The head of Sony Computer Entertainment, Kaz Hirai, has set out to reassure European users that the 80Gb PS3 at the same price at the old 40Gb PS3 is still a good deal - even if you've only just bought the smaller model.
The larger-HDD model, it was announced at the recent E3 conference, is to hit the UK's shores 'from' August 27th.
Now, if you're even slightly aware of the costs of things like hard disk drives, the new SKU won't surprise you. If you're not, HDD prices - and the cost of storage generally - are constantly dropping. Also, try getting our hands on an 8 or 10Gb hard drive. It's possible, but not probable because manufacturers tool up for demand and no one wants piffling little drives any more.
So, the PS3's massive new 80Gb HDD can be read simply as a supply chain reality: it's less expensive for Sony to source 80Gb drives than 40Gb drives in the big picture.
The 80Gb unit, after all, does not come with more backward compatibility, ports, controllers or... lights.
This hasn't stopped Kaz from feeling as if he has to placate consumers... well, it hasn't stopped him from telling UK industry journal, MCV, that: "40GB is obviously less than 80GB, but it’s still a high number and a very powerful machine."
Gotcha... he also says, "We brought in the 80GB because we wanted to make sure we continued offering the value proposition to consumers in the true fashion of PlayStation." Erm... 'value proposition' is always a good thing to say - much like "going forward" and "out of the box".
He then has to say, ""We heard a lot of response from the consumers basically saying 40GB is nice, but with a lot of additional download products were offering via the PlayStation Network, consumers were looking for a higher capacity hard drive."
Frankly, we don't see why Kaz doesn't just point people to the PlayStation's own US blog which, since December 28th 2007, has been running something called: 'PlayStation Tips #5 - DIY Hard Drive upgrade'. This starts with... "No matter which model of the PLAYSTATION 3 you’ve got - 20GB, 40GB, 60GB, or 80GB - music, video, and gaming download fiends will find a way to fill up their hard disk drive. Fortunately, the PS3 doesn’t require some hard-to-find proprietary HDD - you can swap it out yourself with the kind of drive found at most electronics retailers and on the internet."
Oh... maybe because video game consumers all live in the Living Room now and don't want to look inside their PS3?
The larger-HDD model, it was announced at the recent E3 conference, is to hit the UK's shores 'from' August 27th.
Now, if you're even slightly aware of the costs of things like hard disk drives, the new SKU won't surprise you. If you're not, HDD prices - and the cost of storage generally - are constantly dropping. Also, try getting our hands on an 8 or 10Gb hard drive. It's possible, but not probable because manufacturers tool up for demand and no one wants piffling little drives any more.
So, the PS3's massive new 80Gb HDD can be read simply as a supply chain reality: it's less expensive for Sony to source 80Gb drives than 40Gb drives in the big picture.
The 80Gb unit, after all, does not come with more backward compatibility, ports, controllers or... lights.
This hasn't stopped Kaz from feeling as if he has to placate consumers... well, it hasn't stopped him from telling UK industry journal, MCV, that: "40GB is obviously less than 80GB, but it’s still a high number and a very powerful machine."
Gotcha... he also says, "We brought in the 80GB because we wanted to make sure we continued offering the value proposition to consumers in the true fashion of PlayStation." Erm... 'value proposition' is always a good thing to say - much like "going forward" and "out of the box".
He then has to say, ""We heard a lot of response from the consumers basically saying 40GB is nice, but with a lot of additional download products were offering via the PlayStation Network, consumers were looking for a higher capacity hard drive."
Frankly, we don't see why Kaz doesn't just point people to the PlayStation's own US blog which, since December 28th 2007, has been running something called: 'PlayStation Tips #5 - DIY Hard Drive upgrade'. This starts with... "No matter which model of the PLAYSTATION 3 you’ve got - 20GB, 40GB, 60GB, or 80GB - music, video, and gaming download fiends will find a way to fill up their hard disk drive. Fortunately, the PS3 doesn’t require some hard-to-find proprietary HDD - you can swap it out yourself with the kind of drive found at most electronics retailers and on the internet."
Oh... maybe because video game consumers all live in the Living Room now and don't want to look inside their PS3?
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Comments
Daz 21 Jul 2008 18:36
1/18
Frankly, we don't see why Kaz doesn't just point people to the PlayStation's own US blog which, since December 28th 2007, has been running something called: 'PlayStation Tips #5 - DIY Hard Drive upgrade'. This starts with... "No matter which model of the PLAYSTATION 3 you’ve got - 20GB, 40GB, 60GB, or 80GB - music, video, and gaming download fiends will find a way to fill up their hard disk drive. Fortunately, the PS3 doesn’t require some hard-to-find proprietary HDD - you can swap it out yourself with the kind of drive found at most electronics retailers and on the internet."
I've always wondered that myself
Andronix 21 Jul 2008 23:05
2/18
Sony are offering a bigger 80 GB HDD for the same price as the 40GB. Microsoft are also increasing the storage space of the 360 from 20GB to 60GB. Obviously if you've just bought a 40GB PS3 you might be miffed about the newer unit.
However, Spong/Daz I dont understand how you can try and spin this into a negative story! Sure Sony allow you the more technical to upgrade their own HDD, but for the average woman or man on the street there not going to want to do that when buying a new PS3.
Sony are offering more for the same price. Is that really something to complain about?
However, Spong/Daz I dont understand how you can try and spin this into a negative story! Sure Sony allow you the more technical to upgrade their own HDD, but for the average woman or man on the street there not going to want to do that when buying a new PS3.
Sony are offering more for the same price. Is that really something to complain about?
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Plasmoid 22 Jul 2008 00:09
3/18
Is this really something to complain about... hell yes.
After months of waiting, Sony announce that they are still not releasing the 80gb PS3 in Europe.
The 80gb PS3 has an 80gb hd (check), 4 usb ports (umm...), flash card readers (erummm...) and PS2 backwards compatibility (eh... no).
This is a simply reducing the price of the ps3 by a piffling ammount. Its still more expensive then the US and Japanese PS3, its still lower spec then any PS3 ever seen anywhere else. We are getting the long end of the stick yet again.
It took 1 year for sony to upgrade the hard drives in European PS3's... but it will take how long before we get anything but crap??
I have a 40gb ps3... and damn you sony (thank you hideo)
After months of waiting, Sony announce that they are still not releasing the 80gb PS3 in Europe.
The 80gb PS3 has an 80gb hd (check), 4 usb ports (umm...), flash card readers (erummm...) and PS2 backwards compatibility (eh... no).
This is a simply reducing the price of the ps3 by a piffling ammount. Its still more expensive then the US and Japanese PS3, its still lower spec then any PS3 ever seen anywhere else. We are getting the long end of the stick yet again.
It took 1 year for sony to upgrade the hard drives in European PS3's... but it will take how long before we get anything but crap??
I have a 40gb ps3... and damn you sony (thank you hideo)
deleted 22 Jul 2008 00:45
4/18
Same old story yet again from Sony, look sounds like I’m moaning again about the same old Sony s**t, but its common sense...
Sony says "here’s a bigger HDD but still no Backwards Comp in fact its totally gone Full F`ing Stop",
you listened to the consumer and they said "we want bigger HDD!!!??!!!"
who the f**k did you speak to?, I haven’t heard one complaint from consumers about the HDD on PS3`s
the complaint I hear from consumers is BC, Games, Crappy Ports, Delays, Importing, UK/EU Price vs. US Price, seriously who the fleck did you listening too?
here’s a clue for you Sony, Listen to me, want to sell more PS3`s at the current price and take over 360 sales and at the same time start a catch up on PS2 well then add the following to each console.
PS3 for all regions should have all various colours + various LTD Editions, HDD above 60GB is fine, PS3 Same relative price around the world, BACKWARDS COMPATABLITY!!!!!, Dual Shock Included as standard, Games that don’t take 5 years to make and release (GT5 looking at you), Get some exclusive titles and keep some (FFXIII !), get some decent play station store PSone games on play station store, Tell 3rd parties that if they want to port games it must meet standards!, and take control of your games divisions make them responsible for getting games out the door, oh yeah market the PS3 as a Games console first but also let people know it IS a bluray player that will help!,
I swear it’s not hard
Sony says "here’s a bigger HDD but still no Backwards Comp in fact its totally gone Full F`ing Stop",
you listened to the consumer and they said "we want bigger HDD!!!??!!!"
who the f**k did you speak to?, I haven’t heard one complaint from consumers about the HDD on PS3`s
the complaint I hear from consumers is BC, Games, Crappy Ports, Delays, Importing, UK/EU Price vs. US Price, seriously who the fleck did you listening too?
here’s a clue for you Sony, Listen to me, want to sell more PS3`s at the current price and take over 360 sales and at the same time start a catch up on PS2 well then add the following to each console.
PS3 for all regions should have all various colours + various LTD Editions, HDD above 60GB is fine, PS3 Same relative price around the world, BACKWARDS COMPATABLITY!!!!!, Dual Shock Included as standard, Games that don’t take 5 years to make and release (GT5 looking at you), Get some exclusive titles and keep some (FFXIII !), get some decent play station store PSone games on play station store, Tell 3rd parties that if they want to port games it must meet standards!, and take control of your games divisions make them responsible for getting games out the door, oh yeah market the PS3 as a Games console first but also let people know it IS a bluray player that will help!,
I swear it’s not hard
schnide 22 Jul 2008 10:09
5/18
haritori wrote:
Same old story yet again from Sony, look sounds like I’m moaning again about the same old Sony s**t, but its common sense...
Sony says "here’s a bigger HDD but still no Backwards Comp in fact its totally gone Full F`ing Stop",
you listened to the consumer and they said "we want bigger HDD!!!??!!!"
who the f**k did you speak to?, I haven’t heard one complaint from consumers about the HDD on PS3`s
the complaint I hear from consumers is BC, Games, Crappy Ports, Delays, Importing, UK/EU Price vs. US Price, seriously who the fleck did you listening too?
here’s a clue for you Sony, Listen to me, want to sell more PS3`s at the current price and take over 360 sales and at the same time start a catch up on PS2 well then add the following to each console.
PS3 for all regions should have all various colours + various LTD Editions, HDD above 60GB is fine, PS3 Same relative price around the world, BACKWARDS COMPATABLITY!!!!!, Dual Shock Included as standard, Games that don’t take 5 years to make and release (GT5 looking at you), Get some exclusive titles and keep some (FFXIII !), get some decent play station store PSone games on play station store, Tell 3rd parties that if they want to port games it must meet standards!, and take control of your games divisions make them responsible for getting games out the door, oh yeah market the PS3 as a Games console first but also let people know it IS a bluray player that will help!,
I swear it’s not hard
Sony says "here’s a bigger HDD but still no Backwards Comp in fact its totally gone Full F`ing Stop",
you listened to the consumer and they said "we want bigger HDD!!!??!!!"
who the f**k did you speak to?, I haven’t heard one complaint from consumers about the HDD on PS3`s
the complaint I hear from consumers is BC, Games, Crappy Ports, Delays, Importing, UK/EU Price vs. US Price, seriously who the fleck did you listening too?
here’s a clue for you Sony, Listen to me, want to sell more PS3`s at the current price and take over 360 sales and at the same time start a catch up on PS2 well then add the following to each console.
PS3 for all regions should have all various colours + various LTD Editions, HDD above 60GB is fine, PS3 Same relative price around the world, BACKWARDS COMPATABLITY!!!!!, Dual Shock Included as standard, Games that don’t take 5 years to make and release (GT5 looking at you), Get some exclusive titles and keep some (FFXIII !), get some decent play station store PSone games on play station store, Tell 3rd parties that if they want to port games it must meet standards!, and take control of your games divisions make them responsible for getting games out the door, oh yeah market the PS3 as a Games console first but also let people know it IS a bluray player that will help!,
I swear it’s not hard
I wholeheartedly agree with everything you've just said there. It's not like Sony doesn't have the cash reserves or market muscle to make even a few of these things happen - all of them are the recipe for success, and with each one that falls by the wayside Sony risk more and more becoming the joke of this generation.
I am, to my chagrin, still considering a PS3 but I'm still considering it and not actually having bought one because of any number of the above reasons. GT5, in particular, is fast becoming Sony's only killer app and if that's not due until 2010 then Microsoft and Nintendo will be laughing all the way to the bank.
PreciousRoi 22 Jul 2008 12:14
6/18
Seems to me as though leaving out the BC just gives people another reason to hold off on purchasing the PS3. It just isn't a good value equation at the moment for most people. I assumed that Sony was set to pull their head of of their arse and get on with maturing the PS3, but they must have seen something up there they liked. Meanwhile, everything might not be sunlight and roses at the MS camp, but there is certainly a feeling of forward momentum.
schnide, I feel your pain. If I was anticipating GT5, I would be apoplectic with rage (or suffering from extreme withdrawal symptoms) right now.
schnide, I feel your pain. If I was anticipating GT5, I would be apoplectic with rage (or suffering from extreme withdrawal symptoms) right now.
schnide 22 Jul 2008 12:38
7/18
PreciousRoi wrote:
Seems to me as though leaving out the BC just gives people another reason to hold off on purchasing the PS3. It just isn't a good value equation at the moment for most people. I assumed that Sony was set to pull their head of of their arse and get on with maturing the PS3, but they must have seen something up there they liked. Meanwhile, everything might not be sunlight and roses at the MS camp, but there is certainly a feeling of forward momentum.
schnide, I feel your pain. If I was anticipating GT5, I would be apoplectic with rage (or suffering from extreme withdrawal symptoms) right now.
schnide, I feel your pain. If I was anticipating GT5, I would be apoplectic with rage (or suffering from extreme withdrawal symptoms) right now.
Thanks Roi, I'll see you behind the bike sheds in five minutes. Thing is though, I'm not really anticipating GT5 at all but it would help swing things if I wanted to buy a console. I therefore can't imagine why Sony would be willing to risk losing those people who are and bought into the Playstation brand all those years ago for GT, GT2 and GT3. What the hell are they playing at? It seems to me like Sony is such a blunt-edged behemoth of an organisation that it has no clear direction at the top anymore.
And even though BC was clearly a loss at the time, I think it's becoming apparent now just how strongly that's the case.
TimSpong 22 Jul 2008 13:29
8/18
Andronix wrote:
However, Spong/Daz I dont understand how you can try and spin this into a negative story! Sure Sony allow you the more technical to upgrade their own HDD, but for the average woman or man on the street there not going to want to do that when buying a new PS3.
How on earth was I trying to spin it negatively? All I did was point out that storage prices are not rising and that Sony's simply following business logic.
Spinning it would have been to say how great and altruistic it is.
Cheers
Tim
Rutabaga 22 Jul 2008 14:50
9/18
schnide wrote:
Thanks Roi, I'll see you behind the bike sheds in five minutes. Thing is though, I'm not really anticipating GT5 at all but it would help swing things if I wanted to buy a console. I therefore can't imagine why Sony would be willing to risk losing those people who are and bought into the Playstation brand all those years ago for GT, GT2 and GT3. What the hell are they playing at? It seems to me like Sony is such a blunt-edged behemoth of an organisation that it has no clear direction at the top anymore.
And even though BC was clearly a loss at the time, I think it's becoming apparent now just how strongly that's the case.
And even though BC was clearly a loss at the time, I think it's becoming apparent now just how strongly that's the case.
In theory BC is a big issue in reality I've played 1 (one) PS2 game on my PS3 in just over a year (GOW2), I don't see it as an issue now that more new games are available. As for GT5 how come prologue didn't swing you?
schnide 22 Jul 2008 16:14
10/18
Rutabaga wrote:
In theory BC is a big issue in reality I've played 1 (one) PS2 game on my PS3 in just over a year (GOW2), I don't see it as an issue now that more new games are available. As for GT5 how come prologue didn't swing you?
Even if it's just a psychological advantage, it's an advantage nonetheless. I like the idea that I can keep playing the older games I've bought before, even if I don't want to (and I do).
As for GT5, my impression is that it's essentially a demo. If it isn't, Sony's marketing have done it a disservice.
Wolf26pack 23 Jul 2008 03:14
11/18
PreciousRoi wrote:
Seems to me as though leaving out the BC just gives people another reason to hold off on purchasing the PS3. It just isn't a good value equation at the moment for most people. I assumed that Sony was set to pull their head of of their arse and get on with maturing the PS3, but they must have seen something up there they liked. Meanwhile, everything might not be sunlight and roses at the MS camp, but there is certainly a feeling of forward momentum.
schnide, I feel your pain. If I was anticipating GT5, I would be apoplectic with rage (or suffering from extreme withdrawal symptoms) right now.
schnide, I feel your pain. If I was anticipating GT5, I would be apoplectic with rage (or suffering from extreme withdrawal symptoms) right now.
What you guys don't realize is this...
There is only one Reason Sony has completely taken out the PS3's B/C and that is because they want to make sure that for every piece of PS3 Hardware sold they can be guaranteed that ONLY PS3 Software will be Purchased. Not a mixture of PS2 & PS3 Software but only PS3 Software. A lot of people may buy a PS3 and 1 or 2 PS3 games and then buy a bunch of cheap PS2 games to play while they wait for the PS3 games to go down in price, with the recent announcement of PS3 Greatest Hit's there will be a big boost in sales for those games.
That is the reason why they are doing this.
schnide 23 Jul 2008 10:04
12/18
Wolf26pack wrote:
What you guys don't realize is this...
There is only one Reason Sony has completely taken out the PS3's B/C and that is because they want to make sure that for every piece of PS3 Hardware sold they can be guaranteed that ONLY PS3 Software will be Purchased. Not a mixture of PS2 & PS3 Software but only PS3 Software. A lot of people may buy a PS3 and 1 or 2 PS3 games and then buy a bunch of cheap PS2 games to play while they wait for the PS3 games to go down in price, with the recent announcement of PS3 Greatest Hit's there will be a big boost in sales for those games.
There is only one Reason Sony has completely taken out the PS3's B/C and that is because they want to make sure that for every piece of PS3 Hardware sold they can be guaranteed that ONLY PS3 Software will be Purchased. Not a mixture of PS2 & PS3 Software but only PS3 Software. A lot of people may buy a PS3 and 1 or 2 PS3 games and then buy a bunch of cheap PS2 games to play while they wait for the PS3 games to go down in price, with the recent announcement of PS3 Greatest Hit's there will be a big boost in sales for those games.
If that were true, they'd also stop selling PS2's. Sony has, idiotically, split their own market. If people really do still want to buy PS2 games, they now have to keep their PS2's to do it, which means that they're less likely to buy a PS3. Their reasons might be that they'd finance selling their PS2 to upgrade, or don't want two consoles under the TV.. either way, it's undeniable that selling your old machine is a common path to upgrading.
Instead, where being able to keep your favourite PS2 games would be an incentive to get a PS3, Sony have now cut that route off. Want to keep those games? You now have to keep the console. Which means your purchase decision is less likely to follow a Sony-branded route because you'll be starting from scratch regardless of which console you buy.
Granted this may not be a vital issue for everyone waiting to upgrade, but in this most-fiercely contested generation, is any manufacturer wise to ignore those for who it matters to?
(NB: You can play Xbox games on your 360, and GC games on your Wii. Microsoft and Nintendo aren't doing too badly last time I checked.)
Andronix 23 Jul 2008 11:04
13/18
Look. Giving consumers an 80GB PS3 for the same price as a 40 GB PS3 is obviously a good deal. However its a different issue comparing the 80GB euro PS3 without BC to that which has BC.
I have a launch PS3 with BC and love it for the backwards compatibility. I dont play PS2 games that often, but there are some genuine classics that I like to revisit. Sony at their press conference spoke about the massive PS2 userbase who they believe will migrate to the PS3. The thing is, if those PS2 owners cant play their library of games on the new PS3 then there is no reason to get the new console, they might as well get a 360 or Wii. Sony are hurting themselves in the long term.
Its not that the public dont want it. The recent PS3 MGS 4 bundle in the USA had massive sales. I believe it was to do with more than just the game. It had to do with that it also had BC! People do want it.
Also, I thought Sony's original plan was to allow BC via 100% software emulation. Surely the PS3 is powerful enough?
I understand that Sony want to keep costs down but they should try and make BC a standard part of the PS3 asap.
I have a launch PS3 with BC and love it for the backwards compatibility. I dont play PS2 games that often, but there are some genuine classics that I like to revisit. Sony at their press conference spoke about the massive PS2 userbase who they believe will migrate to the PS3. The thing is, if those PS2 owners cant play their library of games on the new PS3 then there is no reason to get the new console, they might as well get a 360 or Wii. Sony are hurting themselves in the long term.
Its not that the public dont want it. The recent PS3 MGS 4 bundle in the USA had massive sales. I believe it was to do with more than just the game. It had to do with that it also had BC! People do want it.
Also, I thought Sony's original plan was to allow BC via 100% software emulation. Surely the PS3 is powerful enough?
I understand that Sony want to keep costs down but they should try and make BC a standard part of the PS3 asap.
SuperSaiyan4 23 Jul 2008 11:14
14/18
Sony have totally f**ked up this gen and they are paying for it big time, 60gb model was the full PS3, then the downgrade game as per the 40gb model which blatantly looks complete crap, now an 80gb PS3 woopee doo dah! Still missing all the features.
Basically those with PS3's have nothing more than a glorfied blu-ray player with a hard drive.
Basically those with PS3's have nothing more than a glorfied blu-ray player with a hard drive.
Twoozle 23 Jul 2008 11:24
15/18
SuperSaiyan4 wrote:
Basically those with PS3's have nothing more than a glorfied blu-ray player with a hard drive.
Please, please, please, please, please just STOP.
Seriously, this adds nothing whatsoever to any kind of discussion. Surely you have got to realise by now?
It's not even good troll bait.
Please.
t'woozy
SuperSaiyan4 23 Jul 2008 11:59
16/18
Truth hurts, with everything going wrong with Sony with a terrible E3 and terrible offering of titles whats new?
schnide 23 Jul 2008 12:40
17/18
SimpleSaiyan4 wrote:
Truth hurts, with everything going wrong with Sony with a terrible E3 and terrible offering of titles whats new?
Yes, it does. You're a cock. I'm sorry if that hurts you.
deleted 23 Jul 2008 13:45
18/18
schnide wrote:
SimpleSaiyan4 wrote:
Truth hurts, with everything going wrong with Sony with a terrible E3 and terrible offering of titles whats new?
Yes, it does. You're a cock. I'm sorry if that hurts you.
fantastic! lol