Sony confirms: 80GB PlayStation 3 and price drop for 60GB model

by Jared Rea { Jul 9th 2007 at 12:00AM }

In a press release issued tonight, Sony has confirmed that the 60GB PlayStation 3 has received a $100 dollar price drop, making for a retail price of $499 and is effective as of now. Taking its place at the $599 dollar price point is a new (to America anyway) 80GB model. The new model, however, will not be available in stores until this August, though no specific date was mentioned. The 80GB model will also come packed with the off-road racer, Motorstorm.

This news comes after a weekend of drama, all stemming from a leaked Circuit City ad. While we originally suspected that the 80GB model, due to the ease of modification, would remain a Korean exclusive, Sony has given everyone the swerve. This early of a price drop comes as a shock, however, as it wasn't terribly long ago that Sony was telling folks to get a second job in order to afford one. We expect to hear more about how this price drop and new model plays into Sony's master plan this week at E3.

In the US, the PlayStation 3 spent 230 days at its initial price.

[Update - The meaty part of the press release has been pasted after the break. Enjoy!]

SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT AMERICA INTRODUCES NEW 80GB PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3TM); ANNOUNCES NEW PRICE ON CURRENT 60GB MODEL 80GB System Designed for Today's Connected Gamer, 60GB Price Now $499

FOSTER CITY, Calif., July 9, 2007 – Sony Computer Entertainment America(SCEA), Inc. today announced a new 80GB model of its PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3TM) computer entertainment system. Beginning in August, the new PS3 model will be available in North America for a suggested retail price of $599/$659 CND and will be sold with the popular online-enabled racing game MotorStormTM. In conjunction with this news, the company also announced that effective immediately, the current 60GB PS3 model will be available in North America for$499/$549 CND, or $100 below the original launch price.

By featuring an expanded hard disk drive (HDD), the new 80GB PS3 is designed to appeal to the online gaming and entertainment enthusiast, providing ample storage space to download more games and other entertainment content from PLAYSTATION®Network. There are currently more than 60 playable games and game-related downloads available through PLAYSTATION®Store, with expanded entertainment content coming soon. The new model features the million-selling game MotorStorm in the box, allowing up to 12 players to play online at one time, hitting the dirt in this visually-arresting, fast-paced racing title.

Tags: breakingnews, pricedrop

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Reader Comments (Page 2 of 5)

Kye @ Jul 9th 2007 4:51AM

"You guys probably live with your moms and dont have a job" says the 15 year old.

This is just too easy for someone of my calibre. Anyone else want to explain how much of an asshole he'll grow up to be?

Rocket Punch @ Jul 9th 2007 1:00PM

Paris Hilton called, She want her stupidity back.

My advice to is try not to kill yourself when you realize you need money just to exist outside your parents house.

ESKI 360 @ Jul 9th 2007 1:48PM

The 15 year old has started a riot.
I am a working adult going to Regis taking my MBA. I currently make 80,000 a year. That is about 1,000 a week or 4000 a month.
1000 rent
1200 car payments and insurance (NJ)
1100 misc bills
800 month extra (girlfriend does not work and spends this on girl stuff)
The end of the month equals broke until tax time or either I finish school or girlfriend finishes school. Little kid, every penny we make is of value to most gamers. I will be honest I like playing games and I like playing with my friends. I thought PS3 was going to kick the 360's butt; and it would have if it were first to market. MS is catering to male gamers who make money and are broke at the end of the month and just want to kick thier buddy off a building in CrackDown. Until you loan your parents money or graduate from school you have no voice little kid. You are inexperienced in life, you should be out trying to get to third base with some chick at 15, go play football in the real world. We played video games in arcades, be a little kid get out and have fun. MS is American, I am black and I love my white brother Bill Gates, he makes me hold my head up high every time he owns a sellout PS3 owner. Kid everyone on the board wants to tellyou that money does not grow on trees and nerds like you who game all day are missing a part of life. Your actions at 15 show you are headed nowhere, pick up a football or play outside with one of your firends, we are older guys who play to relax and cannot afford to spend hundreds on a gaming console.

Gaming consoles are for games. If the console does not have a library, good framerates, graphics, exclusives or whatever floats your boat it has failed at its core competency. Whats next a gaming console that has a built in cable box. Give us games PS3 and MS. Games and games and games and games. Spend money on GTA we need that. Give us exclusives. I spent 400, you spend 50 million then I don't feel bad. Home F Home give those PS3 brothers games buy some exclusives. Give us value you rich gaming execs. Spend money we have spent ours. 15 year old you have made me crazy, but you are a kid, we all love you and want you to become a productive member of society.

Digi Smalls @ Jul 9th 2007 12:57AM

that $600 80gig PS3 is just as dumb a move as the 360 Elite was. moreso. considering one of PS3's lauded strengths is being able to use standard hard drives...

keeping a PS3 SKU costing $600 stinks of familiar Sony pride; so they can keep saying a model of PS3 is still worth that much.

i'm sure it won't last, replacing the $499 60gig imminently.

.

Dirk @ Jul 9th 2007 12:58AM

When is it going to drop to $250-299? $500 is INSANE.

Us gamers can't afford anything more, especially with $60 games this round.. I may not own anything other than a Wii this round it seems.

hvnlysoldr @ Jul 9th 2007 1:02AM

I liked the recent article posted here explaining Nintendo announced Wii's name 11 days before E3 to die down bad news and end on a high note. This year they said MP3:C no online which is fine for me and that SBBB wouldn't be playable. Not such major disappointments for me.

Then MS announce the extended warranty and admit their design flaws and it would cost them a $1 billion. Sony has to handle a price cut that could be interpreted as a desperate measure. Although positive in that they outline faults in their strategy, it shows their negative aspects and handled incorrectly can hurt them much more.

Since Nintendo announced their not-so-welcome news first not many people are focused on them as the other two with their bigger bad news. So even before E3 Nintendo seems to be on top of things over MS and Sony on negative things and focus more on positive.

Jay @ Jul 9th 2007 1:03AM

it seems people just look at the ps3 as a gaming device and dont put into consideration that it technically does more than the 360.

You can bitch about the blu-ray, but remember Blu-ray is selling well.

you can bitch about "not needing wifi", but remember the ps3 still includes it in both models- you have to spend a 100 extra to get the 360 network adaptor.

the ps3 being a year younger than 360, obviously wont have as much AAA games--so using that as a way to defend the 360 in the games front is stupid. Especially, since ps3 has a lot of great games coming out for it and they already have good titles.

So you can say well the 360 elite has the 120gb HDD, which is true. But what it does not have is a High Def. movie player or wifi. Remember that

Rob @ Jul 9th 2007 8:51AM

BR is selling well? Selling less than 1000 gets you in the top 10 and that's "selling well"?

All of these are *consoles*, that's it, nothing more. Adding a format that has key revocation is a *LIABILITY* to me not a positive.

Negativecool @ Jul 9th 2007 1:03AM

Digi Smalls-

Exactly! *claps hands for you*

Sesur @ Jul 9th 2007 1:03AM

@southwood

When you have to pay for rent, utilities, tuition and your own food you will be allowed to speak again. Fucking kids...

Heliophage @ Jul 9th 2007 1:04AM

This isn't really worth complaining over, but neither is it worth much praise.

The notion of a 'price drop' here is practically an illusion. If anything, it's a hardware upgrade rather than a price downgrade.

The 20GB (what's left of it here in NA... the price point) is upgraded to the 60GB model, while the 60GB model is upgraded to the 80GB model. After that, the price points for the PS3 are *exactly* as they were at launch: $499 and $599.

Did you not want to buy a console for $499 before? Well it's okay now! There's more stuffed into it.

To be fair, this is better than nothing. But only slightly. Deserving of three cheers, Sony is not.

BulletToothTony @ Jul 9th 2007 1:07AM

it's $100 cause it obviously has 20gb more but it also comes with MOTORSTORM!!

Paviel @ Jul 9th 2007 1:07AM

15-year-olds generally don't have to worry about rent or bills... they generally have legal guardians who worry about that sort of thing, at least in the United States.

Wait a minute... was that my sarcasm alarm that just went off? Pardon me while I go check on it...

tiremfej @ Jul 9th 2007 1:14AM

#35: five solid titles that you can't buy on the less expensive 360. Also, VF:5 is a better deal for the 360, at least you get online.

#36: It is too pricey. I sadly no longer live with my mother. I'm all growns up now, I have my wife, my daughter, my house, my cars, my boat, and everything else that goes with being "old". I have my job, and my friend Mr. Southwoods, it's far more than you make at the moment and yet $500 is too pricey for a game console. It's as simple as that.

Maybe if I was 15 again and had no other responsibilities, I'd buy a PS3. Then again, when I was 15, I wasn't spending $600 on a console, I was out playing football, getting laid...etc...etc...I surely was smart enough to not be a sheep and waste $600 on a console that has no games!

snowy @ Jul 9th 2007 1:15AM

Why would you buy the 80 gig one. when you can slip in any size hard drive you want. this is essentially a price drop.

mccomber @ Jul 9th 2007 1:15AM

Dropping the price of the 60gb to $499—smart. Adding a new model that will basically keep the price of the PS3 at $599 in consumers minds—completely retarded, game or not. Add Resistance as well, or maybe make it a newer, flagship title (Warhawk with headset?) and maybe you'd have a good move, but right now it's not going to help the price issue in most people's minds.

Deaddy @ Jul 9th 2007 1:17AM

I don't understand why nobody ever seems to bring up the issue of 360 not coming with wifi. That's necessary for me and to buy the adapter is at least $120 CAD. When you combine the 360 with wifi adapter its the same price as a PS3 but you're getting hardware that actually works, and comes with a blu ray drive. 360 will never see my money because of the outrageous cost of the wifi adapter, along with the fact that their hardware is poor quality.

GamerG @ Jul 9th 2007 3:40AM

Deaddy

The Wi fi adapter is expensive because it has 802.11a which is better for streaming HD content due to no other appliances using teh frequency.

Also you dont have to buy MS's adapter you can any 3rd party one.

Personally i'd use a wire anyway especially for gaming.

waynski1457 @ Jul 9th 2007 1:20AM

what 44 said but without the exclamation. the 80 seems like a good deal but i dont want motorstorm. if it was NGSigma i would go out and buy (reserve) it in a heart beat. i want one and w/ the price drop i think i will take the plunge later this year if not early next...

Jack @ Jul 9th 2007 1:23AM

Too little too late.

syco @ Jul 9th 2007 1:23AM

$599 is ridiculous, ludicrously, comically expensive.
$499 (or $480) is ridiculously expensive.
$399 is very expensive
$299 is expensive
$249 is a bit much
$199 is just right for a console in it's early life
$99 is just right for a console as it gets old.

cyrix @ Jul 9th 2007 1:29AM

Thanks to www.cheapassgamer.com for finding out about this first!

BulletToothTony @ Jul 9th 2007 1:29AM

@ 52.. you must be daily in pain with gas prices..

that's amazing.. that you really think that's a fair price.. i mean it would be nice.. but why don't we do ferraris $ 10,000 hondas, hmmm i dunno $ 800.00 yeah that sounds good.. you should look into the technology and the things the consoles can do.. anyhow, hope you're enjoying you super nintendo.. that should be right in your price range

rockeranimefreak @ Jul 9th 2007 1:30AM

I might get one for my bday now w00t!! =D

Platinum_Skeet @ Jul 9th 2007 1:47AM

Ah man if Microsoft drops the 360 price $100 Sony's screwed. If Nintendo does a price drop Sony might as well throw in the towel and start working on PS4...

Nick Huber @ Jul 9th 2007 2:27AM

Sure, its still a little pricey, but when you way what you're going to spend otherwise it's a good deal.

PS3 499

60 Gig
Blu Ray
Wifi

360 399
Add HD + 199.99
Add Wifi + 99.99
Add more HD + 99-149.99

Sure, you're forced to buy the other stuff, but if you think about it you're getting a good deal. Now if you're not looking for the other things, then it's a ton of money, and not a good deal. I worked in video game retail for many years, and lots of people bought the Wifi adapters for 360, and that alone would even out the price.

Of course the argument now is game selection, ps3 is pretty weak on that....

But, its only been like 8 months, and 360 wasnt the best then either. It's all gonna come down to a year from now.

Moffka @ Jul 9th 2007 2:49AM

Thank you so much for a logical argument.

Rob @ Jul 10th 2007 9:08AM

I don't need HD. I don't need WiFi.

How is it a deal to pay for something I don't need?

Einhanderkiller @ Jul 9th 2007 2:29AM

Holy shit, Joystiq redesign.

Myrpok @ Jul 9th 2007 2:30AM

wow this new layout makes me want to vomit.

on topic: hmmm... I am getting tempted to buy it with the price drop. I told myself I wouldn't be an asshole with the cash to buy all three systems, but... if Lair, LittleBigPlanet, MGS, and White Knight all get crazy awesome reviews... I just might have to. But I wont get it anytime soon. My 360 is definitely keeping me happy. I'll be sitting pretty until at least next spring with Xbox's standout lineup.

kurifurisan @ Jul 9th 2007 2:46AM

The price drop is nice but then Sony has to throw a bigger model with bundle to stoke the $600 fire. I'll get one eventually I suppose...but not for now.

Kurifurisan @ Jul 9th 2007 2:47AM

btw...I like the new site design.

Dick Krauser @ Jul 9th 2007 3:12AM

All right, that's it.
I am so freaking sick of hearing "WIFI FOR TEH 360 COSTZ $100!!!!!" Believe it or not, you can buy a wireless bridge for less than 40 dollars and connect it to your console's ethernet port. Maybe you can fault Microsoft for overpricing their accessory and for not presenting alternatives to it, but that doesn't change the fact that their adapter isn't the only way to use WiFi for the 360.

penas @ Jul 9th 2007 2:51AM

i dont like this new joystiq look!

Sidepocket @ Jul 9th 2007 2:55AM

Ok, as a gamer that grew up with NES and played with Atari 2600 when I was 5...

WTF is this shit about "you guys only look at the PS3 as a gaming system, if you look at the other shit the PS3 is more."

Well yea we look at it as a gaming system because we are gamers. Playstation IS A FUCKING GAMING SYSTEM!!!!

When did gigs and blu-ray surpass the need for fun entertaining fucking games. That is like saying Ghost Rider is not a crap movie if you judge it as a movie. WTF?

Besides, if you fucks were real gamers you would have bought a PS3/360/Wii and would be so busy jerking off to it you would have no need to enter a pissing contest that 12 year old boys do with Superman VS Batman for fuck sakes. AND MOST OF YOU ARE FUCKING 25 years old!!!!

*beats you guys with sticks*

Kye @ Jul 9th 2007 5:14AM

How did you know I was 25?

*eyes him suspiciously*

LedRush @ Jul 9th 2007 2:55AM

$500 is still much more than most people are willing to speng. However, I want a blu ray player and a DVD player that upconverts DVDs, and I don't have a PS2, so I'm in.

charleytony @ Jul 9th 2007 3:09AM

the ps3 now has a 0GB drive ! thats great for installing games like Oblivion (4GB install if memory serves right) that way your game thats on blu-ray can run as smoothly as if it was on a 12x dvd9 ... of course thats after the 15 minute downtime(installation)

one thing the xbox360/xbox360-Elite have over Sony's dream machine.....
...
...
...
Xbox live actually has content (games/tv episodes/movies) to download and fill your hard rive with,, thats pretty cool, compared to what PSN offers !!!

Snukadaman @ Jul 9th 2007 3:13AM

i love how people justify the price of the ps3 with blu ray movies and wi fi...im using a ethernet cable and watch regular dvd movies and im not missing nothing...100 bucks for 20 gigs makes the 360 elite seem smarter...

Jeff @ Jul 9th 2007 3:18AM

Now give me some good games-- c'mon, anything-- and I'll buy one.

cyberpop @ Jul 9th 2007 8:55PM

The problem with the PS3 has always been the bundled Blue-ray drive. Most people don't want a blue-ray drive because:

1) The HD wars are just beginning, and they may be buying an HD drive that will go the way of Betamax;

2) Few people have an HD TV that makes Blue-ray worth it.

3) The console is just too expensive even with the price drop, because of Blue-ray. People were ok with PS2 because it was affordable even with DVD.

So I think Sony will need to drop the price even more, or they will lose the console war. Just my opinion.

Iokepa @ Jul 9th 2007 3:37AM

Sorry guys, I wouldn't buy a PS3 even if Blu-Ray wins out in the format war. To me, Blu-ray is a moot point.
1. The Blu-Ray format isn't quite yet the winner in this HD format war.
2. Even if Blu-Ray is a winner in the HD format war, then the prices of stand-alone Blu-Ray players will most likely go down in price.
What we have here in this discussion are true "early adopters".
Normal people don't give into this hype machine... let's face it $500 is not the target price point for ordinary people to spend their hard-earned cash on a video game system. Price points and fun are what people are really looking at.
Sony's PS3 doesn't have the right price point, and isn't fun (they need more solid titles) enough for normal people to pick up.
Nintendo, however, meets this criteria. Nintendo decided to make a true gaming machine, without all this other crap (hardware specs, overblown multimedia capabilities) that Sony and Microsoft are touting.

kingalekz @ Jul 9th 2007 3:41AM

Is the price drop US only? Any news on a PAL region price drop?

James @ Jul 9th 2007 3:51AM

I'd get a 360, but there are 4 very strong reasons that stop me:

1) RROD. Failure is failure, fixing it for 3 years doesn't justify it. Shame on you, Microsoft: you screwed all your early adopters and now you're giving them the *bare minimum* for all the trouble.

2) No built in wi-fi. It costs $100 extra for official Microsoft product, so that's what the public is going to see. Yes, you can be clever and pay $40 for a 3rd party product, but it's still extra cost and a pain in the ass. *According to Microsoft, this feature costs $100*. Thanks for the raping, MS.

3) No HD disc movies. Costs $199 extra. Does this have anything to do with games? No, but it adds value to the product and the competition has it (and does it quite well). When you charge $250 like the Wii you can get away with "just games", but for near $500 and I STILL can't buy HD DVD or Blu-ray? WTF?

4) Live costs extra. I don't care if it's "better" because you get a buddy list at all times: if you just want to play a damn game online you have to pay $50 a year whether you give a crap about gamerscores or not. I thought MS was the company that was all about choice? How about basic online play without the frills and without the cost?

All those issues combine to make the 360 a no go. It's like the two systems have oppossing weaknesses: the 360 has more games, but the default hardware is crap. The PS3 has great hardware, but the games are lacking. I'd still rather get a PS3 because I'd rather wait for some games than wait for my busted system to get repaired for the nth time over 3 years. No Microsoft: just because you pay for my medical bills doesn't mean you get to keep kicking me in the nuts...

darthweder @ Jul 12th 2007 3:00AM

Did you just say you'd rather spend 500-600 dollars on a game console and let it sit for a few months than pay 300-400 dollars and play now? I don't think you're a true gamer! My 360 broke and it's been gone for two weeks now. I'M HAVING WITHDRAWLS! My friend left his 360 here for a day on accident and I was sad to see it go!

I'm not a video game addict, I read , get on the computer , bike , hang out with friends , etc. etc. But when I was waiting for the coffin for my 360 to come I actually doubted my choice to get a 360. It just felt so dumb, that I couldn't play it. Now that I've gone without it, I've found how much I used it. Who needs a phone when you can use voice chat? What gets my music to my sound system? What plays my movies? So I've decided I'd rather have a machine that works 97% of the time,about 47 out of 49 weeks (actually longer, almost 2 years I've had it), and I actually use at least once a day, than one that works all the time but just sit's there with no reason to use it other than BluRay movies.

jason @ Jul 9th 2007 3:57AM

Sony is so stupid!!! for dropping the 20gb version

My point is lets say sony kept the 20gb PS3 even though it didn't sell well it would now be the same price as the 360 premium you get the blue ray player, hdmi output but without the cable, 1080p, wireless controller with play and charge cable, and 6 usb ports. Though it would still have less games for it and multiplatform games look better on the 360 as of now that would make 360 look like crap compared to what you get with the ps3 20gb version if they would have kept it.

BTW I am a 360 Wii owner