I don't think the timeline lines up for that. PS5 release was in 2020, rate hikes were in I think 2022?
E: also Sony being a Japanese company probably makes their loans somewhat different? idk.
A cursory google suggests that all Sony and Xbox consoles have sold at a loss initially, but the timeframe for profitability is getting shorter, with both PS4 and PS5 becoming profitable in under a year. I can't find data for Xbox but I blame that mostly on their dogshit naming scheme. Nintendo consoles have usually been profitable from launch, with apparently the WiiU and some of the handhelds being the exception.
any time i brought that last thing up people try and tell me xbox and sony and shit “actually operate at a loss” as if they’re charging you 600 bucks for a console and 100 per game as an act of charity lmao
Consoles are often sold at a loss, with the idea being that they'll make the money back through games and accessories like controllers, as well as the fact that eventually manufacturing costs per unit will decrease as the processes and supply chains get more established. This isn't done out of the goodness of Sony's heart or whatever, it's done because sticker shock is a real thing and there's an upper limit to what people are willing to pay for treats. It can change with time or a concerted effort on the parts of the manufacturers, but there'll be pushback. You can see that in the current Switch 2 and $80 game drama, but I also remember the PS3 launch, where it was $599USD (~$900 adjusted for inflation), while the 360 was $399, or $299 for the discounted version with no HDD.
As for scalpers, the reason people don't like them is because they're obviously recognized as pointless middlemen that provide no value and are just extracting economic rent in ways that are transparently "unfair". There's no possible counterargument, not even vague and/or incorrect ones like liberal arguments in favor of landlords, capitalists, or low wages, and there's no "Big Scalping" marketing group that are going to create that propaganda. Frankly, the reaction people have to scalpers is the same gut reaction they would have to capitalism in general if that propaganda didn't exist.
Sure, there's a two-way relationship, but the US is the global hegemon (or at least was until very recently), while Israel is a regional power. They may both influence each other, but the US has more say in the relationship.
All Cops Are Burnable
This is the one thing we didn't want to happen .wav
The dub pronounces it Utena Tenju? That's messed up.
They're still riding off the high of WWII (and will never stop).
After years of disingenuous showy tributes and 100% accurate accusations of ‘rainbow-washing’, US companies are shrinking back ~~for fear of Donald Trump~~ because they think it's more profitable, Io Dodds reports
Still just Warframe, got the last parts I needed for Baruuk and Revenant Prime during the resurgence, even got the last (vaulted) Mesa Prime part due to blind luck. At this point, I still have to grind some relics for available prime stuff (Lavos and Protea, mainly, but also a handful of weapons), and then I can go into some of the real grinds. Finished Codas (sort of, I got all weapons above 40% and don't really care about rerolling to 60%), might start Sisters next because they're supposed to be faster than Liches.
Most honest US politician says unlimited force to protect his elevated position is fine, but the tiniest amount of force protesting that position is illegal terrorism.
It's a rare but fun occasion when we get to reply with "Tiananmen Square".