Sony insider talks PS3 SKU strategy
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Feb 1st 2008 at 2:00AM }
The source says consumers hadn't seen a distinct difference between the original pairing of the 20GB and 60GB models, and now with the 40GB and 80GB. Apparently Sony is looking to "at least double" the storage capacity for the new model replacing the 80GB version to deal with the future vision of the PlayStation Network. If the source is solid -- and GameDaily BIZ says he is -- then not even Sony knows what it's doing with future models of the PS3 at this point.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Trickob @ Feb 1st 2008 2:03AM
well, ex-SKU-se me!
m srry
ThornedVenom @ Feb 1st 2008 6:00AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPxY8lpYAUM
... Princess
Philip Kavoshi @ Feb 1st 2008 2:15AM
Didn't recognize the differences? The separations in features were perfect. The 20 gig with no frills for those who desire just to play the game, a loaded 60 gig for those looking for more media center functions.
Shoulda kept it that way.
Worst Review Ever @ Feb 1st 2008 2:21AM
I'm pretty sure that not even God knows what's going to happen next with the PS3 SKU "strategy".
Christian @ Feb 1st 2008 9:28AM
How can a being which doesn't exist know anything? Don't tell me you are superstitious?
Worst Review Ever @ Feb 1st 2008 10:06AM
Christian,
Wow. I'm not sure how to reply. Tell you what, I'll think about it for a minute and when you and Godisamyth/Kill Jebus/KaRazy Ken Kutaragi stop blowing each other about how much you don't believe in God we'll talk about it.
vidGuy @ Feb 1st 2008 2:29AM
Sony's current strategy isn't surprising considering the emphasis the gaming execs placed on how 'upgradeable' the PS3 is. They were talking it up a year before the launch.
What IS surprising is that they haven't gone two tier with it. If they wanted to mop up this generation, they would have kept the 20GB (or even the 40GB) PS3 and dropped its price, while releasing newer models at the top of the price range.
There's little incentive to buy a PS3 /today/ when a better one is right around the corner. It would have been better for Sony's bottom line and install base if they had just stuck with one or two models and kept the price drops coming.
Could you imagine what a $299 PS3 would be doing in today's market? Granted Microsoft would have dropped, too, but still.
eugene @ Feb 1st 2008 3:40AM
you know, this is the main reason I haven't gotten a PS3. Every time I feel the urge, there's some new rumor of Sony changing the hardware.
Zsavior @ Feb 1st 2008 4:03AM
That is exactly what I said, exactly. To the point that I don't even get Sony's strategy any more they just don't make sense to me. It most cost less the drop the price on a 40 gig model then to produce a whole new system. And if in the long run you start to do really well couldn't they just put int software that could do things extra like BC.
I mean if people see one 40gig model still has a Blu-ray player, still plays PS3 games. Still has wifi, and that sort, tell me why not drop the price again and attack the market aggressively, I just don't get it.
B1gC72 - PSN: KillaKornbread @ Feb 1st 2008 5:39AM
as a Sony fanboy, i am also thoroughly confused by their "strategy". the 20GB and 60GB had plenty between them to differentiate the two. they both did the same basic functions but the 20GB just cut out the extras that some people wouldnt care about anyway in Wifi, Memory Card slots, and hard drive space. the 40GB and 80GB had a very good distinction between them in one does PS2 BC and the other doesnt, plus the subtraction of some USB ports and card readers on the 40GB. that being said, i thought their strategy was pretty decent the way it was with 40GB and 80GB.
now i actually believe that if they do release another model to replace the 80GB then it will be more for Sony than the consumer since they will be able to put cheaper parts in it and cut some of the cost to them as they have done with the 40GB. other than that, the HDD upgrades are pretty much pointless since through a quick Newegg.com search, i could upgrade my HDD to something larger than Sony would probably ever do. these larger HDD are only going to sway the uninformed user and not the hardcore.
with all these SKU's and upgrades that Sony and MS are putting out, consoles are fast becoming simply "living room PC's".
Burnt Meatloaf @ Feb 1st 2008 8:02AM
As in the PC industry, you can wait forever and never buy anything. The good news is that unlike the PC industry, you don't have to worry about whether new games will work on old hardware (well, PS3 games, at least). The hard drive is upgradeable, so I don't see what the fuss is over all these SKUs, other than confusing the soccer moms who don't even know what a hard drive is.
Frankly, my policy is to buy a console when it's in my price range and it has games I want to play. I don't buy something because a great game [i]might[/i] come out next year, or wait a few months because I [i]might[/i] get an extra 20GB at the same price.
A console is not an investment. Buy it for what it is, not what it could be in a year.
CB17 @ Feb 1st 2008 2:30AM
You know what's really interesting (agreeing with the X3F Fancast): What the f*#* is MS doing? I mean they have no consoles on the store shelves and there isn't a single link to be found. Hell even when Apple does something we hear whispers about it beforehand.
(Here let me beat you Sony fanboys to the punch: MS is giving up, MS can't manufacture consoles properly, blah blah blah)
CB17 @ Feb 1st 2008 2:32AM
Oops that was supposed to be a single LEAK not LINK
Deck @ Feb 2nd 2008 12:36AM
Amazon still has some consoles. The Arcade doesn't count. Halo 3 edition is supposedly the one with the new "Falcon" chipset upgrade. So that one doesn't count.
Though Amazon still has the "Pro Value Bundle" which is the 20gig, HDMI, and 2 games (Forza2 and Ultimate Alliance). That one is still in stock.
Though about literally being on "store shelves" that is true, as they do seem to be good.
So to agree with the Fancast (I listened too) and you, indeed, what is Microsoft up to?
DangerMouse @ Feb 1st 2008 2:36AM
Clearly they want to sell PS2 games digitally, and since the 40 has low capacity, then no support for them. It makes sense really, since Gamestop is making a bundle selling used games that Sony sees no cash of.
Raikage (Wii FC 5508 0487 4434 0992) @ Feb 1st 2008 2:57AM
Joystiq... get that freaking cell phone floaty add thing off of my screen...
Also... I wish Sony just stuck with 2, a BIG one and a little one (Hard Drives I mean).
deaftly @ Feb 1st 2008 9:44AM
Ad Block Plus + Firefox
yelcome.
LaughingTarget @ Feb 1st 2008 4:54AM
I think I should say this again since it is more apparent now:
Sony doesn't have plans, all of this happens by accident.
Kent @ Feb 1st 2008 9:46AM
The way I see it is Sony is trying to refine its SKU's down, trying to sort out the balance between price point and production costs. If it were up to me now Sony are making a profit and with the new bluray lasers and the new 45nm cell making production of the 40GB cheeper I would introduce a new larger model with the features of the 80GB model and then stick with those 2 SKU's and by the sounds of it I think Sony may just do this. In the UK they only sell one SKU (40GB) so the Introduction of a new SKU would be welcome and wouldn't confuse anyone. In the US it looks as though Sony are trying to clear out the old SKU's so they can introduce a new one and just have 2 on the shelves
passing thru @ Feb 1st 2008 11:04AM
OK, Christian you've convinced me. The problem is mine, so I simply won't give Sony any of my money at all this year. Problem solved!
passing thru @ Feb 1st 2008 6:29AM
Does anyone at Sony Games Division have the faintest idea how to market their product? I'm sitting here on the sidelines pretty much ready to plunk down hard earned cash on their machine but since they can't decide just what is going to be put on the shelves that cold hard green just sits in my bank account earning puny amounts of interest instead. Does this make any sense at all to anyone in the world? Do the executives at Sony need to take a few months off and enroll in some basic marketing lessons?
I've been championing the idea that this year will be Sony's time to shine with the PS3, but I always add the caveat that this will only be true if they can manage to overcome their previous ineptness in making their machine attractive in the marketplace. Stuff like this makes me wonder if I'm actually at all correct that they have a real chance to right the ship, because it really seems at times that what they want to do is finish a distant third for this cycle.
Bolivar Baez @ Feb 1st 2008 8:04AM
@passing thru
It is a good thing the PS3 gets updated constantly, i mean, would you rather buy a 60 gb PS3 than a 120 gb PS3 for the same price? As a consumer YOU want what's for YOU, but since the market keeps changing and technologies get cheaper YOU are not going to have the latest, biggest and amazing stuff that comes out, you just need to accept it and move on.
passing thru @ Feb 1st 2008 8:50AM
@Bolivar Baez all i want is a coherent marketing scheme so i know just what it is they're going to have on shelves and what it means to me as a consume. i don't necessarily want the lates and the greatest, i just want a company that knows just what product it is that they're selling. why is that too much to ask?
Christian @ Feb 1st 2008 9:36AM
Honestly I have no idea what your complaint is about. The core features of the PS3 is defined and is what you should be looking at. You know that the PS3 has a Cell CPU, it has a Blu-Ray player, it play blu-ray movies, it supports all PS3 labeled games, it does HDMI output and they come with a HD by default. On top of that there are a set of smaller additions you can choose to look for like bigger HD, Backwards compatibility, more USB ports, media card readers and maybe in the future they build the playTV tuner into a model. But the baseline is here today and Sony is very clear on what that baseline offers. If you can't make a purchase decision due to being uncertain of the future of media card readers or the size of the (replaceable) hard drive then I say it is you and not Sony who has a problem.
Overgauss @ Feb 1st 2008 12:07PM
It's real simple imo. If you want the top of the line package with DS3(rumble), you buy the next PS3 SKU.
Otherwise you buy what you can afford/need for right now in anticipation of buying a DS3 later. Or do what I did and import a DS3 to enjoy now.
After the next round of saturation a new PS3 with more features will be released. Rinse and repeat.
konajinx @ Feb 1st 2008 12:13PM
Ah yes, the "future vision" angle...very nice. Now if Sony could only future-proof the PS3 against itself, they may actually have something.
Akin @ Feb 1st 2008 4:33PM
They gotta get the 40G to $299.
Release a 160G+ with hardware B/C for $499.