News just in from gamescom…
It’s confirmed! The PlayStation 3 is now available for $299. Yes, NOW! Today, Kaz Hirai also announced a new, slimmer form factor 120 GB PS3 (available September 1st). SCEA President and CEO Jack Tretton shows off the new hardware in this video.
Itching for a closer look at the new PS3? We’ve got pics.
Outstanding!! I was waiting for better games to come out to get a PS3. Now with the price drop and great games coming out this fall, I’ll be in line.
Will there be an update to support bravia sinc for non slim owners?
Well this is a waste to be honest i got a 500gb harddrive and 4 usb slots, backwards compatible and also memory slots. why would i spend my money on this piece of crap that only gives you 2 usb slots probly not backwards compatible and it has not memory slots and also only 120gb get real i can buy a 500gb for only 100 dollars this is a ripoff!
No PS2 backwards compatiblity!! What are you thinking, Sony?
I, for one, am very disappointed by Sony’s approach this generation. This is just one more in a long series of bungles that will relegate the Playstation to last place this generation, and probably the next one as well.
You say that you want to convert existing PS2 owners into PS3 owners. But where’s the upgrade path? What incentive does a PS2 owner have to buy a PS3?
Can the PS3 play their existing games library? No.
Does the PS3 have the games library to entice PS2 owners? No. The best PS3 games so far are multi-platform, and all look/run equally well, or better on the XBox 360. The XBox 360 also has many more exclusives of its own, not to mention exclusive DLC on multi-platform titles (GTA4). The Playstation has even lost previously-exclusive titles (Final Fantasy 13, future Metal Gear Solid games, Dragonquest). And where are the JRPGs? Mostly gone to Xbox 360, and some to Nintendo.
Is the PS3 cheaper? No. The price cut makes it more competitive, but there are still cheaper Xbox 360s.
(continued…)
I know several PS2 owners who have opted to move to Xbox 360 based on these facts. Maybe they’d be willing to buy a new Slim PS3 at US$299 if it could play their existing games, but without BC, where’s their incentive?
An interviewee on the first Kotaku podcast a few weeks ago basically said the same thing – he was waiting for a price-cut, but now that BC is gone, why bother with the PS3 at all? The XBox 360 is cheaper, has the same games, and offers exactly the same PS2 backwards compatibility as the PS3 (ie. none). Where’s the down-side?
Sony, you’ve single-handedly driven PS2 owners to the competition, when you had it within your power to do so much more for them.
My advise to you is to look at Apple’s business model, especially with their iPhone: Give customers what they want, and what they didn’t know they wanted. Make their friends so envious that they also want to own your product. Enough is enough with the “we decided you didn’t need it, so it’s gone” attitude – it only serves to hurt your company’s image. Make your products everything they can be. Gambatte kudasai!
Well mabey if you guys bought a 60 gb PS3 you would have backwards compatibility, it’s a software issue so stop complaining. Oh and as for cross game chat microsoft own the rights to it, so I guess you know the answer if were getting that, so stop asking. With a PS3 price drop a new PS3 slim, firmware 3.00, and now Home update 1.3 you shouldn’t complain. The PSN is FREE you should be glad your getting anything this great. If your still whine and moan buy a 360 and pay $50 for XBOX live, we will be glad your gone.
Ok, maybe there is something I’m missing here. The whole point of the PS3 is to play games and watch movies in a higher (the best) quality available. Why in the hell do people gripe and whine about them not being backwards compatible? I could see if they were just introducing the system for the first time and there were not many games available. But now, there is, to say the least, an abundance of games available but yet people are still complaining because the systems will not play their OLD games. I have a 60 GB PS3 that I purchased at launch, just messed up about 2 weeks ago, and am more than thrilled that the Slim is coming out and that it will only be $299. I had BC on my last PS3 and will be just fine with the new one not having it because I do purchase the games that are made for the PS3. If I wanted to play damn PS2 games I would never buy the PS3. And for those of you that are screaming you’re going to go out and buy an xBox because they new PS3s are not BC, think about how ironic and ignorant that statement is. Even with the new PS3s not being BC, you have a better chance of them playing your PS2 games than you do the damn xBox.
I think this is all good,but can it play ps2 games like my 60g I dont think so & if it did that will fly off so good i,ll get on just cuz./ hard drive? did you remove that feature? no its under the body of the slim if sony took that off that would have been a bad thing but they are cool you can still change that! lol sorry xboxers lol
Sony, you should take a look at the comments on this Kotaku story:
http://www.kotaku.com.au/2009/08/sony-explain-why-the-ps3-slim-has-no-backwards-compatibility/
Many of them repeat the same points I made in my post above.
Anecdotal evidence at best, but doesn’t it make you think that perhaps your marketing department got it wrong?
$299 and smaller model = win. Though the more simplistic appearance of this system loses the high end look the original PS3 had.
PS2 bc would make new PS3’s perfect. There has to be some kind of emulation work going on, right? After all, PS2 games will have to eventually appear on the PSN store…
The whole point of the PS3 is to play games and watch movies in a higher (the best) quality available. Why in the hell do people gripe and whine about them not being backwards compatible? well 4 real backwards compatible is great cuz the ps3 60 g plays the ps2 games better then the PS2 thats why we Sony Gamers are so madd & YOU know thats a Good point Right People Sony needs to make that a come Back TRUE THENAMESMILLEN
If you want backwards compatibility they buy a 60 gb PS3 and shut up people are tired of your whining.
I think this new PS3 is the PS3 SONY should have produced at launch.
I love my 60GB model… it oozes quality, but quality costs and people it seem don’t want to pay for quality anymore?
Just the exterior materials in my 60GB would not have been cheap… yet alone the internals, BD etc.
I hope SONY learn that (at leat with games consoles) price point is VERY important. Hopfully the PS4 wil be perceived from launch as good value and will sell better than the PS3 has.
Note to SONY: Decide on an acceptable retail price and then build the console. The PS3 was $1000 at launch in Australia! That’s a LOT of money.
Price, price, price… keep it cheap. Not glossy, not showy just cheap!
Nice a lighter playsation 3 console.The old one was to heavy,lol.Also i’m glad to hear that it takes less power, maybe it won’t overheat no more or have the (YLOD) Yellow Light Of Death.Also dust shouldn’t kill it as fast because it only has a fan in the back, not on the side no more or media slot which also collected a lot of dust.I’m going to get it once i get money for it.
As a (begrudging) 60GB model owner, and one that is scared to death of it breaking (as I am technically on my fourth unit), the lack of commercially available PS3’s with any BC is a real problem to me.
I certainly did not enjoy having to pay $150 and being out of a console for a week for repairs. Further, with my considerably-sized library, a console without BC is already nigh-on useless to me. So far, I keep hearing rumors regarding that this feature will be brought back… but the only thing that gives them any credit is that the deadlines talked about coincide with when you (Sony) are slated to finally call EOL on the PlayStation2.
I know some here will say “well if you’re that worried, just buy another PS2″… well, for one, I’m on my third PS2 there, and secondly, I need one with hard drive support – which Sony also stopped making years ago.
Simply put, if this PS3 breaks, and when my current PS2 finally decides to call it quits, there will be no more purchasing from me of any more Sony products. Period, full stop. No more BluRay, TV’s, walkmans, nada.
Having just picked up an 80GB PS3 less than a month ago, I’m not surprised that this price cut came. It’s always the case whenever you buy anything–the price goes down right after you buy it. Oh well…
On the plus side, I’m loving my PS3 very much.
i want one, i want one!!!
PS: If you want PS2 compatibility, the PS2 is only $99 now. When you add that into the cost, that’s how much the PS3 was ‘originally’ when it first came out (+/- the hard drive size and dualshock 3)
is the slim ps3 299 cause i havent got to buy the original and now im just gonna wait
Finally my friends who really want a PS3 can now finally get one. I think Sony will be gettting a HUGE holiday bonus off of this lol
too bad that there’s no BC feature…
anybody who did not have a ps3 before because of over price will get one now. look at me for example
i should have waited 4 this one
i herd of a price drop but i did not wait
i need to exercise paitence
Why, why do you complainers ruin everything, let me put a rundown for you
PS3 releases: “ONLINE ISN’T AS GOOD AS LIVE WE WANT LIVE QUALITY FOR FREE!”
PS3 Takes a price cut: “NO BC WAAAAAAAAH”
PS3 Slim Releases: “WE CAN’T UPDATE THE HARD DRIVE”
For god sakes sony tries and tries and tries and whining like this might convince them that they aren’t responding to the people’s wants, but here’s a little clue, most people will NEVER swap out the hard drive they have no desire too so your esoteric wants will never make them change anything. I think sony is doing a great job they made one or two mistakes but that’s business and I bet once ps2 games find their way to the Playstation store people will whine but I, I will buy katamari and be happy, Shine on Sony sine on
PS3 Slim looks like a 5 yr old made it,threw it in the trash,and Sony found it.I think I’ll stay w/launch 60 GB w/BC.But this will blow Xbox 360 out of the water.
We whine because we care.
Im definitely going to get one when it comes out. I accidently destroyed my PS3. Luckily it was only $10 off craigslist. Btw, does the ps3 slim have backwards-compatibility with PS2 and PS1 games, unlike other models?
OK first off to clear everything out. No, [DELETED] can we upgrade it. if the HDD of the original PS3 required a desktop HDD then the PS3 slim requires a laptop HDD. Its quite obvious there.
Secondly, why the heck would it be backwards compatible do you guys know how much the emotion chip cost to build it. if you guys want a BC so bad why dont you make it yourself and stop complaining. I personally dont care cuz i know eventually sony will convert all ps2 and ps1 games into a downloadable formatt to buy off of psn. Think here, the 20, 60, and 1st 80gb were BC and do you remember how much they cost to buy it, I sure do. so if the slim were to have the emotion chip built within it the slim would not cost $300.
the design is not good at all they took no time in how it looks im cool with my ps3 i dont want to downgrade
Hi Jeff
I noticed earlier that you said you were pushing Namco Bandai for a PS3 release of Tales of Vesperia. Has anything come of it? Is there a realistic chance of it appearing on the PS3 in the near future?
So let me get this straight. So if BC is off the table because in your “research” most people have a PS2 then why do most PS3’s still play PSone games? Are you implying that most people would be playing PS1 games but NOT PS2 games on their PS3’s!!? This doesn’t make ANY sense at all and is just marketing spin. Most people wouldn’t use their PS3’s to play CD’s but it does that doesn’t it John? By your logic the ability to play music shouldn’t be there because most people would use their stereos to play music. Wake up to yourself John and listen to the consumers who want BC back!!!!!
I’m still more interested in acquiring my second 360(for Forza3) as opposed to my first PS3, but now it’s just barely(pricedrop+slim+GT5)…
Awesome…
ok all you noobs who apparently know very little about the system you either own or want to own, this is to clear up the whole backwards compatibility issue because i am tired of reading about it. NO UPDATE is going to make it b/c. it has to do with a chip that only the 20,60& 1st 80gigs had. they took it out to save on production costs, so get over it. you weren’t smart enough to research(try arguing that one i dare u) what you were buying. so don’t gripe about it now. NO MORE COMMENTS ABOUT BACKWARDS COMPATIBILITY. unless you are referring to future ps3 models. NO UPDATE is going to fix that. and as far as i know(and i know alot) there is no discussion about bringing b/c back anytime soon. so quit griping about the b/c. geeze, it gets old. gripe at yourself for being a noob and not doing your homework
What about bravia sync? Is that exclusive for ps3 slim or is it in firmware 3.0 so that all ps3-machines will get it?
no one said there wasn’t BC.
and if there wasn’t, stop whining and use your freakin ps2
I just want to say that the PlayStation 3 60GB
is an amazing machine. I picked mine up in canada on launch for almost 800 bucks and I don’t regret it. I love the slick design and the spider-man font. It has all the extras you wont be getting the new slim model, PS2 game play. I just finished God of war 2 again, amazing game !!!
It is great that Sony has lowered the price, i just think the new design makes the unit look a little cheap. I’ll be sad to see the old design fade away.
Oh well, bring on the slims.
Is this new ps3 compatable with the ps2 and ps games???? i like the deign too…..i JUST bought a new ps3 like 2 days ago for $499….it was the uncharted edition….im so mad….lol…i could have waited and got it for $299….ohhh well….i have the money i guess
I think the new look is cool and would go more w our living room so now i’ll have two ps3’s lol
hopefully the B/C firmware will be released soon enough (at least 1st quarter of 2010).
Great new price, but I’m not digging the new design. At least we still can buy the “fat” model that has an awesome design, a beautiful machine.
Good move Sony, hopefully 1 year from now the PS3 will surpass the 360 total sales.
you can upgrade the hard drive. visit this site to see a video on a newly opened ps3 slim box and at the end of the video it is confirmed about the upgradeable hdd!!!!!
http://ps3.ign.com/dor/articles/1015007/gc-2009-ps3-slim-and-price-drop-announced/videos/gcom09_ps3slim_opening_081609.html
Regarding the NEW PS3. To those who really use their ps3 to the max. This has no Other OS. which means you cant install linux on the new systems. So if you wish to still use your PS3 as a computer then dont upgrade to the new ps3. Personally i dont like the look of the new ps3 anyways. But no Other OS?? Come on sony!! and dont give the dedicate to games. Y’all been doing that
I got a word for this…. UGLY! I like my own thick playstation 3.
i have one it have all i need
I’m happy, mad and sad with the recent news of the slimmer PS3. Mad that I should of waited because I bought the PS3 in April but glad I didn’t in one way because I’m able to play such great games on my system. Happy because if my bulky model breaks down, I will have the luxury of buying this model which is slimmer, lighter, has more memory and so forth. But sad that Sony is still blinded to the option of backwards compatability for the PS3.
I have preordered my slim PS3. I just had to buy another so I can retire my 60GB PS3 Fat. Thanks Sony for doing this, you shall reap the rewards soon no doubt.
I’ll get this one if my 60 gb doesn’t hold up much longer…the fans are going crazy..I wonder how the slim will deal with the heat..
backwards compatible babies out there… step into the new generation of gaming. you know the one thats been around for the last 3 years. the whole point of technology is to move forward.
Sony has put in place the steps to patent EE that will let you eventually download an update enabling backwards compatibility mostly because of all the whining.
Get a new system, pop in a COD Modern Warfare or Killzone, play it for a few hours and see how much time you want to spend playing Crash Bandicoot or your other old PS2 games.
(I do love crash, its downloadable on psn)
Come to the other side of the digital divide, man.
Looks cool and the price cut is nice as well i might buy one myself.
@X-RayD
Yes, they did patent EE emulation. They used that the 80gb Motorstorm and MGS4 bundle. The PS3 needs the GS chip to perform PS2 emulation. there is no patent for that.
Jack and another Sony SCEE boss have stated. no more BC, ever.
“Backwards compatibility, as you know from PlayStation One and PlayStation 2, is a core value of what we believe we should offer. And access to the library of content people have created, bought for themselves, and accumulated over the years is necessary to create a format. PlayStation is a format meaning that it transcends many devices — PSOne, PS2, and now PS3.” – Phil Harrison