Looks like all the bellyaching over the
price of Sony's PlayStation 3 has done some good. Sony exec Ken Kutaragi just sent jaws to the floor over at Tokyo Game Show with an announced price cut of the 20GB PS3 base unit from ¥62,790 to ¥49,980 in Japan. Closer to home, we'd be looking at a move from about $538 to $428 (looking at current exchange rates) representing a drop of some 20% when the PS3 hits
later this year, or uh,
early next if the cut applies across the board. Not exactly cheap when looking at the Wii or Xbox 360, but that Cell processor, Blu-ray Disc player, and HDMI 1.3 output supporting Deep Color will certainly draw a premium. Yeah, you read that correctly, Ken announced
HDMI support too, making the 20GB PS3 one fine Hi-Def movie machine on the cheap. Hoozah!
Update: Price reduction confirmed for Japan
only. Waiting on rest-of-world price cuts, if any.
[Thanks, Kherlen and everyone who sent this in]
posted Sep 22nd 2006 3:30AM
now im gonna have to buy one 4sure
Yeah, if you haven't noticed, no price drop was ever confirmed for America or Europe. So I would hold off on saying such things until their OFFICIAL. I have spoken.
My excuses for not buying this to support my tech addiction are diminishing....
Dave, the Washington Post story just gives the exchange rates. They don't actually say that the price cut was confirmed for the US. In fact, the Post story also adds, "Sony spokeswoman Nanako Kato said there were no plans to lower the price in other markets." This agrees with what was mentioned in the Mainichi, so, I wouldn't expect a sub $500 PS3 just yet.
http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20060922p2a00m0et010000c.html
Does this mean they haven't produced ANY 20GB models for the soon-to-begin US market? Aren't they already behind manufacturing schedule? It's like a revision before it's being sold...
The article in the Washington Post even quotes a spokeswoman saying that "there were no plans to lower the price in other markets." if so, that's lame and i just stick to the Wii
I updated the post to be clear that we only have confirmation for a price reduction in japan.
Since the price of the 360 is much lower in Japan then in Europe and US, and Japanese might go more mad for Wii this might be a very smart thing to do. But the difference between 'basic' and 'premium' is now again very big. So we'll see.....
Good ole' Sony, the first good move in a while
Does anyone else feel like they just came up with the idea to add HDMI like last night after hearing the 360 will support 1080p?
Seems very last minute...I wander if this will further slow down manufacturing. Also this just made the more expensive PS3 seem pretty worthless. 360 users know that you can get by just fine with 20 Gigs and wireless is completely unnecessary. In my experience Wireless causes lag and is not desirable for playing online.
They seem to think that HDMI has taken a huge upsurge since E3 thus the reason for the addition of HDMI...or is it that they were just caught making a stupid decision and can't out right fess up to the mess they have created for themselves since E3?
There are also rumors that the PS3 will also offer Genesis & PC Engine games:
http://www.factornews.com/news-18543-TGS_2006_La_conference_Sony_en_live.html?page=1
http://ps3.gx-mod.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=267
(sorry they're in French)
One has to wonder where Sony gets all those great ideas. :P
Eurogamer also confirms this.
http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=67794
This is looking better and better!! Anyone got news about the rest of the market in Asia? Particullarly Taiwan? When the PS3 will be available?
Pay less and get more. Headline/Mindshare grabbing indeed. And yeah, it's interesting that this news hits after the 360 one-twos with the release of the core system in Japan and the announcement of the HD-DVD add-ons Japanese release in November. It is of course doubtful that they freakin retooled the PS3 to include HDMI based solely on that, but that timing still makes them look like Johnny Come Lately.
Still, as far as counter punches go, considering this in their own back yard it could be a serious blow to the Xbox offensive. I've noticed people have largely stopped debating which machine is out and out more powerful, because by all accounts their graphical power is basically the same. Price has continued to be second only to Game franchises in distinguishing features...and it was the one area in which the 360 had a distinct advantage.
It's getting interesting all right...
Sony has done something right after a long time on this console.
There must be a small chance that the US will get the price cut? Also, maybe not at first, but it could occur after lanch?
Oh, HDMI aswell, NO ONE HAS AN EXCUSE.
M$....I think you've lost.
suhweeet. more in my range if this price cut goes to the US.. i can hope.
I think now will be the best time for everyone to upgrade their TV's!
And as for those that think MS has any chance in this market.. Think again.. Ill probably end up buying at least 3 of PS's in the first year.. "ill be selling them to make profits obviously!"
I hope you guys are right about SONY. All the recent news lately has really made me reconsidering purchasing it. The expensive price mixed with all the negative press just has me too worried. It might not be worth the risk so i'll probably end up waiting a bit before I invest my money on it.
I think everyone in the US should just not buy one. Then after 3 months Sony will have to lower the price here. I mean who wants to buy a first run unit anyway, they're bound to be ridden with problems.
Doesn't even sound like they have the final design figured out, now it has HDMI, maybe tomorrow it will/won't have somethign else.
I mean are any of the launch title making any of you just have to run out and get one right away?
I can't wait to buy one on launch day!!! I love ps3 and i don't care that it cost 600. Sony always came through for me in the end. And those of you that are critizizing it go look in your room thers bound to be something made by sony there.
Yeah, my stereo system is a Sony, and the backlight blacked out in the first year of operation. I have two cybershots, and the first one's shutter locked up on me. My current is fine, though. I like the company, don't get me wrong...but I won't be around for launch.
I don't have an HD setup, nor do I plan to get one by November. Secondly, the Playstation series is notorious for having shoddy first runs. If you've got a PSX sitting on its side somewhere (the first TRUE vertical system, heh) you know what I mean. PS2 had the DVD driver issue, the "you burned a hole in my game" issue, etc. PSP spat out games, analogs fell off, etc. It happens. Perhaps after once price drop, and some EXCLUSIVE games come out, I'll consider it. Right now though? Not at all worth the effort and cost. Besides, the launch titles are looking um...weak. It's right up there with PS2's "awesome" launch of SSX and Fantavision. I mean, most titles will be available elsewhere, or just aren't all that appealing.
I think I'll wait for MGS to make a purchase.
Hopefully they announce this price cut for the americas. If they're going to cut the price in Japan to compete with the Wii, they might as well cut the price here to compete with the 360 AND the Wii.
Sony has a big uphill battle now, even with the Japanese price cuts. At least it might go from "wallet breaking" to "slightly affordable".
That faint explosion you heard in the background was J Allard's heart exploding.
IF Sony brings this price drop to the US it's game over for Microsoft. Who in their right mind would buy a 20g, DVD based, component out, 360 Premium for $399.00 when they can get a 20g, HD based (Blu-Ray), HDMI out, PS3 for $428.00?
Even if you don't have an HDTV that's a no brainer. Why not spend $30 extra dollars to have a system that can take full advantage of that $1000 TV when you do decide to purchase.
For all the hate we have for Sony right now, Sony didn't get to be Sony by being stupid. I think they planned this the whole time...shock the world at E3 with a ridiculously high price, get the internet buzzing about the PS3, get MS and Nintendo happy, then pull the rug right out from under them after they've showed their hands...GENIUS! Maybe I'm giving them too much credit, but if this price cut is worldwide it is a master stroke.
MS better hope an pray this price drop and HDMI support in the low-end PS3 stays across the pond.
That's sony for ya, always thinking of Japan over America. We always get shafted by them.
But this is the first good PS3 news in,... well, forever. And this makes the "buy a 360 and a Wii cheaper than one PS3" statement totally unreal now.
I still think, however, that the PS3 will fail. Why? Because Sony is using, like they have in the pass, a propritary format. It's like the UMD movies for the PSP, at first they have some steam, but then it all stops to a screeching halt.
"That's sony for ya, always thinking of Japan over America. We always get shafted by them."
Ahem, try moving to Europe.
Also, I forgot to add, they are copying other companies way too much. To a point where it is almost certain they won't succeed. The controller is from Nintendo, and just about everything else(save bluray) is from Microsoft. "Entitlements"?
Was in the Sony Outlet store in Woodbury Commons Outlet mall in Harriman, NY yesterday. The official launch date is Nov 17, 2006. The only differences between teh 60 and the 20 is the HD of course, bluetooth / wireless connectivity (aside from the wireless controllers which are bluetooth for both)... and the HDMI port.... ( I saw the spec sheet)
Why is everybody so excited that Japan gets a price cut? It will only make a price cut here less likely and delay any price cut in the future. Use your brains. They have to make the money somewhere.
They aren't making ANY money on their consoles. Not even MS. Nintendo will be the first in 10 years that will actually be able to make a profit from their consoles. MS and Sony take losses for every console that walks out of the door for the first 3 years. They always plan on making it up with licensing, acessories, and their first party games. And now they have micro transactions.
If you really want to know where they make their money, it's Japan. They'll buy a new PS3 if they reprint it with Hello Kitty or an obscure anime character or they make it clear. And they'll always buy a new game for full retail if it's remixed. Kind of like how we rebuy Madden with game tweaks and updated rosters.
If the Wii sells, Nintendo might just have enough to buy Sony.
This is crapz, they are using marketing strategy. The real price is supposed to be the lower one instead of such high price tag.
they should focus on the production not the price!!!
Its quite funny, you havent considered the most simple explanation for the price drop.
MARKETING. Announce your product to be quite pricey ... get everyone moan about it and how the competitors are doing it better.
SUddenly announce a price drop. Everyone talks about, tells their friends, goes "ooooooooh thats better" and the Sony marketing machine rolls on forward.
Genius.
Now we just need a 20% price cut for the Wii!
What would that make it? Oh yeah, $199.
I understand they are not making any money, what I am really saying is if they put themselves in the hole another billion dollars, they never will make any money. So therefore they could never afford to give the price cut to the USA, because it would cause them too much damage to the company. So you will not be seeing this price cut in america, it ain't going to happen. Sony has not even hinted at a price cut in America and if they were going to do it, they would have announced it at the same time.
OMG IT ONLY HAS LAN CAPABILITIES!!! IT WON'T WORK ONLINE!!!
BAAHHHHHHHHHH.
Now everyone is going to be going around saying "LAN" when they mean internet or online.
Can't you guys see, though? It's stupid people buying the PS3. Also, it's a VERY obvious and adverse reaction to recent press about Sony's state of affairs. They must be making a HUGE loss on the PS3 now (I'd guess at LEAST $200, more like $400) and if you've looked into Sony currently, they're on a downward slope. This is an act of desperation, causing not only bad things for Sony (losses wise) but also for the consumer in the long term. If the PS3 did now 'win' the 'next-gen' console war, it would be disastrous for all people who brought it, and indeed the whole video games and electronics industry.
Allow me to explain, if you will. Sony are losing money on practically everything they do, and they are loosing it FAST. They seem to be outplayed by their competitors in every market they dip in to, and every time come out of each with at least a bloodied nose. The PS3 will be NO EXCEPTION. Think about it. With the losses they are making, this compnay will go down fast and ugly. Even all the revenue they've shared up over their 'years of triumph' won't be enough to cover this slump. When Sony go down, so does the major backer for Blu-Ray (in my opinion, Blu-Ray doesn't stand a chance anyway, but hey perhaps moving on to that later!). Blu-Ray support will almost instantaniously die. Production will cease and the EXTREMELY expensive machines and discs will be null and void (useless, except for Armchair Olympic discus 'wannabees'). The computer industry will suffer, the music industry, the WHOLE ELECTRONICS industry will take a BIG blow for this. I don't want to be 'predicting an APOCALYPTIC DOOM' like some right-wingers may do (lets not get into a religion fight here, folks, we've got enough on our hard disk), but it just seems to me a very plausible path for the future. This will take years to recover from and progression will...well, it'll struggle to find it's feet again. Sony has it's fingers in TOO MANY pies, and my prediction is the result of allowing a company to become so strong yet not see the consequences of their actions. Face it - Sony have been as stubborn as any mule fighting their position and not relenting one bit. They are a dogmatic organisation that would ignore all the evidence, unless it could be shown to approve their thinking. I would compare them to...well, the Soviet Union is the only thing that comes close, and we ALL know what happened to that. It was a VERY ugly and ungracious downfall.
Now, I'm not saying 'go and buy Microsoft - that'll make it all better!' - they're nearly as stubborn and trying to mix in like Sony. It's the only way to compete, but they seem to have SOME comprehension of their actions consequences. Really, gaming should be left to the company that SOLELY does gaming - Nintendo. Even if I LOVE the PS3 or XBOX360, I cannot ignore that Wii is the only logical solution.
In conclusion, Sony should redefine themselves quickly and do it well, otherwise I'm truly not sure what the future could hold for any part of the electronics industry. You people can go out and buy your PS3's - scoff at my comments as being over-reacting and childish 'Nintendo-worship' but if this does happen (or something close to this) you can't blame me for not warning it.
Finally, all I can say is I hope the good Microchip in the Grand Case in the Sky can help us. I know many will disagree, but hey, it's just a first look at things.
@Andy Briggs: "I don't want to be 'predicting an APOCALYPTIC DOOM' like some right-wingers may do"
Then why did you post?
A few weeks ago, for the first time ever, i was considering buying a 360 over a PS3, due to a number of reasons. I currently own a ps2 and a psp, and bought a ps1 before these.
360 has a universally praised online system, which ps3 is unlikely to have. The premium ps3 will cost about 400 in UK, and on top of that i have to buy a HD TV, whereas 360 is available NOW.
PS3 had two main advantages over 360: Blu-ray and 1080p. Unfortunately i have discovered that a) you need approximately above 37 inch tv to easily notice the difference between 1080p and 720p, and b) there are no 1080p tv sets on sale in the UK. In addition, MS announced an add-on HD-DVD drive for 360, and most games will be aimed at both consoles, and it will be hard to tell the difference between the two (and even if you do, neither will be crap).
I also think that HD movie playback should not be the deciding factor, since in a few years time, dedicated players will be cheaper, and possibly play both competing formats. This basically erodes the advantage ps3 had, and on top of that, by the time i get either console (possibly summer 2007, so the delay doesn't really bother me), 360 will be considerably cheaper. Also, you can use a laptop to make the 360 'wireless', of course you still need a cable to connect to the laptop.
The only problem with this whole idea is that the cheaper version of PS3 will now have HDMI, and possibly have a reduced price, and i also really really want to have one (it will be hard to resist when PS3 is THE console to buy, being the newest kid on the block). If i do get a 360, i will still have a ps2 and psp to play with. Now my dilemma is which one do i buy? i have about a year to decide.
@ israr: FYI you can use ICS (Internet Connection Sharing) with anything, 360, PS3, another computer. For the How-To go here: http://digg.com/gaming_news/Don_t_Spend_$100_To_Wirelessly_Connect_Your_360..._Use_Your_Laptop!
Also, why would you want to trade a three way competition into a one way Nintendo monopoly? That makes no sense at all.
Sony adding 1.3 HDMI to the low end PS3 has to be the biggest story of TGS. PS3 is now $400 less expensive than the cheapest high-def movie player with HDMI 1.3 and over $200 less expensive than a similarly configured (yet still signficantly less powerful) Xbox 360.
Remains to be seen if they meet their supply figures, though.
JET
Well played Sony, well played. *clap clap*
Hahahaha!! Sony is playing right into my hands.. I have over a one year head start on them and have tons of great games available right NOW! All of those poor US PS3 customers who think they are going to be able to find one of these for even close to the retail price are going to fall right into my hands when they realize that there will only be a handful of consoles available and most of those will be on Ebay for $1000 or more!! Hahahahha..
Wait until I announce Halo3 and a price cut right before the holidays here in the US... Hahahhaha
This is just one guy talking but, I just want my gaming console to play GAMES. Thats it. I dont want it be a PC, media centre, DVD player, or pop corn machine for that matter. I just want a CHEAP system to play games on. I already have the rest. So I never thought I would say this in my lifetime but, the hell with Sony and Microsoft Im buying my self a Wii.
Shortfalls:
1. Still no Media Center extender support.
2. Beta-ray drive
3. Cost
4. Unproven Cell
5. Blunder-Ray disc cost/picture quality
6. Got Root?
7. Online service won't be as good as X-box Live.
Plus, I really don't see game developers utilizing Beta-Ray discs or 1080p for a while. It's really just Sony forcing it's movie format on people like they've tried to do with every other format they have created.
Good luck getting one this year or even by March for half the price of a 360 plus HD-DVD drive.
Well this is great news and also potentially telling news. What it says to me, aside from the obvious, is that the initial launch will not contain enough 60GB units to satisfy demand. To help people who wanted to get the 60GB model, they've thrown in HDMI and dropped the price.
So, really, we're looking at $399 and $499 now, if this comes to the US. I'd pay more without issue, but this might help adoption past the intial 5m to 10m units or so.
I was already willing to pay $599 for the high end unit, so if it drops to $499 I'll just buy 2 more games. SONY really doesn't loose. Their lineup for the first 12 months looks stellar, too. Can't wait!
I'm surprised, but I really shouldn't be. It simply means Sony has a brain. I was hoping they'd continue to be stubborn so I could watch them fail. Oh well :)
Well played what its still more expensive, now for 350-400$ for christmas you can pick up a 360 package with 2 games as well as 4-5 arcade titles some free online time and some XBL points to buy stuff.... and sony has their lowest price without any games at over 400+$ ... and thats ONLY in japan... ya "well done sony" ... fanboys are lame
@Chris
"fanboys are lame" I guess you are lame. "with 2 games as well" LOL ROFL LMAO
XBL for a year isnt 50$ in fact you can get it for as low as 30$ if you know wwhere to get it...
And theres another thing I DONT MIND PAYING FOR QUALITY... its sad when articles on kotaku dicated developers crying and compliaining that Sony has a great ps3 strategy... as in NONE... they are basically leaving the entire multiplayer up to the developers themselves... theres no way something like that will be able to compete with the XBL ecosystem and framework.
Not to mention certain games for the ps3 launch line are completely missing online play because of sonys confusion and lack of time before launch....
"LACK OF TIME" my god isnt the console already a year past its original launch date?
To jinkazama,
I do believe that Microsoft said that they're are seriously considering a $100 price drop. Besides the PS3 doesn't have Halo 3 and I don't care about HD.
Sony Rocks.
R.I.P. Xbox with your $160 (or whatever) addon making yourself alittle more expensive with worser a worser drive.
To the Sony fanboy morons talking out of their asses about how now the PS3 is 499 and 399, THE PRICEDROP IS FOR JAPAN ONLY! Kutaragi confirmed this:
"Kutaragi also pretty much confirmed that we won't be seeing a comparative price drop in other territories. According to Ken, the Japanese pricing changes were merely an adjustment to keep the price inline with the market. He argued that the misconception that 1 dollar equals 1 euro equals 100 yen is not a fair comparison."
I thought the price cut was only for Japan. Nothing has been confirmed for the US nor the Europe release of the PS3. Also, the price cut is only for the 20 GB model not the high end.
Either way, start saving up. No matter what they say, PS3 is going to rock.
Core PS3 $430 > Premium X360 $400 (price wise and feature wise)
$30 for a Blu-Ray player + a HDMI input < $200 Xbox-360 HD-DVD drive - HDMI
$600? Premium PS3 + 40gb. More HDD space + Wi-Fi + Flash Card reader =(r u kidding me) $600 Premium 360 + HD-DVD - HDMI
Lets see, PS3 looks much better
me love playstation! me want ps2 and ps3
me love u long time
@Porsche 911,
Do you honestly think that you are going to be able to buy a PS3 for anything less than $800 the first three months or so due to the shortages they are going to have here in the US by only having 400K consoles availabe?
I am also not sold that I want my game console to be my movie player, nor has either Blu Ray or HD-DVD taken off yet. I think M$ was smart to wait it out and offer a stand alone player. As for the HDMI vs Component HD argument, I have hooked up both to my HDTV television, and there is not a noticeable difference between the two. Maybe Sony made HDMI standard so they could push their DRM on everybody...
This price cut won't come to the US, they only did it to not look like idiots in Japan.
Before the Price Cut (360 and PS3 are low-end versions):
Wii: 25,000 yen
360: 29,800 yen
PS3: 62,790 yen
After Price Cut:
Wii: 25,000 yen
360: 29,800 yen
PS3: 49,980 yen
Now they're only about 20,000 yen more instead of double the price of the competitors. If they didn't cut the price they'd have probably been fucked. They won't cut it in the US before launch.. maybe after.
Oh and adding HDMI to the low-end model is nice, but it serves only to devalue the high-end PS3 even more.
Does anybody realize how genius Sony is, assuming they bring this price drop world wide?
Bad news everywhere..even as a Sony fanboy, I must admit, I began to stray. I almost purchased a 360. But this news, this glimmer of hope in a sea of terrible news surrounding the PS3 launch is enough to bring me back home.
Further more, no matter WHY Sony is dropping the price: to be more competitive, to respond to the 360 price-drop-accusations, to shock and awe us all, [which they no doubt did], it worked.
Well played, Sony. I'll be first in line, come the 17th.
Will PS3's hardrive support an OS for computing or be used just for storage like that 20GB hard drive rip-off Sony had for the PS2? I feel there are two things Sony needs to do with this new PS3: 1. OS support for computing and PC gaming 2. UMD read/write. Doing this would give Sony a great advantage for folks that aren't interested in having laptop or lugging around a whole desktop and great for young mobile folks.
OK let's kill this "Sony is forcing me to buy Blu-Ray...I don't want my console to be my movie player...Why can't my console just play games...blah, blah, blah"
Aren't you guys the same ones who boast about the 360 being a media center? Oh and by the way Blu-Ray IS for games. Even if the movie format tanks that kind of space on a disk will definitely give this console an advantage in years to come. The games on our shelves today don't need that kind of storage...the games a year from now probably will. Insomniac has stated publicly RFOM is 22GB compressed...and it's not done. You are kidding yourself if think developers aren't excited about the gaming possibilities of the PS3 made possible by having an HD media format.
All those people praising Sony's masterly strike of genious:
Sony dropped the price in japan AFTER xbox360 was lowered to $250 with two games.
They had to keep up with the competiton. They didn'y suddenly start to listen to the fans. It's Sony, after all.
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! finnaly ps3 has good news. i must be dreaming :)
Does anybody know if the PS3 will be region free and capable of playing US games? I am going to be in Japan for the month of November, and was thinking of buying one.
Now if we could all stop bitching for a minute
In my opinion Ps3's sucess rides on ONE thing
Blu-ray
but heres how i see them failing EITHER WAY
possibility 1 - Blu ray overtakes HD dvd and is the sucessor, it becomes the next dvd player.
why they will fail: Though this may not mean failure forever ALOT of people will buy a PS3 for the same reason they bought a PS2 - cheap blu ray player and in ps2's case a cheap Dvd player.
When dvds first came out, Ps2 was the cheapest player on the market
as is Ps3
But Ps2 was a huge sucess so im shure ur wondering what i mean. WEll sony is already way deep in the dark end of the financial situation So there counting on PS3 to save them. But wait whats this? Ps3 is COSTING them money? well im shure they plan on making it back with games
but if Ps3 sells more consoles then games Sony is screwed
The end
possibility 2 - Blu ray is a failure as UMD format was
PS3 may sell alot at release BUT will not sell close to as well as 360 is and as wii will because no one is watching or using blu ray discs, they are too expensive for a normal unit and not many peoples tv support the quality.
The end
All in all i beleive PS3 will fail
Fan boy
PS3 will succide. ( how ever you spell it ). The bru-ray wouldn't become DVD players but they are very good for games and softwares. The graphics are beter than Xbox. hy get xbox when you are used to PS2 controls, beter graphics and beter games?
Bru-ray players hasn't been very good but its only been on sale in some places and price is very high, DVD-player used to be very expensive but now its cheap and everyone has it. Bru-ray is doing very good for PCs.
PS3 games will be beter than xbox. If bru-ray can hold more than HD-DVD or DVD, lots of games will be made on Bru-ray, like GTA4 ( coming out on november 2007 ),Getaway etc, for PCs its going to be very good, I will say the flight simulator will be held on bru-ray disc in 2 years or 4.
If this is true for the US, and its coupled with the Wii's relatively higher price, the incentive to get the Wii60 package is slowly being eroded. The more I think about it, the more I listen to the unwashed huns who call the Wii "gay" and who will buy the PS3 because it's the sequel to the PS2, the more I realize that Joystiq and Engadget readers don't represent the average gamer, the more I fear that the Wii will go the way of the Dreamcast. It makes me sad to think that inovation will be mocked, while a tried and tested (and boring) formula will succeed. What also gets me is that the wast majority of "non-gamers" that Nintendo seems to want to capture, hasn't even heard of the Wii, let alone understand its revolutionary control scheme. They know about the PS3, they know about the Xbox 360 but they don't know about the Wii- and now that price is becoming less and less a factor, they're going to go for brand recognition.
Just caught this over at http://www.the-magicbox.com/gaming.htm
- Ken Kutaragi mentioned that Sony does not plan to lower the retail price of PS3 in North America and Europe. The reason is that people in both regions were very well accepted the prices, but in Japan the feedback was not supportive, so Sony lowered the price by 20% in Japan. Besides, Americans vastly prefer the 60GB model, which sells for US$599.
Seriously... even though I know that Japan is very important to them, being double the price of a Xbox 360 and a Wii is gonna hurt them quite a bit.
Good news for the people on the fence about picking up the 20gig version, I'm still going for the top end $600 version. My birthday is 11-16-06 so I'm getting for FREE!!!
the fact is xbox 360 had a solid launch and a variety of kinds of games. they will have hd dvd players as an addon not forced if u like dvd as is. an upgrade via software download is going to enable 1080p resolution tho it will be 720p or 1080i games upscaled for at least a while. xbox 360 has great graphics right now and a lot of awesome games are coming from november then on like mass effect total human ninety nine nights blue dragon lost odyssey gears of war(awesome) shadow run madden 2007 and a lot of games for ps3 will be on both systems like gta 4 dmc 4(eventually) ninja gaiden 2 for xbox 360 tho ps3 gets a remixed edition of ninja gaiden 1 called ng sigma, resident evil 5 which is also for ps3. a lot of great games are out xbox 360 and a lot more WITH WAY BETTER GRAPHICS THAN LAUNCH GAMES are coming. with the core 360 at 250 in japan and ps3 at 430 something i think xbox 360 will sell with the new rpgs and action games coming out.also xbox 360 will get the sims 3 eventually i bet which will sell in japan.
i just heard hd dvd and bluray makers are gonna make one universal type of new disc or put both versions on one special dvd so whatever kinda player u have u can play it there also will be dual format aka hd dvd/bluray combo players.
ps3 really only has some exclusive ganes going for them the first year or two and some will suck like devil may cry 4 and personally i like how xbox 360 games a lot of them anyways like prey dont have a number next to them like all of sonys games which are at like 6 or 7. hence tekken 6 we seen it 5 times before who cares about better graphics gran turismo 4 who cares its boring mgs4 who cares snake is old and will probably have a heart attack as the ending of the game.
final fantasy 13's and a handful of other games are its only hopes of staying afloat.
Also for everyone buying the 300k or 400k who knows launch units expect 50 percent to fail within 6 -12 months of use.