Sony: PlayStation 3 price drop

[one]

Actually I think it's not necessarily going to be announced at E3. The ad shows a limited time offer, it's the most straightforward to read it as a price cut that follows after the sales period if any. Sony can test the water by watching the demand for $499 PS3 at certain retailers then decide.

In a more conspiracy-oriented scenario, it can be a pressure on Sony put by a certain retailer to force a price cut for sales boost and not at all arranged by Sony, or just a fire sale.

 

[Fu3lFr3nzy]

I guess he's peeved this news is leaked before they could astound E3 with it. And now MS are hurrying around working on their E3 announcement of a price-cut too. Who's key-note is first?

iirc, Microsoft is on the 10th and Sony/Nintendo are on the 11th

 

[SteveC]

According to Sony's president they have no plans of dropping the price or so this article says.

http://www.reuters.com/article/ousiv/idUST5013420070706?src=070607_0814_INVESTING_comment_n_analysis

 

[StefanS]

Actually I think it's not necessarily going to be announced at E3. The ad shows a limited time offer, it's the most straightforward to read it as a price cut that follows after the sales period if any. Sony can test the water by watching the demand for $499 PS3 at certain retailers then decide.

They've done sg. similar in 2003: They temporarily lowered the price at E3 in May and officially reduced it in April (US pricing that is).

 

[Planet]

According to Sony's president they have no plans of letting the media spoil their impending E3 announcement of dropping the price or so this article says.

fixed

 

[bobthebub]

What if they are not actually planning to drop the price but will bump the specs - new SKU with 80GB HD and an updated SIXAXIS with rumble. Then the Circuit City price might just be to try and clear the old stock.

 

[AlNom]

You gotta love PR wording:

"At present we have no plans,"

E3 is the future from the present at the time of my post here.

 

[gokickrocks]

so for the few that still carry the 20gb model, ie: gamestop's online store, will that receive a $100 drop as well? (i guess we may not know till after e3) if so, i will be all over it,...the 5 free blu-rays looked enticing to me at first, till i found out that its a limited selected and wanted at most, 1 of em and even that title i wouldnt have cared enough to have bought

 

[RobertR1]

What if they are not actually planning to drop the price but will bump the specs - new SKU with 80GB HD and an updated SIXAXIS with rumble. Then the Circuit City price might just be to try and clear the old stock.

That would be stupid. The PS3 is not selling well due to it's current price. Adding more features but keeping the price the same would be bad.

The price point, not the features is the issue here.

 

[ManuVlad3.0]

more retailer saying its true, according to Kokatu:

Sony President Ryoji Chubachi may be denying any Playstation 3 price cut, but that's not stopping the retail moles from saying that they're true.

Today we've received word from moles at both Best Buy and Target that they too have word of a price drop. Our Target mole reports that the retail chain's inventory tracking program is listing retail for the 60GB PS3 at $499.99. And a mole at Best Buy tells us they just received their upcoming ads and that they all list the PS3 price at $499.99 as well.

http://kotaku.com/gaming/rumor/more-moles-confirm-ps3-price-drop-275588.php

 

[Titanio]

so for the few that still carry the 20gb model, ie: gamestop's online store, will that receive a $100 drop as well? (i guess we may not know till after e3) if so, i will be all over it,...the 5 free blu-rays looked enticing to me at first, till i found out that its a limited selected and wanted at most, 1 of em and even that title i wouldnt have cared enough to have bought

Get the movies anyway, and resell if you wish, or trade-in for credit. Could make your PS3 a bit cheaper

 

[Mize]

I think it would sell better if they kept the 5 BR movies, left the price alone and just tossed in a Wii

(Have PS3...Wii shipped today)

 

[RancidLunchmeat]

As Paranoia pointed out earlier..

Wasn't there already a $499 PS3 that didn't sell?

Or is this simply a matter of Sony recognizing that a $150-$200 price drop all at once would be too much of a shock (to consumers and investors alike), that they are simply rolling out a two-phased price drop (now and in Nov) in order to stagger the impact and make it more palatable?

They can't honestly believe a $499 console, at this time of year, is going to sell very well, can they?

 

[assen]

Or is this simply a matter of Sony recognizing that a $150-$200 price drop all at once would be too much of a shock (to consumers and investors alike), that they are simply rolling out a two-phased price drop (now and in Nov) in order to stagger the impact and make it more palatable?

What, a too steep price drop would be a shock and "un-palatable" to consumers??

 

[SugarCoat]

As Paranoia pointed out earlier..

Wasn't there already a $499 PS3 that didn't sell?

Or is this simply a matter of Sony recognizing that a $150-$200 price drop all at once would be too much of a shock (to consumers and investors alike), that they are simply rolling out a two-phased price drop (now and in Nov) in order to stagger the impact and make it more palatable?

They can't honestly believe a $499 console, at this time of year, is going to sell very well, can they?

certainly going to sell better then a 599

 

[Fu3lFr3nzy]

As Paranoia pointed out earlier..

Wasn't there already a $499 PS3 that didn't sell?

1. The $499 SKU as someone pointed out was viewed as a "tard pack" despite the good features on it.

2. The $499 SKU never made it in other territories. Assuming the price cut is on a global scale, we'll see just how effective $100(or w/e currency) will be.

All I can say is, if the price cut finally happens, im definately interested to see the NPD's to see just how much difference it made.

 

[RancidLunchmeat]

Assan.. Yes, unpalatable to their consumer base which is much smaller than they believed, as they are the only group who have already purchased a machine and are currently their only source of goodwill. If it weren't for the people who have already purchased PS3s championing their cause, what positive press would the machine be getting?

It was my understand the $499 model lacked very little in absolute features. Rumors of missing HDMI weren't true, correct? Wasn't the only difference lack of built in wireless and a smaller HDD? With the HDD not being a realistic confound because it could be exchanged for any OTC drive?

I thought the $499 model actually was the far superior value since it makes little sense to pay Sony a premium for increased HDD space when you can get one far cheaper elsewhere.

 

[Pozer]

Assan.. Yes, unpalatable to their consumer base which is much smaller than they believed, as they are the only group who have already purchased a machine and are currently their only source of goodwill. If it weren't for the people who have already purchased PS3s championing their cause, what positive press would the machine be getting?

It was my understand the $499 model lacked very little in absolute features. Rumors of missing HDMI weren't true, correct? Wasn't the only difference lack of built in wireless and a smaller HDD? With the HDD not being a realistic confound because it could be exchanged for any OTC drive?

I thought the $499 model actually was the far superior value since it makes little sense to pay Sony a premium for increased HDD space when you can get one far cheaper elsewhere.

If by rumors you mean official Sony press releases then ok. Sony changed the spec in the final months on the 20gb version to include hdmi so they didn't have to manufacturer two seperate motherboards. Persoally I think it they always intended 1 motherboard and used the initial spec as a PR tactic to plant the 20gig as "tard pack" in the minds of gamers, thereby making the 60gig the "True" ps3. Pushing more gamers toward the 60gig which they made more or lost less money on.

It worked but it hurt them more than helped. The 20gig was seen as 'broken' and nobody wanted to pay $500 for something 'broken' and the 60gig was seen as way too much money rather than a good deal. So HDTV owners bought 360's.

Sony needs $399 and 1 killer app game.

 

[Archgamer]

499 seems just about right. If people can pay 399 for a system and not 599 for a system, where exactly do you know where the middle ground fits for high end buys? Although it's not as consumer friendly like the Wii, but considering the features equip on the PS3 it seem like a much better bargin then the 360 Elite which retails at 480.

Although this isn't much of a determining factor but does anybody know how well the 360 Elite been selling?

 

[scooby_dooby]

Assan.. Yes, unpalatable to their consumer base which is much smaller than they believed, as they are the only group who have already purchased a machine and are currently their only source of goodwill. If it weren't for the people who have already purchased PS3s championing their cause, what positive press would the machine be getting?

It's a playstation. It doesn't need positive press, it needs a lower pricepoint. Period. The faster the better for Sony, in terms of capturing market share.