PS2 Slimline Slimline

[taucias]

Not a typo: http://ps2.ign.com/articles/802/802262p1.html

According to IGN, Sony will be releasing a new revision of the PS2 hardware with even more economies.

$75 PS2?

 

[AlNom]

Hm... interesting. Do you or anyone else know where I might find photos of the prior revisions

 

[Shifty Geezer]

If so, they really want a Wiimote type controller!!! Sony would totally steal Nintendo's business - comparable visuals and same gameplay at half the price or so.

Edit : Although more likely is greater profits for Sony with PS2 kept at the same price. It's still selling - may as well make more profit from it.

 

[patsu]

... or introduce movie and music on demand for PS 2 (and of course PS3).

 

[Gradthrawn]

If so, they really want a Wiimote type controller!!! Sony would totally steal Nintendo's business - comparable visuals and same gameplay at half the price or so.

That ship has sailed, hasn't it? If they had played their cards right, they could have taken the mainstream market before the Wii even launched. With its already low price point, plus appropriate Waggle controller, and accompanying games they could have knocked the legs right from under the Wii. But it would seem to be too little too late, even with SCE's rumored Waggle controller for the PS2. The Wii is already out, so, they've lost the edge of being 1st to market (with a mainstream targeted motion controller and games).

 

[Shifty Geezer]

There's 120 million PS2 owners out there. If some of them are eyeing Wii (and if things are to be believed, every one of 'em wants a Wii) are they more likely to buy a $250 Wii, or a $50 peripheral for PS2? And if you get the critical mass with PS2Waggle from the existing user base, as many users as Wii (10 million would be nice, and EyeToy suggests with proper software support that's manageable) they'll get ports from all the Wii supporting 3rd parties, in a way EyeToy never had. Which would add momentum to the idea of PS2 as a waggle machine, which coupled with a super cheap entry price would make it a perfect rival to Wii - same games (minus Ninty first party), comparable experience, cheaper product. And it plays the PS2 back catalogue too!

The question is if Wii has secured a monopoly on the concept of a waggle machine, kinda like iPod did MP3 players. If not, and the PlayStation brand is very strong so that'd count in its favour, I think they could usurp Wii. Either that, or Nintendo will drop their price down to something reasonable!

 

[Zaphod]

There's 120 million PS2 owners out there. If some of them are eyeing Wii (and if things are to be believed, every one of 'em wants a Wii) are they more likely to buy a $250 Wii, or a $50 peripheral for PS2?

You know, I honestly think it will be the former. PSTWii has no Wiimentum as a substitute, and if they're to have any chance in hell of establishing some; they'd better put out a very cheap game + controller bundle that just screams 'Must Have!' to the established PS2 userbase. Personally, I think they'll just stick to the profitable business model for the PS2 they already have.

 

[Carl B]

By the way, is there a more substantive article on this move as an alternative to IGN's coverage? It'd just be nice to have a sense of where they themselves heard it, though I certainly don't doubt the accuracy.

 

[fearsomepirate]

There's 120 million PS2 owners out there.

No, there aren't. There have been 120m PS2s sold, but that doesn't mean there are 120m people who currently own or still use their PS2s.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Okay. Downgrade the PS2 install base to 80 million. I guess like that, next to 7 million Wii's, it really doesn't seem worth bothering with...

 

[Marvelite]

Going after the Wii market

Just package the PS2+Eyetoy with one free game (Play2?) and market it right at less than $99.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nu_CxbNRQQ

 

[tongue_of_colicab]

There's 120 million PS2 owners out there. If some of them are eyeing Wii (and if things are to be believed, every one of 'em wants a Wii) are they more likely to buy a $250 Wii, or a $50 peripheral for PS2

The Wii as we all know what happenes with peripherals like this. They get used in one and a half game and thats it unlike wii games which will be build around the controller (for better or worse).

 

[Shifty Geezer]

The Wii as we all know what happenes with peripherals like this. They get used in one and a half game and thats it unlike wii games which will be build around the controller (for better or worse).

Why would developers not port their Wii games over? EyeToy sold a couple of million on the strength of one title alone. That'd be enough to create a viable base for Wii ports, which would provide the software to preserve momentum for the peripheral. And if Sony bundle the controller too, Wii titles would be bound to come.

 

[tongue_of_colicab]

If sony bundels the controller that would be likely to happen. However ps2 sales are going down and even if every ps2 sold from e3 is a bundeld one I still dont think you'll see alot of games coming from wii to ps2. Probably mostly the MP games and add the motion controlls to the ps2 version along with the normal gamepad. But it might as well turn out that a ps2 with motion controller and cheaper price turns out to be a hit. Though I dont hope so, not only as I think nintendo deservers some succes this time but also because sony has the nasty habit of ''lending'' other people's stuff and not coming up with something new themselves.

 

[Skrying]

So, what was the topic of the thread?

I don't see this being a smaller model, just really expected improvements to the design to further reduce costs.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

A weight reduction, especially 300 grams of an already tiny and light-weight box, to me sounds like they have to be shrinking it somehow. Unless most of that 300 grams is heat-sink that they can remove for 65nm? Otherwise I'm thinking smaller mobo, less chassis, less heatsinks. Perhaps the top loading drive above the mobo, for half the width and a little extra height?

 

[Skrying]

A weight reduction, especially 300 grams of an already tiny and light-weight box, to me sounds like they have to be shrinking it somehow. Unless most of that 300 grams is heat-sink that they can remove for 65nm? Otherwise I'm thinking smaller mobo, less chassis, less heatsinks. Perhaps the top loading drive above the mobo, for half the width and a little extra height?

Sure, but I don't see it in a different casing nor marketed as a new model like the Slimeline is/was.

 

[Teasy]

If so, they really want a Wiimote type controller!!! Sony would totally steal Nintendo's business - comparable visuals and same gameplay at half the price or so.

Edit : Although more likely is greater profits for Sony with PS2 kept at the same price. It's still selling - may as well make more profit from it.

Jesus Shifty, let it go man , it wouldn't work, we know it, Sony know it which is why it won't happen.

 

[cthellis42]

Jesus Shifty, let it go man , it wouldn't work, we know it, Sony know it which is why it won't happen.

Actually, it probably would if there were any software development strength behind it--even with all the people accusing it of copying--because as long as long as the titles themselves were as cheap or cheaper... why not? The PS2 probably already IS the kids' machine, so... why not?

The problem is there's no visible development momentum, and likely wouldn't be remotely accepted by 3rd parties without a huge push and brisk sales, and at that point they'd only START in on projects, which means it'd be years from completion...

Essentially, there's too much they'd have to pull off in not-enough-time-to-pull-it-off to make it anything but another EyeToy-like exploration. They'd be better off trying to enhance the existing EyeToy line futher with a new package, a few new and interesting games, and a motion controller that could be used by itself or in conjunction with the EyeToy. And even then it's just bringing a bit of interest back into the EyeToy possibilities (and perhaps channelling that into how to use it in the future and with the PS3). The PS2 doesn't have enough lifespan left in it to be a "competitive movement," even if it can still carry some weight.

It's not that it had to "beat the Wii to market" as it were... but that something has to have been in the works--visibly--for a long time for them to get any reasonable number of games worth a damn out the door even if they planned to launch tomorrow.

 

[Natoma]

Okay. Downgrade the PS2 install base to 80 million. I guess like that, next to 7 million Wii's, it really doesn't seem worth bothering with...

Closing in on 9m actually.