Sony makes money off every video game sale; attempting to get more from ads is just greedy. And how they present the ads as another game a very dark pattern.
Isn't it obvious? That's the buyers problem because any time they "buy" something for less than it actually costs, they actually get an ad/app/service subsidized experience.
As I pointed out above Sony has, does, and will continue to make up the hardware subsidy by the markup and money they get on games. That is, there is no need for Sony to subsidize the platform further through ads.
This makes ads on the PS4 a product of greed alone.
And why should I care? If Sony is losing money on each ps4 then it's their problem. It's not like when Amazon clearly made two editions of the Kindle, one more expensive without ads and another cheaper one with them. If I bought the most expensive ps4 version available I should not have the console auto-downloading new games that I might want to try and advertising them on the main screen.
Has it not been that way since the days of the PS1?
The cost of games is like printers and ink. The hardware is the loss leader more than made up for by the "subscription" to those over-priced consumables.
There was anger and upset, and many articles in dead-tree magazines at the change in the expected price of full games, and sheer greed of manufacturers, during the launch phase of those consoles.
Ads were another bait and switch for yet more greed.
Which Sony makes up for with all the content, network fees and accessories a PS4 owner must buy so that their initial purchase has utility beyond being a $300 Netflix machine.
