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Gadgets Sony Announces $399, 80GB PS3 Bundle
Brandon Hill (Blog) - July 15, 2008 4:07 PM
Print E-mail del.icio.us 94 comment(s) - last by Clauzii.. on Jul 18 at 4:01 PM

  (Source: Kotaku)
Microsoft isn't the only game in town when it comes to console price cuts

Microsoft has been making the rounds lately with news of its Xbox 360 price cut. The Redmond, Washington-based company dropped the price of its 20GB Xbox 360 from $349.99 to $299.99. In addition, the company announced that a new 60GB Xbox 360 would occupy the $349.99 price once stock of the 20GB models is depleted.

Not to be left out, Sony today announced some product shuffling of its own. The “non-special edition” 80GB PS3 is returning to the lineup in September – but this time, the console will be priced at $399.99. The 80GB “Core Pack” as it will be called will mirror the existing 40GB model in everything but maximum storage capacity.

The $399.99 price doesn't leave much room for the existing 40GB which occupies the same price point. Sony could make a move similar to Microsoft and reduce the price of the console to $299.99 until the stock is depleted, and then drop the SKU altogether. On the other hand, the company could set the price permanently at $299.99 and leave the SKU in the product mix.

No matter what option Sony ends up choosing, better-equipped and cheaper consoles are a win-win for consumers.

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Not qute a price cut
By aos007 on 7/15/2008 4:22:27 PM , Rating: 5
Better equipped? Quite the opposite. The "new" 80GB is going to lose software-based PS2 compatibility, at the very least (from what I understand even the software emulated version still has some PS2 hardware inside). Don't they also have more USB ports and flash card readers on older consoles? As well as SACD playback capability? There's been quite a few things cut from the console since launch. I have personally used every one of those features on my 60G model.

Looks to me like they are simply looking to improve their profit (or reduce loss) by removing stuff they assume most people don't care about (which they may be right about).




RE: Not qute a price cut
By Polynikes on 7/15/2008 4:49:50 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Looks to me like they are simply looking to improve their profit (or reduce loss) by removing stuff they assume most people don't care about (which they may be right about).
They're not right. I won't get a PS3 because they no longer have hardware backwards compatibility.


RE: Not qute a price cut
By deeznuts on 7/15/2008 4:55:22 PM , Rating: 5
Pssst, here's a hint. There's the 80GB mgs4 bundle that stil has software BC.

So you won't buy one, for other reasons.


RE: Not qute a price cut
By SiliconJon on 7/15/2008 6:13:24 PM , Rating: 2
I told myself I wasn't going to get one unless they brought back the emotion chip. Unfortunately, I lied. The $100 gift card deal at Walmart was the straw that broke the camels back.

The software emulation on the MGS4 bundle has been sufficient so far, though I have a whole stack of PS1 games waiting for a test run...if I ever get to them with all these new game distractions, such as an incredibly fun and cheap buy of Full Auto 2 ($19 shipped!), some great used buys of UT3 & FEAR, and my soon to acquire Civilization Revolutions which should keep me glued to the couch until Fallout 3 arrives with the assistance of Battlefield BC.

I had a major gripe about the backwards compatability, and still do, but for no good reason except the possibility that I may want to use it more than I already do* and it does not work for an old platform title I wish to play in the future. It seems a waste of power, and the resources of the old titles still afloat in the marketplace, to have such a capable machine not playing older titles.

It does feel odd that they're moving in the wrong direction with their console's ability, but it is the old technology they're leaving behind (SACD, BC), so my complaints are probably moot in their eyes, but it would seem some agree with me.

We enjoy the freedom of playing an old title should we want to, and if Sony isn't willing to do the programming work on the emulator then give it to the community. Sure, there will be results that Sony doesn't like, but the purpose is to harness the power of the community's fruits that are appropriate, not supress the beneficial ones just to spite the undesired ones.

* well, the kids play a couple of PS2 titles, I haven't played any older titles yet


RE: Not qute a price cut
By Murst on 7/15/2008 6:45:59 PM , Rating: 5
quote:
I have a whole stack of PS1 games waiting for a test run

AFAIK, every version of the PS3 has the same support for PS1 games. The only difference is in PS2 game support.


RE: Not qute a price cut
By silversound on 7/15/08, Rating: -1
RE: Not qute a price cut
By pattycake0147 on 7/15/2008 9:38:31 PM , Rating: 3
You might want to check your own source again. It says the PS3 is below the 360 in worldwide sales.


RE: Not qute a price cut
By Clauzii on 7/15/2008 10:00:30 PM , Rating: 1
Yes, and I'll guess this round actually goes to 360 since the PS3 likely won't be able to catch up. It will take +20 years at the current rate.


RE: Not qute a price cut
By silversound on 7/16/2008 12:18:22 PM , Rating: 2
As blueray gets cheaper, PS3 will leap way ahead of xbox360,

check the weekly sales, you will see.
Pls note xbox360 release 1 year before both Wii and PS3


RE: Not qute a price cut
By omnicronx on 7/16/2008 12:41:25 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
As blu-ray gets cheaper, PS3 will leap way ahead of xbox360,
Yes, as more stand alone players become cheaper than the ps3, more ps3's will sell as Blu-ray players</sarcasm>.... now back to reality, its pretty easy to see that as blu-ray players become cheaper than the ps3, less and less ps3's will be bought for its BD functionality.

It does not take a rocket scientist for one to figure out that the only reason the ps3 is selling as a BD player, is because it does not make sense to buy a standalone 350-400 BD player that does not play games. Now once those prices start to drop past 300$ towards the 250 mark (which they currently are in the process of doing) the ps3 becomes less and less attractive as a BD player.

The PS3 successfully pushed BD into mainstream, but unfortunately for Sony, the BD player is only going to push the PS3 for so long, my guess another 6 months at most. Expect to see BD pricing nosedive as the economy worsens, and the impulse buying trend going with it.


RE: Not qute a price cut
By Clauzii on 7/18/2008 4:01:22 PM , Rating: 2
As a BluRay player, the PS3 has the advantage of the CBE, which easaly can run better quality compression algorithms, should those arrive. This sounds as an advantage over a normal run-of-the-mill BR-player.


RE: Not qute a price cut
By Clauzii on 7/17/2008 12:02:40 AM , Rating: 2
Hey, I'm all FOR PS3 to come out on top, but it REALLY needs to sell faster, or PS4 / XBox 480 will be here before that happens with this generation.


RE: Not qute a price cut
By retrospooty on 7/15/2008 11:08:36 PM , Rating: 2
LOL !

Its one thing to post data that may or may not be correct to make your point, but to post data that negates your point takes balls. ;)


RE: Not qute a price cut
By Arese on 7/15/2008 11:43:31 PM , Rating: 1
He was wrong about the total sales; however, he could be referring to current monthly sales, which put PS3 above 360.

Total sales:
Xbox 19.6 million
PS3 13.96 Million
(http://www.vgchartz.com/)

Monthly Sales:
In 2008 we start to see the PS3 pull ahead

Xbox PS3
Jan/2008 230,000 269,000
Feb/2008 255,000 281,000
Mar/2008 262,000 257,000
Apr/2008 188,000 187,000
May/2008 187,000 209,000
(http://forum.pcvsconsole.com/viewthread.php?tid=11...


RE: Not qute a price cut
By Complex Pants on 7/16/08, Rating: -1
RE: Not qute a price cut
By omnicronx on 7/16/2008 9:39:03 AM , Rating: 2
Yes because most people go out and buy another xbox instead of sending in their broken one for free for the next 2-3 years.. Sometimes I wonder if you guys think before writing this stuff..

You guys also need to consider the situation here as a hole, the 360 is driven by game sales, the ps3 is driven by both blu-ray and game sales. Its no surprise to me that in the slowest game release time of the year, that the 360 is lagging behind (barely at that) the ps3. Don't be surprised when September comes around if the 360 reclaims it lead over the ps3 until after Christmas.

btw.. I am a proud owner of all three next gen consoles, so I am not trying to show any bias here, I am just writing it as I see it..


RE: Not qute a price cut
By Staples on 7/16/2008 9:56:34 AM , Rating: 2
Actually, there are quite a few people who do go out and buy a new Xbox because:

1) The one you get in return has a higher failure rate than the launch units.
2) MS covers the RROD only. There are quite a few Xboxes that have broken drives which are not covered.

Needless to say, the current Xbox I have is the second one I have bought.


RE: Not qute a price cut
By omnicronx on 7/16/2008 10:37:14 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
1) The one you get in return has a higher failure rate than the launch units.
2) MS covers the RROD only. There are quite a few Xboxes that have broken drives which are not covered.
Of course some people will be doing this, but to think that a small percentage is going to drastically effect 360 sales you are highly mistaken. It would be lucky if it changed the sales by 1-2%.

As for the drives, its a CD drive, they break, except you left out something, Microsoft replaces these drives for a little over 100 dollars, so once again, chances of there being any considerable percentage of people buying a new 360 when they can get a new drive for 125$ shipped is pretty ridiculous.

One last thing, Ps3 drives fail too, just ask anyone who works for the shipping company they get sent out by. In Canada this is purilator, and I have friends who work at the processing plant that all PS3's in ontario go through to get fixed. Their rough estimate is for every 2-3 360's to come in, there is one PS3, most of which apparently have drive issues. And its more widespread than one would think, my PS3 broke within 2 months, and when I called Sony up, the lady on the phone seemed to already know what my problem was as soon as I mentioned the Disc Drive, and did not even attempt to troubleshoot.

Moral of the story, sure RRODS and broken 360's will increase sales by a small margin, but not nearly enough to consider total worldwide sales close between the 360 and PS3 when you consider all the factors.


RE: Not qute a price cut
By wempa on 7/16/2008 1:01:56 PM , Rating: 2
Don't forget that MS had to increase the warranty length twice. First, it was only 90 days and then it was 1 year before being changed to 3 years. So, a lot of people