Microsoft doesn't think Sony can stick to single PS3 SKU
By Paul Miller 
posted July 28th 2007 10:31PM
posted July 28th 2007 10:31PM
Since Microsoft apparently didn't suffer enough indignity with the whole J Allard-in-dreads happenings -- we were sure our caption contest sealed the deal -- another Xbox exec has gone on record making predictions on Sony hardware, unfortunately without similarly high stakes. Xbox director of technical strategy Andre Vrignaud is betting a steak dinner with the staff of Level Up that Sony's going to hit the market with a $399 PS3 SKU by Black Friday 2007. His thinking is that Sony won't want to stick with a $599 80GB PS3 as its sole offering, and therefore will drop the 80 gigger to $499 and supplement it with a stripped down $399 40GB PS3 that skips out on WiFi, a memory card reader and backward compatibility. Of course, Sony's not talking much about SKUs ever since its total PR disaster on the 60GB price cut during E3, but that doesn't necessarily mean the company is ready to take a page out of Microsoft's book and go all PS3 "Core" on us.[Via GamesIndustry.biz]
Are you guys blind? This would help Sony out a TON and actually put it in competition with the Xbox 360. The price on the Xbox and the graphics have made many PS3 fans change directions and buy an Xbox, just because 500 and 600 bucks was out of their price range. If they did this, they would inevitably get more sales which would mean better competition for the Xbox (making MS put out a higher quality box, though mine has never had a single hiccup or red ring after being dropped once and tipped numerous times and guess what... Launch console at that), and would also mean MORE GAMES FOR PS3 OWNERS. All you PS3 owners should be urging this type of move, because a core package is nothing bad. Its just gives you everything you need for that system at a cheaper price.
The only way to make the PS3 price drop to $399 is to replace the Bluray reader, and use the really cheap one that the xbox has, you know, the one that's really noisy and scratches disks.
Jokes aside, I think MS is really worried about the PS3 now. With all those titles launching, and Home coming in fall, it is no surprise that Vrignaud is trying to pull this stunt.
The sad thing is that MS should not be looking to compete with the PS3, but really with the Wii. What's next, Vrignaud? Tell Nintendo to ship a Wii SKU without the WIFI and the nanchuck?
@Zeus
I hear what your trying to say, but the fact of the matter is the demand for a stripped down sku is not in high demand. Yes, if they had a stripped lower price version, you would buy it. But unfortunately, you are the not the majority and so Sony or any business will not waste resources on a demandless stripped unit. Also keep in mind, those components spoken of (wi-fi, card readers) is not the bulk of the cost of the unit. So lets say SCEA decided to make this other unit, the money lost will be just/almost as high as whats being lost on every unit sold now(estimated $200). The Cell and RSX chip at 90nm is driving the cost as well as the diodes for the blu-ray laser. All three which would still be in a stripped unit. (In fact, while workin at a major retail store, demand for the 360 core was and still very low to compared to the premium 360.) Cost of these parts that some think to be excluded (wifi, etc.)do not cost that much and will not drastically cut costs. So going back to what everyone is saying here a second sku is not needed nor is the demand high enough to out-weigh the cost of manufacturing such a unit. Again 4.5 million PS3s sold and the majority were the 60gig model.
Here's my issue with what microsoft has to say. They have 4 to 5 different sku's of windows, they have 4 different versions of the 360s, basic, premium, elite, special edition simpson (rare yes, but still another sku). In my view they have zero room to speak on how many sku's sony has.
You guys do realize that in June the PS2 outsold the XBOX 360 270,000 to 198,000. Do you realize how pathetic that is for xbox, having a system from 2001 continuing to its next gen system in sales? Do you realize that all the new and current PS2 owners are waiting to jump on the PS3 once the price is right? Look at the gamestores. the Playstation wall is still 3x bigger then the Xbox wall. The Playstation transition is a much slower one then the Xbox. Xbox rushes crap out to try to get market share while Sony takes it's time and makes sure everything is right before it releases its systems. Look at the numbers folks, they don't lie. http://forum.pcvsconsole.com/viewthread.php?tid=11067
Its funny you should bring the sales up because that same ps2 is beating the ps3 in sales and actually its almost tripling the sales of the ps3 so like you said its pathetic that a system is beating a next gen system (PS3) and i own a PS2 and saw that the 360 is better and got one and i have no intention on buying a PS3
The Fact: Possibility of X Box 360 to brake down is 36%
Possibility od PS 3 to brake down is only 2%. think about it....
So what's with all this talk of dropping backward compatibility? That's an extremely important feature to me, and I know it is to a lot of other people as well. I think getting rid of it, or even half-assing it like with the 360, is a big mistake. And don't even pretend the older machines are just as good for playing those games. They're not.
Nobody wanted the 20GB "tard" version the first time, so why would they want it this time? The extra goodies are worth the extra $100.
Nobody wanted the 20G version for $500. I'd gladly take it for $299-350
T
I would agree the parts cost can't really come down much more. The WiFi isn't free, nor are card readers because they are good quality mechanical ones, but the silicon (CPU GPU) and Blu-Ray likely comprise most of the cost. Can't well remove those.
Even though it's in the old PS2, the EE has some cost as well.
Honestly, with 90% of next-gen games being cross-platform, Xbox Live kicking ass and a $100+ price difference, why even get a PS3? Maybe I'm old fashioned (or don't watch enough movies to care) but a game system is about games - screw Blu-Ray.
Sony had better hope a lot of FF and GT fans crawl out of the woodwork - if those games even ship anytime soon. Could be too little too late.
he almost got it right! wow!
http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/06/20gb-ps3s-on-sale-for-450-at-gamestop/
check it!