Tretton financial math: New PS3 + PS2 < Old PS3
In an interview with Newsweek, Sony America CEO Jack Tretton explains why the 40GB PS3's lack of backwards compatibility with such simple math, it's hard to argue. Tretton breaks down the math all fancy like and makes intelligible that which we've been missing this whole time. The old 60GB PS3 with full BC was $600. The new 40GB PS3 with no PS2 BC is $400. By adding the cost of a PS2 at $129, the total for the two consoles is $529 ($70 less than the original 60GB price). Tretton says, "I've got two machines that do everything the same machine did a year ago at $599. So it's hard for me to see that as a negative for the consumer." That may be some fantastic spin, but at least it's not a lie. Of course, the math would be easier to swallow if the 60GB wasn't really $500, and if said consumer hadn't come to depend on the PS3's upscaling of old games.
Tretton goes on to avoid answering any questions regarding the 80GB PS3 model (now dropping to $500) and its chances of getting roped into the same clearance sale the 60GB model was. He goes on to say that the framerate issues in Madden 08 were simply due to the system's newer technology -- the same complaints heard from developers on every PlayStation system so far. Tretton concludes that "at the end of the day, the developers got up to speed, the consoles enjoyed an extremely successful long ten-year road map." With any luck, the 40GB PS3 will finally reveal the road map Sony needs for the PS3's next ten years.
