Sony cuts PS3 price tag by $100

[superswamper]

SAN FRANCISCO, California (Reuters) -- Sony has cut the price of the PlayStation 3 by $100, or 17 percent, in the United States, a move that should boost the video game console's lackluster sales.

Starting Monday, the current PS3 60 gigabyte model will cost $499 -- a $100 price drop.

The PlayStation 3, which includes a 60-gigabyte hard drive and a Blu-ray high-definition DVD player, will now cost $500, or $20 more than the most expensive version of Microsoft's Xbox 360.

The PS3 still costs twice that of Nintendo's Wii console, whose $250 price and motion-sensing controller have made it a best-seller despite its lack of cutting-edge graphics and hard disk.

"Our initial expectation is that sales should double at a minimum," Jack Tretton, chief executive of Sony Computer Entertainment America, said in an interview.

"We've gotten our production issues behind us on the PlayStation 3, reaching a position to pass on the savings to consumers, and our attitude is the sooner the better."

The price drop Monday was widely anticipated by industry analysts despite Sony President Ryoji Chubachi telling Reuters last week that the company had no immediate plans for one.

Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter said Sony's price reduction would not double sales but may boost them by 50 percent to about 120,000 units a month.

"The greater significance is that Sony is signaling to the market that we're coming down the cost curve pretty fast in making this thing. It's a pretty consumer-friendly move," Pachter said.

Sony's move comes two days before the start of the video game industry's annual E3 trade show in Santa Monica, California, where some expect Microsoft to respond with its first price cuts on the Xbox 360.

Nintendo, whose Wii is selling so well that it is still hard to find in stores eight months after its launch, is not expected to budge on pricing.

The Xbox 360 and Wii have outsold the PS3 by several times in the crucial U.S. market, leaving Sony, whose PlayStation 2 dominated the last console generation, in the unfamiliar position of playing catch up.

Sony is counting on the price cut to help it significantly grow sales of the PS3 ahead of the crucial holiday shopping season that accounts for most of the annual sales of highly profitable gaming software.

Sony is also introducing a new version of the PS3 featuring an 80-gigabyte hard drive and a copy of "Motorstorm," an off-road racing game that has already sold a million copies.

The new model will sell for $600 and is aimed at gamers who expect to download a lot of games and other content from Sony's burgeoning online network.

Sony also hopes the PS3 will win some converts following Microsoft's admission last week that the failure rate of its Xbox 360 console had been unacceptably high, forcing it to book $1 billion in repair costs.

"We're especially proud of the fact that the PlayStation 3 has the lowest failure rate of any PlayStation product. It's absolutely the gold standard," Tretton said.

"The quality of the product and long-term viability is what ultimately wins."

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/07/09/s...eut/index.html

Still probably not enough to attract new customers?

[SuperStalin]

If they launched PS3 with MGS4, GT5 and GTAIV as exclusives,
they could've made the price tag to be 1000$ and it would sell like hotcakes.

Without games a console is worthless.

I don't doubt PS3 will get great games, but currently it's not even remotely interesting.
That's why I bought a PS2 and a ton of games.

[superswamper]

Sorry, this should probably be merged into the PS3 thread. The topic of discussion fits better over there.

[cvrefugee]

This is a much better deal, actually.

PS3 - $499
Blu-Ray - $0
60GB HDD - $0
Wi-Fi - $0
$499

Xbox 360 Elite - $479
HD-DVD - $199
120GB HDD - $0
Wi-Fi - $99
$777

Microsoft needs to drop the price of the Elite to $399 and include Wi-Fi. Even then, to add the HD-DVD player it will cost another $199 but you will have a larger HDD.

[-Cpt. J.-]

Originally Posted by cvg

This is a much better deal, actually.

PS3 - $499
Blu-Ray - $0
60GB HDD - $0
Wi-Fi - $0
$499

Xbox 360 Elite - $479
HD-DVD - $199
120GB HDD - $0
Wi-Fi - $99
$777

Microsoft needs to drop the price of the Elite to $399 and include Wi-Fi. Even then, to add the HD-DVD player it will cost another $199 but you will have a larger HDD.

I think Microsoft will wait and see what kind of an impact their 3year guarantee will make. Also they have said that Elite will replace Premium and Core will be out completely, right? There's still 4months to Christmas sales, there is plenty of time.

[mautzel]

Hooray - just two more similar price drops and I'll consider buying one!

[Hidden_Hunter]

Still don't understand why the hell australian gamers should be expected to pay US$860 for the console, price gouging at its finest.

[-Cpt. J.-]

Originally Posted by Hidden_Hunter

Still don't understand why the hell australian gamers should be expected to pay US$860 for the console, price gouging at its finest.

I read on the net that the price will not drop in Europe. Sony plans "some other things".
Personally I don't think that is true... I am pretty confident that the price will drop in Europe too but by how much? Dunno. Australia is a part of SCEE so maby it involves you guys too.

[watisdis]

Originally Posted by cvg

This is a much better deal, actually.

PS3 - $499
Blu-Ray - $0
60GB HDD - $0
Wi-Fi - $0
$499

Xbox 360 Elite - $479
HD-DVD - $199
120GB HDD - $0
Wi-Fi - $99
$777

Microsoft needs to drop the price of the Elite to $399 and include Wi-Fi. Even then, to add the HD-DVD player it will cost another $199 but you will have a larger HDD.

Something is only a good deal if you need it.

That being said:
PS3 - $499
Blu-Ray - $0 I'll take it.
60GB HDD - $0 I could live with 20GB
Wi-Fi - $0 Don't need it/have no use for it.
$499 Verdict: Make available a version w/o stuff I don't need, then we have a deal.

Xbox 360 Elite - $479
HD-DVD - $199 Don't want HD-dvd
120GB HDD - $0 Same as PS3
Wi-Fi - $99 Same as PS3
$777 Verdict: This one ($479 version) seems to be "tailored" more towards my needs. A price drop would still be welcome.

These comments pertain to me only, everyone has differing wants and needs. Just like I own a xbox and PS2, I know for a fact that I will end up owning both systems. It seems that the 360 will be the first I own in the near future.

[TomCat]

I may consider it. Every little bit off helps.

The only reason I would buy an XBox is for the online game play.

[LeMans GTR]

This is the smartest thing sony has done this year.

[Hidden_Hunter]

Originally Posted by LeMans GTR

This is the smartest thing sony has done this year.

*but only if you're american

[vRS]

Originally Posted by mautzel

Hooray - just two more similar price drops and I'll consider buying one!

Same here, mind you they are going cheap(er) second hand in Blockbuster and Game Station.

[NAIDANAC A]

Originally Posted by watisdis

Something is only a good deal if you need it.

That being said:
PS3 - $499
Blu-Ray - $0 I'll take it.
60GB HDD - $0 I could live with 20GB
Wi-Fi - $0 Don't need it/have no use for it.
$499 Verdict: Make available a version w/o stuff I don't need, then we have a deal.

Xbox 360 Elite - $479
HD-DVD - $199 Don't want HD-dvd
120GB HDD - $0 Same as PS3
Wi-Fi - $99 Same as PS3
$777 Verdict: This one ($479 version) seems to be "tailored" more towards my needs. A price drop would still be welcome.

These comments pertain to me only, everyone has differing wants and needs. Just like I own a xbox and PS2, I know for a fact that I will end up owning both systems. It seems that the 360 will be the first I own in the near future.

Nope me too.

[awdrifter]

If they would've still sell the 20GB version for $399 I would get one just for GT HD, but as of right now, I might as well wait for GT5 to actually come out before getting a PS3.

[SuperStalin]

I'm not a big fan of FPS games, but I loved Half Life and Call of Duty...
and this new Killzone trailer shows that it might be something like that:
http://www.gametrailers.com/player/21490.html

I might be buying a PS3 sooner than I thought...

[teeb]

Originally Posted by -Cpt. J.-

I read on the net that the price will not drop in Europe. Sony plans "some other things".

Oh joy, as if it being vastly more expensive than the US version pre-price drop wasn't bad enough.

Count me out Sony, until you can lower the price to £250ish, max - which is the new US price.

By "Some other things" it probably means shipping Ken Kutaguri over here and telling us to work harder in order to afford one.

[Prost264]

Originally Posted by awdrifter

If they would've still sell the 20GB version for $399 I would get one just for GT HD, but as of right now, I might as well wait for GT5 to actually come out before getting a PS3.

If I didn't already have a 360 I would do the same. GT was the only reason I still supported Playstation.

[-Cpt. J.-]

I thought I might post the source before anyone asks me where I get my info from.

http://pelaajalehti.com/2007/07/09/p...-hinta-laskee/

You guys probably don't speak finnish so it's gibberish to you.

Originally Posted by QUOTE FROM SOURCE

PlayStation 3:n hinta laskee ja 80 Gt:n malli tulossa

Thomas Puha Kirjoittanut 09.07.2007 Thomas Puha

Sony Computer Entertainment America vahvisti alentavansa PlayStation 3:n hintaa.

60 gigatavun mallin hinta laski 100 dollarilla 499 dollariin. Sony vahvisti myös tuovansa elokuussa Yhdysvaltain markkinoille 80 gigatavun kovalevyllä varustetun PlayStation 3:n, jonka hinta tulee olemaan 599 dollaria. Koneen mukana tulee MotorStorm-peli.

PlayStation 3:n hinta ei alene Euroopassa, mutta jotakin muuta on luvassa. Kerromme siitä lisää ennen viikon loppua.

Translation:

The price of PS3 will drop and a 80GB model will be introduced
SCEA confirmed that the price of the PS3 will drop.

60G model has been priced at 499 dollars, 100 less than before. Sony allso announced that a 80GB model will be coming to North America in august with the pricetag of 599bucks. Motorstorm will be included. wow... just wow.

The price will not be lowered in Europe, but there will be something else available.
We will tell you more before the en of the week.

I didn't translate word for word. I think it's more important the text is readable... with my limited 1337enGlisHskiLLz. I think I did ok. *my own comment

[bartboy9891]

A good chance to snag a few and toss them onto Ebay. I just saw one the other day selling for $1000 USD on Ebay...