[Metalgearih]

In the update, the blogger writes, "In the latest Famitsu, a very important person mentioned that the PS3 price would not be over 40000yen". This information correlates to a previous comment from a Sony rep a few months back, who mentioned the same price. With any luck this will turn out to be the case, and Japan will see the PS3 in the spring of 2006 for slightly under $400.

http://1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3145024

http://blog.livedoor.jp/coolgamer/

Interesting turn of events, especially after the 500 Euro bomb LB dropped on us
Anything you like to add LB?

As for me, this wasn't really surprising but exciting. I was already expecting them to have a decent price tag compared to Xbox360. And if this thing is true then it only is a confirmation of Sony's commitment to their past doings with the Playstation brand. I just hope sometime down the road we hear an official confirmation of this. You know like Kutaragi's speech happening this week or something

[Powderkeg]

It would not suprise me at all to see the PS3 launch for the same price as the 360. In fact, I pretty much expect it.

[Titanio]

Originally Posted by Metalgearih

I just hope sometime down the road we hear an official confirmation of this. You know like Kutaragi's speech happening this week or something

Interesting you mention it, because his speech is due just around the same time Famitsu will be hitting the shelves this week (and not to fan the flames, but coverage is often arranged in advanced with Famitsu for announcements). I very much doubt he'll be announcing pricing though..seems a bit too much to hope for given more recent comments from Sony.

[Carl B]

As gets mentioned every now and then, there has been that 40,000 yen quote out for a while now - given by an official at one of Sony's investor meetings. Of course that doesn't mean it's a number they will/would stick by.

Now, CoolGamer (the blog) is there quoting Famitsu. So what we need to know is who the important person Famitsu is quoting is. If it's just a rehash of the investors meeting quote (afterall that was one of the SCE crew - thus important), that doesn't help us, but if it's a new quote reaffirming that price, that could be some good confirmation!

[avaya]

Kaz Hirai or Kutaragi also mentioned the Y40,000 price point as being an upper limit a couple of months ago.

Y39,800 is a very likely price for Japan IMO, exactly the same as PS2.

[dukmahsik]

in japan i can see this happening

[Titanio]

Can we get links on the "mentions" of Y40,000 as an upper limit, previously? Thanks.

edit - does this cover everything we know sofar? :

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/05...s_6126410.html

Last week, the Mainichi Daily News quoted Sony Computer Entertainment officials as saying the PlayStation 3 would be priced at under 50,000 yen

Today, Japanese Web site Impress PC Watch reported that SCE has told its business partners that the PS3 will be under 40,000 yen ($370) at launch.

I don't think Kutaragi or Hirai said anything about pricing previously, except that it'd be expensive, in Kutaragi's case? The only talk of pricing we've had sofar seems to me to be a case of "he said she said"..words often get put in Sony's mouth, seemingly, so I think it's important to clarify, especially on an issue like this

[PG2G]

Originally Posted by Titanio

I don't think Kutaragi or Hirai said anything about pricing previously, except that it'd be expensive, in Kutaragi's case? The only talk of pricing we've had sofar seems to me to be a case of "he said she said"..words often get put in Sony's mouth, seemingly, so I think it's important to clarify, especially on an issue like this

I'm with you. I'm pretty sure I never saw anything where they mentioned pricing aside from it'd be expensive. I'd love to see what you guys are referencing.

[EpicZero]

Hirai hinted that it may be a little more expensive than the PS2, but it will not be expensive.

39,800 yen in Japan
$349 in North America

This would be a killer combination.

[Metalgearih]

You know guys, I think there is something waiting to be read between the lines here. Kutaragi saying, "It'll be expensive!". Ok , so we know whenever playstation's were launched in NA, they were sold at atleast $100 less than their Japanese launch price. But in this case, now that the $400 Japan price has been thrown around quite a bit.

Could it be that both NA and Japanese launches will bear the same price tag? Hence Kutaragi's statement: "It'll be expensive". Maybe media and forum members around the globe blew his quote out of proportion while all he wanted to say was , hey both regions pay the same cost(for a long time without reduction in price) etc.

I don't know it's just theory on my part. But who knows

[Titanio]

Well as a counter to the PS2 precedent, the PSP sold for the same in both territories. Who knows with PS3 though.

It sure would be nice to have PS, PS2 and PS3 all launch neatly at the same price though (39,800 Yen). I ain't holding my breath, but the symmetry is nice

[Shifty Geezer]

As for pricing announcements, something near XB360's launch would make sense, along with some new game movies or something, That'd 'sow seeds of doubt' in the undecided who were eyeing XB360 without necessarily taking much of the Christmas PS2/PSP sales because it'd only be info known to the gaming world = early adopters of XB360. If the price is emminently affordable (comparative to XB360) this'd make a lot of sense. Whereas if PS3 is likely to be a lot more expensive they'll likely delay the announcement so as not to scare away potential customers into XB360's launch.

Or, Sony will just announce whenever and couldn't give a monkey's what clever tactical manoeuverings they could have engineered instead.

[Alpha_Spartan]

PS3 will launch at $400 but it won't be the same system Sony advertised at E3.

[hey69]

thats 299 euro. so that means 399euro with 20%tax inluded most probably

still much cheaper then the 540euro the ps2 launched back in da day

[Platon]

I don't know. With all the tech that PS3 is supposed to have, id now the E3 config is the final one, I really can't see how they can afford to sell it for less than $400 and not go bankrupt...

[Platon]

Originally Posted by hey69

thats 299 euro. so that means 399euro with 20%tax inluded most probably

still much cheaper then the 540euro the ps2 launched back in da day

Yep, but Europe always get screwed, so don't get your hopes up...

[hey69]

i'm sure they will break even or have a very small loss there.
i think the loss will be much smaller compared to the ps2 launch

[Titanio]

Originally Posted by Platon

I don't know. With all the tech that PS3 is supposed to have, id now the E3 config is the final one, I really can't see how they can afford to sell it for less than $400 and not go bankrupt...

It's become cliche, but Sony gets some unknown amount more for their buck than the other manufacturers. (That said, I do expect PS3 to be the most expensive to produce regardless..just not as expensive as it might be under the others). That asides, if you look at the strategic placement of PS3, how Sony has been talking about - they seem to want to position it as a driver for their content across the board. The more PS3 sells, the more games sell, the more bluray movies sell, the more other content will sell (depending on sony's offerings - downloadable content, music maybe? etc. etc.). So, taking a larger loss to expand the userbase quickly could make a lot of sense, as long as they can supply demand and actually get the systems out there. Without even mentioning the strategic importance attached to certain aspects of the system, like Bluray, which could affect revenue for many years to come beyond PS3 itself.

[liverkick]

Originally Posted by Alpha_Spartan

PS3 will launch at $400 but it won't be the same system Sony advertised at E3.

B3D is just filled with scoops lately! So what will it really be Alpha_Spartan?

[scooby_dooby]

Originally Posted by Titanio

That asides, if you look at the strategic placement of PS3, how Sony has been talking about - they seem to want to position it as a driver for their content across the board.

Assuming this isn't the same old Sony song and dance they always do. The PS2 was supposed to be "more than a gaming machine" as well.

Sony doesn't get the benefit of the doubt from me anymore, they are always so full of crap(i.e. false promises, over-exagerations), so I'll believe it when I see it.

From 2000:

"Kutaragi sees PS2 as Sony's Trojan horse. The idea is that consumers will bring the device into their living rooms to play WipeOut and Crash Bandicoot and end up using it for all kinds of broadband entertainment. If everything goes according to Kutaragi's plan, PlayStation will lead Sony in a transformation from a producer of games, gadgets, CDs and movies to a "broadband delivery company." Future versions of the console will still give you games, but also music, online shopping, even interactive services. Already Sony has signed a deal with J.P. Morgan to deliver home banking through the PS2.

To handle functions beyond game playing, Sony has beefed up the PlayStation2 to near-PC strength, embedding a 300MHz processor. Other companies are pursuing a similar strategy. Microsoft's Xbox, targeted for release in late 2001, is a game console on the outside, but inside it's a full-scale Internet appliance, with a hard drive and a 650MHz Pentium III processor that makes it twice as fast as the PS2.


But Kutaragi isn't standing still. He's already at work on -- that's right -- PS3, a much stronger and, more significantly, stealthier PlayStation. "PS3 will totally disappear as a console, as a shape," he says. Sony may even cease making boxes altogether and instead sell PlayStation3 chips to other game-machine makers for use in their own units."


WTF? PS3 may totally dissapear as a shape? PS2 does home banking? KK will promise anything...

[Titanio]

Originally Posted by scooby_dooby

Assuming this isn't the same old Sony song and dance they always do. The PS2 was supposed to be "more than a gaming machine" as well.

Sony doesn't get the benefit of the doubt from me anymore, they are always so full of crap(i.e. false promises, over-exagerations), so I'll believe it when I see it.

From 2000:

"Kutaragi sees PS2 as Sony's Trojan horse. The idea is that consumers will bring the device into their living rooms to play WipeOut and Crash Bandicoot and end up using it for all kinds of broadband entertainment. If everything goes according to Kutaragi's plan, PlayStation will lead Sony in a transformation from a producer of games, gadgets, CDs and movies to a "broadband delivery company." Future versions of the console will still give you games, but also music, online shopping, even interactive services. Already Sony has signed a deal with J.P. Morgan to deliver home banking through the PS2.

To handle functions beyond game playing, Sony has beefed up the PlayStation2 to near-PC strength, embedding a 300MHz processor. Other companies are pursuing a similar strategy. Microsoft's Xbox, targeted for release in late 2001, is a game console on the outside, but inside it's a full-scale Internet appliance, with a hard drive and a 650MHz Pentium III processor that makes it twice as fast as the PS2.


But Kutaragi isn't standing still. He's already at work on -- that's right -- PS3, a much stronger and, more significantly, stealthier PlayStation. "PS3 will totally disappear as a console, as a shape," he says. Sony may even cease making boxes altogether and instead sell PlayStation3 chips to other game-machine makers for use in their own units."


WTF? PS3 may totally dissapear as a shape? PS2 does home banking? KK will promise anything...

Look, it's quite simple. PS3s won't sell in isolation. They'll sell games, they'll sell Bluray movies. That much is undeniable (unless you believe they'll take out that Bluray drive and avoid things like microtransactions entirely). And it'll probably sell more if Sony is wise. Sony makes money on all of that. Looking at the loss on hardware in isolation and saying "sony will go bankrupt" is the point I am arguing against. It's like razors and razor blades, starting out at least, and Sony can sell a lot of different types of razor blade through PS3.

And for that matter, PS2 sold more than just hardware too (games/dvd movies). What I'm talking about here isn't a vast leap beyond that on the lower, more conservative end.

[Platon]

Originally Posted by hey69

i'm sure they will break even or have a very small loss there.
i think the loss will be much smaller compared to the ps2 launch

How do you recon?

Complaired to the PS2, the PS3 is much more heavily packed with new tech. The PS2 had its EE and that was about it. The PS3 has the Cell, it has the RSX, nothing similar in the PS2, it has the BRD, not even close to the DVD that PS2 came with, alhtough quite new DVD was a very mature tech when the PS2 came along. Not to mention all the other stuff, broadband connections, wireless etc...

[mckmas8808]

Originally Posted by Titanio

Look, it's quite simple. PS3s won't sell in isolation. They'll sell games, they'll sell Bluray movies. That much is undeniable (unless you believe they'll take out that Bluray drive and avoid things like microtransactions entirely). And it'll probably sell more if Sony is wise. Sony makes money on all of that. Looking at the loss on hardware in isolation and saying "sony will go bankrupt" is the point I am arguing against. It's like razors and razor blades, starting out at least, and Sony can sell a lot of different types of razor blade through PS3.

And for that matter, PS2 sold more than just hardware too (games/dvd movies). What I'm talking about here isn't a vast leap beyond that on the lower, more conservative end.

I think it's sad that some people can't understand this concept Titanio. The PS3 could easily be under $400 if Sony really wanted it to. From building their own fabs to, pushing their blu-ray tech, to banking on the CELL to be scalable and able to sell to other consumers Sony has no reason to sell it over $400.


Think people think.

[Shifty Geezer]

Originally Posted by scooby_dooby

From 2000:

"Kutaragi sees PS2 as Sony's Trojan horse. The idea is that consumers will bring the device into their living rooms to play WipeOut and Crash Bandicoot and end up using it for all kinds of broadband entertainment. If everything goes according to Kutaragi's plan, PlayStation will lead Sony in a transformation from a producer of games, gadgets, CDs and movies to a "broadband delivery company." Future versions of the console will still give you games, but also music, online shopping, even interactive services. Already Sony has signed a deal with J.P. Morgan to deliver home banking through the PS2.

There's a few key points here...

1) King Kenny has his vision, but if the parent company didn't share it he'd be stifled. SCE itself wouldn't be in a strong position to structure and implement a full content service. From the same article

Kutaragi faces rivals inside and outside Sony. The company's famously territorial music, movie and electronics units are furiously pursuing their own -- not necessarily complementary -- strategies.

It seems Harrison is more sympathetic to KK's ideas.

2) A broadband delivery platform needs broadband connections. Back then there weren't many. Only about now is it becoming mainstream. Sony weren't the only company to chase the livingroom internet dream, and none of the others succeeded either for the same reasons.

3)

Future versions of the console will still give you games, but also music, online shopping, even interactive services.

Does this reference PS2, or the PlayStation brand? Regards Online Banking, again this isn't the first time a company has had an idea that hasn't panned out, and as is business you have to talk up your ideas to sell them. It'd be stupid for KK to say 'we want to add these internet features, but it could all go pear shaped. Chances are the broadband infrastructure won't grow as quick as it needs and we might hit some serious snags on the software front. Hell anything could go wrong really. We've got these aspirations but maybe they'll amount to nothing.' That's a realistic attitude for any business venture, but a stupid public front to pose. You need to prove to the masses you're serious, and if it doesn't work it doesn't work. Would you really want to fly in a plane when the advertising brochure said 'it's got lots of security features, although accidents do happen. Chances are slim you'll have an accident but realstically, planes fall out of the sky all the time. We do our best but sometimes one's best just isn't good enough'?

4) Big thinkers like KK talk with an air of the fantastic and unrealistic, but that's how they think. He's dreaming, and telling us of his dream with the excitement and enthusiam and fanciful imagery that he sees himself. Dreams don't always come true, but there he is still dreaming and pushing. I'd say KK's vision has always been there. He hasn't made it happen yet, but he won't stop trying. He'll offer all these ideas for PS3, maybe which won't amount to anything because the best laid plans of mice and men gang aft aglay, but the sincerity is there. And I think now he actually has the rest of the systems in place, and apparently the support of the parent company, that if it is going to happen it'll start this next gen.

[Titanio]

I'm should clarify that I'm not making the argument that PS3 should be no more than $400. Simply that revenue/loss on hardware is simply one part of the puzzle in terms of the financials relating to a system, and that ultimately it's the "soft" side - be it games, movies whatever that'll be really driving revenue. It's the way with every system, but obviously the more channels you open up in terms of content, the more flexibility you have. Sony has some advantages here (if they'd only get their arses in gear and do so, beyond Bluray movies - under Stringer I'm a little more hopeful he'll get everyone to co-operate).