Sony Giveth and Sony Taketh Away!

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Sony Giveth and Sony Taketh Away!

Submitted by Paul Munn on July 13, 2007 – 9:45 am8 Comments

PlayStayShun Like that PS3 price cut? Jump on it while you can. The 60GB PS3 won’t be shipping to retailers in the US once the 80GB model appears in August. The price isn’t falling on the PS3, it’s just getting three new features at the same $599 price.

1. An 80GB drive instead of a 60GB drive.
2. A copy of Motorstorm.
3. Software-only backwards compatibility via removal of the Emotion Engine chipset. Can I call this a bug instead of a feature?

Update: Joystiq got an official statement from Dave Karraker of SCEA disputing SCEE’s Reeves statement. Dave says:
“As announced this week, SCEA’s product offering in North America consists of a 80GB PS3 available in August at $599 and a 60GB PS3 available now for $499. We have will have ample supplies of both models to meet the needs of our consumers for the foreseeable future.”
That sounds to me like one of those “not at this time” denials. Not that strong to me.

Update #2: Kaz Hirai, Pres and CEO, has settled it. The 60GB is indeed discontinued, reports Gamespot.

Is there any consolation prize here? Perhaps one: the retail channel is said to be so unbelievably overstuffed with unsold 60GB PS3′s that it could be a while until it sells out.

I’m glad I got my hardware-supported backwards compatibility when I did back in March. The writing was on the wall when Europe launched without that hardware. The upcoming glut of cheaper, used copies of MotorStorm probably won’t make up for the system staying expensive.

Perhaps this is why Microsoft hasn’t cut the price on the 360 yet.

Is Sony hoping that Blu-ray playback will make the system a better value as it’s been winning the HD format war?

Via Joystiq and DubiousQuality.

Richard (Aeropause)

You would think that Sony would not try and piss more people off. Doing this just reeks of their cocky nature. At least some people will get the price cut.

P.s. I laughed at how they kept bragging about Motorstorm being packaged in the new 80GB version. It’s a really good looking game but is only fun for about a week at most…even with the online.

I just want some Little Big Planet and Heavenly Sword so I can justify my purchase.
Bill

There’s been 60 gig models at the shelf of all the stores around me since not long after release. No worry around here of people getting the cut. Now if they would just have Wiis on the shelves so I could buy one.
Bill m

Of course this is going to happen, its costing sony a lot more money to make 60gb ps3′s because 60gb harddrives are coming harder to come by, so you slash the price of the 60gb sell it out and sell an 80gb version, but add a game. and guess what, when 80gb drives are harder to come by, sony will have to put 120gb drives in there, slash the price of the 80gb to get rid of them and sell the 120gb, and so on and so on. thats one of the “problems” with putting a harddrive in a console, its going to happen the entire life span of the ps3. but for now you get a great deal on a 60gb ps3, ( and yes I think $500 for a game console with built in wifi, a 60gb harddrive, hdmi, and a blu-ray player not to mention the ability to get 5 free blu-ray is a great deal), so get out there and buy your 60gb ps3!
L.L. Cool J

Dont call it a comeback
I been here for years
Rockin my peers and puttin suckas in fear
Makin the tears rain down like a mon soon
Listen to the bass go boom
Explosion overpowerin
Over the competition Im towerin
Wreckin shop when I drop these lyrics thatll make you call the cops
Dont you dare stare, you betta move
Dont ever compare
Me to the rest thatll all get sliced and diced
Competitions payin the price
http://www.farbot.com/ Paul Munn

I still like the PS3, but their executive overclass needs to be…thinned to avoid this kind of excruciating embarassment. It actually causes nearly physical pain to the fans of the PS3 and PSP.

Sure they can spin it as a price cut, and really with inventory so high it won’t run out for some time (Bill @ DubiousQuality estimates 2-3 months), but as Bill Harris said today nobody likes to be lied to.
Trev

I advance the theory that when the 60gb models are gone, the 80gb models will drop in price to $499.

The trouble is, there’s no way to know.

If they said that, people would just wait for the 80gb to come down. The gist of it is that once you lower the price on something, people are going to want it at that price. It’s a different situation than eliminating the 20gb system that didn’t have all the extras like wifi built in. If 80gb drives are cheaper and eliminating the emotion engine chip also cuts cost, it’s approximately the same system (a little more storage and a little less backwards compatibility) that was selling for $599 before, only it’s cheaper to manufacture. I don’t see why they WOULDN’T lower it to $499 when the 60gb models are gone.
http://spyder.wordpress.com Andrew Herron

(disclaimer: I have not, and will never, buy a ps3)

You think that’s bad? In Australia, we don’t get a price cut. We get an extra controller and a couple of games. Sounds like Europe gets the shaft as well.

http://blogs.theage.com.au/screenplay/archives/006752.html

Oh and at the current exchange rate A$999 is US$867. At least Nintendo can try to justify US$350 for a wii over here with the extra shipping and marketing costs. But now the PS3 has a nearly 60% markup on the US price, which is an absolute joke.
http://www.consolecolors.com Kat

Well, I’d take the opportunity to snag the 60GB model, but it’s just not in my budget. I still say people should buy up the 60GB model and put in their own hard drive, since PS3 allows for that.