PlayStation 3 prices: $499 and $599

~~Hacking is a Felony~~ · 05-10-2006, 04:48 PM

PlayStation 3 prices: $499 and $599
New gaming system will go on sale in U.S. on Nov. 17 with two hard-drive sizes, mimics Nintendo controller
By Chris Morris, CNNMoney.com staff writer
May 9, 2006: 5:47 PM EDT

LOS ANGELES (CNNMoney.com) - When the PlayStation 3 launches in the United States on Nov. 17, it will carry the highest price of any major console launch.

Sony announced plans Monday to offer two packages when the system goes on sale this fall. A PS3 with a 20 GB hard drive will cost consumers $499. Those wanting a larger, 60 GB hard drive will pay $599. The $499 version will also lack several features found in the more expensive one.

The PS3 will be $200 and $300 higher than the launch price of the PlayStation 2 six years ago. It's $100 higher than the current retail price of Microsoft's Xbox 360.

European gamers will pay 499 and 599 for the two packages.

Gamers were quick to react on message boards, protesting the high price. "My wallet just cried," wrote "DingoStoleMyBaby," a member of Shacknews.com.

Sony also revealed a key feature of its new controller, showing a functionality that appears very similar to the one Nintendo will offer with the Wii, its new system.

While the controller looks virtually identical to the current PS2 controller, user wrist movements can also be translated into onscreen movement - "but it's based upon our industry standard controller, which has been enjoyed by so many gamers," said Phil Harrison, president of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios.

Nintendo shrugged off the similarities, with a spokesperson saying "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery".

The $499 price had been widely speculated, but industry observers were surprised with Sony's decision to offer two packages - as well as with the $599 price.

"At least Sony's giving people advance notice on how much they're going to need to save up," said P.J. McNealy, an analyst for American Technology Research. "I think some people are going to find $599 intimidating - maybe not early adopters, but definitely the mainstream audience."

Sony said it is taking steps to avoid the widespread shortages consumers faced last holiday with the Xbox 360. The company plans to ship 2 million PlayStation 3s at launch and plans to ship another 2 million before the end of 2006. Kaz Hirai, president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America, said the company also plans to ship an additional 2 million units in the first quarter of 2007.

"The next generation doesn't start until we say it does," said Hirai.

While Sony is offering two pricing options for consumers, the more expensive machine is much more feature rich – and likely the default choice for gamers who can afford it. This is somewhat similar to Microsoft's launch of the Xbox 360, where the more expensive $399 machine actually proved to be the better bargain.

Although Sony did not note these changes in its pre-E3 press conference, printed material handed out by the company indicate that in addition to having a smaller hard drive, the $499 PS3 will not be able to read data from Sony memory sticks, SD or compact flash cards (a feature Sony touted Monday evening). Nor will it offer 802.11 b/g wireless compatibility. And perhaps most importantly to owners of newer high definition television sets, the $499 PS3 will not have an HDMI output.

Sony said many of the features which were removed from the less expensive version could be found on many home computers and it was relying on the assumption that buyers would be able to use those through their home networks.

"It's a computer system," said spokesperson Kim Otzman. "It can be expanded using adapters on the market."

In addition to revealing the system's price and launch date, Sony showcased more than a dozen titles for the PS3, mixing familiar franchises such as "Tekken" and Electronic Arts' "NBA Live" with new ones, such as "Heavenly Sword," which bears a striking resemblance to the company's own "God of War" franchise.

The PlayStation 3 is powered by the "Cell" processor, which Sony boasts makes the machine 35 times more powerful than the PlayStation 2. It will support Blu-Ray storage devices, which hold significantly more data than today's DVDs, as well as seven wireless controllers, and has outputs for two high-definition televisions (HDTVs). The PS3 will also offer a free online network.

Sony was the first of the three console manufacturers to speak before the beginning of the Electronic Entertainment Expo, the annual trade show of the computer gaming industry. Nintendo and Microsoft both have press conferences scheduled Tuesday.

**skelooth** · 05-10-2006, 05:51 PM

i think i'll get a nintendo Wii for 200 bucks

Nergal · 05-10-2006, 06:05 PM

im just gonna give it about 2 years for it to dwindle down to $300.

**Blap Blaow** · 05-10-2006, 06:09 PM

damn, I heard this yesterday. Gonna start saving now and prob split the cost with my brother.

**Sholiz** · 05-10-2006, 06:14 PM

I'll just download an emulator

**skelooth** · 05-10-2006, 06:38 PM

have fun trying to build a computer powerful enough to emulate it. Cell technology allows for a true multithreaded environment. Even on a 2 processor system you'd end up splicing threads. I believe the Cell processor on the ps3 will allow for.... 11(??) simultaneous threads. Not to mention the assload of Video memory (it has enough video memory to put a DVD movie as the texture of a polygon)..... and waiting for someone to reverse engineer the PS3 to make an emulator... much less emulate it well.

Lift · 05-10-2006, 06:54 PM

I'm starting to save

**krzna** · 05-10-2006, 07:00 PM

there goes two days of my work check ... grrrr

pammiejoe6 · 05-10-2006, 07:16 PM

oh GREAT now i know what the kid will ask for for Christmas! :boink:

Lift · 05-10-2006, 07:23 PM

i just realised thats like 2 1/2 months rent!!! NO PS3 for me

JB20 · 05-10-2006, 07:32 PM

with that much money,you might as well buy yourself a bench,squat rack, and 300lbs of weight

no way am i paying that much for a game console

Millz · 05-10-2006, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lift

i just realised thats like 2 1/2 months rent!!! NO PS3 for me

WTF. Where can you live for 250 bucks?

**Sholiz** · 05-10-2006, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Millz

WTF. Where can you live for 250 bucks?

Your parents basement?

**skelooth** · 05-10-2006, 07:56 PM

or rooming with someone

hed · 05-10-2006, 08:01 PM

Yeah, I'm just going to get a 360.

Crobar · 05-10-2006, 10:02 PM

I am waiting for xbox 7

Nergal · 05-10-2006, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hed

Yeah, I'm just going to get a 360.

how much are those? $400?

Lift · 05-11-2006, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Millz

WTF. Where can you live for 250 bucks?

Im sharing a house with 4 other people next year, its nice semi detached, 4 large bedrooms etc etc (you get the idea) £250 a month each, which is 400USD?

05-10-2006, 04:48 PM	#1
~~Hacking is a Felony~~ I destroy property Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 4,105 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 0	PlayStation 3 prices: $499 and $599 PlayStation 3 prices: $499 and $599 New gaming system will go on sale in U.S. on Nov. 17 with two hard-drive sizes, mimics Nintendo controller By Chris Morris, CNNMoney.com staff writer May 9, 2006: 5:47 PM EDT LOS ANGELES (CNNMoney.com) - When the PlayStation 3 launches in the United States on Nov. 17, it will carry the highest price of any major console launch. Sony announced plans Monday to offer two packages when the system goes on sale this fall. A PS3 with a 20 GB hard drive will cost consumers $499. Those wanting a larger, 60 GB hard drive will pay $599. The $499 version will also lack several features found in the more expensive one. The PS3 will be $200 and $300 higher than the launch price of the PlayStation 2 six years ago. It's $100 higher than the current retail price of Microsoft's Xbox 360. European gamers will pay 499 and 599 for the two packages. Gamers were quick to react on message boards, protesting the high price. "My wallet just cried," wrote "DingoStoleMyBaby," a member of Shacknews.com. Sony also revealed a key feature of its new controller, showing a functionality that appears very similar to the one Nintendo will offer with the Wii, its new system. While the controller looks virtually identical to the current PS2 controller, user wrist movements can also be translated into onscreen movement - "but it's based upon our industry standard controller, which has been enjoyed by so many gamers," said Phil Harrison, president of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios. Nintendo shrugged off the similarities, with a spokesperson saying "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery". The $499 price had been widely speculated, but industry observers were surprised with Sony's decision to offer two packages - as well as with the $599 price. "At least Sony's giving people advance notice on how much they're going to need to save up," said P.J. McNealy, an analyst for American Technology Research. "I think some people are going to find $599 intimidating - maybe not early adopters, but definitely the mainstream audience." Sony said it is taking steps to avoid the widespread shortages consumers faced last holiday with the Xbox 360. The company plans to ship 2 million PlayStation 3s at launch and plans to ship another 2 million before the end of 2006. Kaz Hirai, president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America, said the company also plans to ship an additional 2 million units in the first quarter of 2007. "The next generation doesn't start until we say it does," said Hirai. While Sony is offering two pricing options for consumers, the more expensive machine is much more feature rich – and likely the default choice for gamers who can afford it. This is somewhat similar to Microsoft's launch of the Xbox 360, where the more expensive $399 machine actually proved to be the better bargain. Although Sony did not note these changes in its pre-E3 press conference, printed material handed out by the company indicate that in addition to having a smaller hard drive, the $499 PS3 will not be able to read data from Sony memory sticks, SD or compact flash cards (a feature Sony touted Monday evening). Nor will it offer 802.11 b/g wireless compatibility. And perhaps most importantly to owners of newer high definition television sets, the $499 PS3 will not have an HDMI output. Sony said many of the features which were removed from the less expensive version could be found on many home computers and it was relying on the assumption that buyers would be able to use those through their home networks. "It's a computer system," said spokesperson Kim Otzman. "It can be expanded using adapters on the market." In addition to revealing the system's price and launch date, Sony showcased more than a dozen titles for the PS3, mixing familiar franchises such as "Tekken" and Electronic Arts' "NBA Live" with new ones, such as "Heavenly Sword," which bears a striking resemblance to the company's own "God of War" franchise. The PlayStation 3 is powered by the "Cell" processor, which Sony boasts makes the machine 35 times more powerful than the PlayStation 2. It will support Blu-Ray storage devices, which hold significantly more data than today's DVDs, as well as seven wireless controllers, and has outputs for two high-definition televisions (HDTVs). The PS3 will also offer a free online network. Sony was the first of the three console manufacturers to speak before the beginning of the Electronic Entertainment Expo, the annual trade show of the computer gaming industry. Nintendo and Microsoft both have press conferences scheduled Tuesday.

05-10-2006, 05:51 PM	#2
skelooth eh heh heh Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Behind you Posts: 7,203 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 158	i think i'll get a nintendo Wii for 200 bucks __________________ http://loseover100lbs.com/misc-f7.html

05-10-2006, 06:05 PM	#3
Nergal Mel Gibson > you Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: michigan Posts: 517 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 9	im just gonna give it about 2 years for it to dwindle down to $300. __________________ great big boots! great long laces! our jeans held up by scarlet braces!

05-10-2006, 06:09 PM	#4
Blap Blaow IronMass Sponsor Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: London, England Posts: 950 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 31	damn, I heard this yesterday. Gonna start saving now and prob split the cost with my brother. __________________ Blapmungous™

05-10-2006, 06:14 PM	#5
Sholiz Soldier In Progress Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Michigan Posts: 3,431 Recipes: 3 Rep Power: 230	I'll just download an emulator __________________ You hear me before you see me, I got King Kong in the trunk

05-10-2006, 06:38 PM	#6
skelooth eh heh heh Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Behind you Posts: 7,203 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 158	have fun trying to build a computer powerful enough to emulate it. Cell technology allows for a true multithreaded environment. Even on a 2 processor system you'd end up splicing threads. I believe the Cell processor on the ps3 will allow for.... 11(??) simultaneous threads. Not to mention the assload of Video memory (it has enough video memory to put a DVD movie as the texture of a polygon)..... and waiting for someone to reverse engineer the PS3 to make an emulator... much less emulate it well. __________________ http://loseover100lbs.com/misc-f7.html

05-10-2006, 06:54 PM	#7
Lift I Love IronMass.Com Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 825 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 11	I'm starting to save __________________ MrLiftALot@hotmail.com "King Kong Ain't Got Sh*t On Me..."

05-10-2006, 07:00 PM	#8
krzna Dogg Crappin Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Olangapo-Zambales,Philipines Posts: 1,612 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 51	there goes two days of my work check ... grrrr __________________ *DIET DEDICATION DP** www.surpassgenetics.com www.offshorebodybuilding.com www.thevipboard.com Team Beast Breeder colossus@beastbreeder.com

05-10-2006, 07:16 PM	#9
pammiejoe6 Pink Members Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: south texas Posts: 4,174 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 85	oh GREAT now i know what the kid will ask for for Christmas! :boink:

05-10-2006, 07:23 PM	#10
Lift I Love IronMass.Com Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 825 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 11	i just realised thats like 2 1/2 months rent!!! NO PS3 for me __________________ MrLiftALot@hotmail.com "King Kong Ain't Got Sh*t On Me..."

05-10-2006, 07:32 PM	#11
JB20 Heavy Metal Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 657 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 41	with that much money,you might as well buy yourself a bench,squat rack, and 300lbs of weight no way am i paying that much for a game console __________________ http://sonybmg.com/musicbox/video/aliceinchains/

05-10-2006, 07:56 PM	#14
skelooth eh heh heh Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Behind you Posts: 7,203 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 158	or rooming with someone __________________ http://loseover100lbs.com/misc-f7.html

05-10-2006, 08:01 PM	#15
hed Pro Stature Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Athens, GA Posts: 396 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 6	Yeah, I'm just going to get a 360. __________________ 5'8" Jan. 2005 - ~280 lbs.. (LipidFX) 01/02/06: 214.5 - 01/31/06: 211.5 (Phera-Plex)02/06/06: 214.0 - 04/03/06: 225.0 (Melting Point)04/10/06: 220.5 - 05/15/06: 207.5 Currently: Trying to maintain what I've got while working 50+ hours a week with a less than optimal diet. LipidFX Log Phera-Plex Log Melting Point/Basic Cuts Log

05-10-2006, 10:02 PM	#16
Crobar IMPC Contestant Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: a hop from NYC Posts: 371 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 6	I am waiting for xbox 7 __________________ Animal: A hardcore, no-holds-barred bodybuilder. One who is supremely driven, focused and dedicated. The epitomy of what a bodybuilder is all about... Why you're here. NO GUTS NO GLORY Winners are those who make habit out of doing things losers are uncomfortable doing Ultimate Challenge 2006 IMPC: April Pictures IMPC: May Pictures

05-11-2006, 02:15 AM	#19
BigZeke Bringing Lat Flares Back Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Hell Raisin' and Girl Chasin' Posts: 2,329 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 71