Ars Technica has a mole that's had a few hits in the past that's now
whispering about something big . The mole says that Sony's console pricing for the holiday season will be the 80GB PlayStation 3 at $499.99 and a 40GB PlayStation 3 at $399.99. Yep, 40GB. We hope there's some other sort of pot sweetening here, otherwise, the only consumer for the 80GB SKU is the one who doesn't realize that you can hook whatever hard drive you want up to the system. The mole also claims that
Spider-Man 3 on Blu-ray will be packed in with one or both of the consoles and that the PlayStation 2 will be dropping to $99.99.
The PS2 and PS3 price cuts
would make sense going into a tough holiday fight. Even the 40GB rings true in the sense that it's PlayStation 3 plus baffling pricing, the Sony and Cher of the industry at the moment. With Tokyo Game Show just around the corner, we're hopeful we'll get some official word soon.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
mr nimblewick @ Sep 10th 2007 1:32PM
Hmm... For $400, that makes it only...
about $350 more than I'm willing to pay for it. That's if it includes an HDTV as well.
Zaphod Beeblebrox @ Sep 10th 2007 2:16PM
Why do you bother posting such nonsense, do you think that you are being whitty or funny? I am all for trolling, just make it amusing PLEASE.
Word of the street. @ Sep 10th 2007 2:18PM
Zaphod Beeblebrox is right,at least try to make your trolling funny for everyone.
mr nimblewick @ Sep 10th 2007 2:27PM
Jesus, sorry for existing.
License to ill @ Sep 10th 2007 2:30PM
Yes you are...
mr nimblewick @ Sep 10th 2007 2:38PM
I just find it amusing that you all are the ones lecturing me about making my posts funny. Especially from Word it's the pot calling the kettle black.
samfish @ Sep 10th 2007 2:41PM
Girls, Girls! Don't fight! You're all pretty!
hvnlysoldr @ Sep 10th 2007 2:56PM
You're only saying that cause you're the hot nekkid chick.
mr nimblewick @ Sep 10th 2007 3:06PM
"Girls, Girls! Don't fight! You're all pretty!"
Maybe on the outside. But on the inside we are as black-hearted and cruel as the joystiq reply system.
samfish @ Sep 10th 2007 4:05PM
I could make Naked Peach more naked if I wanted, but I'm not sure that Joystiq would appreciate Naked Peach in all her naked, D-cup glory.
Matters @ Sep 10th 2007 4:20PM
Gee I dunno Zaphod... I ask my self that very same question just about every time I read a Nintendo related thread and see Sony fanboys acting like idiots and saying things at least as retarded as what this guy just said (if not more so).
JL @ Sep 10th 2007 4:48PM
Samfish...you must at least try. It is your duty as an artist.
tamanchama @ Sep 10th 2007 11:31PM
die
Kye @ Sep 11th 2007 3:16AM
D-cup?
I would have guessed she's a c-cup.
I want that on my desk by sundown.
Reply thread are new and exciting.
Crono @ Sep 10th 2007 1:32PM
It would be smart.
Which is how I know Sony isn't doing it.
Captain Jody Anthony XVIII @ Sep 10th 2007 1:32PM
I would pick one up at 399.
Martez @ Sep 11th 2007 12:03AM
*high five*
Ska Oreo @ Sep 10th 2007 3:04PM
Nice.
Calviin @ Sep 10th 2007 2:54PM
In all genuine seriousness, that's still at LEAST $100.00 more than I would pay for it. I have never paid more than $250 for a console and I MIGHT budge for PS3 at $300.00, but only because of one word. LittleBigPlanet. Even then, it's not an easy buy to agree to. But maybe if they bring out a $400.00 model, I can find one for $300.00 on ebay...
Mr. P @ Sep 10th 2007 3:41PM
Unless your parents are buying it for you, I don't see the difference that $100-200 can make. Maybe you guys just have really shitty jobs, and if that's the case maybe put off the purchase a paycheck or two. All this hubbub about the price is ridiculous. If you were to say, "I'm not buying it because it doesn't have enough games or features I'm interested in," then I'd understand, but $100? I wipe my ass with $100.
Almack64 @ Sep 10th 2007 3:56PM
I actually agree with Mr. P
$100 for most people should only involve waiting to buy something a month later, if that. If $100 is your excuse for not purchasing a item that should last for at least 2 years then really you just don't want that item all that much right now. Stop lying to us and fooling yourself.
Here's a list of other more legit reasons:
1.There aren't that many must-have games right now
2.Xbox 360 offers similar features and is cheaper
3."I think Sony is the SUXXORS"
4.Don't have a HD TV right nowz
5.Don't like black colored consoles
6.The Spiderman text looks retarded
7.Got a Wii and its fulfilling all my needs right now
There you go.
JJ Rooster @ Sep 10th 2007 3:57PM
Mr. P, I printed out your comments and wiped my ass with them. Obviously it's the perceived value that's holding people back, not just $100. The console has barely anything compelling to offer over 360, so until it's the same price, why spend more (if you just want a game machine).
RoboChamp @ Sep 10th 2007 4:00PM
I knew Chad Warden posted on Joystiq.
ukickmydog @ Sep 10th 2007 6:44PM
Mr. P is obviously 13 years old, but just so it clears it up, paying $400 for something that is at the moment a glorified Blu-Ray player is actually reason enough not to buy it. Bluntly put, unless you DO want a $400 Blu-Ray player, there is no other reason to buy a PS3 at the moment. and for people who ACTUALLY work for their money (not whining like lil bitches to their parents), $100 actually has some value.
jorojoserojas @ Sep 10th 2007 9:11PM
Hey man, a hundred bucks is a hundred bucks. Hell, I got my Premium 360 about a month ago ONLY because I got it for about $235 bucks...if it weren't for that bargain, I'd probably would have held out a *bit* longer...
...until Setpember 25th, more or less.
Calviin @ Sep 18th 2007 10:54AM
I know I'm really late on this one, but I just wanted to clarify to Almack64, in case he goes back and read old comments like I do. $100.00 between 299 and 399 does matter to me. I have never spent more than 249.99 on a console. Why should I change that now? It's not that I can't afford it. I could buy quite a few PS3s off of one paycheck. But the PS3 does not hold the value of a machine over $300. To me, videogame systems are worth under $200. Being able to go online bumps it up $50 to $250. Bluray/DVD players are worth $0 to me, but I'm willing to give it $50 more because I honestly want to play LittleBigPlanet in a big way. So it's bumped up to $300, but that's it. When I get the PS3, it will be to play LBP, and if the console is worth $250 to me, LBP would have to be worth it's actual cost plus the cost of the PS3 minus $250. If the PS3 costs $400, then LBP has to be worth $150 plus the cost of the game to own. That's going to be too much. And unless they start handing out LittleBigPlanet with a Benjamin attached, the PS3 will need to drop in price. Trust me when I say I have worked this out. I'm not against buying a PS3. But I will not pay more for it than it is worth.
And to be honest, I just thought of this, but do you think people would have gotten the Wii as much if it was $350 instead of $250? Or how about the PSP at $350? How about $250 for the DS? $100 matter more than you try to lead people to believe.
elmersglue @ Sep 10th 2007 1:33PM
say it ain't so! 360 FTW!
elmersglue @ Sep 10th 2007 1:36PM
on a more serious note, i'd buy a ps3 at $399 once something like god of war comes out.
Jerk Face @ Sep 10th 2007 1:58PM
Well said. For that price, with a few good games.. I'm down.
Brian @ Sep 10th 2007 1:34PM
Anyone who didn't see this coming is an idiot. The game journalists (1up mostly I think) who honestly believed there would be no price drop after the original 60 GB stock dried up really must think Sony is full of morons. Of course there HAS been some evidence of that lately but still you knew this had to happen.
Crono @ Sep 10th 2007 1:36PM
You mean sony isn't full of morons?
Evan @ Sep 10th 2007 1:34PM
The cost difference, to a manufacturer, between a 40GB and 80GB hard disk is only about $10. I can't see Sony pushing a unit in which they loose an additional $90.
el tonot @ Sep 10th 2007 9:14PM
I think you mean "lose" not "loose"
lose=something lost.
loose= make something not so tight.
Count Noobula @ Sep 10th 2007 1:37PM
$399 for a PS3 and possibly Spider-Man 3 pack-in. Hmmmm, well Spider_man 3 was a crappy movie, and now I could watch Peter Parker thrust his hips in HD while he slaps MJ in the face. But on the other hand $399 PS3 would be good, if only it had some games that I want to play on it that aren't on, or coming to, the 360.
spoo @ Sep 10th 2007 8:19PM
I will be buying the PS3 if I can get it for $400 around Xmas time. It won't matter that the 360 will still get most of my game time there are a couple PS3 games I wouldn't mind playing.
I will be putting that trash called S3 on ebay.
DarthDavid @ Sep 10th 2007 1:37PM
I think the 60GB with EE is the best deal....get it while you still can. I have a feeling that the 40GB will be stripped of some features.....
Marty @ Sep 10th 2007 1:38PM
Mark it down all they want... until it has something worth playing on it, nobody cares.
robert @ Sep 10th 2007 4:55PM
to be honest a whole lot of us bought the 360 for $399 before it had something worth playing.
MariosInferno @ Sep 10th 2007 1:40PM
Oh...wow...the product structure they should have had in the first place.
sinergy @ Sep 10th 2007 1:40PM
I'd be all over this for $400. I know what I'm askin for for christmas :D
Mack Swift @ Sep 10th 2007 1:41PM
What's going to be more interesting this holiday season is the high def HD-DVD/Blu-Ray war that's brewing.
HD-DVD is pulling out all the stops right now. From consumer friendly priced players with free movies to cheaply priced movies.
Greg2k @ Sep 10th 2007 4:55PM
It would be nice if Europe got a piece of the HD-DVD action. Blu-Ray is kicking it's ass over here.
(last I checked, HD-DVD sales were about 3 discs a month in the whole of Europe. Blu-Ray is pwning at aroun 5 discs a month)
Adv2k1 @ Sep 10th 2007 1:42PM
I'm not sure if this can happen because Sony would lose so much money that any sales they get will not be justified. The general consensuses is that PS3 sucks, and not worth owning.
Evan @ Sep 10th 2007 1:43PM
I should add that, I could see Sony making a 40GB unit, but pushing the 80GB. They could manufacture limited quantities of 40GB units, or they could set the wholesale price very close to the MSRP to discourage stores from stocking the 40GB. Either way, a 40GB unit's lower price point could attract consumers who, when they can't find one under the time-pressure of Christmas, give in and buy the 80GB unit.
Brian @ Sep 10th 2007 1:46PM
MSRP and wholesale prices to retailers are already very close for all consoles. Best Buy, Game Stop, etc. make next to nothing selling you the system, which is why they beat you down trying to get you to buy service plans, accessories, and games.
Almack64 @ Sep 10th 2007 1:52PM
I agree that would be the most logical use of such a price point. A tweaked version of the old bait and switch. Set it up so the the stores will want to do "the switch".
While I understand that Sony needs to drop prices to attract consumers, it really doesn't seem like they can afford to drop prices. Rock and somewhere hard blah blah blah...
samfish @ Sep 10th 2007 2:33PM
I highly doubt that the PS3 is going to have many sell outs this Christmas, though.
$400 is still a lot of money for a system that really has no system seller games on it yet.
Unless Sony revs up a HUGE advertising campaign for one of their games, that is. Like, as in, FFVII sized campaign.
Crono @ Sep 10th 2007 2:51PM
Sony can afford it, they just sold off one of their holdings to fund it.
Trev @ Sep 10th 2007 3:40PM
Samfish, well not just samfish...
The lack of 'system seller' titles is something that's always brought up, but when you get down to it nothing really needs them.
Putting aside the fact that no game (or games) will ever be enough to sell a system to 360 fanboys, in the end, how many not-quite-system-seller titles do you need to buy a system? Is there a percentage? Is Resistance 85% of a system seller? It's good, but not quite enough. Warhawk is a ton of fun, I'd say that's up near 90% of a system seller. That's 175%; is it enough? If it is, you can get the multiplatform GRAW2, R6V, Armored Core 4, and several others.
Then there's also the future exclusives. I won't list them, we've all seen the list about a million times thanks to the SDF-tards. They're giving a bad name to anyone that likes the PS3. Idiots.
Anyway, How many of those have to be out before it equals a sold PS3?
My point is that even if system sellers sell systems, like Halo 1 and 2 did for the Xbox, it doesn't indicate a superior library or console purchase. I don't think anyone can argue that the PS2, while lacking games with the impact of the Halo series (I know people that don't have lots of PS2 games I like, but I don't know anyone with an Xbox without Halo), didn't have the superior library for that console generation.
From the GameRevolution review of Red Faction (06/06/06): "Indeed, the Playstation 2 thus far hasn't exactly won the hearts of gamers the way Sony would have liked. The general lack of amazing software hasn't done much to bolster Sony's reputation, and the few first person shooters we've seen haven't impressed us much at all."
We know how that turned out.
Crono @ Sep 10th 2007 3:53PM
I decided to buy a 360 when I could name off the top of my head 5 games that I would like for one that are out or on the horizon.
Viva Piniata
Dead Rising
Gears of War
Eternal Sonata
Blue Dragon
I got one last spring after Eternal Sonata and Blue Dragon were announced for this fall. I'll get a PS3 regardless of price when there are 5 games on it out or on the horizon that I want. Right now, there's FF13, and thats it.
Call me in a year or 2.