Blu-Ray Player for $399.99!!

[MICKEYMOUSE]

But for now only is Australia. Yes the new 40GB PS3 is going for $399.99 US dollars, and I am sure the US will get their own 40GB PS3 soon. I think US announcement will be announced Oct. 12-15th. This is what the PS3 will have....

2 USB ports, instead of 4
No memory slots, for SD cards etc.
No backwards compatible with PS2 games
Blu-Ray Player

If people get up-set that the 40GB has not BC, I'm sorry don't. You still have a choice of the 60 GB (with 100% BC), and the 80GB (with 80-85% BC for now). Also don't buy next-gen system for last gen games!! But I think this is one step closer of Blu-Ray beating HD-DVD.

[MadonnasManOne]

Sony sure smacks of desperation, lately, don't they. This is what, the fourth or fifth SKU, at least, for a system that is not even a year old?

When is Sony going to realize that they've messed up with the PS3, and move on to the next thing? However, knowing Sony, the next thing they'll move on to is another fiasco, that's sure to continue to divide the entertainment industry, instead of working towards a unified format.

[Leonia]

*sighs*

If Sony keeps this up (gimping the PS3's features and phasing out a previously superior version), they're going to end up like Nintendo during the N64 and GC years.

[DarthPrime]

There have been rumors of a 40 gig for awhile, and I'm excited about the news. The card reader, and only 2 USB ports are not that big of a deal to me. The backwards compatibility is a little odd to see completely gone, but not a deal breaker. I don't have any PS2 or PS1 games, and would only use the PS3 for PS3 and Blu-ray. I guess it would be nice if you had a huge library of older titles and didn't want but one Playstation hooked up.

I don't see this effecting the Blu-ray HD DVD war much, but it is nice to finally have a more affordable PS3. Sony isn't the only ones doing Multiple SKUs. Microsoft has had a lot of 360 SKUs. Sony hasn't had the start it wanted with the PS3. Sure they are removing features, but it is lowering the price which is something that the PS3 desperately needs. It is a great machine, and in time will have some great games. At $399 sales should start to pickup, but I still think that it will need a $299 or less price to start moving a lot.

Oh well... I will eventually pickup this $399 PS3. I wished the 40 gig included the new Dual Shock 3, but it probably want. I've been bitten by the PS3 bug in the past month pretty bad. I'm not really sure why completely since there are only 3 or 4 games that I would probably pickup now. However there are several games coming out "soon" that I will want...

Also keep in mind that this PS3 will include Spider-Man 3 on Blu-ray, and until the end of January is eligible for 5 free Blu-rays by mail. Well that is if the US gets the 40 gig too.

[TM2-Megatron]

They sure are desperate to find a way to sell this dead-weight of a system. I almost feel sorry for them... but I don't. Granted, a few divisions of Sony produce pretty good products (Sony Creative Software, for example... though they cater more to the professional crowds)... but SCE has become increasingly arrogant and irritating over the years.

They can't even seem to sell this thing as a cheap Blu-Ray player to people who aren't interested in the games... though that may be because the whole HD thing is a ways from really catching on with mainstream consumers. It seems to be mostly the wealthy, bored or egocentric consumers who've bought into it so far.

And honestly, I'd rather buy a Blu-Ray drive/burner for my computer before blowing hundreds on a thing that only plays the discs.

[DarthPrime]

I think Sony focused to much on Blu-ray and not games for the PS3. Really the PS3 is a console first, which is something Sony seems to forget a lot. Blu-ray and HD DVD will continue to be niche products for a long time. Most people don't want to buy into either since the format war is going on, and has no signs of ending anytime soon. Others are completely happy with DVDs.

[MICKEYMOUSE]

I love how everybody on boards like these have all become marketing gurus. Oh Sony this, and Sony that. "Sony is messing up", "Sony is doomed" etc, etc., and I love how they like to compare this system to others like the 360. I'm pretty sure Sony knew what they were getting into when the 1st launched the system, and I am pretty sure what the wanted to accomplish the 1st 6 months of the system, and the 2nd half of the system. I'm pretty sure Sony has a few more SKUs up their sleeve by next year. They are giving gamers options! Just like Apple, just like MS, just like every company out there now. Why can't Sony do that? If you don't want a 40, get a 60, if not get an 80GB. Sony knew they wont do much the 1st year of the system, (but the system is still selling well), no one does. PS1, PS2 were in the same boat as the PS3. It was until the 2-3 year it really got kicked into high gear! Sony's big month this year is Nov., and big year is 2008! I don't know why people think this system wont do good, and it has not even been one year yet. A year from Dec. people will shut up, because they thought they knew!!!

[DarthPrime]

Well Sony expected the PS3 to be a instant success like the PS2 was. The PS2 sold a lot better than the PS3 during its first year, but the PS2 was also only $299.

I think a lot of the PS3s problems have been the price. Now that its coming down I really think the PS3 will leap ahead of the 360 before the end of this generation. Blu-ray was a big gamble for Sony on the PS3. Its guaranteeing a lot of Blu-ray players, but the attach rate of PS3s to Blu-rays isn't as good as a stand alone player. Its a console though, so in my opinion thats understandable. Eventually the extra space of Blu-ray should have its advantages for games, even if Blu-ray loses the HD format war. However if you compare the first year sales of the PS3 to the first year sales of the 360 its very close. The 360 had a slow start as well. It wasn't until a few "must have" titles came out that they 360 started to sell better. Right now they are riding off Halo 3, and I'm surprised all the Red Ring of Death stuff hasn't hurt them. Microsoft really needs to fix this problem, if they can. I'm not saying the PS3 is problem free either, but out of all the systems right now the 360 is horrible in terms of hardware failures. However it does have the best library of games currently. 2008 and beyond will be the PS3s time to shine. Getting the price down is going to help.

The Wii is amazing in its sales. I knew Nintendo would have a success with it, but I didn't count on something like this. Until recently the only Wiis I have seen were when I got mine in May (I saw one on Tuesday when I got Jungle Book.). It will be interesting to see if the Wii can keep this up. It seems like some of the "hardcore" gamers are already bored of the Wii, and only keep it around for the must haves like Metroid, Mario, etc... It seems like Nintendo is marketing it more as a casual/everyone gaming system. I don't think it will hurt them, but the "hardcore" crowd will keep the Wii around as a secondary system similar to the way the Gamecube was. Not that I'm bashing Nintendo now... The Wii still remains my favorite of the current systems, but like the others it does have its flaws. I think one of the Wiis biggest advantages was the price. The new controller was a gamble, but it made gaming fun and more interactive (if the games use the Wii Remote in a good way).

[2099net]

I love how everybody on boards like these have all become marketing gurus. Oh Sony this, and Sony that. "Sony is messing up", "Sony is doomed" etc, etc., and I love how they like to compare this system to others like the 360. I'm pretty sure Sony knew what they were getting into when the 1st launched the system, and I am pretty sure what the wanted to accomplish the 1st 6 months of the system, and the 2nd half of the system. I'm pretty sure Sony has a few more SKUs up their sleeve by next year. They are giving gamers options! Just like Apple, just like MS, just like every company out there now. Why can't Sony do that?

Oh where do I start?

Because Sony has constantly ragged on Microsoft for offering more SKUs and options?

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=11209

Phil Harrison has criticised Microsoft for planning to put two versions of the new Xbox 360 console on the market, claiming the decision will merely "create confusion" for consumers.

Becasue Sony ragged on Microsoft for not offering full B/C?
http://www.gamepro.com/news.cfm?article_id=55108

...On Backwards Compatibility
[The PS3 will have] almost perfect backwards compatibility. There will be some exceptions, but we believe those will be even less than we saw from PSOne to PS2."Backwards compatibility, as you know from PlayStation One and PlayStation 2, is a core value of what we believe we should offer. And access to the library of content people have created, bought for themselves, and accumulated over the years is necessary to create a format. PlayStation is a format meaning that it transcends many devices -- PSOne, PS2, and now PS3."
...On Microsoft's Difficulties with Xbox 360 Backward Compatibility
"I don't believe that was backwards compatibility."

And promised the PS2 format would continue "forever"?
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_pa ... b&aid=2171

"PSone runs on the PlayStation 2 through emulation rather than actual hardware. PlayStation 3 will offer the same compatibility for PS2 software and the format will continue forever," he explained.

And they never saw the PS3 as being "overpriced"
http://www.joystiq.com/2005/07/06/sony- ... station-3/

During a recent interview with Japanese economic website Toyo Keizai, ever-charming Ken Kutaragi had this to say about Sony's goal for the PS3: "for consumers to think to themselves 'I will work more hours to buy one'. We want people to feel that they want it, irrespective of anything else."

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060512-6824.html

Sony Computer Entertainment's Ken Kutaragi says that when one considers the price of the PS3, one must think of a fine dinner, not a cafeteria meal, according to comments translated from Japanese media site, IT Media.

"For instance, is it not nonsense to compare the charge for dinner at the company cafeteria with dinner at a fine restaurant? It's a question of what you can do with that game machine. If you can have an amazing experience, we believe price is not a problem," he said.

And they expected people to buy it regardless of games and price?
http://next-generationsystems.blogspot. ... uotes.html

"The first five million are going to buy it (PS3), whatever it is, even [if] it didn't have games."
- David Reeves, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe CEO

And more crazyness:
http://next-generationsystems.blogspot. ... uotes.html

"The PlayStation 3 is a computer. We do not need the PC."
- Phil Harrison, president of Sony Worldwide Studios, in an interview with GameSpot

The fact is, you can't believe anything Sony says. Just like the rumble ("old tech" really meant "lawsuit"), they change their minds at a moments notice and have no quarms about lying or ragging on the competition, before doing exactly the same.

[PatrickvD]

lol, Netty.

it's true though. Sony's ongoing contradictions are a result of their desperation. But hey, if I messed up royally like this, I wouldn't admit it either.

I'm very happy with my Wii right now

[deathie mouse]

Netty The Sony Hater has a Blu-ray 60GB PS3
(I do too) And Paka has an 80GB

Desperate times!

[Loomis]

Netty The Sony Hater has a Blu-ray 60GB PS3
(I do too) And Paka has an 80GB

Desperate times!

Desperate measures. Well, I'm in the club now too. I must have scooped up one of the few remaining 60GB players in Sydney. Apparently, the 40GB announcement saw a huge run-on of machines on the weekend, and literally every store (bar one) in my local shopping mall was dry. Yesterday, a quick trip to the Bondi Junction Westfield in Sydney uncovered that 5 major retailers had all run out of stock completely. Only one had any left in stock - 4 by their count, and three after I left. At least one retailer laughed at the question as to whether any were in stock, and now that Sony has confirmed the 60GB has been discontinued, there won't be any left.

So folk, I've finally thrown my pants into the HD war. As a gamer first, a movie viewer second it would seem.

Now if I only get the 360, I'll have a complete set of current gen consoles...

[DarthPrime]

Well the price drop did happen today for the US. The 80 gig went to $499, and the 40 gig will be available in November for $399. It also includes a copy of Spider-Man 3 on Blu-ray.

Anyone else think that they should also include the Blu-ray remote with all PS3s? Sony seems to be as big on selling the PS3 as a Blu-ray player as they do a game console so it would make since. They also really need to include a HD cable with the PS3... either component or HDMI.

[2099net]

I'm sick to death of people saying on forums if you want the backwards compatability you have a choice. You may in NTSC-land, but not in PAL-land.

The removal of backwards compatabilty (and forced removal at that if you live in a PAL-country) is, I think, a major set-back which may end up biting Sony in the butt.

With backwards compatability, the PS3 was an obvious "upgrade" for an existing PS2. Sure, most people most likely wouldn't use the backwards compatability much, especially after gaining a few PS3 games. But it was there and it was an incentive to chose a PS3 over a 360 or Wii beyond just simple brand loyalty.

Now, there is no difference between a PS3, a Wii or a 360. All will require a PS2 owners (and there's over 100M of them) to keep it hooked up if they want to play/finish their PS2 games.

I strongly believe the PS2's success was mostly down to its ability to play PSOne titles, meaning people didn't feel their games were suddenly obselete. Because for a good one or two years after the PS2 release, the Sega Dreamcast still had by far the better games released. I just think people who had "invested" in a range of Playstation games didn't want to jump to the Dreamcast and literally have to s"tart all over again".

Now, all new consoles will require the player to "start all over again". And based on that mindset, both the Wii and 360 have both a greater number of game titles on the whole, and a wider selection of top rated titles. Why would anyone buy a PS3 to put along side their PS2 over a 360 (for example) at this point in the life of each console?

Especially in PAL countries where old B/C stocks are rapidly disappearing (due in no small part to "panic buying", which shows how desirable it is for people to have it over not having it), I just hope Sony hasn't made their cheaper PS3s even less marketable.

I'll admit the Blu-Ray playback is a major selling point. But most people still seem a little uninterested in this (especially when compared to games) so I don't think it will drive many sales this holiday season. Perhaps Blu-Ray will be more marketable next shopping season.

[DarthPrime]

I've noticed the Blu-ray thing as well. My friend has a 60 gig PS3 and doesn't buy Blu-rays. He was planning to buy Transformers, but its HD DVD only. However he does rent Blu-rays though Blockbuster online. He is planning to pickup the Spider-Man Trilogy, and Lord of the Rings (if its ever released).

The PS3 was a gaming console purchase before a movie player for him.

Removing the backwards compatibility is odd. For someone like me, who doesn't own a PS2, its not as big of a deal. However for my friend who has a large PS2 collection and traded his PS2 in towards the PS3 it was.

60 gigs are still easy to find here. I'm not sure how it will be in a few months when the holiday sales kick in. I'm beginning to wonder if HD DVD and/or Blu-ray will ever be more marketable. Everyone I know is content with DVDs. I really see them being a niche market for a long time.

[2099net]

Oh dear. I thought something like this would happen. You have to wonder if Sony do any market research at all.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/gaming/a780 ... ion-3.html

It appears the price cut for the PS3 hasn't had the intended effect in PAL-Land.

“PS3 went up by 178% over the previous week, which puts it third in terms of overall hardware sold behind DS Lite and Wii,” said ChartTrack director Dorian Bloch. “It was PS3’s biggest week since weeks one and two in March.”

however

The 60Gb model, which features PS2 backwards compatibility, was responsible for 89% of all PS3 sales last week, with the 40Gb model collecting just 11%.

I can't actually do the math, but its clear the cheaper model designed to boost sales and replace the poor selling current model, has actually got less sales than the more expensive model got the week before! (which stupidly, is being discontinued).

Oh dear. Remember PAL countries never got a 80Gb model - only the 60Gb (with PS2 emulation) and now the 40Gb model, which is to replace the 60Gb one.

Once the 60Gb is gone, it's gone over here. So it would appear people would rather pay more money for a better product. Looks like the cheaper PS3 is dead in the water. Looks like the discontinuation of the PAL PS2 B/C 60Gb model was another bad decision by Sony.

As I suggested a couple of posts above, they have actually released a PS3 less marketable than the one they had before!

They seem to stumble from one PR disaster to another. Remember: The 40Gb, non PS2 compatiable PS3 is the only option in PAL countries going into Christmas.