Sony cuts 20% of PS3 price...only in Japan.

Bounty · Post by **Bounty** » 2006-09-22 05:20am

I thought people would buy it regardless of price?

Sony is to cut the Japanese cost of its forthcoming PlayStation 3 console by 20%, the consumer electronics giant announced in Tokyo on Friday.

The price cut is aimed at boosting the launch of the machine and making it more competitive with the Xbox 360.

The price for the North American and European launch will stay the same.

The surprise move will see the 20 gigabyte version of the PS3 sell for 49,980 yen ($430) when it goes on sale on 11 November in Japan.

No changes to the price of the higher end model - 60GB version - or European and US prices were announced.

Gaming community

Sony has previously been criticised by the gaming community for the high cost of the new console. The lack of an announced price cut for the US and Europe markets may also raise some gamers' ire.

In the US, the system with a 20GB hard drive will cost $499, while a model with a 60GB drive will cost $599. European pricing is 499 and 599 euros respectively.

The new Japanese price puts the console in the same range as the basic Xbox 360 machine combined with an add-on HD-DVD player, which cost 49,600 yen together.

Sony hopes the price cut will deflect criticism after a series of delays to the PlayStation 3 console, concerns about price and apathy from some gamers about the capabilities of the machine.

When the new console is released in November it will compete with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and the Nintendo Wii.

Nintendo's new console will cost 25,000 yen or lower in Japan and $250 (£133) or less in the US, while Microsoft's Xbox 360, which went on sale last November, starts at $299 in the US and £209 in the UK.

PlaySatation boss Ken Kutaragi, speaking on the opening day of the Tokyo Game Show, also said that all 20GB consoles would come complete with an HDMI connection, important for playing high definition graphics.

Previously, Sony had said that only the top end 60GB model would come with the connector.

High definition

He said that it had now become apparent that there was a need for the high definition capability.

Mr Kutaragi also took the opportunity to apologise to games developers for delays in the release of the PS3.

The new console was originally scheduled for launch in Spring 2006, but technical hitches postponed the worldwide release until November this year.

Earlier this month, Sony was also forced to announce that European gamers would have to wait until 2007 to get their hands on the next generation console after delays in production.

Japanese gamers will be able to buy the console from 11 November. More than 200 of the consoles are on display at TGS.

"What is important is that we get more consoles sold to make up for the price cut and get more game makers and chip makers in our camp," Mr Kutaragi said at the conference.

No further delays

He said the company's focus was now on ensuring that no further delays occur.

The announcements were made in a question and answer session following Mr Kutaragi's keynote speech at the opening of TGS.

The speech, titled Next Generation Entertainment created by the PS3 was almost devoid of any announcement about the new console.

Instead, Mr Kutaragi took the opportunity to outline his vision for a future of networked gaming and game development.

He told the audience that game developers need to innovate and be prepared for a new generation of networked gaming in the future.

He told the games industry that advances in computer hardware and internet services could change the way games are made.

Gamers' content

Content generated by gamers, such as digital photos and video, could be harnessed by game makers, he said.

In addition, data such as digital maps of the real world and blueprints of new cars could be used to make more realistic and cheaper games, he said.

"You might think this is a long way off, but it is not," he said. "If the data is available, we can utilise it."

The Tokyo Game Show takes place from 22 to 24 September at Makuhari Messe conference centre in Chiba near Tokyo.

Cao Cao · Post by **Cao Cao** » 2006-09-22 06:49am

Sony: Because bad leadership is not unique to the west!

Netko · Post by **Netko** » 2006-09-22 07:30am

This news reads to me like they are aware that they are too late and overpriced to win (at least in the short term) this round of the console wars and are, as such, conciding market dominance of areas outside Japan to MS and Nintendo. On the other hand, they are hoping to maintain at least Japan where the Xbox has had problems gaining market share.

Honestly, almost every news I hear about PS3 makes it sound worse - and quite a few of them are corporate missteps, not technical (the latest being this). Sony might have jumped the shark on this one.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2006-09-22 11:54am

Fuck Sony.

Nephtys · Post by **Nephtys** » 2006-09-22 01:56pm

This doesn't make sense to me. Why are they doing this in Japan, where their only competition is the wiiiii, a completely differently focused machine? Why not in the States, Europe or anywhere else where the 360 has a signifigant advantage in time and increasing popularity?

Cao Cao · Post by **Cao Cao** » 2006-09-22 02:02pm

Nephtys wrote:This doesn't make sense to me. Why are they doing this in Japan, where their only competition is the wiiiii, a completely differently focused machine? Why not in the States, Europe or anywhere else where the 360 has a signifigant advantage in time and increasing popularity?

Because Ken Kutaragi is a moron?

Darth Fanboy · Post by **Darth Fanboy** » 2006-09-22 02:24pm

In other news Darth Fanboy is 20% less likely to purchase a PS3. Eat shit Sony. You had your chance at my business, I chose Playstation over Saturn/n64, I chose PS2 over XBox and Gamecube. Maybe when the PS4 comes out or the PS3 drops significantly in price ($100-$200 from what it will be at launch) i'll give it a look, but I'll probably be pushing 30 in either scenario.

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2006-09-22 02:37pm

Nephtys wrote:This doesn't make sense to me. Why are they doing this in Japan, where their only competition is the wiiiii, a completely differently focused machine? Why not in the States, Europe or anywhere else where the 360 has a signifigant advantage in time and increasing popularity?

I'm guessing it's an effort to consolidate their hold on Japan, and to enure that they'll get game developers on their side. Also, when you're selling machines at a significant loss, your direct costs are not the only thing that can drive your pricing strategy. I'm not sure if this is true, but it's conceivable to me that gamers in Japan buy more games/console than in the US and Europe, justifying a lower price point because Sony will then have a reasonable expectation of recoving their losses with more game sales.

Vendetta · Post by **Vendetta** » 2006-09-22 04:23pm

Nephtys wrote:This doesn't make sense to me. Why are they doing this in Japan, where their only competition is the wiiiii, a completely differently focused machine? Why not in the States, Europe or anywhere else where the 360 has a signifigant advantage in time and increasing popularity?

Possibly because they're reckoning Nintendo are going to fuck them harder there than anywhere else?

Or maybe they're hoping that Japan will fall for the great Gran Turismo HD con, which unless the Famitsu article is wrong is looking like the biggest pile of steaming shit yet. (you get two versions, analogous to the old Arcade and Career modes, one has 30 cars and two tracks, the other has no cars or tracks and they're all paid downloads.) I don't mind paid content on top of existing content, but all the content as paid extra? Fuck that noise.

Sharp-kun · Post by **Sharp-kun** » 2006-09-22 06:13pm

Vendetta wrote:
Or maybe they're hoping that Japan will fall for the great Gran Turismo HD con, which unless the Famitsu article is wrong is looking like the biggest pile of steaming shit yet. (you get two versions, analogous to the old Arcade and Career modes, one has 30 cars and two tracks, the other has no cars or tracks and they're all paid downloads.) I don't mind paid content on top of existing content, but all the content as paid extra? Fuck that noise.

From what I've heard thats a developer choice and not Sony.

Sharpshooter · Post by **Sharpshooter** » 2006-09-22 06:25pm

Sharp-kun wrote:From what I've heard thats a developer choice and not Sony.

Yeah, but Gran Turismo's developer's one of Sony's in-house teams, inn'it?

Still the biggest load of bullshit I've ever heard of, though.

Vendetta · Post by **Vendetta** » 2006-09-22 06:34pm

Yes, Polyphony is actually part of Sony Computer Entertainment.

Arthur_Tuxedo · Post by **Arthur_Tuxedo** » 2006-09-22 07:20pm

Bethesda says: "Hey, I've got an idea. Let's put out a game and then charge 2 or 3 bucks for insignificant little upgrades and rake in the cash."

2 months later...

"Awesome! It worked."

Sony says: "hey, i got t3h idea lol1 let's do what btheesda did but make EVERYTHING that way"

2 months later...

"haX!!1"

Vendetta · Post by **Vendetta** » 2006-09-22 07:25pm

Arthur_Tuxedo wrote:Bethesda says: "Hey, I've got an idea. Let's put out a game and then charge 2 or 3 bucks for insignificant little upgrades and rake in the cash."

Even Beth got raked over first time, because the Horse Armour was maybe a little bit too insignificant.

The later DLC for Oblivion is pretty worthwhile though, there's some nice shiny stuff in there.

TheMuffinKing · Post by **TheMuffinKing** » 2006-09-22 08:04pm

Yep, the console wars were lost in my home as soon as the 360 was released with zero competition (hardware wise). Now all Microsoft has to do is get their shit together and release some fun games and all will be great!

Medic · Post by **Medic** » 2006-09-23 03:17am

Darth Fanboy hinted at it, but I'm gonna say what I think needs to be said: why is there not a stronger movement to compare the PS3, yes, even at this stage pre-launch, to the Saturn?

I mean, in 1994 dollars, that thing was like $500 IIRC? This one is gonna be $600 for a fully armed and operational bat-- ... Playstation.

Being a mindless FPS-bot, Microsoft's Xbox games will cater to my American interests; when the price drops, I'm sold on X360 more than anything else [little expensive to pursue both computers and consoles IMO].

Arthur_Tuxedo · Post by **Arthur_Tuxedo** » 2006-09-23 12:02pm

Vendetta wrote:
Arthur_Tuxedo wrote:Bethesda says: "Hey, I've got an idea. Let's put out a game and then charge 2 or 3 bucks for insignificant little upgrades and rake in the cash."
Even Beth got raked over first time, because the Horse Armour was maybe a little bit too insignificant.

The later DLC for Oblivion is pretty worthwhile though, there's some nice shiny stuff in there.

Still too insignificant for my money. But even though I wouldn't even consider buying any of those add-ons, a lot of people apparently feel different, as it seems to be working out quite well for them.

Making the whole fucking game that way, on the other hand, can only end in utter failure, especially if the total cost of everything is over $600 like the article said.

R.O.A · Post by **R.O.A** » 2006-09-24 09:45am

My opinion of the PS3

Fuck Sony, Wii60 for the win

Cao Cao · Post by **Cao Cao** » 2006-09-24 09:52am

Arthur_Tuxedo wrote:
Vendetta wrote:
Arthur_Tuxedo wrote:Bethesda says: "Hey, I've got an idea. Let's put out a game and then charge 2 or 3 bucks for insignificant little upgrades and rake in the cash."
Even Beth got raked over first time, because the Horse Armour was maybe a little bit too insignificant.

The later DLC for Oblivion is pretty worthwhile though, there's some nice shiny stuff in there.
Still too insignificant for my money. But even though I wouldn't even consider buying any of those add-ons, a lot of people apparently feel different, as it seems to be working out quite well for them.

Plus that only really works for the 360 version of Oblivion because they have a captive audience. The sales of these mods on the PC are quite poor I hear, seeing as modders can produce similar and superior plugins for free.
Suffice to say that doing everything this way is like shooting yourself in the foot, as Sony most certainly does not have a captive audience.
Even Sony diehard developers like Konami will switch systems with enough incentive.

Post by **Ghost Rider** » 2006-09-24 10:46am

Saddest part is I've seen a good part of a few gaming hell...forums that still have people going "When MGS4, you'll be sorry!".

Sony could've asked for a baby, and I know people who are fanatic enough. As for Sony's reason, I suspect the Wii reason is likely the best one, given that Japan is not recieving the bulk of Sony's PS3 first shipment.

Edward Yee · Post by **Edward Yee** » 2006-09-24 12:34pm

To be honest, I thought that whoever (Ken?) said that the PS3 was prolly too cheap was crock full of shit...

Sadly, I'd rather hold onto my PS2 than get a (region-free) PS3 at this point.