PS2 price cut fails to impress [Update 2]
The reaction to yesterday's PS2 price cut has been one of disappointment on two levels:
1) Sony could or should have brought the price down to $99.
This comment from Resident Gamer is a typical example of this opinion: "So why is Sony being so picky about moving it to the $99 mark? Not like everyone doesn't have a PS2 already (he's got a point, Sony's sold over 100 million of 'em). But they need to make it so that anyone else who might be a new gamer can easily get into playing at a low cost and enjoy the large body of games PS2 has." Like we mentioned in our earlier post, the reason Sony didn't go for the symbolic "under $100" price point is most likely because of the PS3. With E3 just around the corner Sony will want all the attention to be on their next-gen effort, rather than on their console that was six years old last month (the PS2 was released in March, 2000 in Japan).
2) Sony's price cut excludes Europe, Asia (but not the Middle East, Hong-Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malysia and Thailand), Australia, South America and Africa.
Even though the cut is only a modest $20, Sony has told the BBC it isn't planning on reducing the UK price (although certain areas in Asia -- see above -- will be getting the cuts along with North America, the rest of the world won't). Considering the UK price is currently a very strange £104.99 (£5 less and Sony could use the "under £100" marketing line), Sony's decision not to cut the price in other areas around the world seems quite illogical. Also, by not matching the cut in Europe, Sony has made the price gap (see also: Xbox 360 Euro price gap, PS3 Euro price gap) between North American and European prices even more apparent.
Not everyone's unhappy about Sony's handling of the price reduction. After all, no-one's forcing Sony to reduce their prices. Kev50027 over at Engadget had this to say: "Even though I just got a slimline PS2 a few months ago, I'm glad the price was dropped, I know several people who still don't have one, and this might change their decision on whether to get one or not."
[Thanks, Po0py]
[Update: the PS2 was released in Japan in March 2000, not 1999 as previously stated. Thanks, mis]
[Update #2: According to Sony rep Kim Otzman, the Middle East, Hong-Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malysia and Thailand will also see North America's $20 cut.]
