Sony’s Playstation 3 price cut is a farce to clear out ‘old stock’, at least here in North America.
After announcing at E3 the new price points of the new 80 GB Playstation 3 at $599 and the 60 GB Playstation 3 dropping to the $499 price point, some were questioning if that was even really a price reduction. Their units were still $499 and $599 just like at launch, you’re just getting a slightly better value at the same price points.
Today however SCEE’s President David Reeves revealed the master plan to GameIndustry.biz. It turns out the 60 GB Playstation 3 is actually be discontinued here in North America. The ‘price reduction’ is just a tactic to get the 60 GB unit moving off store shelves and clear out inventory and up install base. Once these are gone however, consumers will be left with only the one $599 80 GB Playstation 3 to choose on store shelves. At least it comes with MotorStorm.
So if you were thinking about getting a Playstation 3, now would be the time to get one. Even though the price point for the ‘lower end’ Playstation 3 is still the same, $499, you’re at least getting a much larger hard drive than the former 20 GB version that occupied that price.
This would appear to take the heat off of Microsoft for any immediate action to be taken for lowering the price. Although we still fully expect a price reduction this year going into the holiday season especially when the new 65nm chips are installed. It may not be a $100 drop but we’re expecting at least a $50 drop across the board.
Today however SCEE’s President David Reeves revealed the master plan to GameIndustry.biz. It turns out the 60 GB Playstation 3 is actually be discontinued here in North America. The ‘price reduction’ is just a tactic to get the 60 GB unit moving off store shelves and clear out inventory and up install base. Once these are gone however, consumers will be left with only the one $599 80 GB Playstation 3 to choose on store shelves. At least it comes with MotorStorm.
So if you were thinking about getting a Playstation 3, now would be the time to get one. Even though the price point for the ‘lower end’ Playstation 3 is still the same, $499, you’re at least getting a much larger hard drive than the former 20 GB version that occupied that price.
This would appear to take the heat off of Microsoft for any immediate action to be taken for lowering the price. Although we still fully expect a price reduction this year going into the holiday season especially when the new 65nm chips are installed. It may not be a $100 drop but we’re expecting at least a $50 drop across the board.
