 Camera to a fragmented future

Their announcement of a $399 price point successfully made Microsoft’s Xbox One look expensive in comparison, but as IGN postulates, they may have “damned the accessory to a future of fragmented consumer adoption.”

Priced at $499, the Xbox One comes bundled with a Kinect, so developers know that they can implement Kinect features and make games specifically for the device, knowing that people have the Kinect if they own an Xbox One. Sony on the other hand has a familiar problem with the PS4. Developers who want to make games that utilize the PlayStation Eye will now need to take into account the adoption rate for the accessory.

We saw some integration features for the PS4 at E3 2013. One of their big first party games, Drive Club, utlized some PlayStation Eye features and a tech demo called Playroom also showcased some of the possibilities for the accessory. But outside of Sony pushing ways to use the camera, it’s likely that third parties will offer limited support for the device until consumers step up to buy.