$499 PlayStation 3 Confirmed

Gamespot is reporting that the rumoured price drop from earlier this week is a reality. Starting on July 10th, the current 60GB model will sell for $499. Coming to US shores in August is the 80GB version only available in South Korea at the moment, which will retail for $599. They're bundling that unit with Motorstorm, so it's not just another 20 gigs for $100. "The price drop further indicates that, after a slow start, Sony is now aggressively trying to expand its customer base in the US. The move comes none too soon. According to the latest figures from industry-research firm the NPD Group, the PS3 only sold 82,000 units in the US in May, compared to the Xbox 360's 155,000 units and the Wii's 338,000 units." So, is this it? Will this price drop make you buy a PS3, or are you still holding off for the big games this fall?

Comments

Panic Time

[MeanMF]

This just confirms that Sony is in full-blown panic mode... They keep talking about the long-term viability of the PS3, and I can see why since it is a pretty nice piece of hardware. But they're obviously very worried about their near-term prospects so I could easily see how they'd cut another $100 before the end of the year if things don't turn around quickly.

Those that fail to learn from history

[Orion Blastar]

are doomed to repeat it.

Anyone remember the NeoGeo?

Well anyway it was set to debut at $599 want to know why it didn't do so well? Due to the price. $500 and up game consoles don't sell that well. Sony needs to find a way to lower the price to $299 on the base model and $399 on the advanced model or else the Wii and XBox 360 will eat their lunch.

Those who fail to learn from economics 101

[Pap22]

Get your facts straight, according to your own wiki link:

However, this plan was quickly scrapped and when the system had its national launch it debuted at $649.99

$650 in 1990 dollars is $1120 in 2006 dollars. Not to mention the fact EACH neo geo game cost $200 in 1990 dollars ($313 in 2006 dollars).

http://www.westegg.com/inflation/infl.cgi

Compared to the neo geo, the PS3 is a flippin bargain.

AU prices

[Nazlfrag]

I doubt we'll see anything like this. A typical price, ie. on 'sale' at Big W here w/free game is $987. That's around $847 USD. This is also the European model where they ripped out the hardware backwards compatibility.

Or I could get this one imported for $582 AUD but have no warranty. Both options are bad, but the fact I could almost get TWO from America at the same price makes the warranty issue not look so bad after all.

Sony doesn't stand a chance against the Xbox or Wii(which is still regularly sold out) in Australia any time soon. Even with the best damn games on the planet $1000 is a ludicrous price, next to $350ish Wii or $500ish 360. I could in fact get both consoles and some games for the same price... Bluray doesn't even enter into consideration.

Re:Waiting for Metal Gear

[Zantetsuken]

Its not a whole lot more number-wise, but heres a few more that are set to be PS3 exclusive, and these are series highly reputed for the game play, not just graphics.

Of the exclusives on this list, I know the following to either be historically good franchises or good games for a new franchise (or at the absolute least have heard a few of them to be good):

• Castlevania (not much into it myself, but its a longstanding franchise)
• Genji: Days of the blade (I've played the demo, which made me rent it - its a great game with gameplay like the Onimusha series if you've played those)
• God of War 3 (never played 1 or 2 myself, but since just about every review site gave great critiques for months on end, it can't be too bad)
• Gran Turismo 5 (not a fan of racing games, but I know enough to know its big)
• Gradius (the latest in a great line originating with the side-scrolling NES space shooter)
• Haze (sounds decently fun, even if it only turns out to be an average FPS)
• Hot Shots Golf (if you like playing golf or other casual party games like this)
• Killzone 2 (I found the first to be fairly fun as even as a somewhat generic FPS)
• MGS4 (as you 2 have listed)
• Mobile Suite Gundam: Crossfire (looks like a fun clone of Armored Core with destructable buildings)
• Resistance: Fall of man (rented it, is extremely fun and is hard enough to suck you in and make you at least try)
• SOCOM (personally only the first was nothing short of spectacular, the second was mediocre, and the 3rd was just horrible - hopefully this will remedy that)
• Tekken 6 (not a fan of fighting games, but the only one I know of more popular than Tekken is the Guilty Gear franchise)
• Time Crisis 4 (everybody's favorite Peter Piper rail shooter with a guncon, this guncon model is supposed to have analog sticks and allow the player to roam freely the level)
• Warhawk (never played the original, but it sounds like there are legions of people waiting to sell their souls when this comes out)
• Zone of the Enders 3 (now I thought this series was finished, so the existence of this is news to me, but the first 2 were great fast action with superb mechanical designs on the mecha - this is definitely one to pick up if you like fast action that makes you have to really pay attention to where you are, not to mention where the enemy is)