PS4 Camera’s ‘Supply Constraint’ Doesn’t Stop 15% Attach Rate

One of the added bonuses of the PS4’s architecture is the support for a gaming DVR within the console. Pressing the “Share” button can either allow one to take and save screenshots, save up to the last 15 minutes of game footage or livestream your gameplay straight to Twitch. You can include your face in the broadcast using the PS4 Camera, something that GameSpot reports is happening more than you would think.

At GDC 2014, Sony’s Chris Norden states that the PS4 Camera is, “Severely supply constrained,” yet informs that the attach rate for the device is at 15%. That’s roughly 900,000 owners of the over 6 million PS4 units sold total worldwide who made the extra purchase to pick it up.

It speaks to the inherent value of services like Twitch TV in the future of gaming. With close to a million on the PS4 (and every Xbox One, with Kinect, capable of) livestreaming gaming content online, there is an ever-growing shift in the consumption of gaming content in the world of multimedia.With Twitch TV gaining online broadcasting partner to E3 for the next three years, their hold in the gaming world is becoming stronger and stronger. They even saw their viewership more than double over the course of last year, which no doubt will see increases over the likes of Awesome Games Done Quick, Twitch Plays Pokemon and League of Legends streams becoming more popular in gaming culture.

What does this mean for the industry? Well, it’s too early to tell. The way that Twitch runs right now in terms of bandwidth means they are broadcasting all streams with at least a 35 second delay. How they handle E3 will be their biggest test.  If members of the gaming media are tweeting game reveals before the broadcast can show it live, then it puts them at a huge disadvantage. However, if all things go well for them and things become more dire with Youtube’s Content ID situation, live gaming television might become the new staple for viewing gaming content.

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