Oh its an issue in these harsh economic times. That $250 Wii/$200 Xbox 360 price will look mighty shiny to parents this holiday season. Yes, game consoles will survive the crisis but some will do better than others. I'm saying PS3 in third this Christmas.

Just put in the damn patch that gives back the backwards compatibility to the newer PS3s and you've instantly given the PS3 more than a thousand quality games on the cheap.

I'm holding off on a PS3 not because of the price but because, I am finally begging to embrace my Wii and DS again. I will wait until next year for one once my gross national product grows a bit more.

I agree with Sony. As long as the console continues to sell at the current price there is no reason to lower it.

Well, my parents just bought me an 80GB PS3 for my 17th birthday, and we're not exactly rich, either. I guess they're just awesome. Blu-ray and LBP were major factors, I think.

price is always an issue...people that don't care about blue ray will always buy 360 for the huge price difference.

Is it really surprising that a company representative is spinning the lack of a price cut, even in the face of a major price cut by the competition? The guy has no choice but to put over the company he works for.

I think they are going to get crushed this Christmas.

I was just talking to my wife last night about how if my 360 is gonna die(been acting up) I'll buy a ps3 next. But $200 more? For a guy like me with a family that IS a lot of extra money.

I don't think it's such a great leap from 360 to PS3. From the Elite, it's only a £70 hike, which also gets you a blu-ray player.

A cursory examination of Amazon tells me there isn't a Blu-Ray player for less than £150, £20 more expensive than the jump from Standard 360 to PS3.

This is going by the PS3 80gb version, because it has a DualShock controller. I haven't included the Arcade pack because even MS will stop selling them (after announcing everybody needs a HD for the new Mii-Clones).

I got a PS3 because it was a good all rounder. I still have plenty of games I need to play on PS2, Wii, GC, so I don't mind that PS3 isn't flooded with games; in fact I'm glad it isn't.

But I also have an excellent up-scaling DVD, and upgradable Blu-Ray player, that doesn't make any noise at all.

And with sales showing PS3 software is dominant for a lot of companies, SONY might actually be turning it's big mean turkey of a grilling machine around!

And this is why Sony fails :P

Wow, a bunch of babies on here. Good thing you guys don't run businesses....they wouldn't last a month.

Xmas is the time of year when the price of things are less of an issue to parents (wow much were people paying for Elmo's, Furbees, Wii's, Cabage Patch dolls above the MSRP?). Parents will spend the extra money to get a PS3 if that's what lil Johnny really wants. A price drop of $50-100 will not help Sony bring in a significant amount of additional customers to offset what they'd lose for selling at that price. They've done the business cases and forecasts and have found this strategy will make them more money....which is why they are in BUSINESS. They may come in third, but if it's still a profitable Xmas, then they win. They don't care about Qty sold, they care about PROFIT.

@TorpedoTed

Funky! where'd you get hat deal? It's £180 on Amazon, with no free films. Using their prices...

£160 + £180 = £340 > PS3 + (potential) 3 for 2 on their selection of BluRay.

But even at your deal...

£160 + £130 = £290 == PS3

Assuming 360 also bought today.

Besides which, using 1 power socket, 1 hdmi slot, wireless internet, are pretty good ideas for an entertainment system.

@JustLikeBuck

It was from a place called Lakys, i think all sony Bluray player you get 2 films when registered.

The all in one thing is a down side in my book, i have seperates for my stereo aswell its just better!! Id rather have a seperate DVD player, more reliable, will last longer and generally better parts...but thats just me

Also the PS3 is MASSIVE and doesnt stack well, where as my bluray player is the size of a regular player...

You can get a 360 from ASDA for £160 with PES09 and Fable 2 i think, sell them and ud get at least 50 quid... so that plus a DVD player is cheap...

Just sux for people that like PS3'a that they wont drop the price especially now Blu rays are becoming much cheaper....

@0bshaky - it's pretty obvious that you have one sided view of the subject. I totally understand what you posted as far as cheaper alternatives...but Sony doesn't have to answer to just consumers, they have to answer to stock holders too. I would love to see a PS3 at $199 bucks, but they'd go out of business shortly after. They have to hit a balance, and this Xmas, leaving the price as is, is the balance Sony thinks is a win for the PS3 as a BUSINESS. If you don't think they've weighed the pro's/con's of that situation, then you obviously don't understand anything about how business cases are put together or how the economy works. What I've seen (and I'm sure Sony has as well) is that price drops by the 360 haven't adversely affected the PS3 numbers year on year. This means that PS3 customers are not as price sensitive as many fanboys on here think, and that the Playstation brand name still means something. Will the PS3 sell less than the other 2 this Xmas, I'm sure it will, but Sony has to do what is right for them.....even if it doesn't sit right with you or what you think.