Sony is almost assuredly phasing out 60GB PS3 in U.S. (OP update)

Lunker

UPDATE 2: And there's the game.

Hedgethorn wrote: »

For what it's worth, Joystiq just got an updated quote from Dave Karraker where he completely contradicts what he said just a handful of hours ago:

Update 3: According to Karraker, "The 60GB PS3 will be available in North America for $499 until supplies of that unit are depleted. We have ample inventory to meet the immediate needs of consumers in this territory for several months to come. We won't be making any further announcements regarding our hardware offerings in the North America at this time."

UPDATE 1: Now SCEA is denying the entire statement.

PS3 60 Gig Phase-Out ‘False’ Says SCEA
SCEA has denied 'inaccurate' reports that its $100 price cut on the 60Gig PS3 is simply a move to clear stock before offering solely the higher priced 80Gig version

A spokesperson for Sony in the US told Next-Gen, “"As announced this week, SCEA's product offering in North America consists of a 80GB PS3 available in August at $599 and a 60GB PS3 available now for $499. We have will have ample supplies of both models to meet the needs of our consumers for the foreseeable future."

Officials at Sony Computer entertainment Europe – including president David Reeves – had said that the US price would still be $599 because that would be the only model on offer once 60Gig stocks ran out. If true, this would have rendered the $100 price cut a virtually pointless gesture, meaning that PS3 had not been cut in price, but was simply being offered with extra memory and a bundled game.

SCEA has reacted with puzzlement to the European perspective, suggesting that there may have been an incorrect interpretation. The spokesperson said, “Those quotes [published by a UK-based game industry website] from David Reeves are not accurate. He said that if they had lowered the price in Europe, that territory would have run out of their current inventory by the end of July.”

Previously, a senior PR at Sony in London had backed Reeves statement, confirming that he had been talking about the US market, though the PR later distanced London from the remarks, telling Next-Gen, “I believe that is the plan, but SCEA has not formally made an announcement on any timeframe. As it affects the US you should confirm with SCEA.
”

SCEA subsequently denied the story entirely. However, questions will now be raised about the company's long term plans for the 60Gig version and for its $599 / $499 pricing strategy.

ORIGINAL POST:

I'm pretty sure this requires a new thread.

Sony discontinuing 60GB PS3 in America, sticking with $599 80GB model.

'All they're doing is taking their stock and marking the price down'

SCEE president David Reeves has told GamesIndustry.biz that the 60GB PlayStation 3 will no longer be available in the US after stock sells out - which he predicts will occur by the end of the month.

Reeves was speaking at an E3 event to announce the introduction of a new PS3 bundle in Europe. When asked about possible criticisms over whether SCEE should have given consumers the option to pay a lower price, as SCEA has done, he replied, "Well, they're not really are they, because what the US are offering from the 1st of August is a USD 599 version with one game.

"All they're doing is taking their stock in trade that they've got at the moment of the 60GB model, marking the price down and it will all be gone by the end of July."

When asked to clarify if this will mean the end of the 60GB model, Reeves answered, "In America, yes."

SCEA announced a USD 100 price cut for PlayStation 3 earlier this week. A new 80GB model will come bundled with a copy of Motorstorm and will retail for USD 599.

The full interview with Reeves is now on GamesIndustry.biz.

Video of Kaz Hirai saying similarly (at 1:41).

Well, again, just from a hardware perspective, the 499 dollar price adjustment that we did for the 60 GB version, for the american market, uh, we're no longer in production for that product, so uh once that product is gone from the retailer shelves, then we're back to the $599 SKU only, so it's not like we have a two price strategy here in the US market. We found out very early on, you know, consumers react mostly to just having one SKU as opposed to two.

I think I hear the Looney Tunes music playing the background now.

Goatmon

Wow. And here I thought Sony made a smart marketing decision. Well, at least they're being consistent. >_>

FreddyD

Well, the existence of a better SKU automatically decreases the perceived value of the lower priced one. So this move is not surprising.

Rook

Are you sure this isn't just the 60gig with the Hardware PS2 emulation being phased out.

edit: I did actually read the quote, hmm.... kinda surprising considering the 2700% increase in PS3 sales on amazon.

Kelor

Oh Sony you cads.

Lunker

Rook wrote: »

Are you sure this isn't just the 60gig with the Hardware PS2 emulation being phased out.

edit: I did actually read the quote, hmm.... kinda surprising considering the 2700% increase in PS3 sales on amazon.

I was skeptical at first, since SCEE is known for its ... surprising relationship with reality. But Kaz Hirai says the other quote exactly in the video. There's really no mincing words here.

Sony's clearly going for the iPod strategy of pricing and introducing new versions; they just didn't bother to tell anyone until quietly after the news of "a price drop" sent good vibes through the Internets.

SpikedFreak

sheeh. Sony pulling a fake price cut and MS admiting their consoles are defective.

Whats next?

The Wii causes cancer?

JLM-AWP

And to think that I was actually partially rooting for Sony this E3. I was incredibly surprised that they didn't hype the price drop earlier to milk it for all it's worth. Guess we just found out why.

What the hell is going on over there at Sony? I think thats the last time I grant them any credit whatsoever...assuming this is true, which it sounds like something they'd do.

Zephyr

guess i'll wait a few months to decide then before i jump into next-gen.

tbloxham

I think that someone high up at sony HQ actually hates the PS3, and is desperately trying to make noone buy it.

"WHAT! Component costs have gone down!! CURSES. Wait... I have a plan, withdraw the now cheaper model and bring out an even more expensive one! 2 Blue ray drives! 1000 Gb of hard disk. All for 10000 dollars!"

The PS3 is a good console. When it is a reasonoble price I will buy one. Stop messing with me Sony

Target Practice

JLM-AWP wrote: »

What the hell is going on over there at Sony?

Lots and lots of freebasing.

tbloxham wrote: »

I think that someone high up at sony HQ actually hates the PS3, and is desperately trying to make noone buy it.

Unfortunately, that man's name is Kaz Hirai.

Sinister Cheshire

SpikedFreak wrote: »

sheeh. Sony pulling a fake price cut and MS admiting their consoles are defective.

Whats next?

The Wii causes cancer?

THe Wii Causes Cancer!!??!? ZOMG my mother always said I shoudnt play with my Wii too much!!! ::runs around screaming with head cut off::: BLARHGH!!

Hedgethorn

My prediction is that PS3 sales will jump in the July NPD numbers; maybe double or even triple? But after the 60 GB model is gone and we just have the $599 price point again, sales will plummet in August/September. I bet they'll have less sales in August and September than they've had over the last four months.

They're doing this for an immediate sales boost---they need something to show the third parties and (most importantly) to investors at the end of this fiscal quarter. But they're doing it the very worst way, by cannibalizing future sales. All I can do is give an incredulous stare over what they're thinking at SCEA...

zerg rush

Now, I like a good lolsony as much as the next guy, but I wonder how this will impact things. Presumably, news of this being basically a limited time offer will cause people to buy up stock at the new, cheaper price much more quickly. Then once stock is sold out at the $500 level, the 600$ models could be dropped down to the more reasonable $500 price. It might not be lolsony, but rather shrewd marketing at work instead.

But, it does feel nice to say lolsony.

Big Dookie

Wow, you know, even I was getting angry at the people ablooblooing at the price cut in the PS3 Price Cut Thread, saying that it wasn't really a price cut because of the new SKU.

I can't believe they were right. Bravo Sony, you've managed to make me hate you again.

Screamline

welp

JLM-AWP

zerg rush wrote: »

Now, I like a good lolsony as much as the next guy, but I wonder how this will impact things. Presumably, news of this being basically a limited time offer will cause people to buy up stock at the new, cheaper price much more quickly. Then once stock is sold out at the $500 level, the 600$ models could be dropped down to the more reasonable $500 price. It might not be lolsony, but rather shrewd marketing at work instead.

But, it does feel nice to say lolsony.

And it will for a long time yet.

....a long time yet.

Dr_Keenbean

This is...distressing.

A $500 PS3 was almost, almost the sweet spot for me. Way to go Sony.

So I need to wait another...not even a year...now to snag the soon-to-be $500 80gb system that will be replaced by the 100gb system?

Fuck you in your stupid whore mouth, Sony.

( your TVs though!)

Dublo7

This is uncommonly retarded.

Roshin

Tbh, I doubt this will have any major effect on PS3 sales at all. The people who really want one will already have bitten the bullet and bought one. The ones who thought it was too expensive probably still thinks so and/or will have bought their Wii360s.

devolve

And now we know why MS didn't price drop, they probably knew something was up sony's sleeve.

Snarfmaster

so a 20 GB hard drive increase and a game... that's worth $100? Couldn't it even be a good game?

Dublo7

What game are they bundling with the 80? Genji, or some shit?

JLM-AWP

Can someone start a meme using the words "Sony's July Blu-Ray Special."

Sony to buy Kmart in 5 fiscal years.

Goatmon

SpikedFreak wrote: »

sheeh. Sony pulling a fake price cut and MS admiting their consoles are defective.

Whats next?

The Wii causes cancer?

hey now, at least MS finally ponied up and started offering 3-year warranties.

Undead Scottsman

This just in: Sony patents a new, downward orientated machine gun, perfect for repeatedly shooting oneself in the foot!

Clutch414

Could someone teach Sony how not to shoot themselves in the foot?

Criminy....

LCDXX

I was all primed to get a PS3 after the holidays. Not anymore.

Sony almost redeemed themselves there for a minute, but now they are most certainly ran by fucking idiots.

Meiz

Hahahahaha

Clutch414

Looks like great minds think alike, Undead Scottsman. LOL

Dublo7

I was actually thinking of buying a PS3. Oh well, I guess I'll just settle for all the holy-fuck-awesome games coming out for 360 in the next few months.

NofrikinfuN

I hope this isn't the next-gen version of a price drop, increasing the extras in the initial package without actually altering the price. If this keeps up, we'll be creeping up on the PS4 and the PS3 package will be a 500GB hard drive, 4 dualshockaxis controllers, an eyetoy, 5 launch titles and 10 bluray movies for $599. (I still won't buy it because $599 is too much to drop all at once on a console.)

Seriously, they would probably lose less in the long run by bleeding money now.

Lave II

Man the "don't drop the price - improve the product" plan of apple, works for apple.

But it won't work for Sony, unless they are happy with just a hardcore audience. I won't buy one till it's cheap. No matter how big you make the hard drive, and how many controllers you give it. It's not £425 of good. Not £300.

Rook

Dublo7 wrote: »

What game are they bundling with the 80? Genji, or some shit?

Motorstorm, which is a pretty decent game by all accounts.

Mr_Rose

Though it goes against all my pre-WinXP Microsoft-hating instincts, I am of the opinion that I will get a 360, probably even before its successor turns up.

PS3, not so much. Heck, this constant stream of stupidity has even turned me off getting a PS2, despite it having some really quite good games out (and still to come, bizarrely)....

This is yet another lolsony moment, true, but on top of all the others it goes beyond that, beyond even "WTFSony?" and "oh, sony...". It's kinda scary really, how a large corporation can get it so wrong so consistently....

cemetery man

Damn, so the 60gb will go away and that's the one with the good BC chip. I'm considering picking one up just because it might go away. Maybe if it was just a little bit cheaper..

Dublo7

Rook wrote: »

Dublo7 wrote: »

What game are they bundling with the 80? Genji, or some shit?

Motorstorm, which is a pretty decent game by all accounts.

That's actually better than I was expecting.

YerMum

No price drop over here, we get a second controller + 2 games (iirc) at the £425 price point. Very glad I went for the Wii60 option...

NofrikinfuN

The worst part is, Sony can botch the PS3 as bad as it wants, because it has already served its purpose as a bluray trojan horse. Bluray now stands to win the HD format war, which means ample money in Sony's pocket. Maybe this, coupled with the continuing success of the PS2, has them in a stable enough position that they feel they can hold out for the full price of the system.

djFindus

Also, no price drop for europe.. the very cheapest PS3 I can buy locally is at $858, normal price around $900. I'd kill for $599.. but since it's region free.. hmm.. anyone know any online stores that ship internationally and might be inclined to check the gift box when they send it?

NofrikinfuN

djFindus wrote: »

Also, no price drop for europe.. the very cheapest PS3 I can buy locally is at $858, normal price around $900. I'd kill for $599.. but since it's region free.. hmm.. anyone know any online stores that ship internationally and might be inclined to check the gift box when they send it?

I'm pretty sure Sony shut down lik-sang.com for doing just that.