40GB PS3 announced for Japan, Sony introduces white PS3
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Oct 9th 2007 at 7:55AM }
Sony announced today the 40GB PS3 will go on sale in Japan beginning Nov. 11. The 20GB and 60GB models, both still available in Japan, will have a 5,000 yen ($43) price cut next week. This means that the prices for the PS3 in Japan will be 20GB at 44,980 yen ($384), 60GB at 54,980 yen ($469) and 40GB at 39,980 yen ($341) yen. The 40GB is cheaper than the 20GB version, however it will lack backwards compatibility, memory card slots and a couple USB ports.
Sony is also unleashing a white version of the 40GB PS3 model for Japan in ceramic white. It will cost the same as the regular black PS3. A white DualShock 3 controller will also be available to purchase beginning Nov 11. If Sony can't offer consumers backwards compatibility, might as well razzle dazzle 'em with new colors.
Sony is also unleashing a white version of the 40GB PS3 model for Japan in ceramic white. It will cost the same as the regular black PS3. A white DualShock 3 controller will also be available to purchase beginning Nov 11. If Sony can't offer consumers backwards compatibility, might as well razzle dazzle 'em with new colors.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
License to ill @ Oct 9th 2007 8:06AM
Please no more yanky my wanky...
Poisoned Al @ Oct 9th 2007 8:10AM
I must say it looks nicer then the black one.
Raikage (NDF - PK THUNDER RING) @ Oct 9th 2007 12:07PM
It went from looking like a grill, to looking like a mini fridge. Awesome, but it better be able to hold at least a 6 pack...
Dannybuoy @ Oct 9th 2007 8:13AM
Look Mom we made a wii... desparate times call for desparate measures eh Sony!?
blooh (CDF - Ass Ring) @ Oct 9th 2007 11:29AM
i voted you up :) i can't compensate for all the sony fanboys tho
Thaddeus @ Oct 9th 2007 8:16AM
If they bring this out in the US with a game, a rumble controller and the 5 free blu-ray offer, it just might be worth a purchase at 400 bucks.
upz @ Oct 9th 2007 9:52AM
I'm sure they'll get right on it, cheapskate. You do realize Cell processors don't grow on trees?
baby sea tuna @ Oct 9th 2007 10:49AM
Yeah, don't you know that the miraculous Cell Processor is made of phoenix tears and unicorn hair and are individually hand-fashioned by albino leprechauns in the bottom of Mt. Vesuvius?
Geez, what are they teaching in school these days?!
the_game_master @ Oct 9th 2007 8:17AM
I want the silver PS3 with the new concept controller design that had the jeweled buttons shown at the 2005 E3. That's the real PlayStation 3 and it has yet to be released.
Come on SONY!
Colin @ Oct 9th 2007 8:23AM
No it isn't a 'Wii'...Sony has made white PS1/PS2 and PSP and also had a white concept PS3 on display years back.
Jtenma @ Oct 9th 2007 8:36AM
I think that was sarcasm...if not, he needs to die.
Also, sour gummies.
Se7s @ Oct 9th 2007 9:40AM
erm..someone please tell Sony the reason the PS3 isn't selling is the serious lack of games, not because of the hard drive size or chassis color.
Konny @ Oct 9th 2007 9:42AM
So, is that why the 360 is so successful in Japan?
Se7s @ Oct 9th 2007 9:58AM
I realize that as a fanboy you will go to great lengths to defend your console and attack the rival system. So I'll let it slide.
But you want the bottom line? The PS3 fails.
To begin, I have to say I own all three consoles. The one I find playing least is the PS3. Not due to its color, HD size or graphics/performance, but because it has a seriously lacking line up of games.
The PS3 has great graphics, performs well and has good specs. But it fails as an entertainment system. At the end of the day it doesn't matter whether a console can pull 60fps or remains cool or not. What matters is if it does what I bought it to do. Entertain me. The PS3, with its lack of games, does not.
ill trooper @ Oct 9th 2007 1:04PM
I also own all three, and the pecking order of 'how much used' is 360 most, PS3 next, and then finally my Wii, in distant third, with it's lack of games I like combined with the childlike Nintendo ("NDF - Spam Delite United" or whatever) fans on this board I am starting to resent like a red-headed stepchild. I'm glad I own it, (that Wii sports is fun) but use it? Hardly.
So I guess everyone has their preferences...
DBX00 @ Oct 9th 2007 8:42AM
We'll see just how important BC is to people when these things go on sale around the globe. Either way, all of the SKUs have seen a price drop, so one SKU not having BC isn't going to kill the fact that you can get the best version for cheaper than you could before.
FOXHOUND @ Oct 9th 2007 8:46AM
It's just weird to me that Sony would dip out on the whole BC usage, considering that's what helped the PS2 get a big push out of the starting gate versus the Dreamcast. :\
The1 @ Oct 9th 2007 9:00AM
Yes, and this move better work for Sony this Holiday season or they will be in big trouble. The PS3 needs to see big numbers all over the world, regardless of what the analyst say. It will be hard for the PS3 to gain more traction without games. Yes, we know the PS2 did something similar without any competition; this time its a different story.
I need games for my PS3.
DBX00 @ Oct 9th 2007 9:00AM
You still have the BC option if its important to you, but like everything in the world it will cost you money. My point is that they still gave everyone a price drop on the existing models, but people want the cheapest model to have everything, which would essentially make the premium model pointless. I'd rather have a $100 price drop now, then have them leave the PS2 chip inside. I wouldn't be surprised if Sony builds an emulator in response to the outcry (like the rumble controller) but these things take time and it is more important to drop the price now and add that feature later.
Crono (NDF - French Taunting from Holy Grail Ring) @ Oct 9th 2007 10:58AM
Kotaku asked them just that question: a possible software emulator.
Sony's response: due to the size and complexity of the PS2 library, it aint gonna happen.
Never mind they only have to emulate ONE hardware configuration. If its well emulated, then all the software should work with it. See PCSX2 and the like on PC.
Cellien @ Oct 9th 2007 11:52AM
It's because of Blu-Ray. The most important factor to them about the PS3 is that it puts Blu-Ray players in homes. What do I mean? Sony didn't expect sales to be so low on their $600 console so now they are scrambling looking for ways to cut costs to make the console cheaper to increase sales. The hardware used for PS2 BC gets the axe.
Gangsta Smurf @ Oct 9th 2007 8:48AM
Now if they only introduced more games...
JodyAnthony (FDF - Hedonism Bot) @ Oct 9th 2007 8:48AM
god that looks like pure sex. make a 60gb or 80gb in white with backwards compatibility and I will be all over it
Laaaa @ Oct 9th 2007 8:57AM
"If Sony can't offer consumers backwards compatibility, might as well razzle dazzle 'em with new colors."
Does Microsoft offer backwards compatibility?
Gareth @ Oct 9th 2007 9:00AM
Yes it does, on a couple of hundred of its games.
The point you're missing though is that even if it didn't, the 360 has dozens of great games worthy of your time and money, while the PS3 has Motorstorm and an average fps called Resistance:FoM.
I guess you can watch a few blu-ray movies while you're waiting for some decent games though, eh?
Konny @ Oct 9th 2007 9:05AM
CORE 360 has ZERO BC.. thanks, try again.
Gareth @ Oct 9th 2007 9:16AM
I don't have to "try" anything. You can add a HD to the core model and then you basically have the premium one and you will have BC. No amount of adding stuff to this butchered PS3 will give you BC.
And like I said, not many people care about BC on the 360 anyway because we're all too busy playing its AAA games while you watch Spiderman 3 on your blu-ray players.
LOL!
Laaaa @ Oct 9th 2007 9:25AM
A dozen games lets see:
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2
Resistance: Fall of Man
Virtua Fighter 5
Ninja Gaiden Sigma
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas
Warhawk
MotorStorm
DiRT
Heavenly Sword
F.E.A.R.
Fifa 2008
Lets go to the upcoming games:
HAZE
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
Ratchet
Thats more than a dozen, I can't afford to buy all of them and I have a job. And before the next idiot goes but you can get those on the 360. Some people actually want to play GT5 and MGS 4, and some people believe it or not don't care for HALO 3.
The PS3 doesn't have any games argument is as stupid now as the PSP doesn't have any games argument.
Optimaximal @ Oct 9th 2007 9:59AM
Of all the games you just listed, 7 are cross-platform (and some arrived on the PS3 much later than the competitors, sometimes with less features) and another 2 have been slated as 'horrible disappointments'. Hardly the best examples...
Haze is also shaping up to be FPS-Generica and is Ratchet and Clank *REALLY* going to do anything to invigorate the genre? (plus the developers are so high on something they think Nintendo poached the concept of spheres from them)
Optimaximal @ Oct 9th 2007 10:08AM
Of all the games you just listed, 7 are cross-platform (and some arrived on the PS3 much later than the competitors, sometimes with less features) and another 2 have been slated as 'horrible disappointments'. Hardly the best examples...
Haze is also shaping up to be FPS-Generica and is Ratchet and Clank *REALLY* going to do anything to invigorate the genre? (plus the developers are so high on something they think Nintendo poached the concept of spheres from them)
maxamillion92 @ Oct 9th 2007 8:52AM
Finally, Sony realizes what Nintendo figured out this generation a long time ago... white! People want white! It'll look so much better than the 80's-porn mirrored-black.
Now release a PS3 in a different font, I'd like either The Dark Crystal, Blade Runner
or Star Trek.
And for the guy who's gonna say those aren't Sony properties, I know... it's a joke... go with it.
Vidikron (FU) @ Oct 9th 2007 10:16AM
White sucks. How many white TVs do you see out there? White home theater equipement of any kind? Everything else is my entertainment center are black and/or silver. My Wii and 360 look out of place.
baby sea tuna @ Oct 9th 2007 10:52AM
White sucks?
I know someone who would disagree with you...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Power_Bill#White_Power_Bill
NATO_Duke @ Oct 9th 2007 11:17AM
Id rather have white. Looks wierd to have the other consoles sitting there in white with the super large black one next to them. I rather have some uniformity.
Hell, lets find someone rich enough to buy all three console makers and then make stackable versions of them. Like building a gaming Volton!
God, you listening? You have the money right?
James @ Oct 9th 2007 8:52AM
Much better than the black one, but no B/C? Sorry then.
VerdigriS @ Oct 9th 2007 8:54AM
I'm sorry, but the whole SKU thing on this is turning into one big clusterfuck. Imagine working at an electronics store...
"So, you thinking about buying a PS3?"
"Yeah! But, what's the differences in these models, and why is this one bigger (HDD) but less expensive?"
"Oh, that's simple really. You see, this one is the most expensive, cause it's got the biggest hard drive. This one is a little cheaper cause the HDD is smaller, less space. Umm, this one... well, you lose some USB ports, you can't play PS2 games... but PS1 games work! Yeah, I think that's it. Oh yeah um, your memory cards don't work in there either. I think that's the gist of it."
"So, why did they do it that way?"
"Well, you know Sony, they just want to keep it simple for the consumers... yeah, simple... that's it."
Crono (NDF - French Taunting from Holy Grail Ring) @ Oct 9th 2007 8:54AM
Note: The following is satire of curmeo et al
LOLOLOLERCOPTER: Look they made a white PS3 because their trying to be like the 360. Always a day late to the party eh Sony. LOLOLOLOLERS!!!
End Satire.
They look nice (as nice as a PS3 can, I suppose), but its the shape thats pure trash, not the color.
To bad almost nobody will buy them because of lack of BC. It might not be a feature many people use after the fact, but its a bullet point that needs to be there to move them off the shelves because consumers don't know at purchase they're never going to use BC. Its a security blanket, and without it, the unwashed masses won't be as willing to drop 400 bones for one.
Especially since 7 years ago a 400 dollar console had "Neo Geo" or "3DO" written all over it.
upz @ Oct 9th 2007 10:20AM
I'd argue otherwise. It's mainly us, the self important Joystiq reading elite, that care about backwards compatibility enough to let it affect our console buying decisions. I do agree that it would've served them better to remove BC later in the game, but with people screaming price left and right, they had to take some drastic steps to cut costs before the holidays.
upz @ Oct 9th 2007 10:22AM
These things will likely still not fly off shelves, but it'll be for the lack of current gen, not last gen content.
Gareth @ Oct 9th 2007 8:57AM
Ok so in a few years when the PS3 is at a price that it can justify on eBay, I need to get a 60GB model from the USA that was launched before they butchered the spec, then get some joypads that were released after 2008 so I can have rumble.
Yeah, I can see how Sony doesn't want to release multiple SKUs to confuse its customers.
Deezul @ Oct 9th 2007 9:11AM
Yes, Core doesn't have BC. But slap a Hard drive on it and you get it. Add a Hard Drive to the new 40GB PS3, and you get more space. No BC.
Matt B @ Oct 9th 2007 9:23AM
But I thought you guys didn't want to pay extra for BC?!?
Phranctoast @ Oct 9th 2007 9:24AM
Instead of spending money on that HDD, why not buy the more upgraded version and you get the BC.
Gareth @ Oct 9th 2007 9:27AM
Not sure what you guys are smoking to be honest. If someone wants BC on the 360 they buy the premium one. If they don't they buy the core one.
I didn't say people should buy the core and then get the HDD to get BC. Look up a little and you can see that I'm actually replying to some moron who claimed there's no BC available on the core model.
Sorry guys, I forgot I was posting on Joystiq and that everything has to be explained in layman's terms.
Kola @ Oct 9th 2007 9:35AM
"Not sure what you guys are smoking to be honest. If someone wants BC on the 360 they buy the premium one. If they don't they buy the core one."
If someone wants BC on the PS3 they buy the 80GB model. If they don't they buy the 40GB.
Do you see how your just being biased now? I can keep this up ALL day.
Gareth @ Oct 9th 2007 9:39AM
Whoa, are you genuinely this stupid?
Ok let's see your games list:
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - was on the 360 a year before.
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 - on the 360 first, and running much better.
Resistance: Fall of Man - got 6/10 on Eurogamer and pretty much every other gaming site thought it was pants too.
Virtua Fighter 5 - also on the 360 with better graphics and online mode.
Ninja Gaiden Sigma - a polished Xbox game. 360 is getting the actual SEQUEL.
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas - again, also on the 360 and again, running faster with more effects.
Warhawk - OK, a decent game that I forgot about. So you have 3.
MotorStorm - I've already said that this is pretty decent.
DiRT - already on the 360.
Heavenly Sword - is pretty crap according to EVERY review on the net.
F.E.A.R. - already on the 360 and MUCH, MUCH nicer and smoother.
Fifa 2008 - also on the 360 and running smoother if EA Sports games are anything to go by.
I must say I am completely unimpressed by your efforts.
Lets go to the upcoming games:
HAZE - Also on 360...
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune - Might be good, not sure. Let's assume it is and that you have *a* game to look forward to...
Ratchet - not my kinda game, but again could be good for some.
Thats more than a dozen... blah blah blah...
Yes but most of them are just shitty ports of 360 versions, or are games that have superior alternatives on the 360.
If you don't believe that the 360's versions of the above games are running faster and smoother, please read these articles before you make an even bigger fool of yourself:
http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=84655
http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=78963
http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=75856
Why do you choose to pay at least £100 more for a console to play shitty ports of 360 games that mostly don't have online multiplayer and not much else with joypads that don't rumble?
I can play 75% of your games and have them looking much nicer and running faster, AND I can play the 360 exclusives that piss all over anything you've listed here.
Bioshock, Mass Effect, PGR, Forza, Halo, Too Human - 6 games that just came from the top of my head that you won't be able to play in ANY FORM AT ALL, much less shitty ports like the ones you listed above.
> The PS3 doesn't have any games argument is as stupid now as the PSP doesn't have any games argument.
Listing shit conversions of 360 games doesn't really count.
Gareth @ Oct 9th 2007 9:42AM
"If someone wants BC on the PS3 they buy the 80GB model. If they don't they buy the 40GB."
I know that as an American you believe that the USA is the only country on earth, but here in Europe there is no such thing as the 80GB model, and the 60GB model is also being phased out. Only the 40GB - butchered model - will be on offer.
Being an American isn't really an excuse for you though because the Joystiq post that confirms all of this is available to anyone who can read.
Kola @ Oct 9th 2007 9:45AM
"And before the next idiot goes but you can get those on the 360. Some people actually want to play GT5 and MGS 4, and some people believe it or not don't care for HALO 3."
Wow I said the next idiot, but it turned out to be the same one. Bravo 10 points for you.
Gareth @ Oct 9th 2007 9:53AM
Kola, the fact that you are now resorting to school yard "wit" instead of defending your point pretty much confirms that you have nothing of any value to add. Not that you did in any of your other posts anyway.
Anyone still choking on Sony's cock should take a look at these links before posting:
http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=84655
http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=78963
http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=75856
Kola @ Oct 9th 2007 9:59AM
Ok Gareth this was fun have a meeting to go to now can't stay here making fun at you all morning. Point is until Microsoft, Sony And Nintendo, starts to pay me for playing their systems I really couldn't care less who sells the most, which system is best nothing.
You children get so emotional when someone doesn't care to be an owner of you're respective system it's just plain stupid. It matters not where you are located in the world they take your money regardless but thats life. I own a 360 elite which I play on weekends when I have the time on my 46" BRAVIA in my living room. I not sure how old you are but the first games I ever played was Pole Position and I fell in love with games since then.
I don't need my mother to buy me a PS3 but what you need to read and understand here is GET A LIFE. Who cares if the XBOX "wins" this generation. I don't and by the way I live in the Caribbean, Barbados to be exact. They sell 360s and PS3s here for more than $2000.