Sony PS3 to launch at $499 in U.S. on Nov. 17

Iria · May 9, 2006, 04:18 AM

Source: Reuters Canada
__________
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Sony Corp. said on Monday it would begin selling its next-generation PlayStation 3 video game console on November 11 in Japan and November 17 in the United States, where an entry-level machine would cost $499.

The same unit, with a 20-gigabyte hard drive, will retail for 59,800 yen in Japan and 499 euros in Europe, where it also will debut on November 17.

Vikingod · May 9, 2006, 04:38 AM

wow, thats about $100 more than I was expecting. That will be a tough sell for Sony. It had better be way better than the XBOX to justify the extra $200.

pr0digal jenius · May 9, 2006, 04:40 AM

60 GB hard drive include makes it better, and only $100 more then a comparable Xbox

Dark Lord · May 9, 2006, 04:46 AM

i think thats one of the worst written articles ive ever seen...

to clear it up a bit, ALL ps3's will come with a hard drive. they all will also have motion sensitive wireless controllers. the boomerang shape is also gone, it now looks just like the current dual shock controllers, and is lighter.

499 = 20gig HD
599 = 60gig HD

the other thing to note is that the system is 100 backwards compatible with the entire PS1/PS2 library.

calidan · May 9, 2006, 04:51 AM

I can't wait. There will be more to see during E3.

Tril · May 9, 2006, 05:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dark Lord

the other thing to note is that the system is 100 backwards compatible with the entire PS1/PS2 library.

Is the memory also compatible? There was some talk a few months ago saying that you would not be ale to use you ps1/ps2 memory cards in the ps3.

Dark Lord · May 9, 2006, 05:13 AM

that i dont know, it was never mentioned in todays sony E3 confrence as far as i know.

calidan · May 9, 2006, 05:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tril

Is the memory also compatible? There was some talk a few months ago saying that you would not be ale to use you ps1/ps2 memory cards in the ps3.

Hopefully it will. If it just had one slot that would be fine with me.

bananaman · May 9, 2006, 08:00 AM

that is a lot of cash! I was expecing Sony to try and hit the 300-400 range rather than the 400-500. ouch. MS is going to make them hurt when they drop prices come ps3 launch with 2nd gen games appearing.

As a psychological factor does anyone think that Sony going back on their controller designs to the old controller look shows a lack (r)evolution in the console regardless of motion sensor or not?

Looks like I will get a Wii to supplement my 360

mike2h · May 9, 2006, 08:13 AM

keep in mind that that price also includes a blue ray rom drive.
imo, once the ps3 is about 6 months into its launch, it will be the non pc gaming(& a host of other things) platform of choice.

Dark Lord · May 9, 2006, 08:21 AM

hes right about the price.

what your getting is a 2x blu ray player, a wireless motion sensitive controller, and free online multiplayer support. not to mention a 500 doller video card (step above the 7800GTX) CELL, and 512 megs of Rambus. something thats not cheap at all.

even though sony is getting all these parts at cost, im 100% that their takeing a major hit in with every unit they sell.

bananaman · May 9, 2006, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike2h

keep in mind that that price also includes a blue ray rom drive.

imo, once the ps3 is about 6 months into its launch, it will be the non pc gaming(& a host of other things) platform of choice.

I agree with you that it has blu-ray, but no one has really told me how that will make games better and without the games why have a ps3? the majority of people dont care about HD players whether Blu Ray or HD DVD as bog standard DVD is good enough, only when HD DVD formats are only a little more expensive than DVD players and HD TVs are pretty much standard can Blu Ray/HD DVD really become standard. We are on a techy forum and so yes we will know the difference, but to most people, past marketing, it is a disc they use to play games and that is all.

But i suppose it is all about what you want from a console - Sony are aiming for the "Jack of all trades" approach compared to Nintendo’s "Master of one" (imo)

Don’t get me wrong, I think the PS3 will have some good games, but I wonder if Sony' have dropped the ball by trying to cram too many other things into a box which is bought primarily for its games rather than its multimedia capabilities. I think Nintendo are a real threat to MS and Sony – they have pinpointed that the majority of people want a little box that plays fun games at a reasonable price., and imo have a real chance of expanding the gaming market and taking the non-traditional customers.

[edit] and to add i think the blu ray point is pretty much nullified by the MS HD DVD drive which you should be able to get in addition to your 360 only if you want HD DVD capabilities.

[edit2] just noticed the cheaper PS3 doenst have HDMI - wierd

mike2h · May 9, 2006, 09:28 AM

the blue ray isnt just about hd. it is also a whole lot more on one disc. it is like comparing dvd to cd. granted, a lot of the benefits if blue ray wont be realised right away but id dont think it will take them that long t outilise all its benefits.
i also think it has more appeal to the average person than you think. it is an easy cheap upgrade to the next gen format. watch & se how much blue ray stand alones cosr for the 1st 6 months.
as far as i am concerned having to spend $$ for an add on sucks. gaming consoles should be fully self contained. period.
over here hd tvs are becoming the standard. in the next 1-2 yrs we should see a big boom in these type of sets as all the brodcasters really ramp up switching over.
imo, for not a whole lot more the ps3 gives you more bang for the $$ out the door & a more potential uses down the road(soem of it i will beleive when i see it

).

bananaman · May 9, 2006, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike2h

the blue ray isnt just about hd. it is also a whole lot more on one disc. it is like comparing dvd to cd. granted, a lot of the benefits if blue ray wont be realised right away but id dont think it will take them that long t outilise all its benefits.
i also think it has more appeal to the average person than you think. it is an easy cheap upgrade to the next gen format. watch & se how much blue ray stand alones cosr for the 1st 6 months.
as far as i am concerned having to spend $$ for an add on sucks. gaming consoles should be fully self contained. period.
over here hd tvs are becoming the standard. in the next 1-2 yrs we should see a big boom in these type of sets as all the brodcasters really ramp up switching over.
imo, for not a whole lot more the ps3 gives you more bang for the $$ out the door & a more potential uses down the road(soem of it i will beleive when i see it

).

I can see we are coming from different perspectives :P. I do rememeber seeing an analysis somewhere (independent not MS) that games had not really utilised the full capacity of DVDs on consoles and that having a huge amount of space wasnt really adding anything over and above DVDs in terms of gaming - but as ever in these things i cant rememeber where i saw it :P (found it or something akin to : http://www.360lovin.com/2006/01/dvd_storage_issues.html (yes i know it is on a 360 site

).

ANd Your poiunt about upgrading to the next gen is a long debate but 1. who is to say that Blu Ray will win? 2. why, when DVd quality is "good enough" will the majority of people bother upgrading, when BLu Ray discs (and HD DVD dics) will be more expensive per movie and require a large ouytlay on a HD TV. It is important to remember here I am not talking about "average" on this forum, but rather the "average" man on the street who probably doesnt even know the subtelties of HD DVD and Blu Ray.

What it really comes down to is that I just want a gaming console, I am not really concerned about next gen DVD formats as most likely i will either upgrade my HTPC of buy a stand alone player when the format war is in a much clearer state, disc prices have come down, choice has improved etc. As opposed to you who is happy to pay more now for the mulitmedia capabilites of the PS3 in addition to paying for a console to play games. I dont think either position is "wrong" - maybe I am just a sceptic :P.

An intersting one is if it is true that the "budget"

Ps3 doesnt have HDMI and whether it will be a truly be able to cope with HDCP

Mike - what you think of the "new" controller? just curious

[edit] see http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=2206

moeness86 · May 9, 2006, 10:31 AM

i dunno , but i think this blu ray thing is soo marketing ...
i dont have a ps2 or even an xbox , but i dont think there is any game that lives on 2 DVDs .. or is there ?
and dual layer hasn't been used seriously either ..

the only reason i see is .. games .

Pottsy306 · May 9, 2006, 11:16 AM

I think its a good price, as HDD AND Wireless controller is as standard. I think the 60Gb version is a steal aswell.

+ Remember that the extra £100 is going towards a next Gen DVD drive, you have to buy that addon from m$ for ur 360 - plus ps3 networking is completely free (cept purchaseable downloads - but thats to be expected)

Master Shake · May 9, 2006, 12:18 PM

To hell with Sony. Who really cares about Bluray?? Most people don't have an hdtv and aren't going to want to move to a new format. How many poor suckers are going to buy the crippled $500 version?

Wii all the way.

Brutality · May 9, 2006, 01:40 PM

For FUCKS SAKE! They sell that thing in USA for 500$ and in Europe for 500€. It's more than 100$ more than in USA. And in Japan, that POS is bascially given away for free.... Damnit, they should get their prices right! Why do i have to pay more because i live in Europe? I'm gonna get a Xbox after all...

Tipstaff · May 9, 2006, 02:20 PM

As a note: convert that to Canadian dollars + taxes, and I'll be paying anywhere from $635-$765 depending on what version I get! Add another $80 for a game, and I'll be hitting the $700-$845 dollar mark.
Ouch! I better start saving.... oh shit... I forgot about my new computer. Oh man...

YAYitsAndrew · May 9, 2006, 02:37 PM

Did you guys see Kutaragi's smirk when he was showing off how the controller has 3d motion? I wanted to slap it off his face.

I think they're stealing (yet again) from nintendo in an effort to make the 360 look less attractive, and suffer from its early launch. Imagine all the games that will play wonderfully with the wii's awesome implementation, okay with ps3's stolen hackjob, and not at all on the 360.

The_Neon_Cowboy · May 9, 2006, 08:41 PM

6 months late and a $100 more for a lesser @ best the Xbox 360 console... ROFL!!!!!
Keep in mind x360 goes for $299 or $399 and by then the price will have DROPED

mike2h · May 9, 2006, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bananaman

I can see we are coming from different perspectives :P. I do rememeber seeing an analysis somewhere (independent not MS) that games had not really utilised the full capacity of DVDs on consoles and that having a huge amount of space wasnt really adding anything over and above DVDs in terms of gaming - but as ever in these things i cant rememeber where i saw it :P (found it or something akin to : http://www.360lovin.com/2006/01/dvd_storage_issues.html (yes i know it is on a 360 site

).

ANd Your poiunt about upgrading to the next gen is a long debate but 1. who is to say that Blu Ray will win? 2. why, when DVd quality is "good enough" will the majority of people bother upgrading, when BLu Ray discs (and HD DVD dics) will be more expensive per movie and require a large ouytlay on a HD TV. It is important to remember here I am not talking about "average" on this forum, but rather the "average" man on the street who probably doesnt even know the subtelties of HD DVD and Blu Ray.

What it really comes down to is that I just want a gaming console, I am not really concerned about next gen DVD formats as most likely i will either upgrade my HTPC of buy a stand alone player when the format war is in a much clearer state, disc prices have come down, choice has improved etc. As opposed to you who is happy to pay more now for the mulitmedia capabilites of the PS3 in addition to paying for a console to play games. I dont think either position is "wrong" - maybe I am just a sceptic :P.

An intersting one is if it is true that the "budget"

Ps3 doesnt have HDMI and whether it will be a truly be able to cope with HDCP

Mike - what you think of the "new" controller? just curious

[edit] see http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=2206

it is going to be interesting to see how this all shakes out over the next year.
i think the difference between the 2 should be more than $100 - meaning the 20 gig vers should be another $50 cheaper. otherwise what is the point? if you are going to spend that much on a gaming console you would be very foolish not fork out another $100 to get all the 60 gig vers offers. jmo.
you are right about the average person probably not buying into standalone hd drives. i think sony is going for the defualt win. lots of people are going to buy these. & since they already have the player there is going to be % of them that will want to take full advantage of the capabilities. also, sony will be able t osay it has a large amount of blue ray decks in homes & can pus the standard even further. & get even more support from publishers/developers/component manafacturers. i think it is a win/win for sony.
would like to revisit this topic in a year to see were we were right/wrong

as far as that controller, like the concept/look but wont know until i get my grubby hands on one to see how it 'feels'.

Sandok · May 9, 2006, 09:05 PM

I remeber that Sidewinder that worked on the same principle... Horrible system! And in addition, no vibration = crap

mike2h · May 9, 2006, 09:10 PM

buy a dildo & strap it to it

i dont like the vibration so no big deal 4 me.

j2t · May 9, 2006, 09:25 PM

So Sony uses the same controller basically they have been using only stealing the idea from Nintendo with motion sensors and charges over $100 more than the 360 for graphics that look the same as the 360. Umm, Sony can stuff it for all I care. And like it was posted before, what if Blu Ray loses out, than you basically have a betamax vcr in DVD format.

Customgamer1 · May 9, 2006, 09:41 PM

Well we already know blue ray is going to lose. It's just a matter of time so I feel sorry for everyone who is going to buy that over priced piece of crap. I will just buy the HD DVD player add on to the 360 and be done. And I do understand that I will be paying around the same price in the end as a ps3 but at least i got the $400 xbox so it's a better deal than the $500 basic ps3.

mainman · May 9, 2006, 10:04 PM

So the PS3 "The REAL next gen" is superior to the 360 in what way? ohhh yeah, the price!! That's brilliant!!! At the end of the day people buy a console to play games. If i want a all in one multimedia hub i have my pc for that. Sad part is people will spend an insane amount of money to play games that look exactly the same as the 360. Just thinking at how much this thing will cost here in europe makes me wanna cry for the people that are thinking in picking one up. And to think people went crazy with the sortages of 360's at launch, i just saw the e3 press conference and they will have 2 million worldwide available at launch and a total of 6 million on march 2007. So most people will only get a chance to look at a ps3 next year, and im talking looking, not actually buying one...LMAO

May 9, 2006, 04:18 AM	#1
Iria DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 7,275 Rep Power: 89	Sony PS3 to launch at $499 in U.S. on Nov. 17 Source: Reuters Canada __________ LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Sony Corp. said on Monday it would begin selling its next-generation PlayStation 3 video game console on November 11 in Japan and November 17 in the United States, where an entry-level machine would cost $499. The same unit, with a 20-gigabyte hard drive, will retail for 59,800 yen in Japan and 499 euros in Europe, where it also will debut on November 17.

May 9, 2006, 04:46 AM	#4
Dark Lord HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 5,945 Rep Power: 125 System Specs	i think thats one of the worst written articles ive ever seen... to clear it up a bit, ALL ps3's will come with a hard drive. they all will also have motion sensitive wireless controllers. the boomerang shape is also gone, it now looks just like the current dual shock controllers, and is lighter. 499 = 20gig HD 599 = 60gig HD the other thing to note is that the system is 100 backwards compatible with the entire PS1/PS2 library. __________________

May 9, 2006, 04:51 AM	#5
calidan Frozen in Carbonite Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 1,409 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	I can't wait. There will be more to see during E3. __________________ Steam Community :: ID :: calidan "Don't try to be like Jackie. There is only one Jackie.... Study computers instead." - Jackie Chan

May 9, 2006, 05:13 AM	#7
Dark Lord HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 5,945 Rep Power: 125 System Specs	that i dont know, it was never mentioned in todays sony E3 confrence as far as i know. __________________

May 9, 2006, 08:00 AM	#9
bananaman banana muncher Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: London Posts: 1,254 Rep Power: 64	that is a lot of cash! I was expecing Sony to try and hit the 300-400 range rather than the 400-500. ouch. MS is going to make them hurt when they drop prices come ps3 launch with 2nd gen games appearing. As a psychological factor does anyone think that Sony going back on their controller designs to the old controller look shows a lack (r)evolution in the console regardless of motion sensor or not? Looks like I will get a Wii to supplement my 360 __________________

May 9, 2006, 04:38 AM	#2
Vikingod Int'l Fish Liaison Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: By the light of lamp I sit and type... Posts: 16,197 Rep Power: 112 System Specs	wow, thats about $100 more than I was expecting. That will be a tough sell for Sony. It had better be way better than the XBOX to justify the extra $200.

May 9, 2006, 04:40 AM	#3
pr0digal jenius Delete Me Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 14,648 Rep Power: 0	60 GB hard drive include makes it better, and only $100 more then a comparable Xbox

May 9, 2006, 08:13 AM	#10
mike2h DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: norcal Posts: 6,483 Rep Power: 91 System Specs	keep in mind that that price also includes a blue ray rom drive. imo, once the ps3 is about 6 months into its launch, it will be the non pc gaming(& a host of other things) platform of choice. __________________

May 9, 2006, 08:21 AM	#11
Dark Lord HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 5,945 Rep Power: 125 System Specs	hes right about the price. what your getting is a 2x blu ray player, a wireless motion sensitive controller, and free online multiplayer support. not to mention a 500 doller video card (step above the 7800GTX) CELL, and 512 megs of Rambus. something thats not cheap at all. even though sony is getting all these parts at cost, im 100% that their takeing a major hit in with every unit they sell. __________________

May 9, 2006, 09:28 AM	#13
mike2h DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: norcal Posts: 6,483 Rep Power: 91 System Specs	the blue ray isnt just about hd. it is also a whole lot more on one disc. it is like comparing dvd to cd. granted, a lot of the benefits if blue ray wont be realised right away but id dont think it will take them that long t outilise all its benefits. i also think it has more appeal to the average person than you think. it is an easy cheap upgrade to the next gen format. watch & se how much blue ray stand alones cosr for the 1st 6 months. as far as i am concerned having to spend $$ for an add on sucks. gaming consoles should be fully self contained. period. over here hd tvs are becoming the standard. in the next 1-2 yrs we should see a big boom in these type of sets as all the brodcasters really ramp up switching over. imo, for not a whole lot more the ps3 gives you more bang for the $$ out the door & a more potential uses down the road(soem of it i will beleive when i see it). __________________

May 9, 2006, 10:31 AM	#15
moeness86 DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Cairo Posts: 75 Rep Power: 0	i dunno , but i think this blu ray thing is soo marketing ... i dont have a ps2 or even an xbox , but i dont think there is any game that lives on 2 DVDs .. or is there ? and dual layer hasn't been used seriously either .. the only reason i see is .. games . __________________

May 9, 2006, 11:16 AM	#16
Pottsy306 DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 133 Rep Power: 0	I think its a good price, as HDD AND Wireless controller is as standard. I think the 60Gb version is a steal aswell. + Remember that the extra £100 is going towards a next Gen DVD drive, you have to buy that addon from m$ for ur 360 - plus ps3 networking is completely free (cept purchaseable downloads - but thats to be expected)

May 9, 2006, 12:18 PM	#17
Master Shake DriverHeaven Addict Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 310 Rep Power: 0	To hell with Sony. Who really cares about Bluray?? Most people don't have an hdtv and aren't going to want to move to a new format. How many poor suckers are going to buy the crippled $500 version? Wii all the way.

May 9, 2006, 01:40 PM	#18
Brutality DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Estonia Posts: 887 Rep Power: 0	For FUCKS SAKE! They sell that thing in USA for 500$ and in Europe for 500€. It's more than 100$ more than in USA. And in Japan, that POS is bascially given away for free.... Damnit, they should get their prices right! Why do i have to pay more because i live in Europe? I'm gonna get a Xbox after all...

May 9, 2006, 02:20 PM	#19
Tipstaff HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Real capital of Canada: Torauna Posts: 6,773 Rep Power: 191 System Specs	As a note: convert that to Canadian dollars + taxes, and I'll be paying anywhere from $635-$765 depending on what version I get! Add another $80 for a game, and I'll be hitting the $700-$845 dollar mark. Ouch! I better start saving.... oh shit... I forgot about my new computer. Oh man... __________________ Portal: The Flash Version _________________________________ Brain: So, you sacked the cocky khaki Kicky Sack sock plucker? Mr. Sackett: The second cocky khaki Kicky Sack sock plucker I've sacked since the sixth sitting sheet slitter got sick.

May 9, 2006, 02:37 PM	#20
YAYitsAndrew Anti-Piracy Poster Boy Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: NJ Posts: 2,605 Rep Power: 79 System Specs	Did you guys see Kutaragi's smirk when he was showing off how the controller has 3d motion? I wanted to slap it off his face. I think they're stealing (yet again) from nintendo in an effort to make the 360 look less attractive, and suffer from its early launch. Imagine all the games that will play wonderfully with the wii's awesome implementation, okay with ps3's stolen hackjob, and not at all on the 360. __________________ "It is because the resistance to paying for copyrighted material, although often characterized as arising from a supposed technical burden or principled concern for the public interest, arises rather from exactly the same segment of the brain that is dominant in shoplifters." - Mark Helprin, Digital Barbarism In other words, it's never okay to steal even if you think you have a good reason! www.yayitsandrew.com

May 9, 2006, 08:41 PM	#21
The_Neon_Cowboy HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 16,009 Rep Power: 92 System Specs	6 months late and a $100 more for a lesser @ best the Xbox 360 console... ROFL!!!!! Keep in mind x360 goes for $299 or $399 and by then the price will have DROPED __________________

May 9, 2006, 09:05 PM	#23
Sandok DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 9,472 Rep Power: 0	I remeber that Sidewinder that worked on the same principle... Horrible system! And in addition, no vibration = crap

May 9, 2006, 09:10 PM	#24
mike2h DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: norcal Posts: 6,483 Rep Power: 91 System Specs	buy a dildo & strap it to it i dont like the vibration so no big deal 4 me. __________________

May 9, 2006, 09:25 PM	#25
j2t DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: May 2004 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 184 Rep Power: 0	So Sony uses the same controller basically they have been using only stealing the idea from Nintendo with motion sensors and charges over $100 more than the 360 for graphics that look the same as the 360. Umm, Sony can stuff it for all I care. And like it was posted before, what if Blu Ray loses out, than you basically have a betamax vcr in DVD format.

May 9, 2006, 09:41 PM	#26
Customgamer1 Fell off the tech wagon Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,273 Rep Power: 74 System Specs	Well we already know blue ray is going to lose. It's just a matter of time so I feel sorry for everyone who is going to buy that over priced piece of crap. I will just buy the HD DVD player add on to the 360 and be done. And I do understand that I will be paying around the same price in the end as a ps3 but at least i got the $400 xbox so it's a better deal than the $500 basic ps3. __________________ Asus Laptop: 2.5 Intel Core 2 Duo, 4gigs DDR 2, Windows 7 64bit! Windows 7 > OSX!

May 9, 2006, 10:04 PM	#27
mainman Mr. Nobody Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: OmniPresent Nightwatcher Posts: 5,961 Rep Power: 71	So the PS3 "The REAL next gen" is superior to the 360 in what way? ohhh yeah, the price!! That's brilliant!!! At the end of the day people buy a console to play games. If i want a all in one multimedia hub i have my pc for that. Sad part is people will spend an insane amount of money to play games that look exactly the same as the 360. Just thinking at how much this thing will cost here in europe makes me wanna cry for the people that are thinking in picking one up. And to think people went crazy with the sortages of 360's at launch, i just saw the e3 press conference and they will have 2 million worldwide available at launch and a total of 6 million on march 2007. So most people will only get a chance to look at a ps3 next year, and im talking looking, not actually buying one...LMAO __________________