After stock runs out of the 60GB version of the PS3, we’ll be left with two models: the 80GB version, which does PS2 backwards compatiblity (BC) partially in software, and the 40GB PS3, which has no BC. These models will cost $499 and $399, respectively.

Now read the article below. Note especially how Jack Tretton says that you can get both a 40GB PS3 and a PS2 for less than $600, the high-end PS3’s initial price.

Uh… why? Why did he say that? Who wants to buy two consoles if you can buy one. And gosh golly jee willickers, Sony has a PS3 model with BC for less than the cost of a 40GB PS3 and a PS2 - the 80GB PS3!

You may complain that the 80GB PS3’s BC isn’t as good as the old 60GB PS3’s. Fair enough. But it’s still a lot better than the 360’s BC. The fact is, the 80GB PS3 does a decent job of BC - it’s just not as good as the 60GB. So Sony does have a BC solution.

So, what should Sony be telling people? If you want a PS3 with BC, buy the 80GB version. Sounds simple to me. But no, Sony has to start talking about people already owning PS2’s, or how they could pick one up for cheap.

Just silly.

Sony Computer Entertainment America Announces New 40 Gigabyte Playstation 3 for $399; CEO Insists That the PS3 Remains ‘Relevant’

Wow that price drop really made a difference at amazon, it shot up 900%! But me personally if I where looking to buy a PS3 now, I’d hunt down the 60GB PS3. But this looks like PS3 will be selling well this holiday season. Wonder how the 40GB PS3 will do in North America …

Amazon

I’ve compiled and formatted NPD numbers for Canada and USA and MediaCreate numbers for Japan. I don’t have easy access to sales figures for other territories, so they are not included.

The biggest surprise successes are the 360, due to Halo 3, and also the PSP, due to the redesign. PS3 sales are light, especially when held next to the 360 numbers.

Currently PS3 sales are slightly over five million worldwide, and Sony plans to reach eleven million by the end of the fiscal year in March, 2008. The big events that should trigger a sales volume surge are today’s price drop, Europe’s price drop earlier this month, the new 40GB SKU that already launched in Europe and set to launch in both US and Canada for $399 US/CDN., the amazing PS3 holiday game lineup, an expected ad blitz, and the normal holiday rush.

(I’ve visually double-checked data, but please leave a comment if any number looks off)

vgchartz reports schedule details of upcoming PSN titles (via Game Informer). These dates probably aren’t very reliable, but they are better than nothing.

UPDATE: Added other known and upcoming titles.

October 2007

PS Eye: Aqua Vita, Eye Create, Operation Creature Feature, Trials of Topaq

November 2007

PixelJunk Monsters
PS Eye: Mesmerize, Tori Imaki
Snake Ball
High Velocity Bowling

December 2007

flOw Expansion

“With flOw designer The Game Company busy with their new title flOwer Supervillian Studios has taken up the slack and is working on a new expansion for flOw. The expansion addws a new creature to the mix, the Puffer. Also included is a new soundtrack, multiplayer mode, and the ability for multiple players to play as multiple creatures.”

Warhawk Expansion

“Very little is known about this new expansion. All that has been revealed is that a new vehicle is being added. A drop ship,which features 6 missile turrets and enough space to load up a tank or two. Due to the additional of the drop ship current maps will be modified to fit it in current zones.”

WipeOut HD
Rat Race
Dark Mist
Elefunk
PAIN
Skydiving

January 2008

Toy Home

??? 2008

Socom Confrontation

I know I know - The Orange Box isn’t available for the PS3 yet. In case you haven’t seen/heard a review of the latest from Valve, check out the video below.

But a review is not really what this post is about. This post is about complaining. Again. And I will keep complaining until developers GET IT. So here we go.

Last night at Todd’s place he put The Orange Box disc into his 360. First Todd showed us Portal, a mind-bending puzzler which looks like a boatload of fun but is a single player game. So we just take a quick gander and then moved on - cool stuff, but not for us right at the moment. We also looked at the single player Half Life 2 Episode 2 briefly, and it looks like fun too. But then we came to the star of the show, at least if you had “multiplayer” on your minds as we did. Team Fortress 2. We boot it up and lo and behold - NO SPLITSCREEN SUPPORT. What the heck? Todd was pissed. I was pissed. Steve was pissed. So here’s yet another game that should have had 4 player splitscreen support, but didn’t.

Are developers getting lazy? Do they not think we want splitscreen? What’s the deal here? Why isn’t splitscreen a priority for developers anymore? Guess what Valve? WE WANT SPLITSCREEN. Before trying to play Team Fortress 2 we played PGR4. Which still doesn’t measure up to PGR2, BTW. Dumb classification system for cars, not as many tracks, etc. (At least they improved the menu system over PGR3.) But also: NO FOUR PLAYER SPLITSCREEN. Two player splitscreen isn’t enough. The PS3 and 360 are the most powerful gaming consoles ever. EVER. I think they can handle splitscreen. Let’s see it!

Now that I got that off my chest, here’s a somewhat-funny review of the game:

Sony has confirmed that the 80GB model will be reduced to $499 and the new 40GB model will be introduced to North America at $399. IGN, Ars, and others have a nice helping of crow to eat…

Links:

IGN: CONFIRMED. Price drop is temporary
IGN: Best of E3 Award
Ozy: Drinking the Sony Kool-Aid
Ars: Soon Only One $600 PS3 Remains
ps3blog Rumor Debunking

Just checked the UK Store and it’s been updated:

PSONE GAMES:

Syphon Filter 3

Crash Team Racing

PS3 PLAYABLE DEMO:

Dynasty Warriors: Gundam

MOVIE TRAILER:

Alien vs Predator

GAME TRAILER:

The Inspiration (Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune)

I’m quite tempted by Everybody’s Golf 2…

We all knew it was coming, but now we know for sure. Sony has said that they will start selling the new 40GB PS3 in North America on November 2nd, 2007. It will sell for the new low price of $399. The 80GB model will be decreased from $599 to $499

Remember that this new 40GB model will have no memory card readers, no PS2 backwards compatibility (though it’ll still play PSOne games), and it’ll have two USB ports on the front instead of four.

This will make the new PS3 the cheapest BD player available when it’s released. No word yet on a white PS3.

I think I saw somewhere that the 80GB price drop was effective immediately, can anyone confirm?

[Edit: Yup, it looks like the 80GB is $499 as of today. As well, the 40GB will initially come with a BD copy of Spider-Man 3.]

Sony to sell new 40GB PlayStation 3 in U.S.

Read the rest of this entry »

ChartTrack said 89% of PS3 purchasers chose the 60GB model last week, after the introduction of the 40GB model. via GameSpot:

Chart Track director Dorian Bloch commented, “The PS3 60GB is proving very popular, even with the introduction last week of the 40GB model. Eighty-nine percent of purchasers opted for some form of 60GB model, since this is sold with at least two games for only £50 ($102) more than the 40GB model, and sometimes other extras…”

Looking at the poll we ran on this site, the 40GB provded highly unpopular as well, with a mere 9% of the vote, while the 60GB unit got 67% of the vote, *despite* the fact that the poll was worded to compare the 60GB at it’s original $600 price vs it’s current $500 price.

I thought it was just us that didn’t like the new 40GB configuration, and we weren’t representative of the larger population. However, it looks like most consumers prefer the 60GB by a fairly wide margin.

As long as they still offer the nicer units, and the 40GB is just an option, that’s great. However, I hope they don’t follow through on their one-SKU strategy with this new stripped down unit.

Did Sony just miscall this one? Do you think that in the near future this will be the only option to buy?

I was drafting a post about the dearth of adventure games on PSN (and competing services). When comparing PSN’s offerings to the hobbyist developed PC games out there, there is a complete lack of narrative driven adventure games, strategy games, and role-playing games. Almost all of the PSN games are twitch action titles.

Now, Sony announces exactly the kind of concept that I was looking for: Rat Race.

Our goal is to give you the feeling of “playing” inside an episode of your favorite TV show. Sometimes we describe Rat Race as an interactive sitcom, but that doesn’t do it justice. There’s more to the experience than funny dialogue. Along the way you’ll sneak, sprint, solve puzzles, eavesdrop, steal, and even “neutralize” that lab monkey.

This sounds like a very interesting concept. What’s great about this as opposed to hobbyist developed titles, is this game has high production values. It sounds like they have high end writing and voice acting staff as well as professional art and programming staff.

I can’t wait to see more from this!

Gamesindustry.biz reports a 178% sales surge of the PS3 in the UK after the price update and new 40GB model release.

PS3 software has also shot up as well:

PS3 software has also enjoyed a resurgence, with Resistance: Fall of Man climbing the all-formats charts from 22 to eight, Heavenly Sword re-entering the top 40 at number 14, MotorStorm moving from 22 to 18, and Formula 1: Championship Edition also back in the official charts at number 24.

Resistance is still dominating PS3 sales? That clearly says that these are new PS3 owners. The available game selection is growing very quickly on the PS3. Resistance is going to have some real competition on the PS3 later this month.