PlayStation 3 Still Set For March in EU, Price Revealed

Despite an accidental slip-up on the part of Sony CEO Howard Stringer, the PlayStation 3 is set for launch in the EU this March. When it does launch, folks in the UK and Ireland will be paying a pretty penny for Sony's new console. From the article: "Sony has confirmed ... that the 60GB PS3 will cost EUR 629.99 in Ireland, as suggested on the official website. 'Ireland is traditionally more expensive than other territories,' a spokesperson explained. 'The VAT rate there is 21 per cent, whereas it can be as low as 16 per cent in other EU countries.' However, the spokesperson continued, the PS3 will still cost EUR 599 if you're buying it elsewhere in Europe. Of course, here in Britain we're still using the funny old money with the picture of the rich lady on it, so we'll get a price point all of our own. And according to our old friend Senior Retail Sources, that price point will be set at GBP 425."

Comments

March?

[UbuntuDupe]

Heck, they could launch it in Europe this month -- just ship 'em all the unsold PS3's here.

Eheh...

[Odin_Tiger]

Google marks the EU (not counting Ireland) price as about $770 and the UK price as $834. Like, damn. Am I the only one who thinks you'd have to be insane to spend that on a console? And I thought it was bad back when they announced the U.S. prices...

Re:Eheh...

[WarwickRyan]

We've got to pay extra because we get a superiour product. The hardware and all major games go through a vigorous testing process in the US before they're optimised with the addition of big black borders and released in Europe.

Re:Eheh...

[grogdamighty]

Nah, it's just because we get a superior product and you get a superiour product - just like on Wheel of Fortune, vowels cost about $250!

Prices higher than they appear

[jandrese]

The thing about the European prices compared to the US prices is that in the US we don't include tax in the stated price, in Europe the opposite is true. The price listed is what you actually pay at the register, as opposed to the US where you have to add on state tax (unless you're buying online, and even then you're supposed to pay your state for the purchase later (although nobody does this)).

Factoring out the tax we see that the PS3 is right around 500 to 520 euros or so, which puts it around US$650, which is a fairly modest markup of about US$50 or about 8% or so.

Price Point

[alexgieg]

You guys are complaining about nothing. Here're the official Brazilian price points for current generation consoles, in US dollars, if you want to avoid smugglers and prefer sticking to the letter of the law:

• PS3 60GB: $2,300.00
• PS3 20GB: $2,050.00
• XBox360: $1,250.00
• XBox360 Core: $700.00
• Wii: $1,000.00
• PSP: $400.00
• DS: $300.00

Sadly, none of the above are typos. And it's even more maddening when you consider most Brazilians earn half USA's minimum wage... :(

Re:Price Point

[alexgieg]

Well, many factors cause this. The main reason are Brazilian taxes themselves. We have taxes almost as high as Sweden, but 10% of the public services Swedes enjoy. Most of this money is lost somewhere in the corruption machine and no one manages to solve the problem, no matter how much they attempt.

The 2nd reason, I guess, is that since there's a lot of game piracy here, console manufactures who do sell here want to get, with the hardware, at least part of the profit they would get in the games themselves if people actually purchased those.

And the 3rd reason, also a guess of mine, is that manufactures and sellers, knowing that most people who actually buy official hardware is rich (the poor can't afford the taxes and go with smugglers anyway), don't mind asking outrageously high prices on them, for the rich guys will pay it anyway.

Computers are a relatively different matter because they're far more necessary than game consoles, thus the competition becomes very big and the prices competitive. In any case however, a "good" computer by Brazilian standards is what Americans and Europeans would see as the lowest end of the "budget" category. Our "budget" category comprises computers that are so low end that you in the 1st world wouldn't probably be able to purchase them locally even if you wanted to. No American computer shop would sells such parts. :)

Anyway, a good price comparison can be made with Apple computers, who also sell here (way lower market share than USA though). Here're current model prices available in an online shop I just checked. Compare them to the same models available at Amazon:

• Mac Pro MA356LL/A: $4,800.00 (Amazon: $2,500.00)
• Mac Mini MA607LL/A: $1,080.00 (Amazon: $600.00)
• MacBook Pro MA092LL/A: $4,900.00 (Amazon: $2,500.00)
• MacBook MA254LL/A: $2,000.00 (Amazon: $970.00)

I've heard that once Steve Jobs found these prices outrageous, and asked Apple Brazil to explain what was going on. Apple Brazil answered by sending him a groups of Brazilian accountants to explain him how messed the Brazilian tax system was. I don't know if he understood the explanation, but I guess not. So, don't even try. It's not worth the effort. Just know it sucks big time. :(

Finally Europe catches up with us

[freeweed]

Now the Europeans can watch the console sit unsold on store shelves too!

Re:Will not lose as much per console at least

[mollymoo]

PS3s are expensive, heart surgery and higher education are cheap. What a fucked up place, eh?