Sony PlayStation 3 Price Dropped to $249

[Supreme Marvel]

Sony Computer Entertainment has set a new price for PlayStation 3. The system will now be available for $249 in North America and euro 249 in Europe, while the price will drop to 24,980 yen in Japan on August 18.

Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) today announced that the PlayStation®3 (PS3®) computer entertainment system with 160GB hard disk drive (HDD), currently available at a recommended retail price (RRP) of 29,980 yen (including tax), $299 and euro 299, will be available at a very attractive new RRP of 24,980 yen (including tax) for Japan, $249 for North America and euro 249 for Europe/PAL territories. SCE will also reduce the price of the PS3® system with 320GB HDD, currently available at a RRP of 34,980 yen (including tax), $349 and euro 349, to RRP of 29,980 yen (including tax), $299 and euro 299. The new pricing will be immediately effective for North America and Europe/PAL territories, and starting August 18, 2011 for Japan.

Since its release in 2006, PS3 has gained tremendous support from fans around the world and its cumulative worldwide sales reached a milestone of 50 million units as of March 29, 2011. Equipped with future proof cutting–edge technologies including the sophisticated processors, Cell Broadband Engine™ and RSX®, as well as the Blu-ray disc™ (BD) player and HDMI terminal, PS3 has continuously enhanced its value to consumers through system software updates to support new features and services including stereoscopic 3D content playback and support for the PlayStation®Move motion controller. With the breadth and depth of services and content available for the PS3 system, including its impressive BD software line-up and the expansive portfolio of more than 60,000 games and video content (*1) available on PlayStation®Network, the new price will make the platform more accessible than ever and will appeal to a wider audience looking to buy the best entertainment system for their home. With strong support from software developers and publishers, as of June 30, 2011, the worldwide cumulative number of BD software titles for the PS3 system exceeds 2,495 titles and downloadable PS3 games available on PlayStation®Store exceeds 3,100 titles (*2). Of these titles, more than 120 titles (*3) are stereoscopic 3D supported and 200 titles (*3) are PlayStation Move dedicated or supported. In addition to this extensive software title line-up, exciting and attractive new titles are expected to be released from software developers and publishers as well as from SCE Worldwide Studios, including Madden NFL 12 and Battlefield 3™ from Electronic Arts, Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare®3 from Activision, Assassin's Creed Revelations from Ubisoft, Resistance® 3, The Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection, Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One and Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception™ from SCE and more.

The PS3 system provides free access to PlayStation Network and its growing portfolio of marquee entertainment services for streaming hi-def movies, TV shows and sporting events. In North America, these services include Hulu Plus, MLB.TV, Netflix, NHL GameCenter, Vudu, and many more. PlayStation Network also features unique and compelling downloadable content from leading networks, such as the Discovery Channel, ESPN and HBO, and exclusive games, including the critically-acclaimed PixelJunk series and the highly anticipated Journey, to ensure PS3 customers always have amazing entertainment experiences at their fingertips.

Through these price reductions, the upcoming line-up of blockbuster software titles for the PS3 system and the industry's strongest offering of entertainment services, SCE will continue to expand the PS3 platform and deliver a world of computer entertainment that is only possible on PlayStation.

[Supreme Marvel]

People now believe that this is because a PS4 is coming soon. I can't see it being a year or 2. But not long after that.

[Gender]

PS4 is coming but not anywhere close to "soon".
Maybe just an improved slim that can play PS2 titles or something like that since I do recall Sony patenting it.

[spoilsport]

I expect it'll be at least 2 years before we see a reveal for a new Playstation console. Maybe another revision though, since I think that even the slim PS3 has some issues with backwards compatibility (I could be wrong, though).

At any rate, this is as good a time as ever to grab a PS3. The holiday rush of games is coming up and if you're interested, there's plenty of exclusives.

[Erik-El]

Wow. Great time to get on board with PS3.

[ckal]

24,980 yen, how affordable.

Seems strange that Sony is losing money each console they sell, having to rely on game sales to recoop that loss from each unit. Whatever works though I guess.

I doubt that the next generation in Xbox or Playstation will be released for another few years. There's really just not much more they can do than the current technology at this point.

[Erik-El]

Aug 19, 2011 12:07:06 GMT -5 ckal said:

24,980 yen, how affordable.

Seems strange that Sony is losing money each console they sell, having to rely on game sales to recoop that loss from each unit. Whatever works though I guess.

I doubt that the next generation in Xbox or Playstation will be released for another few years. There's really just not much more they can do than the current technology at this point.

There is always the next step. I am still waiting for that Mind Platform Sony promised years ago in one of their commercials.

[Gender]

Aug 19, 2011 0:11:07 GMT -5 spoilsport said:

I expect it'll be at least 2 years before we see a reveal for a new Playstation console. Maybe another revision though, since I think that even the slim PS3 has some issues with backwards compatibility (I could be wrong, though).

At any rate, this is as good a time as ever to grab a PS3. The holiday rush of games is coming up and if you're interested, there's plenty of exclusives.

As far as I know the SLIM can't play PS2 titles on it(Despite the earlier Phat capable of doing so, albeit from what I've read that is what caused the yellow light of QQ). And sony did patent it:
www.destructoid.com/sony-patents-ps2-emulation-software-for-ps3--138022.phtml
I wouldn't mind being able to finally put my Phat to sleep and just have my slim take over the world in it's wake.

Aug 19, 2011 12:07:06 GMT -5 ckal said:

24,980 yen, how affordable.

Seems strange that Sony is losing money each console they sell, having to rely on game sales to recoop that loss from each unit. Whatever works though I guess.

I doubt that the next generation in Xbox or Playstation will be released for another few years. There's really just not much more they can do than the current technology at this point.

Don't know why it would be strange, the Xbox has been losing money per unit since as far back as I remember in 2005. The whole loss per console thing is common in the gaming industry ATM.
As for why we won't be seeing an Xbox: OVER 9000 or PS4, is it wouldn't profitable to do so. www.geek.com/articles/games/new-game-consoles-not-expected-until-2013-2009054/