News 60GB PlayStation 3 to be discontinued in US

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2007/07/13/60gb_playstation_3_to_be_discontinued/1

 

They just don't get it, do they! People will not pay that much for a games console! The reason the PS2 was so successful was its value for money. Sony, just bring the f-ing price down!

 

I find it intriguing that it was SCEE (that's EUROPE folks) talking about the US market. You never see that happening with anyone else, especially Nintendo and Microsoft.

 

Sooo... an extra 20GB of space is worth $100? or am i missing something obvious?

Look on online shops for hard disks and you'll find the price difference between 60gb and 80gb notebook drives (the PS3 uses these right?) is virtually nothing.

Shouldn't sony be including 120GB drives for that money? At least then it'd be a noticeable difference...

 

A fine point sir

 

I think theres a reasonable chance that the HDD manufacturers would want to discontinue the production of the 60gb drives and producer bigger, more profitable drives and so would be offering sony a bigger size at equal or a bit lower prices to incentivise a switch. Sony of course cuts its own costs a bit by removing the emotion engine chip from the new U.S. units.

It makes sense for them to want to offload all of the 60gb consoles before the 80gb units become available or (outside the US anyway) nobody will want the 60gb ones.

It might be a cosy deal for the HDD manufacturers and sony - sony keep getting the excuse that you are getting more with each successive upgrade so they can keep the price high for a time, whilst HDD manufacturers get to offload old stock of HDD's in successively bigger sizes ? all whilst offering some units at lower prices to boost market share a bit and generate a bit of good publicity.

Edit add : Or I may just be getting very cynical these days ;p

 

haha, so its not a price cut after all

sony pay 5$ extra max for the 60 -> 80gb, and then remove the PS2 inside it, apparently worth about 25$ to them, and keep the price the same. it costs you the same, but sony are probably now making even more money out of you !

 

Yes they wont more money.

Its not much of a price cut but at least the us get one.

 

Gah! Why Sony, WHY! You were starting to get the frikin picture and then you went and F'd it all up!

 

You know what, I'm actually past the point of being mad at Sony. Right now, all you can do is laugh. Every time they take 1 step forward they fall 2 steps back.

 

I thought you were pro-sony?

 

I think he, as am I, are indifferent. Sony's alright. This stunt involving the European market and the PS3 is just a blemish, I hope. Overlooking that, they've provided us with exceptional service and quality merchandise for many years prior. It just seems to me that the PS3, their trump card, turns out to be their antithesis.

 

I thought you could put your own hard-drive in the PS3 anyway?

 

I wouldn't go so far as to say I am "pro Sony" just that I think the PS3 is a good system and represents a lot of value. It's just that every time Sony does something good, they screw something else up. There's no way I'm gonna be able to get a $499 60GB model before they sell out. What I'm hoping for now is for Sony to stop selling the motorstorm+extra controller package and release a "bare bones" 80GB box for $499, and I'm not expecting that to happen until around or after the holiday season.

 

At least according to Engadget, this story is actually a misinterpretation of something some Sony guy said:

http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/13/sony-says-499-60gb-ps3-is-staying-alive-alive-in-us/


At least according to that article, the $499 60GB PS3 is NOT being discontinued in the US.

 

*lets out a sigh of relief*

 

That engadget piece has been updated with confirmation from the third sony CEO that the 60GB model has indeed ended production.

The comment there about the three sony CEO's acting like the three stooges made me chuckle I have to say.

 

Stop pulling on the strings of my heart, Sony!

 

huh well I guess its time for me to buy a PS3 60gb model while there are still some left.