Sony Corp. announced a revised PlayStation 3 console Monday with a bigger hard drive for storing downloaded content such as video games and high-definition movies.
The new $599 PS3 increases the system's storage capacity from 60 to 80 gigabytes and also includes a retail copy of the online racing title ``MotorStorm,'' a company spokesman said.
Starting Monday, the current 60 gigabyte model will cost $499 _ a $100 price drop.
The larger capacity machine won't be available in the United States and Canada until August.
It plays into the company's upcoming strategy of eventually offering downloaded high-definition movies, video games, movie trailers and demos, Sony spokesman David Karraker said.
Karraker said further details on high-def movies for download would be released at a later date.
The announcement comes two days before the E3 Media & Business Summit in Santa Monica, Calif., where dozens of industry heavyweights including Sony rivals Microsoft Corp. and Nintendo Co. are expected to show off their latest games and related products.
In April, Microsoft began selling a version of its Xbox 360 with a 120-gigabyte hard drive and a souped up high-definition video connection. Called Xbox 360 Elite, the black-colored system sells for $479.99.
Xbox gamers who already own the $399.99 20-gigabyte model can buy a snap-on 120-gigabyte hard drive for $179.99.
Karraker said Sony would use the E3 show to focus on two areas: ways to increase the number of consumers who own PS3s and other products such as the PlayStation Portable handheld system, and expanding the system's library of available games.
He said Sony would be releasing 100 new video games during the current fiscal year, including 15 titles that are exclusive to the PS3 such as the hack-and-slash action title ``Heavenly Sword.''
Contest:
11:16 PM on 07.08.2007
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The Motorstorm attachment to the 80 GB isn't a bad deal.
This is just stupid IMO.
This is just stupid IMO.
Everyone on the planet knew about the price drop. It was silly for Sony to try to make a big announcement of it.
Guess they wanted to appear as if they were doing gamers a favor?
The price cut makes me want a PS3 a bit more, but with the release of the newer version, why would I settle?
Plus, Motorstorm takes up a big chunk of that extra Benjamin right there.
Always make it seem like whatever announcement you're making is the greatest thing to ever happen since the invention of the fleshlight.
In other news, the sky is reported to be blue at times.
Most people rip on the PS3, but deep down inside we all want one. Many of us are just pissed at the way Sony spun it. Also, it was way too effing expensive.
I already have a PSN account (thanks to SuMizzle) and I may get a chance to use it before the year is up! Speaking of... Sumo, I still need to get over to your place and finish Resistance. Soon maybe? I'll invite Bob!
now if the 360 goes from $400 to, say, 300, WHOOP-DE-DOO!
anyway, even though the PC seems to be taking the back seat in the media, it's gonna have one heck of a fall/winter...and at least you can do productive stuff with it (well, [i]could[/]).
so, no, the price drop really doesn't make me want to buy a PS3.
I still need those games though before I even consider it.
Good that the regular thing is seeing a price drop already. That way maybe it can drop again by the time something worthwhile comes out for it.
So really, the 80GB option seems a bit redundant to me, but then the PS3 seems a bit redundant with the selection of games at the moment.
Ahh, yes.
"commence to complaining about a price cut"
come on people. think what you want about it, but it was bound to happened and it happened i less than a year of its release. i payed full price at launch and i don't feel cheated. don't go too hard on them.
Sumo, I will. Bob is here now, actually. He says hai!!!
yawn...
A new expensive PS3 with a slightly larger HDD and a game that's as much a one trick pony as Excitetruck?
... (oh, caps lock, there it is)
YAWN!
Seriously. If I had that 60GB PS3, I could toss the 60Gb and get a 80GB drive off the shelf for $50. Motorstorm is $60 or less for anyone who knows how to shop around. Way to pass the savings along Sony. Now people will jump at the chance to save $10 like crazy. Oh, and they'll be out a spare 60GB drive too.
And they'll jump to buy the new 120GB PS3 next year with Sixaxis Dual Shock 3's for $599 right? It'll be the one bundled with Heavenly Sword.
The price did just drop on the 60 gig, but will the 60GB go the way of the 20GB and get phased out due to the 80GB actually costing Sony less?
In terms of comparing it with the 360 Elite, Sony hasn't dropped their price at all, and still only has a hard drive 2/3 as large as the Elite.
Sony is weird. And fucked. I have no clue what they have up their sleeve for E3, but it better be more than FFXIII and Home.
LittleBigPlanet looks cool, everything else is either on 360 or can fuck off. (ie: Lair, Heavenly Sword)
Petal Rear is my only dealbreaker, I would buy any console to see Otacon piss his virtual pants, but all signs point to yes on a 360 port.
Gonna be a crazy week in gaming.
Oh, no doubt. But there are 3 things that urk the fuck out of me.
1) The price
2) The lack of game and
3) Sony's deceptive practices
While 1 and 2 will be solved eventually, 3 is really bothering me. A lot of people wont put up with that shit in real life, so will they put up with it AND give them $499 in the process?
I'll say today what I said yesterday. If someone manufactures a BluRay player without a PS3 attached to it for less than $300 I'm sold and the PS3 is all but dead in my eyes.
Sony screwed up this generation. Microsoft got things right for once, and Nintendo is very slowly bringing their A game to the table.
The Xbox 360 has proven itself to be a mighty workhorse. DVD player, HD DVD capable (hopefully BluRay too), HDMI capable, wireless controller standardization, media streaming (I'm watching Monty Python and the Holy Grail right now that I ripped and converted 3 hours ago from DVD at full NTSC resolution from my iMac), Xbox Live, AND they've got Dead Rising. And some Haloes, too I guess.
Microsoft is on track here, and Sony's trying to catch up, but they're about a good year or more out from being anywhere near as competently put together on the PS3 as MS is with the 360.
As much as I'd like to disagree, that's probably true. I bought a PS2 for $200 not expecting much from it, and it quickly became my favorite system ever. To me, game design is more important than the controller or the price, so I'll most likely get a PlaySlycooper3.
Still, a $300 launching price was competitive for the PS2, and I still waited for them to get the bugs out of it before I bit. I refuse to pay more than $400 for a PS3. I'll be hanging on to my wallet for a while.
The BIG deal concerning a price drop is to get more developers on board. Nobody wants to write software for a $600 console, hence, the drought. I really do want to see what Cell can do.
Still, it was stupid for Sony to say a price drop wasn't being planned. They could've just kept their mouths shut for a few days. I guess there's no guessing what will happen when the PSP redesign rumors start showing up again.
Sony was banking on the PS3 to be their trojan horse for BluRay, but 80% of the general public won't care until it hits a reasonable price (HD-DVD already has). The only thing that could carry Sony until HD catches on is games, but unless Sony pushes Konami to get Metal Gear out the door for this Xmas, then people will buy a 360 or a Wii and Wal-Mart will have millions of dirt cheap HD-DVD player this holiday.
Unless stupid consumers willfully ignore reality, PS3 is screwed. Sony better knock it out of the park at E3.
This does not make the PS3 a logical choice, especially when the 360 version and even the Wii version of Madden 2008 run at 60fps, but the PS3 is only 30fps.
Also, I loved Factor 5 in the N64 days, but Lair looks stupid to me. Just thought I'd toss that out there.
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/articles/soapbox/soap060107.html
These guys have been reporting on DVD trends since 1996 and I trust their opinion heavily on all things Home Entertainment. HD DVD is cheaper now for a sad and unfortunate reason it seems, and as much as I love my Xbox I think it's miserable what MS seems like they're doing with the HD DVD component if it's to be believed.
I can wait it out either way, but I'm banking on on a cheap BluRay to show up in the next year or two. I didn't sit out on DVD's long, thankfully and I don't really want to here either, but I won't waste money on a PS3 to get in on the BluRay thing.
Sony screwed up this generation. Microsoft got things right for once, and Nintendo is very slowly bringing their A game to the table."
yep, MS sure got things right this time, 33% of system brick and rising. Loved Forza2, too bad it made my console brick on the same day.
I guess those 2 weeks u spend without a console is great for RL activities :)
The PS3 (and its lack of games) is a bigger threat to BluRay than HD-DVD is, even though BluRay is in the PS3
Damn, that was a pretty interesting read, thanks for that.
And I agree, if Microsoft is siding with HD-DVD just to muck up the format market and indirectly push digital distribution...
I say shame on Microsoft.
Y'know... I'm really starting to see the logic behind the whole 'M$' thing.
Well Blu-Ray seems to be doing just fine to me, despite the PS3's efforts.
I was under the impression Toshiba did everything it could to get a unified format, and Sony said "no, we want all the candy to ourself and we'll even make it a non-choice for consumers" by jamming it in the PS3 for $600
Microsoft on the other hand could give a shit, they could easily make a bluray add-on, and left the choice up to the consumer ultimately.
And yes, digital distrobution is the future, and Micrsoft seems to be doing just fine, to quote you deiga.