PlayStation VP sez PS3 will cost between 499 and 599 euro

Don't worry, that faint screaming sound you hear in the distance is just the sound of a million Sony fanboys. Looks like those rumors of steep PS3 pricing weren't so far off after all, since in a radio interview yesterday with Générations Europe, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe VP George Fornay mentioned that the PS3 will cost between €499 and €599, which is around $613 and $736 USD. He excused the price with the fact that it's a real steal for a Blu-ray playback system, but we're not so assured. Of course, Europe always gets a little screwed when it comes to console pricing, with the premium Xbox 360 going for €399 there while it rings up at a mere $399 here. If that logic holds, we might see the PS3 for $499 in the states, which happens to match up with the current buzz going around the developer community. It's always possible that Sony is just throwing out wild and crazy numbers to make us all surprised when the console hits for the regular $300 Sony price point, but it's looking less and less likely.

[Via Joystiq]

Read: George Fornay interview
Read: Developers say $499

[Marcin @ Apr 5th 2006 1:01PM]

if this price point is true, not many casuals will support the product, especially if the price remains for a year.

i'm expecting MS to drop a sweet bundle at the time of PS3 launch.

[Grant @ Apr 5th 2006 1:04PM]

It'll never happen at $499 here in the states. They'll lose their ass to Microsoft at that price point.

It'll launch at $399 or less. Mark it.

[rex @ Apr 5th 2006 1:13PM]

it would be awesome if the ps3 could replace your computer...then that price would definitely be worth it

[steve-o @ Apr 5th 2006 1:13PM]

I do not yet have a HDTV at home, but I do plan to purchase PS3 when it comes out. I also plan to purchase a 1080i/720p HDTV when companies start pouring out 1080p TVs (with expectation of price drop). Another investment I am seriously considering is Sony HC3 HD camcorder.

What I read from the review site is that it will take 20 minutes to encode 1 minute of recording when using current a 2 core system with really decent video card! Using a single core system, like mine, would be unthinkable!

What I hope, and if Sony's smart they would already have this in development, is that since Cell in PS3 is MADE from ground up to do such tasks that Sony is either develope themselves or work with Adobe to create Premiere equivalent for PS3.

With steep drop in HDTV, people are purchasing more and more HDTV these days. People who have HDTV will notice how much better HD contents from HD camcorder look on their TV. They will then notice how SLOOOOOOOW Pentium or AMD is compared to Cell. They will then say, hey, $499-$599 for PS3 is a bargain for how much it can do! You don't even have to purchase a next Gen disk player it's all built in!

[TheGuyNextDoor @ Apr 5th 2006 1:13PM]

Hmm, �599 translates to �420 (Euro to Sterling is more likely to be a relatively realistic translation) which is not totally unexpected, but will probably mean I won't buy one straight off.

I don't think you Americans have to worry about the exact dollar translation of this figure, as Europe traditionally pays a premium. Why that is exactly is never made clear. Just call us the gullible cash cows of the world.

[KaiserW @ Apr 5th 2006 1:14PM]

Gadzooks!!! i feel like i have just been kicked in the Nutz!!!

[James Scott @ Apr 5th 2006 1:16PM]

Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na SPIDER MAN
SPIDER MAN
LEADER...

Spiderman font logo and the bat-a-rang controller will make this the super heros console of choice. Just not mine. Tho I don't think Spiderman can afford it while Batman would probably buy 10, just for the spare bat-a-rangs.

[Adam @ Apr 5th 2006 1:16PM]

I hate the way we get charged more than everywhere else.

[AdamK @ Apr 5th 2006 1:19PM]

Take this with a grain of salt. Remember that acciording the the "news" the PSP was supposedly going to be very expensive ($400+ range if I recall), but it ended up being reasonably priced when it was released here in the US.

As a long time game developer (with several huge hits on PS2), I can say that Sony is not the most honest company when it comes to their platforms.

[josh @ Apr 5th 2006 1:21PM]

#3, why wouldn't those people just purchase a video accelerator card if they wanted to work with HD video on their PCs? this has been a standard accessory since the beginning of computer-based editing... i remember the days when a accelerator card was required if you wanted to do real-time editing.

i find that a lot more likely than people used to video editing on their PC buying a PS3 to accomplish the tasks they are used to doing on their PC.

also, i also doubt sony would release this in the USA for any more than $400... that would be a pretty terrible idea

[Jamin @ Apr 5th 2006 1:30PM]

I bet Microsoft just had a "bang, your dead! party on Sony's behalf.

If they don't keep it below $500US there going to get killed unless it sit's up and talks to me.

[Marcin @ Apr 5th 2006 1:31PM]

AdamK, this is not the analytical news. this is from pres. of sce france.

all you doubters should expect this price, it will occur.

[Ian @ Apr 5th 2006 1:38PM]

I live in Finland, the numbers on the prices of game consoles are the same as there, usually... When the Xbox 360 came out here, it was 299 euros for the core and 399 euros for the pro(or whatever). The psp was/is 290 euros, 290 euros is like $360!! I think the PS3 will cost under $500...

[Cary @ Apr 5th 2006 1:43PM]

Steve-o,

Don't mean to burst your bubble or anything...but the chances of Sony developing an encoder is FAR out there. And whats even funnier is you think Sony, if they did make this magic encoder, would release it to encode to what?...Xvid-Divx? Yea right, Sony would come out with a propreitary codec that could only play on Sony products.

Besides your whole post makes no sense anyway. BD-DVD DOES NOT USE MP4 compression. That's HD-DVD. So go out and buy a Sony BD-DVDR and burn those videos as a BD-ROM.

MAN!!! SONY FAN-BOIs.

[Ripperrim @ Apr 5th 2006 1:46PM]

just rememeber though, europe and the UK get charged extra for everything. Xbox 360 games should be �35 over here but are �50. i say take the highest price in GBP and change the � for a $ and that should be the price

[JinKazama @ Apr 5th 2006 1:47PM]

That collective cheer you hear is coming from Redmond. If Sony comes in at that price MS and Nintendo will mop the floor with them.

No way I'm payin' $600 for a game console, I'll just do without. And I'm guessing many others will also which will mean the price will drop to a reasonable level in a year but by that time MS and Nintendo will be so far ahead that it won't even matter.

If any Sony execs are reading this...don't say I didn't tell you so. $399 to $499 is the sweet spot.

[Tucker @ Apr 5th 2006 1:53PM]

However, the conversion does tend to work out when you consider sales tax (unless you live in a tax-free state, then you're just lucky). I know prices in the UK include VAT, so to appropraitely convert you'd have to do something like (cost in GBP - VAT) vs (cost in USD + sales tax). Don't feel like doing it now, and I'm not 100% sure Euro prices work the same way, but I think that might help put things in a clearer perspective.

Anyone agree or care to actually run the numbers so I can see if I'm talking out of my ass again or not?

[Eric @ Apr 5th 2006 2:00PM]

I heard that the PS3 was powerful enough to kill god, and it's soooo fast the it sleeps with your girlfriend before they even release it.

[Natiahs @ Apr 5th 2006 2:02PM]

This is getting tired. Howard Stringer, Sony's president, has stated that PS3 will not debut in the US for more than $399. He made the comment last October when he announced PS3 would be delayed 6 months (from May to November) to hit that price. Don't worry about what PS3 will cost in other markets (but don't expect PS3 to be a fully featured Blu-Ray player, either).

[GDBLO @ Apr 5th 2006 2:02PM]

I'll just keep Playing PC games until the price drops

[Dax @ Apr 5th 2006 2:06PM]

As Tucker mentioned VAT needs to be considered since it ranges from 15-25% of the price of the good. Most countries in the EU VAT is included in the price of the good. For a $400-500 product without VAT can approach $500-600 for the final price of the product.

[SND @ Apr 5th 2006 2:11PM]

Wow, talk about getting off to a BAD start. Charging close to $400 and I think you price a lot of people out of the market. Close to $500 or more, and I think you have an item that doesn't sell well (PSX anyone?). Personally, I don't care if it has Blu-Ray or not. I'm not looking for a super cheap HD player. I just wanna play games.

[steve-o @ Apr 5th 2006 2:13PM]

Cary, yes, Sony made a lot of mistakes with their hard headedness in producing everything that only works with their proprietary formats. Yes, we are unsure who the next gen HD disk player winner will be.

Yes, Sony announced BD will not be using MPEG4. Does that mean that you cannot run MPEG4 encoder software in LINUX? And are XVID and DIVX the only high defitionion formats you can think of? And if they wanted to stick with its proprietary formats in PS3, they would not have included CF and SD reader slots along with memory card pro slot. Not only that, it has more than enough USB2 ports all your ripping needs. BD burner could also be sold later on as PS3 matures.

The way I see it, by selling more PS3 capable of multimedia functions which includes encoding and decoding, etc. the more Sony HDTVs and Sony HD camcorders they will be able to sell. It's a WIN WIN situation for Sony.

[mikey @ Apr 5th 2006 2:14PM]

pow, right in the kisser!


etc.

[Dustin Tarditi @ Apr 5th 2006 2:15PM]

If you throw that controller does it come back to you?

[steve-o @ Apr 5th 2006 2:26PM]

All you anti-PS3 people are you insane? I would gladly pay $100 more than Xcrap for all the added functions. A built in LINUX functionality. A built in BD player. All its current and future development of software to take advantage of a true multimedia machine...

If you don't like it? Don't want it? Then don't buy. Simple.

[boberto @ Apr 5th 2006 2:30PM]

Hmmmm at that price point I could have an Xbox 360 and probably a Revolution (or whatever its gonna be called) too, or I could have a PS3, with lots of lovely ports of PS2 games. Yeah, I'm going for FIFA 2007/8/9 etc instead of some genuine innovation from Ninty, and the sheer power of the 360!

Do you thik they all hop round Sony HQ after shooting themselves in the foot so often?

[DigitalTrader @ Apr 5th 2006 2:34PM]

"with G?rations Europe, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe VP George Fornay mentioned that the PS3 will cost between �499 and �599"

I always had a feeling George Forman was behind this design.

[Oozer @ Apr 5th 2006 2:36PM]

21 (Natiahs): Howard Stringer specifically denied making those remarks. Hence the reason we had to wait until last month to learn, officially, that the PS3 had been delayed until November. It's looking like the PS3 will cost $499 to $599. Anything less and Sony would be taking a hit they couldn't afford, especially after all the money they have put into Blu-Ray and the Cell processor. Here's the article about Stringer you're referring to (make sure to read the correction):

http://www.joystiq.com/2005/11/22/sony-ceo-ps3-to-launch-under-400/

[Slayermayer @ Apr 5th 2006 2:47PM]

Sony will launch the console with a price point of AT LEAST $499.99 (unless offering a core system like 360). Why so much you ask? Simply because Sony is spending roughly $900 to manufacture each unit. Despite fan boys beliefs, Sony cannot afford to take a $500 loss per console sold (based upon the fanboy $399.99 price tag). Sony's deep pockets have run dry over the years due to their mistake in not embracing HD-TV early on (didn't manufacture HD hardware near the beginning very beginning of the HD era) and not to mention (I love this part) the money invested (or wasted) in their UMD format. Sony has no choice but to make the system price at least $500. With that said, watch this...and mark my words...Sony will try to justify the high price tag by selling off the new hardware. Blu-ray, the cell processor, the RSX chip, all of it will be talked about constantly by Sony reps. Seems like Sony's taking a lesson from Microsoft's unveiling of the Xbox beast (which microsoft focused on raw hardware power, overpowering the PS2 and the Gamecube easily). The only problem with this type of advertising is the fact that the common consumers don't care (much less understand the purpose) about the hardware. So let's take a look at this Christmas and just speculate here...$150 (possibly even lower) - $200 Nintendo Revolution vs. $500 PS3...to the common consumer, I think the choice is obvious...Nintendo will be well off this Christmas, and to assume that Microsoft won't reap the rewards this Christmas due to their early launch is ignorant. 2nd gen 360 games will kill the ps3 launch games (come on you know that the games for the two systems will be compared in every aspect). All I can say is Sony better hope that John Carmack is wrong when he stated that the PS3 was not as impressive as Sony claims...not to mention his comments about PS3 being a pain to develop for...

We'll see soon, that's for sure

[Thomas Crymes @ Apr 5th 2006 2:50PM]

We don't know what the PS3 officially looks like (that's a concept design). We don't know the release date, and we don't know the price.

What we know is that Sony plans to have 6 million units produced by their fiscal years end (March 31, 2007) which is little over a million more than the 360 had by that point.

Microsoft did not reveal the pricing of the XBox 360 until August of last year, so don't be surprised if E3 comes and goes without an announcment of price.

Expect to see the final unit/controller, some playable games and information about their internet connectivity. Other than that, don't hold your breath.

[Loban @ Apr 5th 2006 2:54PM]

"it would be awesome if the ps3 could replace your computer...then that price would definitely be worth it"

God Forbid!! This will NEVER happen. Just what I need in 3 years is an extremely outdated computer that I can't even upgrade.

[waggss @ Apr 5th 2006 3:03PM]

It's a game system. A good one but it's still just a game system. If they thinks it's actually gonna sell(beyond the fanboy surge) at that high of a price they are nuts. Not many people have bought a 360 because even though it's great it's TOO EXPENSIVE. If they do this they can just go screw themselves.

[Solstice Caldwell @ Apr 5th 2006 3:26PM]

Hopefully AdamK (Comment #9) is correct on this. Despite all the system can do, it still -is- a game system and while many young gamers have grown up since the old days of gaming and technically -could- afford it.. I'm not sure how well it would do at such steep prices. It seems like what AdamK is saying does seem to happen alot so.. hopefully it will again.

Personally, I skipped buying a ps2 figuring a ps3 would happen eventually since I didn't have the money at the time for the ps2 anyway so.. I've waited this long - I wouldn't mind waiting another year or two above that to get a better price.......

[Axel @ Apr 5th 2006 3:33PM]

Please remember that european prices always include TAX/VAT.

[Jeff Polster @ Apr 5th 2006 3:33PM]

To the person who says that $399 to $499 is a sweet spot. Nobody wants to pay $399 for a console and then have to buy an extra controller at $20 to $40 and a Memory Card and a Game at $40 each (or more). then thats about $500 and you only have one game. You'll end up plunking down $200 more if you want some more games, because games are a major ripoff and it usually takes a year or more to even figure out how to copy the games.
1. WE ARE OWED a really cool console at a reasonable ($199 to $250) price
2. WE ARE OWED an included game and extra controller
3. WE ARE OWED the fact that it should play and work on NON HDTV sets because HDTV IS A RIPOFF AND I AM GOD AND I DESERVE MERCHANDISE FOR FREE AND THE RIGHT TO HAVE WHAT I WANT and fuck anyone die die die I WANT TO BE GOD I AM SO GREAT!!!

[steve-o @ Apr 5th 2006 3:36PM]

//34.Loban,
No, PS3 will not replace your computer. But it will do so many thing so much better than your PC, that it will open up a market for PC/workstation with "Cell" in it.

//32.Slayermayer
Sir, you are worse than Merrill Lynch for pulling these numbers our of your arse. And don't quite $399 price point. When I say $100 more than Xcrap, you better compare to a unit that includes HDD. So BD drive will cost Sony $300? It could cost Sony $300 if Sony had to pay hefty royalty for BD production. So who owns the right to BD I wonder... And Sony processor costs $230 compared to $106 in Xcrap? Another # pulled out of ML's arse. Cell is only slightly bigger than what goes in Xcrap. My estimate for cost to Sony is $350-$400. At the worst, Sony will break even and recover cost through games sale, yield recovery and going 65nm.

[mayapapa @ Apr 5th 2006 3:52PM]

How much is Microsoft going to charge for the HD-DVD add-on? or larger harddrive?


In the end a comparable Xbox 360 may end up costing as much as the PS3?

Huh? Huh? Huh?

p.s. And don't forget the cost of XBox Live!!!

[PS2, GC, PSP (oops) and DS owner @ Apr 5th 2006 3:59PM]

right, $700, thats like 6 revolutions or 2-3 Xbox 360s. And to fully enjy the blue ray capability i have to assume that it will win out over HD DVD (it shoudl on paper but SONY will undubtably cock this format up too, just as it did with minidisc, and now UMD.) and i own a �2000 HD tv, my widscreens good enough thanks! and games for �50? sony you can stick that up your arse too with your oversized radiator grill ill just get me a lil revolution and do some sword fighting cheers! oh and sony, dont you know that we are coming to the end of theeconomic cycle? (thats a recession to the man on the street) so its either food or a soon to be obselete Bluray player coupled with a boomerang....mmmmmm. get it right sony.

[dj-ronald-mc-donald @ Apr 5th 2006 4:16PM]

I believe that the general public has learned a tough leason from the ps2 and that the ps3 is going to be a much harder sell than Sony is aware of. Many things have changed since the ps2 came out, people are more likey not to believe the overhype of blueray and cell processing and play the wait and see game, especially with the bargin bin Nintendo system in the works.

Regarding the sales of the psp, the nintendo ds is destroying it daily.

In my opinion things are going very wrong at Sony camp, they are not the same powerhouse that they were ten years ago. At this point if the ps3 doesn't meet their projected numbers then were will Sony be?

[Marlos Hill @ Apr 5th 2006 4:47PM]

ive been a big sony supporter since the PS1 but i really cant see myself dropping 500 bucks for just the PS3 console. And to try to say that the BluRay features justify that cost in the minds of the consumer is complete crap. I'm just fine with my DVDs and such, so i don't see BluRay as that big of a deal in 2006... Of course im not thinking in the future, but really... this scares me.

[Shmoe @ Apr 5th 2006 4:55PM]

Got root?

[Echo_ @ Apr 5th 2006 4:56PM]

lik3 omg that spid3m4n font is the ugly

who the hell cares what font they use. are you a girl? what the hell

and the boomerange controller got axed so stop crying. for all you know it could have been the most comfortable controller ever and you owuld still whine.

[Mira @ Apr 5th 2006 5:00PM]

To #38: "Steve-o," you are a moron. The high cost of incorporating Blu-Ray into the Pee-Es 3 (using your vernacular since you understand juvenile wordplay like that) doesn't come from paying a "royalty for BD production," even if Sony had to pay it to begin with. It comes from the cost of the hardware itself. See, it's untested, it's unproven, it's a brand-*new* technology. Even by fall, the cost of producing the Blu-Ray drive won't have fallen so dramatically that Sony can simply expect to breathe easy. They'll be taking a MAJOR loss on every console they sell if they launch at $399, at least if they plan on including everything they've been hyping they'd include. Thus, they either have to sell it at a higher price point, or remove some features, or deliver a finished product that's less powerful than originally promised (wouldn't be the first time). That's simple enough for a chimp to comprehend, you Sony-humping fanboy.

[gib786 @ Apr 5th 2006 5:04PM]

This will be very expensive in the UK if it does launch between 499 and 599 euros as vat will just jack the price up beyond the realms of most gamers, then again i'll still drop the cash for it, just to play a new gran turismo game in sweet hd

[Nick @ Apr 5th 2006 5:12PM]

I lived in Europe when I was a kid and there was always a premium on the price of gaming systems. But remember that prices in the U.S. are before taxes, most countries in Europe calculate the tax into the sticker price. Listed price is actually what you pay, no need to do calculations in your head.

In Italy, this means that a 499 Euro PS3 is really only 404.19 Euro since sales tax in italy it 19%

[justme @ Apr 5th 2006 5:27PM]

and lets put this rumor to rest...

PLAYSTATION 3: Falsche Ger?e um den Verkaufspreis

Guten Abend allerseits,

derzeit kursieren Ger?e ? einen m?chen PS3 Preis von 499 - 599
Euro. Grund ist ein Interview des franz?chen Radiosenders Europe 1 mit
dem Managing Director von SCE Frankreich, dessen Aussagen nun von einigen
Medien leider falsch interpretiert werden. Bitte druckt das Ger? nicht
einfach ab, sondern verfiziert bei derartigen Angelegenheiten immer die
Richtigkeit bei SCED. Anbei die Info von SCEE.

Viele Gr?br>Stefan

-----------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------

During a wide ranging interview/discussion on Europe 1 radio last night,
Georges Fornay, Managing Director of SCE France discussed the PlayStation
3, amongst other new consumer technology products.
Reports on the web suggest that he might have indicated a price for PS3
around 500 Euros or between 499 and 599. This is a mistranslation and/or
misunderstanding of the discussion, which was actually focused on the
relative value of PS3 as a Bluray Disc player.

Referring to a previous discussion about the roughly $1,000 price point of
BD players, the interviewer asked whether a price point of around $500
(dollars, not Euros) was about right for the PS3. Mr Fornay explained that,
with BD and HD functionality, PS3 at this price would be cheap for such
functionality, but that current video games machines were significantly
below this price.

At no time did he suggest or indicate a specific price point for PS3, and
any reports that he did so are incorrect.

He summarised by saying that PS3 would be expensive when one looked at the
price of a video games machine, at far below 500 Euros, but extremely good
value when looking at BD and HD technology inside.

[Kevin @ Apr 5th 2006 5:27PM]

Looks like Nintendo v. MS in the USA...

[grimey 559 @ Apr 5th 2006 5:36PM]

#25 MPEG4-AVC is in the Blu-ray specs, but the movie branch of Sony said they were only going to us MPEG2 ecoding on the BD-ROM's

[Marcin @ Apr 5th 2006 5:48PM]

justme,

this was an interview with a french sce pres.

you just showed us a mistranslated german/austrian article.