Many outlets with both PS4 and PS5 units get stuck between two equally problematic options: charging the same for both (making the PS5 too cheap for its cost and demand), or making the gap too wide (leaving the PS4 units empty because they feel "second class" for no reason the customer can see). There's a more sensible middle ground.
Why Charging the Same Usually Causes Problems
The PS5 has a higher capital cost (the console, the games, sometimes a better TV to make the most of its graphics) and usually higher demand too, especially for new releases that only run at their best on PS5. If it's priced the same as the PS4, two things happen: the PS5's margin gets squeezed because its capital cost isn't covered proportionally, and the PS5 units are always fully booked while the PS4s often sit empty — demand isn't spread according to capacity.
How to Set a Sensible Price Gap
Instead of guessing the gap, work it out from two sides: the difference in capital cost (the PS5's share of instalments/depreciation compared with the PS4, spread over estimated hours of use) and the real difference in demand at your own outlet (the PS5 vs PS4 occupancy ratio over the past month, if you have the data). Combining the two usually puts the PS5 rate around 20–40% above the PS4 — but that range depends heavily on your local conditions; it isn't a fixed figure.
Strategies to Keep PS4 Occupancy Healthy
Because the PS5 is naturally more popular, the PS4 needs its own incentives so it isn't always the second choice:
- Cheaper hour packages for the PS4 — not just a lower hourly rate, but long packages (3–5 hours) with a more aggressive discount than the PS5 packages.
- Position the PS4 for groups and kids — familiar, lighter older games often suit casual sessions or beginners better, so the framing isn't "PS5 is first class, PS4 is what's left".
- Don't let the PS4 game library go stale — if the PS4 collection is never updated while the PS5 keeps getting new titles, the gap in appeal keeps widening over time.
An Illustrative Rate Structure
The figures below are an illustration, not a standard rate you have to follow.
Say the regular PS4 rate is Rp5,000/hour. With a 30% gap based on capital cost and demand, the regular PS5 rate becomes about Rp6,500/hour. To boost PS4 occupancy, a 4-hour PS4 package is discounted to Rp17,000 (equivalent to Rp4,250/hour) — far more attractive than a 4-hour PS5 package at around Rp22,000–Rp24,000, giving price-sensitive customers a clear reason to choose the PS4 without feeling they got "the cheap one".
Consistent Application Is Often the Problem
Once this two-tier rate structure is set, the next challenge is applying it consistently to every transaction — the cashier has to remember which rate applies to which unit, plus different package rules. It's one of the areas most prone to mistakes when still calculated by hand, and one of the easiest to keep consistent once per-unit rates are set up once in a billing system.