Get your $499 60 GB hard Playstation 3 whille its hot!

[Wing Zero]

because its not being made any more

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--Today, the E3 Media & Business Summit wound down in Santa Monica, with at least one exhibitor having already packed up and left the show floor at Barker Hangar. However, this morning saw the biggest controversy of the show heat up, with a maelstrom of confusion surrounding the $499 price drop of the 60GB PS3, which was just announced Monday.

Last night, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe CEO David Reeves told GameSpot that the discounting was merely a markdown of a model which had been discontinued. Just hours later, his statements appeared to be contradicted by a senior Sony Computer Entertainment America spokesperson, who said that quotes from Reeves in the press were "not accurate."

"As announced this week, SCEA's product offering in North America consists of an 80GB PS3 available in August at $599 and a 60GB PS3 available now for $499," SCEA senior director of corporate communications Dave Karraker told GameSpot. "We have will have ample supplies of both models to meet the needs of our consumers for the foreseeable future."

At almost the same time, a television interview with the global head of Sony Computer Entertainment settled the matter once and for all. Speaking to Norwegian game-news outlet VGTV, SCEI president and group CEO Kaz Hirai said in no uncertain terms that the 60GB PS3's days are numbered.

"From a hardware perspective, the $499 price adjustment we did for the 60GB version for the American market, we're no longer in production for that product," he said in an unedited on-camera interview. "Once that product is gone from the retailer shelves, then we're back to a $599 SKU only, so it's not like we have a two-price strategy in the US market. We found out very early on how consumers react to having just one SKU as opposed to two."

SCEA has subsequently confirmed the phase out, but emphasized that it would be gradual. "The 60GB PS3 will be available in North America for $499 until supplies of that unit are depleted," Karraker told GameSpot in a follow-up interview. "We have ample inventory to meet the immediate needs of consumers in this territory for several months to come."

Karraker also responded to criticism that loudly promoting the new $499 price point while quietly discontinuing its production amounted to a bait and switch. "This is absolutely not a bait and switch," he said. "We are offering a full featured PS3 for $100 lower than the original price and will do so for months to come, allowing consumers the opportunity to acquire this model at this adjusted price."
Sauce

[N[U]TS]

heh. I just went out and sold my 360 to get a Ps3.

[Flempipes]

why the hell would you do that?

[TrongaMonga]

Hard playstation 3? You mean there's a soft playstation 3?

[Emperor Pan I]

ps3 has barely any exclusives compared to the 360, and now i can play pretty much any game on either platform. So why would i pay more for a ps3 with a harder to program system and worse graphics? bull**** dropping the price just to clear shelves. They were hoping for a 200% sales increase with the price drop, and got a 3200% sale increase. Says something about the ****ing price.

[Flempipes]

ps3 bombed, hepefully metal gear will pull it back to par

[bamthedoc]

There's only one thing that will convince me to buy a 360 or PS3. When a retail store has either at or below $250 used. They both have some nice titles (currently or in the near future). I just can't be bothered to pay more for a system than my television costs >_< ...let alone my computer.

Anyway. That news is of absolutely no surprise. This just smells like Sony all the way. Seriously. Ask anybody I know what I was saying when the 80GB was announced. Here is my exact quote. "An 80GB model? I bet a price drop is coming along with the 60GB SKU disappearing." I say, "Yayz!" to still having a working PS2 (surviving 3+ years!) with better games.

[Emperor Pan I]

Sony did the exact same thing Nintendo did when they released the N64. The fanbase bought the system, but everyone else moved to the cheaper, better PS1. And despite having "the best hardware" but not the best graphics, the PS3 isn't worth spending 200$ more.