60GB PS3 disappearing soon, no price cut for Europe
By Donald Melanson 
posted July 13th 2007 11:16AM
posted July 13th 2007 11:16AM
It looks like those wanting to get in on that $100 price cut for the 60GB PS3 had better act fast, as it seems that it's going to be a case of once they're gone they're gone. That's according to SCEE President David Reeves, who told GamesIndustry.biz that Sony would no longer be offering the 60GB PS3 in the US once the existing stock runs out -- something he expects to happen "by the end of July." What's more, Sony also revealed that the 60GB PS3 would not be getting a price cut in Europe, but would be getting a new bundle with two games and two controllers for no added cost -- still no word on an 80GB PS3 for Europe though.
Update: Turns out it was all a misunderstanding, and Sony is indeed going to keep the $499 60 gigger going in the US.
Read - GamesIndustry.biz, "No more 60GB PlayStation 3 in US after July, says Reeves"
Read - BBC News, "No price cut for Europe"
Update: Turns out it was all a misunderstanding, and Sony is indeed going to keep the $499 60 gigger going in the US.
Read - GamesIndustry.biz, "No more 60GB PlayStation 3 in US after July, says Reeves"
Read - BBC News, "No price cut for Europe"
You people are a bunch of numb nuts. A price cut is a price cut. You're getting the current system for $100 less. If Sony chooses to discontinue the 60gb model, then for $599 you're still getting more than you did before.
Stop whining about the price. Gadgets are expensive, and if you can't afford it you shouldn't be on gadget blogs in the first place.
You're off the point. Most of us bitching here WANT Sony to be good again, so we can go back to buying the great products they used to make. Their quality may have improved again back to what it was, but their consumer relations is still foundering.
I have plenty of money to buy one to go with the rest of my toys, but like so many others here, I'm annoyed by what I believe to be a insulting marketing ploy by Sony. Had they said something like "We're discontinuing the 60GB model, and lowering the prices on the ones already in the pipeline." Then, they would have appeared honest, and that would have not have annoyed all of us. Sony's on some well deserved shaky ground thanks to that rook-kit business, so they should err on the side of more honesty than less. IMHO, that would have the same sales boosting effect that this poor marketing decision was designed to generate.
Lol, god you're all a bunch of whinging little pussies. Don't like it? Okay so what -- tell your grandma.
weirdo
Ah yes, I remember another popular electronic device's 60 gig model being phased out in favor of a replacement 80 gig drive. Do you remember which one?
First, it's not like Apple discontinued all the cheaper iPods except for the 80gb version.
Second, since when is the PS3 a "popular electronic device"?
But that product with a 60GB HDD didn't have a $100 price cut did it?
Hmmmm.........
iPod?????
Well we know how successful that is.....
So are we all going to buy 60GB versions and keep them unopened as collectors items?
Sony is not going to phase out the 60 GB according to this report.
http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6427&Itemid=2
I hope this is just euorpe talking crap
Seriously.. a 20GB hard drive and a game that probably cost ~$2 to press. Turning $12 into $100 is quite a marketing feat. It just makes me wonder how much cheaper the rest of the components became since launch that they're "making up development costs" with.
They wouldn't need to compensate for development costs if they had just stick with making a game system instead of some mega device I'll need two jobs to afford and never have time to play. It's cool I guess, for that much cash the thing better play with itself - so long as it doesn't mess on my rug.
It really makes me ponder if this will be sony's strategy for the next 2-3 years: release a "better" model with about $15 of upgrades (minus the steadily declining cost of parts) to keep the $600 price point, eventually making windfall profits after a year or two because they're selling us a $200 worth of parts for three times the price.
I wish Sony loved themselves more than their arrogance makes them appear to.
They should've pulled a Steve Jobs and announced replaced the 60GB with the 80GB overnight and kept the same $599.00 price or reduced it to $549.99 or something. They should've performed a magical dissappearing act on the 60GB like Apple has done with it's many products when it introduces new ones. No discount, no sale. Just get them out of the stores immediately. This would've looked a lot better and at least they wouldn't have been the first ones to pull a stunt like that. But no! Announce a price drop on your top end model, then discontinue it. Do all this within one work week? What assholes! I hope they would at least lower the price of the 80GB model because right now +20GB and an old-ass game should not be helping people decide whether or not to buy the PS3 for the same price as always. Or, they could include a more recent game like Transformers or whatever else Sony has that's recent. Or even, what about two games, also throw in that Ninja Gaiden or something else or even an extra controller.
Throwing Motorstorm in now seems like if the Wii had never released wii sports with the console, and suddenly bundled it in later, and called it free.
Or, if the Wii suddenly came packaged with excite truck and an SD card but cost $350
Somehow 20GB and Motorstorm does not equal $100 to me.
Well I guess that makes my decision for buying a console for GTA IV easier.
Thanks again Sony!
Someone quick grab that noose from So... oops... too late. Goodbye cruel Sony.
Denied by SCEA already:
http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6427&Itemid=2
What the heck is everyone crying about. If you want a Ps3 here's your chance!! They are providing you an incentive to get the emotion engine version of the Ps3 for a Benjamin less. Looks like it has definitely spurred sales because the Ps3 console is now outselling the Wii since the announcement was made. A blow to all these fake Microsoft employees posing as engadget posters. Ps3 on the rise!!!!
@TECHHEAD
No, the problem is when a price cut is announced, people expect a price cut. Traditionally an announced price cut on a console system means a permanant price reduction on a console that's gonna stay in production for some time to come (even years). All sony did was a clearance on a model they are gonna phase out in a month and announced it as a "Price cut on PS3!!!!!!" Then turn around and make the replacment model the exact same price as the original. All smoke and mirrors and a poor move by sony in my opinion. Also, it seems you have a history in this thread of calling anyone who doesn't agree with you a "troll"....whatever.
You're a troll!!
(Sorry, just beating him to the punch.)
Well there is another way this can be interpreted.
We will no longer have any 60GB 95nm units available.
If I could I would underline the 95nm.
They would have to have two units out at least, maybe they will release a 120GB model and reduce the price on the 80GB?
Lets watch and see.
Hey check this out Xbox 360 is getting a $100 price cut on ALL SKUs (RUMOR)! This is real pressure for Sony so I really doubt theyre stupid enough to keep the ps3 at $600 so my guess is they will sell the 80GB for $499 once the 60GB is phased out or this is just europe bullshit.
Its $499 or nothing sony... and maybe another price cut by end of the year.
Heres the Rumor Link:
http://www.maxconsole.net/?mode=news&newsid=18915
Wait a second...
Ahahahahahahahahaha
Ok, now that I got that out of the way, does Sony REALLY think we, the customers, are that stupid? They must be if they go through with this.
If they actually do get rid of the 60 GB version that would have to be among the fastest of any 'successful'game system to have its launch SKU's no longer available.
End of July? I guess you people think Sony will sell 500k of these in 1 month. hahahah. I expect there to be 60gb ps3s through September.
Seems all this talk of the 60GB PS3 going anywhere sometime soon, is total BS straight from the gutter press misquotes handbook.
http://blog.us.playstation.com/
"One quick thing before I head to the show for the last day. I just wanted to clarify something. I’ve seen a lot of posts this morning related to the 60GB SKU and the comments by SCEE President David Reeves. As we announced this week, SCEA’s product offering in North America consists of a 80GB PS3 available in August and a 60GB PS3 available now for $499. We will have ample supplies of both models to meet the needs of consumers for the foreseeable future."
Either way, if you want one, go buy one for $499, as according to the Xbots, there are "loads sitting on the shelves gathering dust" if not, STFU...
they have supply, he never did deny that they were discontinuing production. So like the exec said, once they are gone... they are gone. That statement had vauge terms all over it and does not deny anything. Something's fishy....
this isnt really a shady move on sony its a smart move cause the basic units are still gonna be 100 of and so are the 80gb units looking at the numbers with out the price cut i could have seen sony charging like at least maybe $700 for the 80gb and do you realize how much cash sony is losing on every ps3 and selling an 80gb PS3 for $600 isnt gonna help their trying to get more ps3 out to the people so they might start making money on them because most the money will come from the game sales and accessorys seeing that sony is losing a boat load on the consoles them selves
But, how long can those parts stay at $800 if our technological advances are exponential? Last year, laptop ads in the paper dropped to half their price - what's to say that the parts that make a ps3 don't as well. Especially since they're much of the same.
They cut out $100 from production, throw $15 back on, and charge $100.
But, there's still figures we don't know. For all we know, the actual cost of parts might have dropped to $600 by this time and they're breaking even. It could cost $400 to pull together parts that would seem lame by late 2008 standards (8-core processor? 1TB drive standard?). And I bet you Sony will still have a $600 model - probably with a 100GB drive that costs them the same amount, if not less, than the cost of a 60GB today.
Losing money on consoles is a starting strategy analogous to Walmart buying massive quantities of wholesale goods so that they can price the same value below competitors - you take a risk in the hopes that people will pony up and pay off your debt. But, assuming they do, by round two you'll be well off. Sony's doing this, but inverse, they stack value hoping people pay the price. The problem, is conflicting values it seems.
However, Sony is lucky in the sense that even if people don't buy it immediately, the cost of manufacturing drops consistently. Which, is likely why they have a two system, 10-year life cycle. By the time, Ps3 is in Ps2's old age, they'll be whipping em out for $89/unit and charging at least $249.
This is rather low of Sony to do. And, also, isn't this considered a "bait-and-switch" tactic? Lure consumers into buying the lower priced 60 GB model then stop production on it completely? Then, when there are no more 60 GB models, consumers will have no other choice but to pony up another $100 USD for the 80 GB model sans the hardware compatibility for PS2. It is a shady and deceitful tactic by Sony. And, many consumers were hoping that there would truly be a price reduction on this system, but there truly isn't after this July.
What has Sony brought upon themselves?
http://atvs.vg.no/player/?id=10235
Watch the interview 60gig no longer in production.
http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/13/sony-says-60gb-is-not-over-in-us/
Hey can you guys finally admit, that you love to hate sony? geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeze!!! Yeah, they've made stupid errors.. but you guys are RIDICULOUS!! They make quality products (imo) and i buy them. You guys (whether you are or not) sound like fanboys on a smear campaign. A papparazzi with your mouse ready to copy and paste the very next juicy something to spread the word on how effed up sony is. Granted they made mistakes, and you can question their strategy if you like. I feel that they have the best console of the generation, and in time we will all remember that its a playstation world. Remember, sony already controlled our living rooms :-P
Yeah, and look at Atrac-3, overpriced memory sticks, beta? I grew up in a VHS world with an NES long before your 'playstation world' came along.
I don't think most people are here to smear Sony because they are fanboys of other systems. I think Sony is just dissapointing their past customers (I own and play a PS2 system) by the pricing on their new system, the bad decisions made regarding "Price cuts", etc. I think more are voicing out of frustration than anything. I'm not gonna buy a 60gb PS3 right now because of the lack of quality games, however, 6 months to a year from now when good games are hitting the shelves I want there to be a lower price alternative ps3 product. I refuse to spend more than 400 on a console system....I can afford to , but I'm just not going to.....it's just a personal limit I have set.
@Emceay, I am afraid I do not really follow your point, other than you think im young. All I had meant was that while the verdict is still out for this current generation of consoles, I still consider sony the front runner. They've gotten off to quite a rocky start, but the fight has just begun.
@jd, very intelligent post. Again, the Ps3 IS expensive, and rightfully so. It offers so much more than the competition there is no comparison. Having said that... should Sony have a) put out a product of lesser quality. or b) waited even longer to release its system so our pockets and lusts could catch up with its vision? A tough one indeed. As a person who is neither financial comfortable, nor poor, I can understand what people say as they moan and complain about the price of the system. As a geeky, technical gadget guy, I dont understand why people are complaining for getting a deal on the technology bundle they get (YES ITS A DEAL)
Anyhoo, my point really was "wow look at all these people jump on a post and blast the hell out of sony for no apparent reason as the post wasnt even true."
@mo
I understand what you're saying....and yes, the ps3 is a "ferrari" of the console systems (speed and price comparison). But right now it just feels like a ferrari that can only sit in your driveway (lack of good games). I guess the bottom line is I'm not willing to pay the "price of admission" so to speak for the ps3 at 500 bucks.
I am wrong that they stopped selling the 20 GB model as well. Does that only leave the 80GB
this story was debunked hours ago.
According to this it's true
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=26704
You have any links stating otherwise? Not being a jerk just wondered if you have seen any official info saying the 60gb is not going away.
anyone want to buy a 3do?
Goldstar or Panasonic?
WTF? Why would they take the $500 60GB away!? It's the reason the ps3 has been selling so freaking well in the past few days (sold out on amazon) If they do that, the sales will just return to what they've been in the past 2 months! Instantly!
But we should wait till some guy from SCEA confirms it as well...
Dylan, I think you are totally right. I feel compelled to buy a 60GB PS3 now because I want to be able to know that my PS1/PS2 games will play and save $100. But right now I don't have the $499 to spend and that make me sad. I've seen many similarities with what Sony is doing now and what Apple has been doing for a while. They continue to make their products better and have to price to be competative without going broke. Sony is bleeding money on the PS3 like a mortal wound while Microsoft has so much money that the same amount is like a papercut. The market is very competative, and I think Sony is doing the smart thing.
Now I bet Microsoft is breathing a sigh of relief, I'm sure the announcement that Sony was cutting its price for the PS3 had them really worried about their market position, but now Microsoft has plenty of time to get its house back in order and come in with a price cut directly before/after the release of Halo 3 of which they are putting their entire focus on at the moment.
Its really too bad for Sony, they could have really changed their fortunes by kicking microsoft when they're down with all this controversy over broken systems/scratched disks.Unfortunately they are too focused on their blu-ray business model.
TBH if I was to make a product I am goin to sell it at whatever price I want..and ill cut prices or discontinue models whenever I want, too. I see it like this if you want a product then buy it. If u bought it and dont like it u can always return it or sell it. If u feel like ur gettin jipped then dont spend ur money on it and go buy the competitors product. So I think all the negative comments on Sony for their latest action is uncalled for and immature. I mean honestly unless u r the CFO for SCEA how do u even kno if its a stupid move or not when u dont even have all of the facts???
No suprise. I thought the end of July was a bit soon but I knew they would be gone well before the holiday season starts. If you do manage to get a PS3 with the emotion engine like I did, it will definately be a collectors item. Even more so once the 80GB non EE has long since gone and they start producing a flimsy slimline version out of matte plastic with a flip top Blu-Ray drive.
What a bargain! I just grabbed a 250G WD 5400RPM sata notebook drive and replaced my 60GB one. Try that on a 360 (gee, you is limited to 120GB).
Terrible, looks ugly too, why have I had such bad experience with sony?? I don't know, I hate the TV's as I bought one then had it replaced with a new one because it gave me problems the second time again, then sony said we will repair it, i said i want a new one, but they insisted on repairing it? are they stupid? I played the ps3 too, I see nothing special about it, got a 360 now, no problems here and a Samsung Tv both working fine. Forget Sony alot hype and promises. stop making rubbish.
It sounds like a lot of people are just angry they got burnt for spending $600 for the PS3 in the first place. I think the price cut is a great way to move a product. People just weren't buying after the initial launch. While I do admit that the titles are a bit stale and most of the games are just beginning to tap into the potential the PS3 has to offer. Upcoming games should make the system worth the dollars. I myself was excited to hear about the price drop seeing as how my wife said I couldn't get one until the price dropped. 1 Week later the price dropped. Yeah for ME!!!