Sony Confirms 40 GB PlayStation 3 for North America

[Andy Chalk]

Sony Confirms 40 GB PlayStation 3 for North America

PlayStation 3 [http://www.sony.com]console in North America in time for the holidays.

The new version of the console will go on sale November 2, and is expected to retail for $400. The widely-expected move follows the introduction two weeks ago [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/77642] of the same version of the hardware for the European market. The lower-priced system, along with having a smaller hard drive, also lacks a memory card port, offers only two USB ports and will not be compatible with older PlayStation 2 titles.

"We're choosing to focus on the PlayStation 2 consumer with the PlayStation 2, which remains incredibly relevant," said Sony Computer Entertainment of America [http://www.us.playstation.com/] President Jack Tretton, "and focus on the PlayStation 3 consumer with the new 40-gigabyte model and the great software coming out."

At the same time, Sony also announced it will cut the price on the high-end version of the console, reducing the price on the 80 GB PlayStation 3 to $500 from its current price point of $600. The reduction comes as part of Sony's efforts to boost disappointing sales of its flagship console over the holiday season.


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[ZippyDSMlee]

ha ha ha ha sorry you FAIL, no BWC no buy no way no how,unless you sell the PS3 for 100$ then I would get one,both you and MS need to stop dcking with the consumer,leave BWC alone and ms needs to unlock the god damn HDD already..

 

[Arbre]

They don't fail that much, imho. Still, I want to buy a PS3 with all the stuff, and I'll wait, but I'm less than a minority here, really.

Many seem to be disapointed by the lack of retrocompatibility and other things, but let's weight these removals appropriately.

Here's a bit of blabla I initially planned to post in another thread, but which will end here, as it ended on a chapter about the Starter Pack:

[...] tell me that the people who still bought PS2 four years ago were still very concerned about retrocompatibility.
At the beginning, it's an interesting function, especially if the parent console is quickly shifted out, but on the long term, when there's a fresh catalog to tap into, retrocompatibility becomes a vanishing shade of former interests.
Which console of this generation really achieved full retrocompatibility anyway?
After a second thought, considering how the PS2's still rocking the house, why raise the PS3's price by including a PS2 inside? Many gamers already have one, and if you need one, they're cheap.

Yes, the PS3 has flaws. High price, meagre catalogue, not the best Network system you can think of, a reliance on a format which, right now, is not sure to get the upper hand in the home video format war, contrary to what people thought months ago - and the Starter Pack is a bit too sreamlined, though not that bad in fact.

But above all, it's a complex machine, but that's not the real problem. It is one at the start, but people broke it for the PS2.
The real issue is that Sony didn't make sure there would be enough games on it, soon enough.
Yet, consumers have already shown the will to split their throats to spends an expensive amount of money, as long as the games on a console are good. After all, Nintendo has been raping its fanbase for decades, and no one really complained.
We've seen how a new PSP could get succesful just because of one hit.

[...]

The PS3 is just too expensive for the moment, but prices will drop. In fact they already do, to extents which are impressive. When the console will gain higher momentum in Japan, it will have worldwide effects.
Here are some announced and actual prices for the various PS3 models in Japan:

20 Gb, 44,980: 272 ?.

40 Gb, 39,980: 242 ?. Starter pack, which also comes in white ceramic, with dualshock 3 (november 11th, for the anniversary). Including free Network IIRC. For reference, Amazon.jp lists the Wii at 31,480 (they have a bundle at 35,757 with Wii Sports), with the 360 at 36,860 (the Halo 3 pack is at 54,780, and the slimmest pack at 28,310).

60 Gb, 54,980: 333 ?. Listed at 52,231 at Amazon.jp.

The SP is not that bad, after all. Removing the PS2 is a choice I understand for an entry price, but the memory card slot, not sure about that one. Two USB slots less, maybe, I admit I don't see the point of having four of them, safe for the joypads, but the Sixaxis is a wireless controller by default.
There are two USB ports left, so maybe it's possible to plug some USB key down there. I never tried. I know many some people love to carry their saves and configs to a friend's house.
They also removed the SACD support.
The console needs a good boost, and it can only get support from gamers anyway. Essentially, the Starter Pack is that. Not perfect, but still enough concessions made to bring the price down

Then comes LittleBigPlanet, and after this part, in three months, more or less, Metal Gear Solid 4.
Maybe Final Fantasy XIII will be out before, or after MGS4, I don't know. But that one will be a hit as well. Let's count Gran Turismo 5 as well. I'm not a fan of this series, but many are.
Then, there's still the FFVII magic card: same game, with shinier graphics. No matter how lame that could sound, it would sell a lot (the Crisis Core craze is just a sign of what's to come).

Of course, I'm citing exclusives, leaving aside the big hits that will make it on the 360 as well, but in the end, they're much less relevant.

[...]

Remember, the console appeared first in november 11th 2006. Even in Japan, she's not even one year old yet.

[...]

The message is: give the PS3 some time.

[...]

I'd go as far as say that buying a PS3 this christmas may be a tad too early, as far as Europe is concerned. The killer apps are planned for 2008 (yep, cause right now I don't feel very sporty at singing "It's raining games allelujah!" for this console as much as I do for the PS2). Then bundles will roll. This is how I see things happen.

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

Arbre
I want a solid system for about 400$ no BWC no buy, I can't even bring myself to buy a 360 yet not with the ahrdware issues it been having, the PS3 has potential and should shine in acouple years but for now the games and sonys dckign about is not helping me say "hey lets buy this up!"

 

[Arbre]

These machines are expensive. Is the 360 even generating revenues, now, or is Microsoft still selling them at a loss?
All high tech systems need to mature. That's why I never rush onto the big ones. The 360 is only having stable hardware components now, to deal with former heat issues.

You can buy the Wii, eventually. There are traditional games which are good on it. Okay, if you're tired of the likes of Mario, Zela and Samus, it will bore you, but there are concessions to make. That said, the games will still be expensive.

The Wii is the only console that is already mature. Which is a bit worrying in fact, cause on the long term, I don't know if this is supposed to mean anything good. Nintendo capitalizes a lot now.
The 360 still has some market shares to grab, notably in Japan, and the better hardware will make it more tempting. No more BS about heat issues.
The PS3 is really entering the first stage of what I see as "starts to get interesting" era.

What to say, safe that you still need to crack your purse to get the best stuff?

 

[imcaseyimhott [deprecated]]

PS3 is a great system, and with the pricepoint at the same as a premium 360, I know that I'll be purchasing the PS3 instead. Most people lack experience with both, and I don't mean a couple days or hours in a gamestore, but actual experience. I've had a PS3 available to me for a few months now with constant gaming, along with a 360 also. The only game I played on the 360 was Guitar Hero 3 afterwards.

At the same price as the 360, the PS3 sales should jump up quite a bit.

As for Nintendo, they are making 70$~ a pop per Wii if I remember correctly. Nintendo was always the best company, but it just took them awhile to quit attempting at being gimicky. (cartridges on 64 and mini-dvds on gamecube).

As far as backwards compatibility with the PS3, who cares honestly, most of us own PS2's anyways... The only system that seems to have flawless BC is the Wii anyways (what a surprise).

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

PS3 is a great system, and with the pricepoint at the same as a premium 360, I know that I'll be purchasing the PS3 instead. Most people lack experience with both, and I don't mean a couple days or hours in a gamestore, but actual experience. I've had a PS3 available to me for a few months now with constant gaming, along with a 360 also. The only game I played on the 360 was Guitar Hero 3 afterwards.

At the same price as the 360, the PS3 sales should jump up quite a bit.

As for Nintendo, they are making 70$~ a pop per Wii if I remember correctly. Nintendo was always the best company, but it just took them awhile to quit attempting at being gimicky. (cartridges on 64 and mini-dvds on gamecube).

As far as backwards compatibility with the PS3, who cares honestly, most of us own PS2's anyways... The only system that seems to have flawless BC is the Wii anyways (what a surprise).

Not really they'll wait for the PS2 compatibly ,or another price drop, they wont sell more than 4milloin a year at this rate.

the WII only needs BWC for DS and GBA stuff

since MS has not put enough effort into BWC the system is still 150$ more than I am willing to pay for it,least thats with the awful build quality of it.

BTW the mini dvd discs are a form of protection its not a gimmick, sega used simuler stuff,the cartridge system again was not a gimmick but a format derision a bad one to boot.

Sony is going double duty with the BR discs, media,size and protection didn't last long for protection tho LOL

the PS3 dose have the most potential in the long run but they need to stop dckign around with the consumer and offer more for less like everyone else, and by droppig the 40GB altogether and making the 80gb 450 that will do that.