Sony reveals Uncharted: Drake's Fortune 160GB PlayStation 3, starts shipping new 80GB model

Well, color us surprised! Here we have yet another "limited edition" PlayStation 3 bundle, this time with Uncharted: Drake's Fortune packed in alongside a PlayStation Network voucher for PAIN, a DualShock 3 wireless controller and... a 160GB PS3 console? Yep, Sony's formally introducing us to the new king, which will start shipping to North America this November in the aforementioned kit for $499.99. Curiously, there's no word as to whether it'll be released separate from the bundle (we're guessing yes), and there's no mention of PS2 backwards compatibility (so don't count on it). In related news, the "new" $399.99 80GB version is finally shipping to retailers, so you should be able to snap one up in the very, very near future.

[ScOObyDoo @ Aug 20th 2008 12:20PM]

The PS3 is the Eee PC of the gaming console world.

[who? @ Aug 20th 2008 12:24PM]

Yeah, you are totally right! Practically brothers!

[icepop4who @ Aug 20th 2008 12:33PM]

i hope you were kidding. eee pc is one of the cheapest laptops... ps3 is one of the most expensive consoles; despite they cost similarly

[Ignatius @ Aug 20th 2008 1:07PM]

There's like 10 SKUs out there already...

Back at E3, didn't they say something snide about Microsoft being confusing about having 3?

[SirPasta117 @ Aug 20th 2008 1:46PM]

In all fairness not all ten are for sale at a given time. They seem to always have only 2 on the market.

[feffrey @ Aug 20th 2008 3:27PM]

I just don't get all these hard drive options for the PS3.
The PS3 hard drive is is easy to swap out why bother with coming out with new ones with bigger drives?
The only thing extra I want in a PS3 is full backwards compatibility with ps2 games.
I couldn't care less about hd space, I'll go buy a 250 gb drive off ebay for $50 if I ever need space.

[MarcBot @ Aug 20th 2008 12:23PM]

I wish console makers just allow consumers upgrade their own hard drives instead of buying a hole new console!! every couple months!!

[ai11237 @ Aug 20th 2008 12:24PM]

Actually with the PS3, any 2.5 inch laptop drive should work :)

[Billy @ Aug 20th 2008 12:37PM]

Sony even gives instructions on how to switch out the hard drive in the manual that comes with the PS3 and a backup/restore utility for saving to an external drive...

[Stevo @ Aug 20th 2008 1:06PM]

Whole.

[phanbouy @ Aug 20th 2008 1:11PM]

i didn't know Courtney Love made consoles

[Pepsipoint @ Aug 20th 2008 4:10PM]

Wow. Welcome to the revolution.

[loosely_coupled @ Aug 21st 2008 6:00AM]

FAIL

[Hellaphunt @ Aug 20th 2008 12:23PM]

I'm always JUST about to buy a PS3 finally but they keep coming with this stuff... when is a good time to buy one and which would should I buy?!

[Skemo @ Aug 20th 2008 12:27PM]

This is a great bundle if you have any desire to play Uncharted. IMO its one of the best PS3 games out right now.

[Vizeroth @ Aug 20th 2008 12:37PM]

The best one to buy is the one with the amount of backwards compatibility you are comfortable with. For some that's the cheapest one which has no compatibility, for others it's the discontinued 60GB model with hardware compatibility. In the middle somewhere is the 80GB, and we don't really know yet where this new one falls in the lineup.

Hard drive size has little to do with the whole thing, since you can upgrade the hard drive yourself if you find you need more space. The number of USB ports isn't very important, either, since you can use a standard USB hub to expand them if you need them (maybe you want to charge 8 controllers and use a keyboard, I don't really have much need for the number currently on my PS3).

I'm pretty happy with my 80GB, though perhaps I would have preferred to wait a while longer and get in on the price drop. The only thing I'm not happy about is the lineup of games, but everyone can figure out which system better serves them in that respect for themselves.

[NHAnimator @ Aug 20th 2008 12:38PM]

@Hellaphunt: I was kind of in the same quandary for a while. Decided I wanted BC, DS3, etc. and therefore waited for the MGS4 bundle. It also included Pain at no cost. It was also combined with the $100 Wally card. So if you choose to wait, shop around. There WILL be specials.

[TEHRON @ Aug 21st 2008 9:07AM]

the best time to buy is just a COUPLE of years from now when this goddamn system will be about 199 to 150. i know you might think thats far off, BUT trust me, it isnt at all. these companies are really noticing the lack of people buying their expensive consoles and if people like me and others hold out, they get cheaper and cheaper... add the fact that in the tech world, whats new becomes old pretty damn fast, so the ps3 will be low in price in no time. thin about it this way, how pissed do you think those people who brought the ps3 IN the beginning are now? the damn thing was like 500 to 600 bux!
now its getting lower and lower.

all the people who scrambled for the iphone when it came out, then got screwed when a new one came out not long after... hahhaha!!

my suggestion, dont get caught in the hype, ps3 aint worth it right now, the games can wait trust me, meanwhile xbox 360 is running the show, PLUS they are getting cheaper and cheaper with the console...hehehehehhe

[Hellaphunt @ Aug 20th 2008 12:24PM]

This would soothe my hesitance to buy one to begin with!

[Hellaphunt @ Aug 20th 2008 12:26PM]

Why are my replies posting as separate entries?

[ai11237 @ Aug 20th 2008 12:28PM]

One might argue that the 60gb launch consoles were the best SKU of the ps3 released so far.

[John @ Aug 21st 2008 7:36AM]

This is true; however, they were also the most expensive to buy. I don't think the $600 launch price dropped to $500 until they dropped the BC hardware. My 80 gig (motorstorm bundle) seems to work fine for my PS2 games. Also, while I'm not sure if they've done it yet, I know plans were in the works to go to 65nm chips from the 90nm they started with. I'd say dropping $400 on a console without BC is a pretty bad deal though. If nothing else, I love finally playing PS2 games with decent wireless controllers.

[xValentine @ Aug 20th 2008 12:33PM]

Nice.

Is it a "limited edition" or just a Bundle like the 80GB MGS4 PS3 bundle ?

And, why Uncharted ?

Yeah Uncharted is almost as epic as MGS4, but it's a little old to launch it's limited edition PS3 now.

They should have just used LittleBigPlanet or Resistance 2 instead.

[icepop4who @ Aug 20th 2008 12:34PM]

totally! Resistance 2. Maybe with a cool paint job too... awwww

[Billy @ Aug 20th 2008 12:40PM]

I'm guessing they saw a huge increase in sales when trophies were released and added to Uncharted. This bundle seems more like a "Trophy" collection starter system (PAIN has them too).

[xValentine @ Aug 20th 2008 12:48PM]

@Icepop4who

Yeah a new paint job would be nice, brown maybe ? since that is Resistance's main color.

But the price should be reasonable, unlike the semi-overpriced GunMetal MGS4 PS3 (Although I have one)

[ehisforadam @ Aug 20th 2008 1:33PM]

If they did an army themed olive drab Resistance 2 PS3, it might be enough to tempt me into a buying a second one, just because that would be freaking cool.

[bARRY l @ Aug 29th 2008 11:47PM]

I agree , why not bundle Resistance 2 with it since its coming in November when it releases! Uncharted is good but dated now.

[Tomheivers @ Aug 20th 2008 12:33PM]

I never saw anything that said it would be released in the USA in november!

They said it would be released in Europe on Halloween.
They also said all the new stuff would come to Europe first.

[Tomheivers @ Aug 20th 2008 12:36PM]

My bad, I'm confusing this one with the one announced in Leipzig (which has other additional features than this one)

[butterstud @ Aug 20th 2008 12:36PM]

I'm way glad I picked up the Metal Gear Solid 4 Special Edition when I did. 80 gigs is more than enough space and with backwards compatibility, well, who can argue with that?

[icepop4who @ Aug 20th 2008 12:38PM]

Awesome. Shipping the 80GB should give the XBOX 360 Pro a run for its money.

[jerbils @ Aug 20th 2008 12:53PM]

I'm not buying one until they put back the PS2 backwards-compatibility. And software emulation doesn't count, I want hardware support like the original PS3.

[Iridium @ Aug 20th 2008 12:55PM]

Wow, that is a good bundle. Sony should put a 20GB pre-installed Linux partition on this model with a Sony designed front end so you don't have to use a half assed internet browser. That would make it great.

Anyone want to buy a 60GB off me? $499 for a 160GB with Uncharted and a DS3 makes me want to sell my 60GB. The lower power requirements and less heat are worthwhile tradeoffs for the BC I never use.

[Tak @ Aug 20th 2008 1:06PM]

Iridium:

If you're serious, I'll take you up on that. The only SKU I'm interested in tracking down is the launch 60gigger.

Is this OK to do here or should we go to email?

[Oinquer @ Aug 20th 2008 12:56PM]

this is why i dont own a PS3...no backwards compatibility anymore...for the money i pay its a little bit too much...

[icepop4who @ Aug 20th 2008 2:02PM]

seriously... i hardly think that playing PS2 games is worth it now... All the great PS2 games have PS3 versions. Sony made a right move removing backwards compatibility, even though i can't say it's 100% right. You want PS2? buy one for $129. I seriously can't go back to SD gaming.

[Homeboy @ Aug 20th 2008 12:59PM]

Oh please, this is 2008. Stop talking PS2 backwards compatibility, it's really not a deceive feature since one does buy the PS3 to play SD games from 2004 on their $1500 home cinema. Those who want to play PS2 games already own one.

[Kimleng @ Aug 20th 2008 1:16PM]

I agree!

Backwards compatibility is like having Solitaire on a windows platform. Regardless of which Windows platform, IT ALMOST ALWAYS COMES WITH SOLITAIRE!!! Do most of us care that it has that game? NOPE! But, we like to know it's there. Can we live without it? YEP! Would we buy the next Windows OS if it shipped without Solitaire? Probably. What's my point?

When I bought my PS2, I thought it was so awesome that it could support PS1 games. However, if I counted the number of times I used it to play my PS1 games...I could do it using only one hand. When the 60GB PS3 came out, I had the same mentality. Then I looked at reality: I buy next gen systems to play next gen games. Remember when SNES came out? No one whined about how it couldn't play NES games. No one cared! The PS2 gave birth to backwards compatibility, the PS3 will be it's demise. Granted, I'm just one of a few million players who finds it moot, but I can't imagine too many other people would die without backwards compatibility.

[slightlyevolved @ Aug 20th 2008 5:58PM]

Wrong. I bought a PS3 to replace my dead PS2. I kinda wish I had the 60GB, but I've found that the 80GB has handles all my PS2 games except for Silpheed. And Silpheed is quite the oddball game. I think actually that might have more to do with the blue disc than the actual game though...

I had three reasons for the PS3.
1.) PS2 compatibility
2.) Blu-Ray
3.) DNLA media streaming off my Mac :)

[Terpy @ Aug 20th 2008 2:04PM]

I love solitaire.

[Chris @ Aug 20th 2008 2:15PM]

...except that who wants to take up 2 inputs on their $1500 home cinema so they can play all their old favorites? I have a Sega Genesis hooked up to my 32" Sharp Aquos - standard def games are still fun.

[Julian @ Aug 20th 2008 1:20PM]

Since when did the on/reset and eject 'buttons' have colouring?

[Jack @ Aug 20th 2008 1:33PM]

I'm so happy I got the original 60 GB. I don't need any more space than that and FULL BACKWARDS COMPATIBILITY, BABY! w00t

[icepop4who @ Aug 20th 2008 2:04PM]

do you actually use it, backward compatibility? PS3 games sucks that much for you?

[PSN_AN_LiveGUY @ Aug 20th 2008 2:01PM]

Yea, ive upgraded both my MGS4 PS3 to 160gb and my xbox360 core to 160gb, next is the wii, but im just scared to crack the case on that baby...

As far is SKU's go I think the MGS4 is the best so far IMO, it plays all my ps2 games no problem, even the first original crash bandicoop from ps1 which is also scratched to hell.

Dont get sucked into buying the new sku's every time they come out... u get suckered when u sell the older system and purchase the newer one... just go and look around for a hard drive size you like... most times u can find a 320gb drive under a hundred bucks and i just saw a 160gb for $60 at staples yesterday.

If u insist on getting a newer system for the power consumption thing... wait until everyone is positive that the new 65nm chips or whatever are on the market... PS3 uses the most out of all the systems while powered on in any situation except when in the idle mode. (less the 1w)

[AwlAmericanDawg @ Aug 20th 2008 2:19PM]

How did you manage to get 160 gigs onto your core 360? I thought the most you could get on that was 120 GB

[larry @ Aug 20th 2008 2:14PM]

I picked my new 80 GB up at game stop last night. No one else had them in stock yet. I bought it for the blueray player and the games are secondary. :)

[kal326 @ Aug 20th 2008 5:21PM]

Yep, that's what I'm looking for. This coming out killed all of the stock of 40GB PS3s and I didn't want to pay $100 more for a 80GB MGS4 bundle when what I really wanted was a good BR player. Now I get more space for the same price as the 40GB model, win/win I guess. Now just need to find a decently priced optical switcher as my receiver is currently out of free inputs.

[milton359 @ Aug 20th 2008 2:16PM]

So does anyone know how much power these suck up or is it still the 170ish watts like the previous models?