Sony says PS3 supply will be 'tight' over the coming months
By Donald Melanson 
posted February 12th 2010 7:02PM
posted February 12th 2010 7:02PM
We're guessing things won't quite rise to the level of shortages since during the Wii's heyday, but it looks like Sony is now sending a small word of caution to any potential PlayStation 3 buyers. As Joystiq reports, Sony's senior director of corporate communications, Patrick Seybold, says that while the company is working hard to meet consumer interest, "demand is tremendously high for the PS3 and we expect tight inventory in the coming months." As you'll recall, this follows some surprisingly strong sales for the PS3 during the holiday season (when it outsold the Xbox 360), although console sales in general expectedly slowed considerably down in January. As with Joystiq, we haven't yet heard any first-hand reports of the PS3 being hard to find at retail, but feel free to let us know in comments if you're running across any local shortages.
Des Moines game stop locations are sold out within 100+ miles (new and used) waiting since last sunday for a 120gb ps3.
"If you can find a PS3 anywhere in North America that's been on shelves for more than a few minutes, I'll give you 1,200 bucks for it."
-Jack Tretton
two things:
1. they are working on a better model; more stable, fixed bugs. or
2. perfect marketing strategy, working the old supply and demand economics plot.
just my 2 cents.
This is why I love Sony, they are so deep up their own asses, and they have no clue. On the other hand, maybe this time they know something we don't!
The ps3 has always had the capabilitys to sell I guess people are finally realizing how much better they are then xboxs
@Cc93
Or it could be the fact that one of its biggest franchises drops its 'next gen' version next month?
I think people who dont have a PS3 are starting to realize the true value here. Mine has yet to collect dust. My brothers 360 is broken somewhere under his bed, he sent it to MS twice already, same problem, very unreliable. If you dont have one save yourself the time and get one already!..Cowabunga!!!
@swanle or it could be that Sony outsold their production lines.
As for Halo Reach, it's going to be just like all the other Halo games, a game behind the times that has that "new game" cost and mediocre game style that was old after Halo 2. Oooh new(ish) armor, oooh completely nerfed shotgun, BAR, handgun, etc. I'd take stock in the other 360 releases coming though, namely from the shooter genre.
@swanle
With God Of War III coming out soon I would think the PS3 will be pummeling the 360 in the next couple-few months...
I still play PS2 because I don't have a HDTV set. Amazingly enough it has never broken down not once the entire time I had it, about 8 years now. HDTV sets are pretty affordable now, but I still see a room for a price-cut across the board in the next 6 months.
I work at Best Buy in the St. Louis market, and our entire market has had extremely low in stock quantities for over a month. It's only the 120GB that has had stock issues. We've never had a problem getting 250GB. We were told that it was a worldwide constraint, due to the company that makes their hard drives not making the 120GB quick enough. Not sure if that's still the reason for the shortage, but it was what we were told about a month ago.
Maybe this was a hint at a price drop...
or maybe Sony thinks that the price of the 360 and Wii are about to double and everyone will buy PS3s.
or maybe Sony is going to stop production of PS3s for the next few months.
Those are about the only reasons why the PS3s supply would decrease dramatically.
welp i work at target and the 120 gig models are sold out every time we get them in stock they are goneall that is usually in the case is one 250 but thats pretty much it the wii will sit for a few days then sell the 360 case is always full and also the psp & ds
Drum up all the false hype you want, Sony. I'm still not buying one.
nice try!
OH no what are we going to do?
Personally I won't buy a PS3 until Sony will make them PS2 backwards compatible. it bothers me too much. I agree with who says that is a marketing move.
I don't mean to be rude but the 'it's a marketing move' is pure idiocy. From the comments on this site alone you can read that the shortages ARE occurring. So a marketing trick means that not shipping as many IS the sneaky marketing plan. I can see them skeeming in their board room now, "Yes, yes {rub hands together manically}...we can sell millions of more consoles by not shipping them! We'll just close our doors altogether, sit back, and watch the money roll in {evil laugh-evil laugh}. That's just silly.
Best,
Kevin
I am a manager at a rent to own company and inventory with this ps3 madness is so tight I have a backorder going on for 4 months now and I don't see it ending anytime soon
It very well can be marketing. The PS2 is still in production because people still buy them, be it because there are great games on it or because of Sony's refusal to add official backwards compatibility to the PS3. They know it works, and they are most likely making less 120gig versions because they want to see if they can sell more 250gig models. I'm just glad it's a standard 2.5" drive and upgrading is damn easy.
ALL video game hardware companies play hardball with the consumers. I already bit on the Sony wagon a couple years ago when they offered $100 off any Blu-ray player and the PS3 was included... not to mention HD-DVD just died.
Sony wants to sell a ton of PS3s and TVs this year... because the 3D hype is now bigger than it's been in over 50 years and they're going to cash in on it late this summer.
Really?? I was at Target they had around 6 PS3, 9 Wii's and 3 360's...
This is actually not surprising to me. I recently bought a PS3 in Dallas TX. About 2 weeks ago, maybe 3. When i went looking, i went to 4 nearby gamestops, best buy and toys r us. ALL were sold out completely. I finally found one at fry's they only had 8. Pretty crazy, i wasnt expecting to run all over town looking for one.
I live in the SW Florida area and I couldnt find a 250gb PS3 for nothing. Some stores had maybe 1 or 2 120gb but thats it. Im talking about all the major retailers.. you know the walmarts, gamestops, best buys, you name it. To me this is not a marketing scam at all.. I was like wtf? Are PS3's that hard to find? My 60gb YLOD on me, got it fixed and happened again. Im jus gonna buy a new one before GOWIII hits stores.
I'm was looking at getting a WDTV and a blueray player, do you think it would be a better value to just get a PS3?
I already have a 360 and its really noisy while watching movies, are playstations silent while playing divx or blueray?
It's a strange thing but I have never been around or played a ps3, I have a psp that I rarely use....maybe if I bought a ps3 I could get some use out of it.
Sorry for all the questions, I really want to get the most out of my new TV as I was a HD virgin until recently.
Took me 5 stores to find one on Monday - definitely seeing shortages here.
I work in electronics retail, and we always seem to be running short on ps3s.
my neighbor went to gamestop and gamecrazy and they both were out,
hazleton pa
Great PR stunt by Sony. Well done! :/
I bought my PS3 3 weeks ago (in that time area) and I had to go to over 5 stores to find it. It was sold out almost everywhere.
Honestly, I've played the ps3, and I've played the xbox 360, the ps3 is only good for the blu Ray player, I already have a blu Ray player, so what the hell would I want to waist my money on this pile of shit. It has has good graphics, but the xbox definitly has better graphics, better online play, and far more games and features. It's very clear who the winner is; xbox 360.
I work at a Midwestern Target and we only have two PS3s in stock. If that helps. But, we usually get most of our electronic stuff on Tuesday.
Sony must be going really Broke if they need to resort to Nintendo 'marketing tactics'.
...Maybe its because they are still loosing money on every PS3 sold?
Wii Fit -- Get fit by buying a worthless console & actually MOVING while you watch TV! [Useless BUT it has The BEST STICK FIGURES in Town]
Ps3 -- Blu RAY [3 words HIGH DEFINITION 1080p ... & a Usable BROWSER!]
Xbox 360 -- GAMES & ONLINE Community! [Bill gates is in your living room]
ohh and this article...
Another comment....
Sony wants more $$... why not push the 250GB & decrease the 120gb.
If the cheaper 120gb is scarce PPL will naturally buy the more eXpensive 250GB.
@Rick Goodman
Well I also have a 360 and agree that from what I read the visuals are usually nicer than a ps3.....however an Xbox 360 can't play all your movie formats, it has no browser, has no remote play, you can't copy your movies and music over to the hard drive, needs an external device to connect to your wireless LAN, is very loud while trying to watch movies, has a proprietary hard drive which makes it expensive to upgrade.
These are all reasons to own a ps3 if you don't already, but if purchasing strictly for gaming then the 360 would be a better option IMO. I love my 360 but to say a ps3 is only good for Blu-ray is an uneducated statement.
My above comment was meant for LILFLIP321 not Rick Goodman.
I went to buy a PS3 last week at Best Buy (in Canada) no 120 gb slims, only 4 250 gb slims left in all the best buys and future shops in Hamilton and Toronto area. Went with 250 and it's great my gf went to buy one but they said they'd call when there was a shipment but it could be weeks
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