PS3 Bayonetta pre-orders slightly cheaper at two retailers [update]

by JC Fletcher { Nov 2nd 2009 at 3:30PM }

A couple of retailers are selling the PS3 version of Bayonetta at a slight discount over the Xbox 360 version. GameStop is temporarily knocking five bucks off pre-orders for the PS3 version only, bringing the price down to $54.99. Both come with a set of eight posters. Amazon has discounted both versions, but the PS3 release's $54.99 price tag is a little bit more discounted than the Xbox 360 version's 56.99.

Siliconera speculates that these discounts are a response to the outcry over Bayonetta looking a bit blurrier in its Sega-ported PS3 incarnation than on Xbox 360. Since these are special offers, though, it's a response on retailers' parts, and not Sega's. If it's really the case that it's an extra push for the "inferior" version and not just a semi-random sale, it seems like it could do the trick. After all, the most attractive version of Bayonetta is likely to be the one that comes with a five dollar bill.

Update: The Xbox version is now $54.99 at GameStop as well.

Tags: platinum-games, sega

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

NERV @ Nov 2nd 2009 3:36PM

Fuck that! I'll take nice graphics over $5. Plus I prefer the Xbox controller

Jakko @ Nov 2nd 2009 3:46PM

Fuck that! I'll buy it for the a system that can actually handle the game without shitting bricks. Plus, PS3 is superior.

deaftly (PSN,LIVE,STEAM) @ Nov 2nd 2009 3:47PM

SNES > *

Heh @ Nov 2nd 2009 3:48PM

"Fuck that! I'll buy it for the a system that can actually handle the game"
So you're getting it for PC, amirite?

tmacairjordan87 @ Nov 2nd 2009 4:02PM

I think he meant to say "fuck that, I'll take a game that works over $5", cause the ps3 version is awful compared to the 360 version supposedly.

Mal F4cti0n @ Nov 2nd 2009 4:09PM

Jakko,

Bayonetta on the PS3 has issues. Only because it was ported over, not because of the PS3.

So your comment is ignorant and stupid.....we can draw our conclusions about you from that.

DeepFriedSushi @ Nov 2nd 2009 7:57PM

just find it funny that after analysis of god of war 3 demo, frame rate which was inconsistent and ran around 36fps on average gets a free pass but bayonetta gets blasted for the same thing.

DeepFriedSushi @ Nov 2nd 2009 8:07PM

Bayonetta is $54.99 for xbox360 too. Just find it odd that this even escalated to the point that it was newsworthy...

http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?Product_ID=71452

kevin @ Nov 2nd 2009 3:46PM

this is bullshit , to the higest level of bullshit.

xxLUANCHYxx @ Nov 2nd 2009 4:24PM

Sometimes i wonder if certain developers actually do care. It's like they hardly made an effort on the PS3 port. But they don't need to care, they still get to keep their job and paychecks. >:[

DeepFriedSushi @ Nov 2nd 2009 8:02PM

ugh... ps3 has an underperforming gpu don't expect it to have the same level of performance. it has nothing to do with poor porting its simply the shortcomings of the consoles. Look PS3 is good at rendering certain things just like the 360 is good at certain things. Dont expect them to reach the same level of performance.

and on top of that what people consider a "poor port" still outperforms many PS3 games. Bayonetta runs 20-40fps in comparison gow3 demo runs 20-50fps.

atrimus @ Nov 2nd 2009 3:45PM

i'm not really sure i agree with (what is essentially) retailers footing the bill for poor development. not that i'm a crusader for retailers (particularly GameStop), but stuff like this does little to discourage shoddy developing and programming.

Whocares @ Nov 2nd 2009 10:14PM

to be honest I dont think its shoddy programing and developing. I think that sony made it harder to develop/port on the PS3.
Multi-platform games have been around for a long time but it has never been this much of a problem except for this generation of console.

Slust @ Nov 3rd 2009 5:23PM

I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with shoddy developers and everything to do with a huge workload, hard deadline and probably understaffed, if not under-experienced, engineers.

AoE @ Nov 2nd 2009 3:45PM

It would be nice if more games were priced according to quality... If anyone from Activision is reading this, you can just start pricing the vast majority of your catalog at free.

The Pie Pieper @ Nov 2nd 2009 3:45PM

Cus it's the only way it will sell on the PS3

The Pie Pieper @ Nov 2nd 2009 3:52PM

I kid, I kid. Hope to see it sell equally as well on both systems. I would like to even see something like how Batman sold.

Prof. Von Manifest (aka Dallas McCoy of the Cocaine Imperium) [PSN: Manifest37] @ Nov 2nd 2009 3:57PM

Agreed!
I, on the otherhand, will only rent it... unless...

Fix it Sega!! You have about a month you lazy mothafu**ers!!

hallowhero @ Nov 2nd 2009 3:46PM

Hm...must be that 38/40 famitsu gave it. XD In all seriousness I think I will probably get it for 360 cause it felt better on there to me.

makimak22 @ Nov 2nd 2009 3:49PM

Now in Japan, I have played both versions and there is no dramatic difference in graphic quality, especially if you`re concentrating on PLAYING the game rather than admiring the view..... Not anywhere near as bad as the `Ghostbuster` graphic differences.

makimak22 @ Nov 2nd 2009 3:50PM

Also, even 40/40 won`t help sales of the 360 version over here.....

Leon @ Nov 2nd 2009 4:03PM

I tried the demo. 85% of the game's appeal IS the view.

Levi @ Nov 2nd 2009 6:27PM

Thank you makimak... Someone sane for once. Everytime I see these threads of people calling this version crippled compared to that version... They are all ridiculous exagerations, aside from Ghostbusters. I've done a few back-to-back tests, and I'm telling you, on almost EVERY GAME, you will be hard pressed to really see the difference. It's only usually apparent when they are side by side, or when youbare looking reeeaaaly closely, which you shouldn't have to do anyway.

Take Resident Evil 5. It's well documented that the 360 version has slightly higher res textures, better shadowing, and more full particle effects like fog and dust. But I played the PS3 version, and the only thing I noticed graphically is that it looks fantastic.

The comparison videos of Bayonetta looked almost identical. Granted, I haven't played them both yet, but I'm trying to point out that it not only doesn't matter, but there is never as big of a difference as people like to argue (except ghostbusters! God awful port).

CaramelZappa @ Nov 2nd 2009 3:49PM

If I end up getting it, it's gonna be on the 360, even without the graphical difference, I just prefer the 360 controller.

CaramelZappa @ Nov 2nd 2009 7:00PM

Downranked for preferring a controller?

Deuce @ Nov 2nd 2009 9:19PM

Of course. Don't you know that sane minds mostly avoid blog sites? That leaves the intelligent-yet-foolhardy and the gibbering idiots (read: system fanboys).

Jack Tretton @ Nov 2nd 2009 3:50PM

"Siliconera speculates that these discounts are a response to the outcry over Bayonetta looking a bit blurrier in its Sega-ported PS3 incarnation than on Xbox 360."

Ah, yes...the "outcry."

Phix @ Nov 2nd 2009 3:51PM

Maybe this is just GameStop's "Fuck You" to Microsoft/Xbox over the whole "Buy new & get some free DLC!" strategy?

Skewed Perspective @ Nov 2nd 2009 3:51PM

Clicking into the product page for the XBOX 360 version shows it at 54.99 too on gamestop.

Jack Tretton @ Nov 2nd 2009 4:06PM

So much for the conspiracy.

And the video-gaming world breathes a sigh of relief.

joeybeast @ Nov 2nd 2009 3:55PM

Doesn't Microsoft have a rule against this type of price disparity. Or does that rule only apply to DLC
a la Burnout.

CaramelZappa @ Nov 2nd 2009 4:24PM

Microsoft has no control over what retailers charge for games.

joeybeast @ Nov 2nd 2009 4:51PM

It's clearly says "PRICE DROP", which leads me to believe it's the publisher not the retailer.

emperorzeroxx @ Nov 2nd 2009 4:06PM

LOL whats with all these ps3 versions lacking in quality xD bet those developers at Insomniac who think the ps3 hasn't been maxed out yet are face palming themselves right about now hahaha.

Jampirow @ Nov 2nd 2009 3:58PM

Good. I was going to pick the PS3 version anyways.

Darth Bradwart, Dark Lord of the Sith @ Nov 2nd 2009 4:03PM

I'd buy this for PS3 anyway-same as I did with DMC4. It's built around a DualShock IMO.

CaramelZappa @ Nov 2nd 2009 4:10PM

Built around the duelshock? The only difference between the ps3 and the 360 controllers is the shape and sixaxis, as far as button layout they are identicle, so how can a game be "built around" the dualshock more than the 360 controller, unless it uses sixaxis?

Darth Bradwart, Dark Lord of the Sith @ Nov 2nd 2009 4:14PM

The buttons work better on the DualShock for hack and slash games IMO.

Katana Master @ Nov 2nd 2009 4:31PM

So therefore not built around Dual Shock...

acefondu @ Nov 2nd 2009 4:07PM

Still getting it on PS3. I prefer the dualshock controller for these kinds of games.

Preston @ Nov 2nd 2009 4:11PM

I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that none of you muppets complaining about the PS3 version has actually played the PS3 version. Because after playing the demo it seems that all this hype about the PS3 version being inferior is really just hype.

acefondu @ Nov 2nd 2009 4:14PM

It is noticeably worse....but oh well, looks don't matter to me. I'll play PS2 DMC games all day. Fun is fun, doesn't matter what it looks like.

Vidikron @ Nov 2nd 2009 4:44PM

The difference is way overblown in this case. I watched the comparison video and was surprised. Given some of the talk I'd seen I was expecting a Ghostbuster's type difference, but that wasn't even close to the case. Of course, I don't plan to buy this game on any platform... looks ridiculous to me.

Verrin @ Nov 2nd 2009 6:52PM

It seems like both version look visually cruddy to me, as I'm waaaay to used to the crisp sharpness, high resolutions and crazy-fun quality filters of PC gaming. However, I'm addicted to trophy-whoring, so PS3 for me please.

Ebichu @ Nov 2nd 2009 4:14PM

It runs just fine on my Atari Jaguar

ducttapeBigSexy (PSN&XBL: ducttape12) @ Nov 2nd 2009 4:16PM

A bit blurrier? No one seems to realize that the PS3 version is missing those semi-transparent NPCs walking around.

As an owner of both a PS3 and a 360, it's sad this late in the console cycle I still have to pay attention to which system got the lame port. There's really no excuse for it anymore.

Preston @ Nov 2nd 2009 4:33PM

They were present in the demo. The video we got shown seems to have deliberately edited them out.

ducttapeBigSexy (PSN&XBL: ducttape12) @ Nov 2nd 2009 4:49PM

Really? Well, I stand corrected then.

In watching comparison videos, that's the only real difference I saw. (Sure, textures may be blurrier, but nothing that you'd really notice when you're playing the game.) Whenever the demo is released for 360 and PS3 here in the States, guess I'll just download both and compare them myself.