Europe getting 40GB PS3 bundles packing Gran Turismo, Blu-ray movies

While we chew on that incoming Metal Gear Solid 4 80GB PS3 (with DualShock 3) in the States, Europe has a pair of SKUs of its own to look forward to. Sony's hitting with a "movie bundle" on March 19th that includes Spider-Man 3, 300 and Casino Royale on Blu-ray, along with a 40GB PS3, all for the regular €399 price. If you can wait until March 29th, for the same price you can nab a 40 gigger bundled with Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. Both bundles promise to be quite appealing, but apparently neither come packing HD cables, which could be a bit of a hangup for those ready to make the Blu-ray plunge. GT5 box art is after the break.

[Via PS3 Fanboy]

[John @ Feb 28th 2008 12:46PM]

If you think that's appealing, obviously you're not abreast of the current exchange rate.

[Mike @ Feb 28th 2008 12:49PM]

No kidding. I'd much rather buy a PS3 at $399 US than for €399.

I think the dollar hit an all time low value against the Euro since it's introduction in 1999.

[Sean D. @ Feb 28th 2008 12:50PM]

Yeah, that's $600! Zoinks!

[Homeboy @ Feb 28th 2008 1:01PM]

For us in Europe €399 for a console is normal it's just you Americans with your monopoly money who are looking at our prices with disgust. Thing over here are not more expensive, it just that the dollar is worth crap now. Mind that when the Euro was introduced, it and the dollar was more or less 1:1 worth the exact about of money.

[ssuk @ Feb 28th 2008 1:36PM]

Good luck finding an importer with balls enough to sell you a US/JP PS3 unit. Sony well and surely saw that no importer would touch them after Sony took down Lik-Sang over selling PSPs to Europe. Sony has taken advantage of this as much as possible. I love being a PAL region'er.

[Film_geek @ Feb 28th 2008 1:55PM]

At Homeboy

Funny you should tease the value of the American dollar when a PS3 cost $400 in America and €399 in Europe. Last I checked that puts us at a 1:1 ratio.

A moron is a moron, no matter where you are from.

[Pistolgrip @ Feb 28th 2008 2:03PM]

Yes because when the dollar weaken, Europeans get salary cuts

[Alex Kirby @ Feb 28th 2008 3:45PM]

@ Film Geek
Just cause we make more money than you guys over there doesnt mean you have to be mean. A dollar is like half a euro.

[Aguiluz @ Feb 28th 2008 3:59PM]

WHAT? That 40 GB with no BC!? No way! No WAY!

[Poom @ Feb 29th 2008 6:01AM]

Film geek, you're the damn moron. Where have you been, seriously? You know that the exchange rate is about 2 Dollars per 1 Euro now, right? -_-"

It's just the high taxes and stuff in Europe that makes electronic stuff more expensive.

[Mauricio Cuenca @ Mar 24th 2008 5:15AM]

The announced date is March 26th, not 29th. My girlfriend bought me a PS3 on USA for $399 and it works really fine, the only thing I need was a voltage regulator, it works with a PAL TV using the normal video cable and also works in my HDTV through HDMI. Also I can play region 1 and 2 games.

[Sean D. @ Feb 28th 2008 12:49PM]

"... apparently neither come packing HD cables, which could be a bit of a hangup for those ready to make the Blu-ray plunge"


If you can spend €400 Euros on a PS3, you surely can shell out another €2 for the HDMI cable...

[oGMo @ Feb 28th 2008 12:57PM]

Seriously. Especially when you can't tell whether someone will need HDMI or Component. Would they rather *add* $10-20 to the pricetag when all you need is part of that? Think, people.

[Alex Kirby @ Feb 28th 2008 3:47PM]

Who would buy a BLU-RAY bundle and NOT need an Hdmi cable? I paid 15 euro for mine and it isnt even a good one. I think Sony is wrong here they should bundle one in, or at least bundle one with HD TVs

[Poom @ Feb 29th 2008 6:05AM]

I didn't enjoy having to go buy a separate HDMI cable either, like most PS3 owners I know. Yeah, they all go buy HDMI later. When you are willing to buy a PS3, it's very likely that you already have a HDTV to enjoy all the High Def graphics, which is only possible if you have a HDMI cable. It really should be included, no excuse.

[mattclarkie @ Feb 28th 2008 12:49PM]

Is the 40gb Chrome, because I was sure that it had the matte finish of the 20Gb.

[holycow @ Feb 28th 2008 1:46PM]

Yea its not chrome...

[Mog @ Feb 29th 2008 9:15AM]

The 40GB model does have the same chrome trim as the 60B and 80GB consoles. Only the 20GB had the matte black trim.

[Barry @ Feb 28th 2008 12:52PM]

That's cool but how many different versions do they need?

[ssuk @ Feb 28th 2008 1:39PM]

It's the same version as the last 40GB PS3 but bundled differently.

[Andrew @ Feb 28th 2008 2:30PM]

Still none with BC on this side of the pond - wish they'd give us that, rather than films

[Boynamedsue @ Feb 28th 2008 12:52PM]

I hate it when i see those value bundles of two or three dvd's at best buy, with two movies you want to own and one that sucks, or it's one you already own.

this gives the frustration of that with the added bonus of a huge ass sticker price.

[JayVe @ Feb 28th 2008 2:05PM]

I agree completely.

Here's an interesting note too:

"the system board design of the Saturn was not as easy to condense in a cost-saving manner and Sega fell behind after price drops offered by Nintendo and Sony. This forced Sega to "bundle" more software with the system in an attempt to make the more expensive Saturn competitive with its rivals. Although the quality of the bundled software was high, gamers preferred to purchase a cheaper system from the competition and purchase game titles of their own choice instead."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sega_Saturn

The PS3 is much like the Sega Saturn. It is difficult to program for due to its complicated multi-=processor architecture. That same fact means it is more difficult to reduce production costs, making price a 'weak point' of the system. Sony, like Sega of old, is attempting to package software in an attempt to add value to the too-expensive hardware.

[KangMin @ Feb 28th 2008 12:54PM]

Why doesnt PS# stop making bundles?
instead of shoving multiple products together
why don't the just lower the price and
sell the ps3 alone?
if the price is reduced, so many more people will buy
especially after the format war...

[oGMo @ Feb 28th 2008 1:02PM]

If you'd taken time to actually think before posting, you'd realize that these aren't the "forced" bundles full of crappy games that *E*vil *B*adguys force you to buy. This is essentially more for the same price. They'd be charging you the same price, anyway, but to sweeten the deal they're throwing in more stuff.

A lot of people are going to buy GT5 _anyway_, so why not get it in one convenient, cool red box?

[SimbaDogg @ Feb 28th 2008 1:40PM]

because including movies that are made by your own studio, really doesn't cost them much. including a game thats made by your own studio, again doesn't cost them much. dropping the price of the console even $50 is probably a far worse business decision for them (in terms of maximizing sales/profits)....i think they know what they're doing.

[ether @ Feb 28th 2008 4:54PM]

Yep. I used to work for a DVD production company, for films they owned the rights for it cost them about a dollar and some change including packaging to pump out a DVD, high definition formats were a few dollars more and they didn't produce near the quantities of those titles that those Studios do. Probably costs Sony all of 8 or 10 bucks to throw in 3 blu-ray's and a game - but, I'd rather get $140-150 bucks worth of blu-ray's and games than save 50 bucks on the system. If you don't like the DVD's sell them for $20 bucks a pop on craigs list or ebay...can sell the game too and add it to savings on your PS3. Pretty much win win for either party. I think that bundle above is pretty nice, those are all great movies...and who the heck doesn't want to play Gran Turismo at least a few times?

[KangMin @ Feb 28th 2008 12:54PM]

PS3*

[Matt @ Feb 28th 2008 12:56PM]

Umm, and the games are where for this game system?

[Sarcasticone @ Feb 28th 2008 3:05PM]

Douche.

This is PS3's year.

[Krono6 @ Feb 28th 2008 3:18PM]

The thing I don't get is, most people were bashing the PS3 due to the games lacking greatly, and how Blu Ray just wasn't as necessary for gaming as Sony put it out to be.
Now that the PS3 is getting alright sales, if it's just for a Blu Ray player that can play games, I don't see what the fuss is. Isn't this what everyone wanted in the first place?
Sure the PS3 is losing exclusives left and right, who cares. Blu Ray has won the HD format wars, and the PS3 is a cheap player (It also plays games..).

[timatl @ Feb 28th 2008 4:13PM]

you are correct. it is not great for games but it is a great blu-ray player.

[KangMin @ Feb 28th 2008 12:55PM]

first, i read it as 'spiderman 3,300' (three thousand three hundred)
lol

[primetime4 @ Feb 28th 2008 12:58PM]

I was just thinking that it would be awesome if the GT5 bundle came with a PS3 that looked like the front end of that GTR. That would bad ass.

[Scott @ Feb 28th 2008 1:06PM]

I'll buy that GT5 bundle. $100 extra for backward compatibility is not worth it. And I also have no problem with Sony bundling the movies since blu-ray is one of my main reasons for getting the PS3.

[CosterMonger @ Feb 28th 2008 1:10PM]

that's PROLOGUE as in the preview you pay for, better of waiting until the FULL version comes out

[CosterMonger @ Feb 28th 2008 1:36PM]

"Gran Turismo 5 Prologue features 16-player online races (starting in Christmas 2007), 37 cars, 5 tracks, and 7.1ch (LPCM) high definition sound"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gran_Turismo_5_Prologue
http://ps3.ign.com/articles/813/813424p3.html

for those GT-heads {own a steering wheel} that can't wait it is a 'no-brain-er', but for people who only want the full version are better off waiting.

[Scott @ Feb 28th 2008 3:12PM]

Looks like GTA5 Prologue is has plenty of options for the casual user (see their website). To be honest I was never really able to get into the expert levels of Gran Turismo and actually succeed with huge winnings.

I figure the GT5 bundle beats the Spiderman 3 bundle anyday. Putting that movie with the PS3 was in a word *silly*.

[Magnulus @ Feb 28th 2008 1:22PM]

Huh. I was under the impression that "GT5 Prologue" was its own game alltogether, not a preview demo version. Granted, I haven't been paying much attention.

Anyway, the movie pack consists, for once, all of films I have yet to see but that I've been planning to see for a while, so I'm game! I'll have to put it on the wish-list for my wedding. ^_^

[pablot @ Feb 28th 2008 1:10PM]

aaargh.. give me dualshock 3 already!!

[Galley @ Feb 28th 2008 1:11PM]

One bundle contains $90 worth of movies, the other has a $40 game. Do they sell for the same price?

[gillsans @ Feb 28th 2008 1:17PM]

If they had a GT5 bundle in the US, I'd buy it tomorrow. Screw these Spiderman and Metal Gear bundles. They might as well take a dump in the box!

[Zak @ Feb 28th 2008 1:25PM]

I'm with you. A GT5 PS3 bundle would cause me to buy one right now, this instant. I'd buy one with Casino Royale bundled too, but GT5 FTW.

[sam @ Feb 28th 2008 1:21PM]

they should include a hdmi 1.3a cable, what a joke not including 1!

As for the movies they can be bought very cheap 2nd hand, ppl shouldnt state their retail prices. As for prologue it aint the full game, they are trying to fool the unknowing to think it is by bundling it and changing the box art to it. Not nice sony. Wish hd-dvd won:(

[CosterMonger @ Feb 28th 2008 1:28PM]

THREE MOVIES, THREE!, 1-2-THREE!

VERY impressive marketing.

obviously people still don't understand that hardware cost money to make {in the case of PS3 at cost}, Blue-Ray Disc in cases with artwork are like $2 each {or less} {the movie cost money to make as well, but since it's marketing sony movies they can get away with it} getting people started on their blue-ray collection is a good way to get people to buy blue ray movies as well.

[Hax Or @ Feb 28th 2008 1:42PM]

But there's no DVR. It's missing a critical piece.

"Nintendo Wii outsells PS3 4-to-1 in Japan" And will continue, until Sony gets a clue.

[Mathew @ Feb 28th 2008 3:16PM]

re: Hax Or

Sony must have gotten a clue last November...check out the Engadget article titled "PS3 turns one year old, outsells Wii in Japan last week"

http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/16/ps3-turns-one-year-old-outsells-wii-in-japan-last-week/

[Joe @ Mar 3rd 2008 1:15PM]

you people are forgetting that PS3 games are still crappy, and that blu-ray movies are 3 times the price of 720p dvd's.

[Hax Or @ Feb 28th 2008 1:38PM]

SONY: CLUELESS.

If this thing had a DVR I would buy it. I want it *all*-in-one set-top box. It's missing DVR... so it's garbage.

When will companies learn? This is a half-$%#'d product.

[CosterMonger @ Feb 28th 2008 2:38PM]

so otherwise your saying you'll bye one once play-tv comes built-in?