PS3 Pricecut/Bundle/Slim Megathread - ALL articles and speculation in here please

[Maximus]

Like the title says.

New bundle in Best Buy this week: PS3 80GB, DS3, Killzone 2, Metal Gear Solid 4 - $399

http://kotaku.com/5305883/ps3-bundle...gs4-killzone-2



________________

Tecmo ask for a price-cut:

http://www.computerandvideogames.com....php?id=218823

CEO of the newly-formed publisher Tecmo Koei, Kenji Matsubara, has said he "would welcome a price cut for PS3", and has made his request known to Sony in past meetings.

"Whenever I discuss this with Sony reps I always ask them: 'Please cut the price', but I don't have a clear view on Sony's situation," Matsubara told CVG during an interview.

"Yes, from a publisher's point of view we would welcome a price cut for PS3, and we are waiting, definitely," he added.

"It's definitely a way of boosting the PS3 market, but it's Sony's strategy and I don't know their cost structure. Sony introduced cutting-edge technology in the PS3, that's why people in the industry accept that the PS3 cost is so high, but we'd welcome a price cut."

________________


Activision Demand Pricecut:

http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2009/06/activision-sony/

Kotick implied that if Sony doesn’t lower the cost of the console, Activision may reconsider its ongoing support of the PS3 — as well as the PSP handheld system — when looking ahead at 2010 and 2011.

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PS3 Slim:

http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/30/s...ivery-in-july/











http://www.mcvuk.com/news/34892/PS3-...-in-production

Fresh rumour and speculation claims that second version of PS3 has been signed off

It was the big pre-E3 rumour that never happened, but talk has once again emerged of a slimmed down re-imagining of Sony’s PS3 console, with claims that contracts with manufacturers have now been finalised.

Joystiq reports that two Taiwanese manufacturing companies, Foxconn and Pegatron, who already enjoy contracts to make the current PS3 have signed off deals to begin producing the new version.

Furthermore, the site claims that the process is well underway with the first shipments leaving the warehouse later this month in preparation for a ‘summer’ rollout. Sources have previously pointed to an August or September release.

All of this remains nothing more than speculation at this point. Whilst Sony has a history of altering its console designs as life cycles progress, to do so now before the generation one machine has seen any sort of discount would certainly be a surprise.

Any talk of these subjects outside of this thread will be merged in. If there is big news, a moderator will change the title of the thread, please don't make a new one.

[Icemage]

Ok, Max, I'll bite. What do you know about this?

The rumors flying about the Internet (and yes, they are rumors only and should be treated as such), are that Sony is getting ready to launch the first major revision to the PS3 ("PS3 Slim") as early as this fall.

If such a thing is true, then they'd need to flush the retail channels of the existing product - and attractive deals like this would be one such side-effect. It's not confirmation, but neither does it disprove the rumor.

I know you've been dropping subtle hints for months about Sony's cost-cutting on the manufacturing side; is this rumor at least plausible, given what you know?

[XundeadhunterX]

Max the Killzone 2/MGS4 bundle looks familiar. i got my partner a PS3 from target and it came with Resistance and Motorstorm so thethat one looks familiar and very possible

[XundeadhunterX]

Oh and i did hear about Best Buy offering a PS3 bundle after E3 so this must be it

[saprano]

Ok look here.

Sonys clearing out stock of the current PS3's. current PS3's will drop to $299 in the fall. PS3 slim launches in november.

OR

The slim will be priced at $399 until the cheaper old models clear out then the slim will drop to $299.

Regardless, the slim and a price cut is coming this fall.....shit just got real.

[Cyorg]

Wow, that PS3-slim is ugly. Whatever, if it's cheaper it'll boost sales considerably, and that's what matters.

[sardaukar1977]

wow, that is one ugly unit, geez. not even shiny. Is is any better then the existing ones?

[androvsky]

Note: PS3 Slims may look better when fully assembled and properly photographed

[sega_smasher]

Originally Posted by androvsky

Note: PS3 Slims may look better when fully assembled and properly photographed

and finally, someone with a good post.

people are complaining about the slim ps3 being ugly when it isnt assembled AND we dont even know if thats even a credible image(s).

i hope the slim rumors are true, that way we can see a drop in current model's pricing. i could use a second one...

[neos_peace]

Personally I think the slim looks sweet. Id envite that into my home. I just hope if this is al true. It is backwards compatable. Then I'll diffently bite.

[Soulblazer]

July without announcement on Gamescom in Cologne? TGS?

http://www.psbeyond.com/news/UDN-say...July.1153.html

[androvsky]

So Hon Hai Heshuo got 50% of the orders, Foxconn had 2%... seems like somthing's missing. Interesting Foxconn only had 2%, aren't they historically one of the cheaper Playstation builders (with somewhat less quality)?

Edit: Assuming any of that's correct, of course.

[XundeadhunterX]

Originally Posted by saprano

Ok look here.

Sonys clearing out stock of the current PS3's. current PS3's will drop to $299 in the fall. PS3 slim launches in november.

OR

The slim will be priced at $399 until the cheaper old models clear out then the slim will drop to $299.

Regardless, the slim and a price cut is coming this fall.....shit just got real.

exactly!

[silverado]

Originally Posted by saprano

Ok look here.

Sonys clearing out stock of the current PS3's. current PS3's will drop to $299 in the fall. PS3 slim launches in november.

OR

The slim will be priced at $399 until the cheaper old models clear out then the slim will drop to $299.

Regardless, the slim and a price cut is coming this fall.....shit just got real.

Ya, ok, Link please!!!
I need some confirmation on this. If this is just pure speculation, then why wouldn't you mention the price drop on the hottest console in the world today??
I gara-damn-tee that the other consoles will follow suit right behind Sony and market more aggressive. Sony is losing money hand over fist on EVERY sale of the PS3 and you want them to lose more money?? You should run a business. LMFAOROTF

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by androvsky

So Hon Hai Heshuo got 50% of the orders, Foxconn had 2%... seems like somthing's missing. Interesting Foxconn only had 2%, aren't they historically one of the cheaper Playstation builders (with somewhat less quality)?

Edit: Assuming any of that's correct, of course.

Well Japanese consoles all get built in-house, so that's 10-15% of regular production. One would assume that this wouldn't change if the slim were to release.

[Simplayer]

Originally Posted by silverado

Ya, ok, Link please!!!
I need some confirmation on this. If this is just pure speculation, then why wouldn't you mention the price drop on the hottest console in the world today??
I gara-damn-tee that the other consoles will follow suit right behind Sony and market more aggressive. Sony is losing money hand over fist on EVERY sale of the PS3 and you want them to lose more money?? You should run a business. LMFAOROTF

It is pure speculation. But why would Nintendo necessarily want to drop it's price when the PS3 does? I can see Microsoft doing so, but unless Nintendo starts seeing a decline in their sales due to Sony's price drop, I don't imagine the Wii will get a price cut. Even if they did, they start bundling and offering new colours first.

They may not need to drop the price of the original PS3 if their bundles get help them clear the channel before the Slim arrives. If they do have to drop the price of the original PS3 to clear space, it may hurt them a bit. It's not like the Slim isn't slim for a reason though, it'll cost less.

[Simplayer]

Originally Posted by Maxpower1987

Well Japanese consoles all get built in-house, so that's 10-15% of regular production. One would assume that this wouldn't change if the slim were to release.

Seems kinda silly. I thought they were trying to rationalize more.

[Soulblazer]

Originally Posted by Simplayer

They may not need to drop the price of the original PS3 if their bundles get help them clear the channel before the Slim arrives. If they do have to drop the price of the original PS3 to clear space, it may hurt them a bit.

Those units that are left in the retailers are no loss for Sony. They have already sold their PS3s to the retailers.

And I can also see Microsoft dropping the price but it will hurt them more. If they continue to drop their price people will have second thought. It will reminds them of the original Xbox when PS2 was still more expensive than Gamecube (yes, Nintendo dropped it from $249 to $99) and Xbox (from $349 and down to $149).

$299 is the best price on the market for a Playstation 3 which is built for the long term. People will see it clearer with that price, especially in Japan that PS3 hasn't done that well cause of it's price. People over there still complain about the expensive price when they are used to PS1's and PS2's price at 29, 980 yen at highest. Blu-ray market in Japan will take off when PS3 have reached that price.

[Toxa]

[joenostalgia23]

I think it looks ugly right now.
The font isn't the one used on the System right now.
It doesn't say Playstation 3 on it.
The SONY logo is awkwardly placed.
I think this is either a knockoff, or it really is just a prototype.
I hope this is a prototype.
If they made it more rectangular and less square, thicken it, and give it a glossier outer shell, it would look great.
It'd look kind of like Samsung's Blu-ray players, who's designs I really like.

actually, the photo also makes the design look rough and not as elegant as the current model, so it might look better in real life.