Confirmed: 80GB PS3 & price drop for 60GB

[kevolution]

Sony confirms: 80GB PlayStation 3 and price drop for 60GB model
145 Comments by Jared Rea Jul 9th 2007 12:00AM
Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Business

In a press release issued tonight, Sony has confirmed that the 60GB PlayStation 3 has received a $100 dollar price drop, making for a retail price of $499 and is effective as of now. Taking its place at the $599 dollar price point is a new (to America anyway) 80GB model. The new model, however, will not be available in stores until this August, though no specific date was mentioned. The 80GB model will also come packed with the off-road racer, Motorstorm.

This news comes after a weekend of drama, all stemming from a leaked Circuit City ad. While we originally suspected that the 80GB model, due to the ease of modification, would remain a Korean exclusive, Sony has given everyone the swerve. This early of a price drop comes as a shock, however, as it wasn't terribly long ago that Sony was telling folks to get a second job in order to afford one. We expect to hear more about how this price drop and new model plays into Sony's master plan this week at E3.

In the US, the PlayStation 3 spent 230 days at its initial price.

[Update - The meaty part of the press release has been pasted after the break. Enjoy!]



SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT AMERICA INTRODUCES NEW 80GB PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3TM); ANNOUNCES NEW PRICE ON CURRENT 60GB MODEL 80GB System Designed for Today's Connected Gamer, 60GB Price Now $499


FOSTER CITY, Calif., July 9, 2007 – Sony Computer Entertainment America(SCEA), Inc. today announced a new 80GB model of its PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3TM) computer entertainment system. Beginning in August, the new PS3 model will be available in North America for a suggested retail price of $599/$659 CND and will be sold with the popular online-enabled racing game MotorStormTM. In conjunction with this news, the company also announced that effective immediately, the current 60GB PS3 model will be available in North America for$499/$549 CND, or $100 below the original launch price.

By featuring an expanded hard disk drive (HDD), the new 80GB PS3 is designed to appeal to the online gaming and entertainment enthusiast, providing ample storage space to download more games and other entertainment content from PLAYSTATION®Network. There are currently more than 60 playable games and game-related downloads available through PLAYSTATION®Store, with expanded entertainment content coming soon. The new model features the million-selling game MotorStorm in the box, allowing up to 12 players to play online at one time, hitting the dirt in this visually-arresting, fast-paced racing title.

 

[Glen Infante]

I just traded motorstorm for
ninja gaiden. That game sucked.

 

[kevolution]

How is Gaiden?
I heard it didn't recieve such great reviews.

 

[Mac]

I might have to go get me one now...

 

[cdt]

Cool this just made my life a whole lot easier..

Instead of like 700 bux on PS3 and Madden it'll be closer to 600

 

[James]

why would anyone need a 80 gig drive? i got a 60 and i dont have anything to put on it.

 

[kevolution]

why would anyone need a 80 gig drive? i got a 60 and i dont have anything to put on it.

Well one reason I would is because with my and psp and wifi I could acess any movies, videos, etc on my ps3 from anywhere in the world via my psp. Granted 60-80 is still an outrageous amount of storage...but $100 for 20 more gigs is a little more outrageous.

 

[kevolution]

Rumor: 80GB PS3 has rumbling Sixaxis
2 Comments by Ross Miller Jul 9th 2007 4:01PM
Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3



One single red light has spurred rumors that the newly-announced 80GB PlayStation 3 has a shaking Sixaxis controller (or "shake-axis," if you will) packed into the SKU. Another clue comes from an Engadget reader who says that the Contents section of the box has "more text describing the SIXAXIS item than can be found on the 60GB box."

To us, the Home button light looks just like a reflection of the background. Or maybe it's just a cosmetic difference so you can say, "hey guys, I bought an 80GB PS3 and here's my red light Sixaxis to prove it!" We've contacted Sony for more information.

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Sony might be finally getting their shit together. Rumble would be a huge deal if they added that to the ps3's arsenal.

 

[James]

Well one reason I would is because with my and psp and wifi I could acess any movies, videos, etc on my ps3 from anywhere in the world via my psp. Granted 60-80 is still an outrageous amount of storage...but $100 for 20 more gigs is a little more outrageous.

if you have 60 gigs worth of movies and videos on your psp, you need to reacess your life, i dont even have 60 gigs of videos/movies on my laptop.

 

[kevolution]

if you have 60 gigs worth of movies and videos on your psp, you need to reacess your life, i dont even have 60 gigs of videos/movies on my laptop.

You've mis-quoted me.

This would be an at home library that would be accesible through wifi using the psp from the 60gb ps3. A library that includes photos, videos, movies, and music. A psp at this time can only hold at the max 4 gb.
I have easily over 80gb's of music alone.

 

[kevolution]

And rumble has now been shot down as a rumor for the ps3 controller.

 

[James]

well, ive still yet to be able to figureout that wi-fi shit on the ps3 to get my music/pictures all on it.

 

[CornerThree]

I heard the 80 gig version removed the "Emotion Engine" meaning that ps2 games are now going to be emulated instead of hardware driven. While I eventually want one, it's gotta go under 400 before I think about it.

 

[Mac]

Are they still selling the 40 gig? Are they now going to be the same price? You would assume if the 60 goes down, the 40 or whatever the lower version was, would too.

 

[CornerThree]

The other version was kind of inferior(no built in WiFi). I believe whatever units were left have surely been sold off by now.