20GB version PS3 pricecut: 59800 yen -> 49980 yen and HDMI added!

[RobertR1]

This is great news for us consumers and I really hope the price drop is reflected to us here in the US.

From a business standpoint, I wonder how many actual "core" units they'll produce. I'm starting to think that the core package might be vapourware. Think about how Europe is only suppose to get the 60GB package and they won't give any hints how the US and Japan supply will be split. The core package might be PR talk with minimal quantities. Adding these features AND dropping the price on the core package increases their loss per console ever more.

With the Core package + price drop, it becomes very desirable and if it's produced in mass quantities the losses add up quickly and in greater numbers, which inturn pushes back their economic model for profit. Factoring all that in, I wouldn't be too shocked if the core package is a rare find come the actual day.

 

[liolio]

Very nice move for Sony, ihad almost lost interest in Ps3.
It was out of my range, now I have to think twice.
Anyway as far as games i 'm leaning more towardsMs at this time.
But I will wait so more to what Sony offers.

For MS I think they should reconsider their politic...
In France at least on a lot of forum I think Ms was gaining some momentum in gamers spirits.
Price, quiet good games for an year old system and lotss of very good title to come.
the hardcore fan were still with Sony, but I feel like lot of fans were more and more thinking about the 360.
If there is a place Ms would have put its efforts...It was in Europe...
they will lose money in Japan for nothing, they get oblitared by Ps3 and Wii, I guess 1000*/month...lol for ms overthere.
Shorltly Ms shot is bullet in the wrong place...
The same for jrpg they're like not only in Japan...
Ms was gainig mindshare (my feel nothing more ) here, world wide launch, price, good game, and a expensive ps3 to come. For the first time european gamers weren't thinking... we get the shaft...

Ms will get what they deserve, they have done a smart move>> taking care of europe and then
put az lot efforts in a lost market nand not that huge. For newcomer in the game it seems conservatim has strike to early.
I think Ms could have sell a bunch of 360 in Europe if the price would have been lowered the way is in Japan... The same for games launch date.

They will learn what get the shaft mean...
Or they can consider take as much loss as Sony( A damn lot I guess) and try to make a real break In the european market where they 're at this time alone.
I don't think Wii compete with 360 or ps3 in the long run.
I stop here I'm borrowed ,Ms is laking of vision...clearly Not matter how great (obvious for me) is their game plan..

 

[djdev]

This is great news for us consumers and I really hope the price drop is reflected to us here in the US.

From a business standpoint, I wonder how many actual "core" units they'll produce. I'm starting to think that the core package might be vapourware. Think about how Europe is only suppose to get the 60GB package and they won't give any hints how the US and Japan supply will be split. The core package might be PR talk with minimal quantities. Adding these features AND dropping the price on the core package increases their loss per console ever more.

With the Core package + price drop, it becomes very desirable and if it's produced in mass quantities the losses add up quickly and in greater numbers, which inturn pushes back their economic model for profit. Factoring all that in, I wouldn't be too shocked if the core package is a rare find come the actual day.

There is no price reduction in the US!

 

[ban25]

This is great news for us consumers and I really hope the price drop is reflected to us here in the US.

From a business standpoint, I wonder how many actual "core" units they'll produce. I'm starting to think that the core package might be vapourware. Think about how Europe is only suppose to get the 60GB package and they won't give any hints how the US and Japan supply will be split. The core package might be PR talk with minimal quantities. Adding these features AND dropping the price on the core package increases their loss per console ever more.

With the Core package + price drop, it becomes very desirable and if it's produced in mass quantities the losses add up quickly and in greater numbers, which inturn pushes back their economic model for profit. Factoring all that in, I wouldn't be too shocked if the core package is a rare find come the actual day.

Unless things have changed with this latest news, Sony announced a week or so ago that it would be an 80/20 split in favor of the 60 GB model.

 

[RobertR1]

Unless things have changed with this latest news, Sony announced a week or so ago that it would be an 80/20 split in favor of the 60 GB model.

That makes sense. The lower sku being more of a PR response so they can always go back and state "you can buy the lesser sku" when confronted with the premium system being expensive. I do wonder if the number will be even less than 20 for the US. It would make sense to keep the Core sku quantities in Japan where they obviously feel like they have to compete on price with the Wii and possibly even the reduced 360 with Japan exclusive games coming out.

January should be a fun month to analyze of all this

 

[Tap In]

January should be a fun month to analyze of all this

indeed


time will reveal all. I can't wait to see it all unfold and find out exactly what's what... the system configurations, the costs, the online program, the Linux inclusion, the launch games, the markets, the competition with Wii.

there is so much speculation and several uncertainties that it will be nice to have it all come to reality for a change.

Just a few more months now and the speculation finally ends. :smile:

 

[J_Saint]

Unless things have changed with this latest news, Sony announced a week or so ago that it would be an 80/20 split in favor of the 60 GB model.

There's some conflicting info on this. Some are saying that the 80/20 news came from an analyst not Sony.

 

[Npl]

Nice,
but while Ken is in his nice mood.... could someone break him the news that we want atleast 512MB XDR-Ram too ?

 

[Fox5]

This news is good for gamers, but it's just as puzzling as Sony PR has ever been. Which was the last console whose price dropped before it even launched?

I believe n64, dropped from $250 to $200 a few months before launch. I think around this time frame actually.

 

[blakjedi]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=aKdgiaOGyhBE&refer=asia

Bloomberg's take is interesting to say the least...

"``They had to cut it because rivals have lower prices, and they may lower the price again if sales don't go well,'' said Yoku Ihara, head of equity research at Retela Crea Securities Co. in Tokyo. ``Sony should have looked further ahead before they announced the PS3 price in the first place'' in May. "

"The outstanding features of the PS3 are the outstanding graphics and the outstanding price,'' Hirokazu Hamamura told reporters yesterday in Tokyo. ``The graphics capability is probably two generations ahead of the other consoles"

"Sony forecast costs of developing the PlayStation 3 will widen the games division's losses this quarter and may take five years to recoup. More than five million Microsoft Xbox 360 players had been sold worldwide as of June, since its introduction last November."

 

[Geo]

Do I get to ban Hirokazu Hamamura for doing console comparisons in this thread? Well, he doesn't have an account. I guess I'll have to settle for banning anybody who throws a match on that "two generations ahead" gasoline. . .

Just, y'know, thinking out loud here.

 

[blakjedi]

Do I get to ban Hirokazu Hamamura for doing console comparisons in this thread? Well, he doesn't have an account. I guess I'll have to settle for banning anybody who throws a match on that "two generations ahead" gasoline. . .

Just, y'know, thinking out loud here.

hey... I don't believe... I didnt say it... He did... HahHAHAHAHA

 

[wco81]

There's a report that Sony plans to charge $1 for demo downloads.

Not clear whether like the GT microtransactions, this is a Japan-only thing or in all regions.

There are Japanese PS2 online games with subscriptions and other costs. It seems Japanese gamers are conditioned to being nickled and dimed.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

hey... I don't believe... I didnt say it... He did... HahHAHAHAHA

That was probably the worst PR remark in the gaming business.

 

[Powderkeg]

A poll means nothing, the actual sales figures prove that! I dare say a load of Xbox fans from the US voted! lol

Oh, you have sales figures from the past 3 days? Mind posting them?

 

[quest55720]

There's a report that Sony plans to charge $1 for demo downloads.

Not clear whether like the GT microtransactions, this is a Japan-only thing or in all regions.

There are Japanese PS2 online games with subscriptions and other costs. It seems Japanese gamers are conditioned to being nickled and dimed.

If that is true then sony's online plan is garbage. I love the free demo's on xbox live it has saved me some cash on bad games.

 

[Rolf N]

Can you tell me what incentive Sony has for selling more of the basic SKU this year over the premium?

They have a limited supply that they are gauranteed to sell out through March at least the very least.

I highly doubt Wifi and a bigger HD add $100 of cost to the premium version. I bet the premium version loses less money then the basic. It would be bad business to sell more of the basic SKU.

Since, they're going to sell out no matter what, might as well flood the market with the $599 version, but blast the PR trumpet of "it's only $439" (or whatever is the US equivalent). They'll get enough people who wanted the basic to "upgrade" to the $599 version when they only see that one the store shelf.

Exactly. This is more for winning the online smack-talking battle than for anything else.
OTOH even if you recognize it as such it's still fair game IMO. Nobody's got hurt or insulted here.

 

[Arwin]

Unless things have changed with this latest news, Sony announced a week or so ago that it would be an 80/20 split in favor of the 60 GB model.

That news was a lot more detailed. For Europe, for instance, they did research in the individual countries and came up with bigger percentages for the Mediterranean for instance. I'm sure that if they change the 20gb version to include HDMI, then they'll also redo that research in Europe and come up with new estimates. Same for the U.S., no doubt.

 

[-=P3tRaN=-]

I'm sure that if they change the 20gb version to include HDMI, then they'll also redo that research in Europe and come up with new estimates. Same for the U.S., no doubt.

and I'm sure that they will use Hirokazu Hamamura for the analysis. he is usually spot-on!

 

[Bad_Boy]

Anyone know if the $600 will have any good photo viewing options since it has memory card slots?

Now that HDMI is on both SKUs, trying to rationalize the price difference -- bigger HDD, Wifi, memory card slots.

It might be nice if you could plug in an SD card and have the photos displayed on 1080p, which is only about 2 megapixels. But that would be better than putting your photos downrezzed on a DVD (using iDVD).

http://www.beyond3d.com/forum/showpost.php?p=836668&postcount=145