Straight from the floor of E3 —
Here’s what you need to know about the PS3 launch, straight from the conference floor: “Today we’re pleased to announce the global PS3 launch details. We will make PS3 available via a two-configuration plan. One with a 60GB HD. And the other with a 20GB hard drive. Japan’s date: Nov. 11. In Japan 59,800 Yen. The 60GB PS3 will have an open price which retailers will set. In North America [to launch Nov 17]: 20GB for $499, 60GB for $599. Europe has 20GB for 499 Euro, 60GB for 599 Euro. 2 million to ship worldwide during the launch window. 4 million by end of calendar year 2006. By March 31, 2007 they’ll have shipped 6 million worldwide.”
Any questions? Then start scrolling through the liveblog. You know you want to.
related link:
NY Times “blog” coverage
$499??? $599??? Yikes! I’ll keep my Xbox for a while longer.
Hmm at those prices I think I’ll be sticking with my PC. I don’t get this whole “need to have” thing with the Blue Ray.
People nowadays barely make it (I’m talking the bulk of the US, middle class), with gas prices rising, food, rent, the cost of raising kids, etc….I can’t see families being able to spend this kind of money on a gaming system – you’re talking $1000 with just a couple of games.
I would rather see a Dreamcast-style system with multiplayer capability, and more well developed games. Somethin tells me that poop, at extreme high res, bells, and whistles, is still poop.
OK, so what is the point? It is just another expensive toy. So is the X-Box. Sh*t people, get outside. Breathe in some fresh air. It’s spring time for goodness sake. Basketball and Hockey are almost done. If you want an expensive toy, get a bike and go for a ride.
I’m not surprised by this pricing and thing it will drop next year when supplies improve. I really thing this is smart on Sony’s part. Charge Ebay pricing when supplies are low. This way Sony gets the money and not Ebay sellers. This helps cover their loses they would normally suffer.
Agreed Jetfire. These prices are insane, but only make sense if they re just trying to capitalize on the early adopting Christmas crowd and do some severe price drops to the $300-$400 range by the middle of next year.
I’m patient enough to wait for prices to drop, but by then I’ll already have a 360, Wii and PC, so I may never get a PS3.
That box is ugly as sin.
#2 stick to the Wii.
is it just me, or are all the new consoles looking more and more like computer towers.. i swear that ps3 looks like my tower.
Price seems about right, to me – for what you are getting.
How much would a 360 -and- a HD DVD player cost?
Or a 360 and a Blu-ray player?
Kinda spendy, but early adopters won’t care much when the rubber meets the pavement and these things are on shelves… taunting them with their siren song. They’ll buy them. Oh yes, they WILL buy them…
People bitch about the prices of the 360 and the PS3, but who would’ve believed a $399 music player would sell like hotcakes either (and bring Apple back from the dead)? This thing has a helluva lot more technology packed in and there is more discretionary income out there than a lot of people realize…
This is ridiculous… the ps2 made a killing because it was the most prevalent DVD player when that format was finally gaiing mass acceptance. This pricing will only hurt sales of the PS3 and the Blu Ray format.
If Sony really is interested in the success of the PS3 and Blu Ray, they need to drop this price point soon so they dont lose out to the much cheaper competition.
But.. who really wants a HD-DVD or Blu-ray player? Who really cares about that tech? It’s more of a lame duck than Vista.
I probably won’t get a console until Christmas time, but out of the 3 players I’ll be looking at the 360 and the Wii, because they actually seem to be what I’m interested in… I’m certainly not interested in Blu-Ray or HD-DVD, and it’ll be a couple of years at least before I get a TV worth either of those techs….
… when the cheaper version is crippled like this one is, why would anyone buy the console? It’s not just the storage – it’s also unable to output HDTV, which negates the expensive drive, plus it doesn’t have other features. Crazy…
Sure its a waste of money, but so is a McMansion – people buy these things because they want them, not because they need them -> the people who complain the loudest about price are those that want it, but can’t pay – suck it up and live within your means.
Well, at that price, at least they probably won’t run out of machines at Best Buy like the XBox 360 did. I think that Sony learned a lesson from the 360 launch and will gouge early adopters, thus making big profits and keeping the techno-geeks from going home empty handed.
Wait a year and there will be more games as well as a big price drop. If I remember correctly, the PS2 dropped from $300 at launch to $200 within a year.
But I will have one, eventually. Who am I kidding, with PC games looking like they are dying combined with my distaste for M$, I may order mine tomorrow.
At least that way I won’t have to pay big $$$ for a multi-disc BluRay HD-DVD changer (I currently have a Sony 300-disc player that accepts both CDs and DVDs). I will use the PS3 BluRay for a couple of years before upgrading.
PS3 + BlueRay = DOA
I’ll stick with the Wii.
Hey look, the controller is back! Tekken is going to look sweet with an hdmi output! I can’t wait to get one of these.
If anyone is worried about the cost of the new ps3 don’t be. Because on Nov 17 I’m going to get mine for free, while everyone else is spending $500-$600 i just had to go to this website. and follow the three easy steps.
http://freesonyplaystation.com/index.php?referral=736798
I hope it helps you out as much as it did for me.
what does the real ps3 controller look like the boomarang or the classic?