No major new PS3 game announcements from Ken 'Father of PlayStation' Kutaragi in his keynote speech at TGS this week, with the biggest surprise of the day being the announcement of more than 10,000 Yen being slashed from the price of the Japanese 20GB version of the PlayStation 3, which launches in Japan on November 11th.
The cheapest of the two versions of the next-gen Playstation will now cost Japanese gamers ¥49,980 (US$427 / €335 / £225). Sony also announced that there is to be a HDMI port on the 20GB version of the console, as well as the higher-end 60GB version.
"In Japan there is a perception that one yen is the same as one dollar and one euro [one euro/dollar cent, surely - Ed] so Japanese people feel it's a little expensive," said Nanako Kato, a spokeswoman for SCEI in Tokyo. The US launch price is US$499 and the cut would bring the Japanese price in line with that of the US in the minds of consumers, she said.
What Kato doesn't seem to have considered here is the effect the Japanese price drop might (will) have on the minds of non-Japanese consumers, particularly in the US. With this price-matching mentality, it seems there will be no price cut in the US and Europe. Asked if there was a risk that consumers in the US and Europe would perceive the PlayStation 3 to be overpriced in their markets, Kato said "I guess we'll find that out from now."
So, let's take her word for it. Let's start finding it out. We'll pose the same question to you guys.
Do you think SCEA and SCEE face a risk that western consumers will perceive the PlayStation 3 to be overpriced, considering the new, far lower price in the console's Japanese homeland?
More TGS news to follow after the break.
(source:DigitalWorldTokyo.com)
The cheapest of the two versions of the next-gen Playstation will now cost Japanese gamers ¥49,980 (US$427 / €335 / £225). Sony also announced that there is to be a HDMI port on the 20GB version of the console, as well as the higher-end 60GB version.
"In Japan there is a perception that one yen is the same as one dollar and one euro [one euro/dollar cent, surely - Ed] so Japanese people feel it's a little expensive," said Nanako Kato, a spokeswoman for SCEI in Tokyo. The US launch price is US$499 and the cut would bring the Japanese price in line with that of the US in the minds of consumers, she said.
What Kato doesn't seem to have considered here is the effect the Japanese price drop might (will) have on the minds of non-Japanese consumers, particularly in the US. With this price-matching mentality, it seems there will be no price cut in the US and Europe. Asked if there was a risk that consumers in the US and Europe would perceive the PlayStation 3 to be overpriced in their markets, Kato said "I guess we'll find that out from now."
So, let's take her word for it. Let's start finding it out. We'll pose the same question to you guys.
Do you think SCEA and SCEE face a risk that western consumers will perceive the PlayStation 3 to be overpriced, considering the new, far lower price in the console's Japanese homeland?
More TGS news to follow after the break.
(source:DigitalWorldTokyo.com)
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Comments
SCiARA 22 Sep 2006 10:36
1/18
For the UK i highly doubt it, our great british public will love spending £500odd on a system they think will be the best
config 22 Sep 2006 10:44
2/18
...and then whining about how the UK is soooo expensive for consumer electronics and stuff.
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SCiARA 22 Sep 2006 10:49
3/18
don’t they just
"telly's are so expensive - I’ve just bought a 3 grand telly"
There’s a great one upmanshipness about the UK.
My boss went to PC world to buy one and phoned his mate (who recently bought one) so he would definitely get the faster better one
"telly's are so expensive - I’ve just bought a 3 grand telly"
There’s a great one upmanshipness about the UK.
My boss went to PC world to buy one and phoned his mate (who recently bought one) so he would definitely get the faster better one
hollywooda 22 Sep 2006 11:45
4/18
the fact that he went to PC World shows he knows f**k all about computer
SCiARA 22 Sep 2006 12:03
5/18
hollywooda wrote:
the fact that he went to PC World shows he knows f**k all about computer
he only went to PC world as his mate did! - he specifically wanted to outdo his mate!!!
Remember the bloke who broke the lightsabre? him
hollywooda 22 Sep 2006 13:26
6/18
that f**ker!...... i never got a new one from him..
saurian 22 Sep 2006 16:55
7/18
Sony Japan Slashes Price of PS3
And everyone laughed at Microsoft for cutting the Xbox price 'only one month after release'
Of course Sony have to go one better - cut the price one month BEFORE release
And everyone laughed at Microsoft for cutting the Xbox price 'only one month after release'
Of course Sony have to go one better - cut the price one month BEFORE release
vault 13 24 Sep 2006 05:34
8/18
I don't do mates, I do chicks. You and your mates can enjoy the ookie cookie. I'll be playing my PS3 with my woman?, girl? doll?, lady?, significant other? What is it you call the opposite sex over there? I want to get my burn correct.
config 25 Sep 2006 08:59
9/18
saurian wrote:
Sony Japan Slashes Price of PS3
And everyone laughed at Microsoft for cutting the Xbox price 'only one month after release'
Of course Sony have to go one better - cut the price one month BEFORE release
And everyone laughed at Microsoft for cutting the Xbox price 'only one month after release'
Of course Sony have to go one better - cut the price one month BEFORE release
I dunno. I kinda get the feeling that the people who buy the reduced price PS3 at launch will be a lot happier than those that bought Xbox and got stiffed just five weeks later.
Joji 25 Sep 2006 13:05
10/18
I find this price cut nice for the japanese, but why not the rest of us? Are we tainted with the wrong brush that we don't deserve the same? This is also weird because PS3 is cheapest in japan when compared to u.k/eu and the u.s.
Is this a tactic to unbalance the Wii or 360 in japan? Come on Sony, cut that u.k price.
Is this a tactic to unbalance the Wii or 360 in japan? Come on Sony, cut that u.k price.
SCiARA 25 Sep 2006 13:17
11/18
that is awsome value for money, sony must be worried.
Imagine if the rest got an equivalent price cut, Sony could mop up easily
Imagine if the rest got an equivalent price cut, Sony could mop up easily
hollywooda 25 Sep 2006 13:34
12/18
This is Sony's way of apologising for s**tting on there own door step.... who cares, sony could wrap a dog s**t up in a PS3 box & people are still gonna buy it.
SCiARA 25 Sep 2006 13:38
13/18
You reckon? sure there gonna sell out of there initial batch but I’m not sure in the new year.
Look at you and me, loyal Sony fanboys that have had enough of them. We’re not the only ones
Look at you and me, loyal Sony fanboys that have had enough of them. We’re not the only ones
SCiARA 25 Sep 2006 13:38
14/18
f**kin gay arse double posts
vault 13 26 Sep 2006 01:22
15/18
hollywooda wrote:
This is Sony's way of apologising for s**tting on there own door step.... who cares, sony could wrap a dog s**t up in a PS3 box & people are still gonna buy it.
That's some harsh negativity for a company who hasn't really done anything or put out a system this year. Why don't you wait till you ACTUALLY play something ortill the system is released to bash the PS3, okay?
hollywooda 26 Sep 2006 08:47
16/18
I wasn't commenting on The PS3 being a piece of s**t, i was commenting on the fact that people in the Uk complain about Sony having ignored them & price cuts in other countries but these same people will still go & cue up with all there cash in there hand regardless of what Sony have done for them. thats all.
SCiARA 26 Sep 2006 08:51
17/18
I agree to a certain extent but I’m guessing there's gonna be a lot of kids out there that will end up with a 360 or wii this time round due to parents not affording/wanting to pay for a PS3
hollywooda 26 Sep 2006 08:58
18/18
a lot of peole who want a PS3 want a PS3 because of the hype, when i speak 2 most people they say things like "ohh the PS3 is gonna be the nuts this blu-ray drive makes the graphics much better".... they dont even know wot blu-ray is!