80GB PS3 coming August 27 to Europe and Australia

by Ross Miller { Jul 18th 2008 at 11:05AM }

The new 80GB PlayStation 3, which seems to lack even the partial PS2 compatibility of the previous 80GB console, is coming to Europe and Australia on August 27, according to Sony Computer Entertainment Europe chief David Reeves at an SCEE event earlier this week (via Gamespot). It will cost €399 for Europe and £299 for Britain and will still not be worth as much on eBay as the PS2-compatible (entirely) 20GB and 60GB launch models.

Tags: 80-gb, 80gb, playstation-3, ps3, sony

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

BlackFreefall @ Jul 18th 2008 11:11AM

Does it mean that Sony will not be making any more PS3 with BC included?

deaftly @ Jul 18th 2008 11:29AM

Not while the PS2 is still selling well. Its total bullshit but it makes sense business wise.

Night Elve @ Jul 18th 2008 11:49AM

Honestly once you buy a PS3 in a very very rare occasion you play a PS2 game on it.

I've a 60Gb PS3 and just once or two times I've ever played a PS2 game on it.

Of course it would be smartest for SONY to sell at that price the 80Gb BC version but this one is a pretty good deal though.

Josh @ Jul 18th 2008 12:21PM

Night Elve, I've played mostly PS2 games and PS3 demos on my PS3. I've hardly played a real PS3 retail game.

Persona 3...mm....

waves @ Jul 18th 2008 12:26PM

I bought a 60gig PS3 right after the first price drop and had the exact opposite experience. I only had the GameCube last gen, so after renting a few PS3 games through gamefly, I stocked up on all the great PS2 games I missed for bargain prices, and discovered Metal Gear Solid 3 which is now one of my favorite games of all time (yes, it tops MGS4 on my list). I bought a few PSN games (Stardust, Pain, Tekken), but MGS4 was the first PS3 games I paid full price for (I did buy oblivion for $25 when my 360 was out for repair). I'm currently playing through Shadow of the Colossus and trying to figure out how to get my hands on Ico.

If my PS3 didn't have backwards compatibility, it wouldn't have got nearly as much use as it has, and honestly I may have sold it during the drought last year.

And off topic.. When are they going to make a next gen version of Bushido Blade?

Ignatius @ Jul 18th 2008 1:33PM

That's why I'm just going to wait til the PS3 is down to $200 with BC included.. I don't give a damn about HDD space...

Back in 1996, I managed with 3GB of space. I can scrimp.

Hiroken @ Jul 18th 2008 1:59PM

I am guessing that the phasing out of the 80GB with BS can only mean they are almost ready to introduce software BC--Sony is all about reducing hardware costs right now but they know that BC is important to gamers. Unsurprisingly, they have people who's job is, at least in part, to watch blogs like this one and Kotaku and see how gamers react to pieces of news. They know BC is important to the hardcore demographic and I think they'll give it to us in software--this would save them money in hardware and give them something they can say "Gamers asked, Sony listened about" and have a parade or some shit.

Either that, or their heads are so far up their own asses they think we seriously don't care about BC and won't warn our casual gamer friends about it.

50/50

~

Questworld @ Jul 19th 2008 2:22AM

I never got a PS2. Got scared away by those disc scratching reports and numerous DRM (or whatever they were called). A PS1 died on me when I borrowed my cousin's too. After getting a clearer view that the PS3 just might not be following the PS2 or 360 into the problematic hardware category, I thought it was time. Price was still steep for the PS3, I got several PS2 games though before it got harder to find mint/new copies. When the MGS4 bundle was announced I was determined to get that. Unfortunately, can't get one yet. This news worries me. I don't live in the U.S. but all the games I've gotten were games imported from the U.S. by local retailers. I can't get any other PS3s from other regions and have BC for U.S. games. I really hope they don't phase out BC or stop replenishing the MGS4 PS3 bundle any time soon. Otherwise, it's going to be close. If I miss my shot, I'll have no choice but to get a PS2 and then a PS3 at a later time. If that's the scenario I'll face, then there definitely be no rush to get either system any time soon.

SoulBlade @ Jul 18th 2008 11:11AM

So the no BC is confirmed? Yea Sony!

DangerMouse @ Jul 18th 2008 11:13AM

I may be in the minority, but BC is my favorite feature of the PS3. I like being able to play all of my PS2 and PS1 games with the wireless controller, plus without having to worry about the memory card filling up. Thankfully i got an 80GB recently, but if they had completely did away with BC, i would've never purchased one.

Entire series of games like Metal Gear or Resident Evil all being run on the same system is great, and not having to dig up the old unused game system out of the closet just to play one game is very convenient.

Ninjakamster (PS360 FTW!) @ Jul 18th 2008 11:14AM

I'm still holding out hope they will release a higher end model that will have BC, that this model is replacing the current 40gb and a 120gb for example will replace the current 80gb. : /

Snowblind @ Jul 18th 2008 11:16AM

I would have been interested if it had included backwards compatability, but as it is, I don't see the point. A bigger HDD doesn't really make me think I need one of these right now.

FSK405K @ Jul 18th 2008 11:24AM

Making a lame system even more useless.

deaftly @ Jul 18th 2008 11:30AM

Prediction: SDF is going to make you invisible

Daniel @ Jul 18th 2008 11:37AM

Die

ThornedVenom (Harley Quinn Defense Force) @ Jul 18th 2008 11:44AM

[Comment removed by the Sony Defense Force.]

ThePerfectCompanion @ Jul 18th 2008 12:54PM

LMAO

Jakka @ Jul 18th 2008 1:54PM

I agree with FSK.

PS: Wooo! I'm the invisible man!

John @ Jul 18th 2008 11:36AM

Why bother. Just buy a 40gb ps3 and get a 250gb hd for cheaps

colinbell @ Jul 18th 2008 11:51AM

Thats what one should do - expect the 40GB to go on fire sale, so just buy that and swap it for a 250GB with enough space for all your files

dark_inchworm @ Jul 18th 2008 11:39AM

I'm afraid there will be no features left by the time I finally purchase one. :-/

colinbell @ Jul 18th 2008 11:49AM

I really hope that they keep the 400$ model, maybe with 120GB, just to give people the choice. Maybe its just to keep pace with the fact that 349$ gives you a 60GB 360. So if the PS3 were at 399 with 40GB, might create a perception problem.

And just to bring some perspective to Joystiq's hysterics, compared to launch the PS3 has lost BC, and costs 200$ less. The 360 over one extra year has effectively lost 50$. Remember all the criticism you fired at Sony for being too expensive? AT least they took care of that problem.

And Joystiq - I never found you giving ANY credit to the PS3 for full PS2 compatibility way back in 2006 when you were busy slating it for being more expensive, never heard you mention the full BC (or the free multiplayer, etc, etc). And now when it does not have BC, suddenly its so important, eh? What a bunch of hypocrites.

Jakka @ Jul 18th 2008 1:53PM

Joystiq didn't mention that PS3's run using electricity either.Damn, Anti-Sony Bastards!

See, Backward Compatibility is a standard feature of all modern consoles so you don't usually get excited or even mention this kind of stuff.

On the other hand, the information that a very standard feature is getting removed from a very "advanced" console is more than enough to piss a lot of people off.

Jakka @ Jul 18th 2008 1:55PM

...and saying that PS3 didn't deserve the flak for being too expensive is a slap to the face of any Aussie or European.

MarMar @ Jul 19th 2008 12:36PM

I have over a dozen 360 games that aren't BC -- it isn't a standard feature, just some i remember because its annoying me that i can't play them:

kung fu chaos
chronicles of riddick
mech assault 1 (not 2)
DOA beach volleyball

and to be honest, most of the games that are BC on 360 are broken or have some kind of problem that make them difficult to play. jet set radio future is unplayable because it lags and messes up while you're trying to do tricks. its a cel-shaded game for god's sake how could they have messed it up!?

turkeybaster @ Jul 18th 2008 12:26PM

I'm glad I got a 60GB PS3 before they went extinct. Looking back, I like the backwards compatibility, it's good for a nostalgia trip with some of my older PS1 and PS2 titles. I recently tried to complete some of my older games again (Xenogears, Kingdom Hearts 2) but I keep getting pulled away from them by current gen games.

I think as long as Sony can build up a decent library of downloadable PS1 games (and maybe PS2 games in the future) backwards compatibility really shouldn't be an issue.

How many of you still have your old PS1/PS2 games anyway?

Nate @ Jul 18th 2008 12:34PM

Just for everyone else's information - all PS3s are compatible with PS1 games. The only backwards compatibility that is in question is for PS2 games.

umm....hello??? @ Jul 18th 2008 1:26PM

I still have my old PS1/2 games--still working on FFXII...hell, I might even finish it before FFXIII comes out!!

Nate @ Jul 18th 2008 12:32PM

For god's sake! It's a 40 gig model with a bigger hard drive!! It never had backwards compatibility!

I really wish the media would stop saying they've removed something from the higher end BC model. Just because the two have the same hard drive size Does Not Mean they are the same model in any way shape or form.

Sheesh!

DangerMouse @ Jul 18th 2008 1:28PM

They're being sneaky. Why put an 80GB in there when they've already got one on the market with known PS2 backwards compatibility? Why not just make it 100GB or 120GB? Most gamers who follow the news know what's up, the ones who don't could possibly fall for it.

daddycool @ Jul 18th 2008 12:33PM

I'm really starting to regret my 40GB PS3. I think I'm going to get a 60GB off ebay before it's too late and finally get rid of my PS2.

I really just don't get why they would totally pull the BC if the had a software solution mostly working.

Nate @ Jul 18th 2008 12:55PM

So, now that we're done confusing everyone by naming the consoles after their hard drive sizes (which can be upgraded by the user and are totally irrelevant to feature set), can we please start calling this new one the "Core" model, since that's what Sony is calling it?

ThePerfectCompanion @ Jul 18th 2008 12:57PM

So is the 60g ps3 completely backwards compatible?

Like it has no issues playing all ps2 games? Cuz I thought that even that model was having issues due to hardware they put in it. Not that it was faulty but that it just didn't allow for all ps2 games to be played.

It wouldn't surprise me if sony brought in a new SKU by next year.

120G with full BC at a normal price would interesting.

umm....hello??? @ Jul 18th 2008 1:42PM

I haven't had a problem with any of the PS1/2 games that I play on my 60gig--there shouldn't be a problem with any of them because the 60gig PS3 contains the PS2 chipset....although maybe no support for rumble controllers? but that might have changed now that they offer PS3 rumble controllers....