Target receives new PS3 SKU to release after GDC

by Andrew Yoon { Mar 17th 2009 at 12:56PM }

According to a reader tip, Target stores are receiving a brand new PS3 SKU. The DPCI item number for the new product is 207-23-0009 and it will be available on March 29, a few days after the end of Game Developer's Conference.

The new SKU, confirmed by our tipster's photo, bundles the now-standard 80 GB console and two Greatest Hits games: MotorStorm and Resistance: Fall of Man. Those who have managed to keep track of the various SKUs will find this package awfully similar to a bundle launched in Europe in 2007. Heck, all it does is add Resistance to the now-defunct MotorStorm bundle.

Unfortunately, our tipster says this new bundle doesn't come with a price drop. The SKU will retail for $399, the same price as the current low-end PS3. Yes, the addition of two free games makes it a better value, but this bundle can't replace the "price drop" analysts have been predicting (and publishers have been begging for). Either this is a Target-specific bundle, or this will be one of the most unexciting PS3 announcements to date.

Tags: bundle, gdc-2009, price-cut, ps3, target

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

SoulBlade @ Mar 17th 2009 1:03PM

newer games would have been better... like maybe the sequels to those included.

=Curve= @ Mar 17th 2009 1:34PM

I disagree. Get them to play the original games and then get them to buy the sequels. They'll make more money off the sequels than selling the Greatest Hits games.

Also, Resistance 1>>>>>>>>Resistance 2.

Hyams @ Mar 17th 2009 2:20PM

Resistance 2 rapes Resistance 1, and Resistance 2 is in turn raped by Killzone 2.

It's like some sort of sick rape orgy, only with videogames.

Andrew Ryan @ Mar 17th 2009 2:40PM

To anyone buying this bundle i'll tell it's well worth it. & enjoy one of the best FPS's of this gen RFOM. :) You newcomers'll be in for a treat.

baby sea tuna @ Mar 17th 2009 2:40PM

That reminds me, I might need to take a break from RE5 tonight to machinegun rape some Helghast in the brain hole. It's been too long.

Mics @ Mar 17th 2009 2:53PM

Speaking of RE5...now THAT'S a game they should have bundled with the system...something newly released that still actually cost $60 retail. And while they're at it, throw in another cool game just for kicks...how about Super Street Fighter II HD Remix? And increase the hard drive from 80GB to 120GB. And throw in a free HDMI cable and headset. Now that's a console bundle that I would pay $399 for. Oh wait...I just did!

Hyams @ Mar 17th 2009 2:57PM

That'd have cost Sony freakin' loads though. They'd have to first buy the rights to bundle the game from Capcom, and then they'd have to buy lots of copies of the game.

First party titles make much more sense to bundle, as they don't cost Sony anything.

Otis Whitaker @ Mar 17th 2009 3:13PM

I guess we can only expect good deals out of MS then, and cheap hoodwinked theivery out of Sony.

I mean.. they could at least throw in the HD video cables.

Nick @ Mar 17th 2009 3:53PM

Your theory about making more money would be accurate except the PS3 isn't selling at $399 as it is. Why would people suddenly want to buy a system because it has two very early PS3 games included?

Hyams @ Mar 17th 2009 4:02PM

Well, actually, it *is* selling. Just not as well as the other two consoles.

Colonel Radec (PSN: slycooper_rocker) @ Mar 17th 2009 5:59PM

@ Hyams

did you get your ps3 back yet?

@ everyone else

does anyone want to join a clan in killzone 2?

Hyams @ Mar 17th 2009 6:29PM

Only just sent it off.

It's been painful reading about how amazing Killzone 2 is. XD

Colonel Radec (PSN: slycooper_rocker) @ Mar 17th 2009 6:42PM

i guess i'm not helping...

BxGT @ Mar 17th 2009 1:03PM

Still awaiting the price drop to buy mine.

joeybeast @ Mar 17th 2009 1:39PM

And God of War 3

Rhamsey @ Mar 17th 2009 3:27PM

same, big price drop, and an announcement that kh3 will be ps3 only, cause lets face it kids, square and disney are both whores, its not 100% that kh3 will be ps3 only.

baby sea tuna @ Mar 17th 2009 1:03PM

If they'd included Motorstorm 2 and Resistance 2, and released this during the summer for the same price, they'd probably sell a hell of a lot more.

Erwos @ Mar 17th 2009 1:05PM

See, you're missing the point. They're including Motorstorm and Resistance to push Motorstorm 2 and Resistance 2.

baby sea tuna @ Mar 17th 2009 1:11PM

And in turn, they are missing the point by trying to spur sales of a console by including a pair of 2 year old, budget priced games without coupling them with a price drop.

Hyams @ Mar 17th 2009 1:42PM

Profit wise, this works better for them though.

People are still willing to buy Motorstorm 2 and Resistance 2, because they're still new games. But if they were included in a bundle Sony would be losing out on potential sales, as they're basically giving the games away for free.

But as no one is going to buy Motorstorm 1 or Resistance 1 anymore, giving them away in the bundle is fine - they're not losing any potential sales. Also, they're building the fanbase for the franchises, who will then be more likely to go out and buy Resistance 2 and Motorstorm 2, therefore pocketing Sony a bit more money.

And let's be fair - Resistance 2 and Motorstorm 2 are hardly system sellers. No one will buy a console because those games come with it. Resistance 1 and Motorstorm 1 won't sell the bundles any worse than the sequals would.

Vinner @ Mar 17th 2009 1:54PM

Like Kung Fu Panda and Lego Indiana Jones for the 360 was better? I can see them adding that to the Arcade version in order to appeal to children and their parents but the other versions as well? The fanboyism is strong in this one.

baby sea tuna @ Mar 17th 2009 2:05PM

Oh, I totally get why Sony would do this from a cost to benefit standpoint, I just don't think this is going to spur console sales like an MGS, Final Fantasy, God of War bundle or, say, a price drop would.

I'm just saying, if I didn't already have a PS3, this wouldn't cause me to buy one. In fact, sadly, the killer app for me was the threat of removing backward compatibility more than Motorstorm or the 5 free Blu-Rays that I got when I bought it.

@ vinner
"The fanboyism is strong in this one."
Don't be an asshole. I scoffed even harder at including LEGO IJ and Kung-Fu Panda with the 360 Elite bundle instead of something like Gears 1 or Halo 3 or some other actual system seller. Hell, even Viva Pinata would have been a better choice.

Hyams @ Mar 17th 2009 2:18PM

Oh yeah, that's fair enough. I just don't think this bundle is intended to spur sales - I think it's only there to make a tiny bit more money (and every penny counts, especially if you're in the red like Sony is).

Personally, I think Sony should release a bundle including Resistance 1, Motorstorm 1, Heavenly Sword, Ratchet and Clank, Uncharted, and GT5:P.

Having six games come with it would help justify the high cost, and would also set up lots of new PS3 owners for Resistance 2, Motorstorm 2, GoWIII, the next Ratchet and Clank, Uncharted 2, and GT5, thereby helping the sales of those games.

And as those are all first party titles, it wouldn't cost Sony *too* much to introduce - the costs of the physical discs, and that's about it - and I reckon could maybe give the PS3 a small boost in sales.

The Baron @ Mar 17th 2009 2:25PM

Especially since budget game releases probably aren't a major slice of Sony's money pie.

Perhaps the studios who make those games might object to having their games practically given away, though.

Kodros @ Mar 17th 2009 2:28PM

Not completely on subject but Motorstorm 2 friggen rocks my socks. "Controlled Chaos" at its finest.

Colonel Radec (PSN: slycooper_rocker) @ Mar 17th 2009 6:03PM

@ Hyams

they're not all first-party. i'm pretty sure insomniac isn't. if i'm right, resistance and ratchet aren't first-party.

EncodedNybble @ Mar 17th 2009 1:08PM

I guess I just don't understand the business aspects of it, but why can't they just knock off the MSRP by $50 instead of including the 2 games, unless the games are some sort of limited time promotion. Considering the fact that they are launch/older games, I wouldn't think that this bundle would be promoting anything really.

I'd rather just have $60 than those 2 games, people could buy those two games with the $60 if they really wanted to.

PersonOfSorts @ Mar 17th 2009 1:24PM

Those two games aren't really selling right now. By adding them in free, they're increasing the perceived value of the total package while it costs Sony pretty much nothing. I.e., Sony isn't losing $50 on this. If they just dropped the price by $50, Sony would indeed lose that money.

master811 @ Mar 17th 2009 1:34PM

The reason why they include games instead of taking $50 off the price is cos the actual physical cost of the games will be much lower (its simply a blu-ray disc and a hard plastic cover).

DangerMouse @ Mar 17th 2009 1:34PM

I still see Resistance in stores with the Greatest Hits sticker (as opposed to the red box). It's possible they made too many copies of this game and are looking for ways to get rid of them. While they retail for 20-30 dollars, they probably only cost a few bucks max to produce, which is very different than just slashing the price by $60. It's good for consumers who are considering the purchase, since it's a couple free games that they don't have to purchase, as well as sway those still unsure. also, as stated above, it's a good way to promote the sequels that were recently released.

Jack_Jackington @ Mar 17th 2009 1:07PM

make a big name new release bundle and make it tempting. gimme a killzone 2 (great game) bundle or something.

Khaled @ Mar 17th 2009 1:07PM

New people aren't going to be interested in these older titles!!!

Josh @ Mar 17th 2009 1:34PM

???

That's strange... when I bought a 360 a few months ago, I was interested enough to purchase Dead Rising and Gears of War, even though they're just as old.

It's systematic of the NOW NOW NOW gaming community that nobody looks at an entire system's library when they take into account the value of that system. I think it was on Listen UP a few weeks back that somebody asked "Is Killzone 2 enough to sell a $400 system?" Made me want to rip my hair out.

Hyams @ Mar 17th 2009 1:46PM

Meh. People don't really care about games their console gets bundled with.

Just speaking from personal experience from selling consoles, I find people usually choose the bundles that have the most games - even going so far as to pick three crappy moive-based titles instead of a single AAA one - figuring they're getting the best deal possible.

The only exception is with really big system seller titles (usually sequals of games from last gen) like MGS4.

baby sea tuna @ Mar 17th 2009 2:07PM

"Meh. People don't really care about games their console gets bundled with."

Ahem, Wii Sports would like a word with you.

Hyams @ Mar 17th 2009 2:09PM

Re-read the last line of my post. =)

Mr Khan @ Mar 17th 2009 2:18PM

I don't understand that sentiment either. This could be ideal for fence-sitters, especially if they have any interest in either title (or both). Certainly you don't buy a new console for old games, but nothing's stopping you from enjoying them

HitNRun @ Mar 17th 2009 2:39PM

Just IMO, I agree with Josh. The first stop when I bought my 360 a year ago was...ok, I bought COD4, but after that it was Half.com to get bargains on Gears of War, Eternal Sonata, even Ninja Gaiden and Halo 1 for the original Xbox.

Hyams, part of the reason people don't seem to care about bundled games may be that 90% of bundled games suck dong. Before MGS4, I can't even remember a bundle that interested me. Although I did end up having way more fun with my bundled Marvel Ultimate Alliance than I planned to.