Joystiq

Rumor: Three different 250GB PS3 bundles hitting the UK in October

Randy Nelson — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:30:00 EST

The PS3 Slim packing a 250 gigabyte hard disk that was previously uncovered in FCC documents may be arriving as soon as next month -- in the UK. Eurogamer cites a "trusted retail source" who claims the new SKU will appear in three different bundles, each containing the system and one of three titles.

The site's source - who says the details of the bundles aren't yet "in writing" - goes on to divulge the games as Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, Gran Turismo 5 and Assassin's Creed II. Each bundle will supposedly retail for £299 ($494), which is a solid bargain given that the 120GB SKU (with no pack-in) runs £249 ($411). We've contacted SCEE and SCEA to try and find out if there's any more meat on this rumor's bones.

Rumor: Three different 250GB PS3 bundles hitting the UK in October originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: Best Buy offering new PS3 buyers a free game to discourage Slim trade-ins

JC Fletcher — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:15:00 EST

In order to dissuade recent PS3 buyers from returning their systems in exchange for newer, slimmer ones, Best Buy is reportedly offering a free game to customers who come in for such an exchange.

According to our tipster, who snapped the picture above (Kotaku also claims to have verified the story), Best Buy sent out an internal memo instructing employees to try to convince customers not to return their recent purchases for Slims with the offer of a free copy of either inFamous, Killzone 2, or MLB 09. The memo also states that there is no official "street date" for the system, so it could be out on the shelf already.

Is a free game sufficient salve for the burn of just missing out on a Slim? Or will irate customers with valid receipts ignore the offer entirely in pursuit of a less monolithic console? If you are in the position of having just bought a PS3, do let us know if this sends you scrambling back to Best Buy in search of some kind of better buy.

And if you're a high-level Sony executive, don't (try to) hide your immediate plans from your consumers. As it turns out, people like being informed about the things they're planning to buy. Nobody would have bought a PS3 in the last couple of weeks if we had known about the Slim, and there wouldn't be any emergency programs like this as a result of it.

Gallery: PlayStation 3 Slim

Rumor: Best Buy offering new PS3 buyers a free game to discourage Slim trade-ins originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumorang: Retailer promotes 'new exciting PlayStation 3'

Ludwig Kietzmann — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST

Above: Front-page Kmart ad

A banner ad on KMart's website has reportedly promoted a "new exciting Playstation 3," along with a price cut for old and boring models (see: millions of concurring rumors). The Kmart ad is sure to contribute to the ongoing frenzy of speculation surrounding Sony's upcoming press conference at GamesCom -- well, probably. That's just speculation on our part.

In addition, Kotaku claims to have received a promotional poster meant for retailer FYE. It also suggests that the 80GB PlayStation 3 will have its price reduced to $299.99, while the Uncharted 160GB bundle will be trimmed to $399.99.

Update: A slightly different promotional ad (seen above) is now up on Kmart's front page.

Source - Kotaku
Source - Kmart

[Via Engadget]

Rumorang: Retailer promotes 'new exciting PlayStation 3' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 18 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Slim Pickings: The story of the fabled PS3 Slim (so far)

Griffin McElroy — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 19:00:00 EST

Judging by the hundreds of reader-submitted tips we've received in August pointing to "totally conclusive evidence" of the existence of a slimmer, sexier version of Sony's home console, we think it's safe to say that PS3 Slim pontification has reached a fever pitch. As video game news conduits, we've frequently been forced to gaze into this swirling maw of speculation in an attempt to gin the might-be-reals out of the most-assuredly-fakes.

One of the prevailing pieces of gossip regarding the hardware is the moment of its unveiling: Tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. EST, during Sony's GamesCom press conference. Before we arrive at that potentially auspicious hour, we're going to look through the brief annals of the PS3 Slim's history, analyzing the big pieces of evidence, debunking the obvious mockups, and interpreting data from a poll we conducted over this past weekend.

If you're looking for a "final word" on the subject, you'll find none here. That's for tomorrow's Sony presentation to determine -- or depending on which way the tides of fate turn, to obfuscate even further.

Continue reading Slim Pickings: The story of the fabled PS3 Slim (so far)

Slim Pickings: The story of the fabled PS3 Slim (so far) originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 17 Aug 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Poll: What do you think of the rumored PS3 Slim?

Griffin McElroy — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 13:00:00 EST

We certainly hope you're feeling altruistic today, dearest readers, because we need your help. As you've probably heard, the oft-rumored PS3 Slim is ... well, rumored to be announced next week at GamesCom. Before Sony's keynote at the event, we'd like to test the waters to find out exactly what you guys would want from a svelter Sony console, and whether you even think it exists.

There's a few polls asking these questions and more posted after the jump. If you've got a few minutes, we'd love your input.

Update: We've closed the polls and posted the results after the jump. Thanks for your help!

Continue reading Poll: What do you think of the rumored PS3 Slim?

Poll: What do you think of the rumored PS3 Slim? originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 15 Aug 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PS3 price drops spotted in Europe, US cut a possibility [update: Hastings responds]

Andrew Yoon — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 10:30:00 EST

Update: Hastings has since issued a cease & desist letter to Joystiq, requesting we remove the image. According to Hastings' director of merchandising, the ad is "blatantly false," although we have good reason to believe otherwise. SCEA's Patrick Seybold also offered a rare comment, saying the ad "is fake." Thankfully, he did not do this to us.

While we're respecting the request of Hastings, it's clear that a significant change is happening to Sony's business strategy regarding the PS3. As seen above, many European retailers are already cutting the price of the PS3 [Image credit: niels]. Reports from Engadget and Engadget Spanish also confirm cuts in multiple stores in Europe.

Lending credibility to the image we received, the ad in question was sent to Joystiq before SCEA's announcement yesterday of the Greatest Hits version of Uncharted, though precisely that was part of the Hastings ad. Coupled with the C&D and Europe's retail actions lead us to believe a price drop is happening. We've included the original post (sans image) after the break.

Continue reading PS3 price drops spotted in Europe, US cut a possibility [update: Hastings responds]

PS3 price drops spotted in Europe, US cut a possibility [update: Hastings responds] originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 14 Aug 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UK retailers report PS3 shipment cutoff

JC Fletcher — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:28:00 EST

Two anonymous retail spokespeople in the UK have reported that PlayStation 3 supplies from Sony have dried up, possibly in anticipation of this month's GamesCom and a future announcement therein. "Sourcing PS3 stock has been a challenge for the last two to three weeks," one source told MCV. Evidently, the retailers have been told that further shipments would not be coming until late August or early September.

We can only speculate about the reason -- you may expect the next shipment of PS3 systems to make it to retail to be Slim, or a cheaper model; however, given recent history, we're going to conjecture that Sony is planning to release a new model with a higher price, and doesn't want to waste any more time building the "cheap" systems.

UK retailers report PS3 shipment cutoff originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumorang: PS3 Slim to be revealed at Gamescom

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EST

Hong Kong gaming magazine GameWave is reporting that the PS3 Slim will be revealed at Gamescom next week. This comes following French media site JVN's report, which also indicated that the new model would be revealed at the European conference. The image on the magazine's cover isn't the real console, so don't get too excited. Also, thank goodness.

We'll level with you: the buzz is that the PS3 Slim will be revealed in Cologne next Tuesday at Sony's Gamescom press conference. However, with Sony remaining tight-lipped, we're still waiting for the official announcement or solid images at this point.

[Via Examiner; Thanks, SpiderMike]

Rumorang: PS3 Slim to be revealed at Gamescom originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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French retailer claims PS3 Slim is real, will be €100 cheaper

Andrew Yoon — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 11:30:00 EST

French media site JVN contacted an anonymous retailer, revealing supposed details of the most-likely-real PS3 Slim. According to the source, the PS3 Slim is very real, and is planned to launch in Europe next month for €300, a discount of €100 over the current Phat model. The source then says the console may be officially announced at Gamescom, taking place a little over a week from now.

While the authenticity of the source's information can't be verified, it seems increasingly likely that the PS3 Slim is real. Considering Gamescom is the European equivalent of E3, we're certain Sony will be making some kind of big announcement -- but will it be a price-reduced PS3 Slim? Stay tuned for more.

[Thanks, Dan!]

French retailer claims PS3 Slim is real, will be €100 cheaper originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 10 Aug 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: 80GB PS3 to be discontinued in Japan, parts ordered for new Sony consoles

Griffin McElroy — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:31:00 EST

We've got a bunch more kindling for the ever-burning PS3 Slim rumor today, so try and keep up. First and foremost, Kotaku recently uncovered a document from a 7-Eleven in Japan (where 7-Elevens are apparently respected games dealers), which asks that stores stop taking pre-orders for 80GB PS3s as of August 9 -- at the behest of Sony. If legit, this move could be the start of the 80GB's mass exodus, as foretold by the Ars Technica mole in the "Great PS3 Slim Prophecy of 2009."

Other rumors come to us in the form of a Telegraph report, which rounds up a number of potential signs pointing to the svelte system's existence; one of which is an excerpt from a DigiTimes article that states Sony has "ordered enough parts to make one million consoles in the third quarter of this year," which is twice as much as was ordered in the past three months. Are these parts being used to make Slims? PSP Gos? A weaponized mech suit for Kaz Hirai?

From there, Telegraph drops a bunch of unsourced details which should be taken with a sizable grain of apprehensive salt. First, the outlet claims a PS3 Slim announcement "could come later this month" during the GamesCom convention in Cologne, with the actual console appearing by the holidays. According to Telegraph, the console "is expected to" come in two flavors -- 40GB and 80GB -- and will include two unnamed games. Best of all, it will supposedly have a lower price point than current models. Ah, now they're playing our tune.

Rumor: 80GB PS3 to be discontinued in Japan, parts ordered for new Sony consoles originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mysterious PlayStation 3 Slim listing appears on Amazon.de [update]

JC Fletcher — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 01:00:00 EST

A listing has been found on the German Amazon shop for "PlayStation 3 Konsole slim." There are no other details on the listing -- no date, no picture, no price, and even the platform is listed as "platform independent." The listing is so new and so devoid of info that nobody has even posted any user reviews of this nonexistent product.

With all the stuff we've heard about the supposed Slim, we have no doubt that it is, or will be, a real product -- but this Amazon listing does little to convince. We will, however, keep checking Amazon for more info about the Slim, whenever we log back in to see if Starcraft: Ghost is back in stock.

Update: To be clear, the image that has appeared on the German Amazon shop was submitted by a user and not by the product's manufacturer. Sorry, folks!

[Via Engadget; thanks, Marius!]

Mysterious PlayStation 3 Slim listing appears on Amazon.de [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 01 Aug 2009 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: Taiwanese firms awarded PS3 Slim manufacturing contracts

Richard Mitchell — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:50:00 EST

Another possibly "frustrating" leak for Sony, word comes from our buddies at Joystiq Japan and Engadget Chinese that two Taiwanese manufacturing companies have been awarded contracts to build Sony's new streamlined PS3, affectionately known as the PS3 Slim. According to UDN.com, half of the orders have gone to Taiwanese group Foxconn, while the other half has gone to Pegatron. The units are expected to start shipping in early July "to cope with expected summer vacation demands."

The news has a ring of truth to it, given that the two firms have manufactured the original PS3. The timing also makes sense, as Japan actually buys most of its game consoles during the summer vacation period (as opposed to the winter holidays in the west). Still, all of this info comes from anonymous sources, so take it with a very hearty helping of salt.

Assuming the news is true, it would mesh well with the PS3 Slim rumors we've heard so far, most notably that Ars Technica expected the units to hit the market in August or September. Add this to the string of rumors and leaks -- even some purported images of the unit itself -- and the PS3 Slim looks like it could be hitting the ground sooner rather than later.

Rumor: Taiwanese firms awarded PS3 Slim manufacturing contracts originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: Ars Technica Mole foretells PS3 and 360 price drops in fall

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:15:00 EST

Yes, we know -- another console price drop story. Our contempt rivals your own, we assure you. However, this time around, the report comes from a source that's proven to be eerily accurate on hardware announcements in the past -- Ars Technica's unnamed "mole," a prophetic figure who managed to predict the capabilities of the PSP Go, the release of the red Resident Evil 5 Xbox 360 bundle and, most notably, last fall's universal 360 price cut.

On the Sony front, the mole is claiming that the 80GB PS3 will become scarce over the next two months, being mostly replaced by the 160GB model. As the larger model continues to sell into the fall, Sony will supposedly simultaneously announce the oft-rumored PS3 Slim and the even more oft-rumored price cut. The mole was unable to discern the exact amount that would be shaved off the price of the console, but was confident it would provide Sony with a much-needed sales boost.

For Microsoft, the mole expects the Pro system to be ushered off store shelves with the help of a few attractive Pro bundles which will crop up over the next few months. The Pro will be replaced by the 120GB Elite, which will supposedly undergo a price cut in September, followed by the release of its own bundles in October. With downloadable titles becoming a focus for both companies, turning the spotlight on consoles with larger hard drives makes sense -- but only time will tell if the Ars mole's sterling predictive reputation will persevere.

Rumor: Ars Technica Mole foretells PS3 and 360 price drops in fall originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumored PSP Go box bares striking resemblance to rumored slim PS3 art

Xav de Matos — Sat, 30 May 2009 16:15:00 EST

Side-by-side comparison shots of rumored box art for the (just leaked) PSP Go and a rumored slimline PS3 are turning online heads today, as both feature a nearly identical design. The comparison -- slapped together by PlayStation LifeStyle -- feature similar system positions, memory capacity icon locations and the same XMB wave design backdrop (albeit in different colors).

Of course, both images may be fake. However, the fact that multiple outlets were slapped with cease and desist orders following the release of the rumored PS3 slim images and that the PSP Go art features the actual system design (not a mock-up) when it appeared online alongside today's Qore leak, makes the validity of the PS3 slim rumor an interesting topic of conversation leading into the industry's big show.

Gallery: PSP Go

Rumored PSP Go box bares striking resemblance to rumored slim PS3 art originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 30 May 2009 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ars' mole says slimmer PS3 coming in August or Sept.

Justin McElroy — Thu, 28 May 2009 12:00:00 EST

Thanks to his or her flawless track record, when Ars Technica's mole speaks, we listen. So you'll understand why rumors of the PSP Go! and slim PS3 seem just a little more likely to us this morning. The mole says that (though it won't necessarily be announced at E3) the slimmer PS3 will arrive in August or September, after the regular-sized PS3s have dried up a skosh.

The mole's also pushing the PSP Go!, saying it will feature "lower power consumption and possibly a lower price." Read all of the shifty rodent's musings right here.

Ars' mole says slimmer PS3 coming in August or Sept. originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 May 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: Pictures show 'slim' PS3 model in production

JC Fletcher — Thu, 14 May 2009 09:30:00 EST

We hope you like salt, because you should take these images with a couple of handfuls of it. Game Column & Blog has posted what could be pictures of the outer shell and box for an unannounced, slimmed-down PlayStation 3.

The purported new model swaps out the shiny 'Piano Black' exterior for a textured look like that of the PS2, and, for some reason, ditches the Spider-Man font for a logo that is also more in line with the PS2. Actually, now that we think about it, it makes a lot of sense to model an upcoming PS3 redesign after the still-successful PS2.

These pictures arrive amidst rumors that, in addition to the (rumored) PSP Go!, some other new Sony hardware may be unveiled at E3. If those rumors are true, and if the new hardware is a PS3, then ... these pictures could still be fake.

[Via Mr. Universal]

Rumor: Pictures show 'slim' PS3 model in production originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 14 May 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: PS3 Slim coming this fall

Scott Jon Siegel — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, CES

We're throwing this one in the "probably not" pile, right next to our jar of skeptical sauce. A month after the conclusion of CES, gadget site T3 is reporting that while in attendance they heard that Sony will be debuting a slimline version of the PlayStation 3 (a "PSThree" if you will). According to T3's "well-informed insider," the unit will be smaller and lighter than the current console (well, duh).

While we don't doubt that Sony will eventually give the PS3 a little nip and tuck, it's still far too early in the console's life-cycle to warrant such a drastic revision of the hardware - but we're not ruling out the possibility of a new SKU in the near future. The PSOne redesign appeared over four years after the first PlayStation was launched, and the slimline PS2 didn't appear until over three years after the original.

A redesigned PS3 probably wouldn't appear until late 2009 at the earliest, making the possibility of one showing up this fall slim to none. Now pass that skeptical sauce, please.

Rumor: PS3 Slim coming this fall originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 Feb 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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