PS3 price slashed 16.7%, will this help BluRay ?

[SingSing]

Just as many people predict before E3, Sony said :

"Starting Monday, the current 60 gigabyte model will cost $499, down from $599.

The Japanese electronics maker also said it is introducing a new version of the PlayStation 3 with a bigger hard drive for storing downloaded content such as video games and high-definition movies."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070709/ap_on_hi_te/sony_pricing;_ylt=Atwh0hJs8AyK7OjPj.Ao.tUjtBAF

[jstewart]

I say continue to boycott ps3's. I would only buy one if it is the same price as an xbox. I feel playing the different systems, that I am not getting anymore for my money for a ps3 compared to an xbox except for BR. In my general opinion, BR is not worth anything yet. Until the time when BR media storage is put to full use, then it is going to be worthless.

[Marvingj]

They need to slash at least 75%, then I'll buy..........

[lordsmurf]

Every time BluRay sneezes, somebody has to comment on whether it is going to help it "win" some make-believe war (as if anybody actually gives a rat's ass, which is generally not the case).

It's becoming obnoxious to have so much HD propaganda crap on sites and in print.

I wish people would get wise to this BS and ignore it.

[handyguy]

"I say continue to boycott ps3's. I would only buy one if it is the same price as an xbox."

What about the fact that 30% of xbox360's get returned? Why not pay more for a system that works?

[ozymango]

Every time BluRay sneezes, somebody has to comment on whether it is going to help it "win" some make-believe war (as if anybody actually gives a rat's ass, which is generally not the case).

I disagree, but only in the sense that I do think people give a rat's ass about the format "war" in that people are rightfully concerned about spending their money to get the best value for their money. And what is the best value? We don't know! So people toss all sorts of comments around to see if any kinds of patterns emerge on which we might make a better decision.

After all, many (if not most) of the more prolific commenters on this list are holding off on buying HD or Blu-Ray because the "value" of the format, to us, is not worth the investment. That is, we're not buying HD and Blu-Ray decks and then talking about what we think are the best and worst features of each -- we're not buying decks at all, we're waiting for something better to come along!
Because we have different ideas about what's a good value.

So why the hell not comment? What are people supposed to do, sit around and wait for whatever the companies decide to do, all on their own, while we wait passively for others to decide what we get?

[ViRaL1]

I say continue to boycott ps3's. I would only buy one if it is the same price as an xbox. I feel playing the different systems, that I am not getting anymore for my money for a ps3 compared to an xbox except for BR. In my general opinion, BR is not worth anything yet. Until the time when BR media storage is put to full use, then it is going to be worthless.

It's only $20 more than the elite which has HDMI and still no HD player.

Honestly, I'm a bit foggy on the idea of boycotting a game system.

Don't want one? Don't need one? Don't buy one.

[Nelson37]

I am surprised no one has mentioned the USB HD drive add-on for the XBOX, $199 and it apparently works on the PC. This compatibility plus the ability to buy the system in two less expensive pieces, plus the game selection for the XBOX 360, are factors which I personally am taking a strong look at.

Essentially I can buy a game system without investing in the HiDef playback, yet. Then later if I decide to buy the HiDef, one system gives the possibility of connecting to the PC, the other does not.

IMO time is running out for BR and HD-DVD to work something out, HD monitors or TV's are reaching a bubble point of creating demand. Both BR and HD-DVD could go the way of hi-density CD's if someone comes out with something better. This will happen sooner or later anyway, and if the format "war" keeps market share down for both while consumers wait to decide, the new super-whizzo 3000 hyper-cube hologram storage device will clean house.

[edDV]

PS-3 sales and XBox 360 sales have been disappointing. The Ninetendo We is the clear sales winner.

As for PS-3, word is it has no games worthy of purchasing a new unit. As for Blu-Ray Sony has more to loose driving PS3 prices under $500 (shipping money with each unit) when they are eager to sell the new soon to be released $500 Blu-Ray player that does have potential for cash in vs. cash out.

Unless a killer game appears on the PS3, it will continue to drag Sony down.

[Xylob the Destroyer]

PS3 price slashed 16.7%, will this help BluRay ?

I think the real question here is 'Will this help PS3?'

Good luck find a Wii, but PS3's are everywhere! I don't know anybody who has one.
The vast majority of my friends and peers are gamers, like myself.
The vast majority of my friends and peers are totally underwhelmed by the PS3, like myself.

Like most of my friends, I'd like a PS3, but there's no way in hell I'm gonna drop $600.00 on a console. Dropped the price to $500.00 did they? Who gives a shit?
Call me when it hits $300.00.

[somebodeez]

PS3 price slashed 16.7%, will this help BluRay ?

I don't know about helping BluRay but it doesn't do a thing for me

At this time prices are still too high, I don't even have an HDTV yet and a lot of the content that I am interested in hasn't even made it to DVD yet (or even VHS for that matter) so I'm thinking it will be quite a long time before (if ever) any of it makes it to HD/BluRay.

While speculation makes for interesting conversations, only time will really tell.
I'm content to sit back and wait it all out

[yoda313]

I don't have a hdtv so that was one factor that helped me buy a nintendo wii instead of a ps3 or xbox 360. Also I owned an xbox 1 for a few years and really didn't play it much and eventually traded it in. I wasn't really waiting in line for a 360 at all. THough I would certainly be more interested in a 360 than a ps3. I have a used ps2 now but only for GUITAR HERO mainly

I like the fact that the WII is striped bare. It doesn't even play audio cds! It is a real game system. It might not have the horsepower of the other systems but it isn't bogged down with added material - part of the reason its so slim in size.

Now whenever I do get an hdtv I might want to have the option of getting a hddvd player. But they are so much cheaper now that if I were in that position I'd rather buy a 300.00 standalone unit than buy a 360 AND a hddvd add on unit.

I don't think I'd buy bluray whenever I get into hdtv. It does have that halo of betamax hovering over it that scares me. It may or may not be technically superior to hddvd but the behomoth of sony makes me wary.

[Huxley]

Region code free and opengl for linux would be of interest.

[Xylob the Destroyer]

Region code free...

for movies as well as games!!

this would definitely sway me more towards dropping half a grand on one.
Too bad it'll never happen.

[jawgee]

I don't know what PS3 inventory levels were like before the price drop announcement, but I've heard anecodtal evidence of Circuit Cities and Targets selling out of their on hand PS3s. There's also been a huge boost in PS3 console & accessory sales at Amazon:

http://www.psxextreme.com/ps3-news/1467.html

Are gamers just getting taken in by marketing spin or were there really that many fence sitters looking for a reason to take the plunge? The extra 5 free Blurays probably didn't hurt sales either.

I don't know if the same sort of marketing move would have the same impact for the Xbox 360 as there are more gamers that actually own the 360 vs. the PS3. I wouldn't mind seeing a drop on their consoles or their HD-DVD add-on.

Thanks,
jawgee

[lordsmurf]

I can walk into pretty much any store within a 50-mile radius and find PS3, no problem. Wii has a backlog of "unknown" (can be days, can be weeks), with people still showing up at opening hours to snag one on restock day. The 360 can be out of stock. I've already seen instances of PS3 boxes with a layer of dust on them, I got a good chuckle out of that one.

I've heard this echoed by other folks across the U.S. in recent times.

The thing you have to remember about "gamers" is they live in a reality of their own (the land of orcs and nymphs, for example). Many of them are in mom's basement. Others are on the fence of middle and lower class (American poverty), choosing crap over needed items, often students or live-at-homes. The old cliche of "can't get a date" no longer rings true, but the quality of mates is pathetic, with the significant other being as big a loser as the gamer. Often, they're gamers too. Many gamers buy into bullshit, because many of them tend to lack education. There will clearly be many exceptions, but this is the stereotype, and stereotypes exist for a reason (they are true most of the time!). Following a gamer will often end up in you both walking off a cliff.

[Conquest10]

I don't have a hdtv so that was one factor that helped me buy a nintendo wii instead of a ps3 or xbox 360. Also I owned an xbox 1 for a few years and really didn't play it much and eventually traded it in. I wasn't really waiting in line for a 360 at all. THough I would certainly be more interested in a 360 than a ps3. I have a used ps2 now but only for GUITAR HERO mainly

I like the fact that the WII is striped bare. It doesn't even play audio cds! It is a real game system. It might not have the horsepower of the other systems but it isn't bogged down with added material - part of the reason its so slim in size.

Now whenever I do get an hdtv I might want to have the option of getting a hddvd player. But they are so much cheaper now that if I were in that position I'd rather buy a 300.00 standalone unit than buy a 360 AND a hddvd add on unit.

I don't think I'd buy bluray whenever I get into hdtv. It does have that halo of betamax hovering over it that scares me. It may or may not be technically superior to hddvd but the behomoth of sony makes me wary.

If you use the component cables the Wii can look pretty damn good on an HDTV. Sure, its not as good as the 360 or PS3 but you easily ignore that while you're playing since you're more caught up in the actual play than what the graphics are like.

That's what I love about the Wii. Its not trying to be this big bad ultimate entertainment system. Its a video game system. Its this tiny, little box that just sits there quietly and does its thing. For about the price of a PS3 I can get a Wii, extra control, an extra game (since it already comes bundled with one), hell even an HD-DVD player and a couple of movies.

EDIT: Oh, have you seen Guitar Hero III coming out for the Wii? You probably won't be needing that PS2 anymore.

[Nilfennasion]

EDIT: Oh, have you seen Guitar Hero III coming out for the Wii? You probably won't be needing that PS2 anymore.

Or for the same amount of cash, I can buy a decent amplifier and guitar, and learn to play a real guitar, thus exercising the creative ability in me.

The people who decided the war between VHS and DVD-Video were videophiles. That is the market sector that will also decide BR vs. HD-DVD, BR/HD-DVD vs. 3D wankfest, and anything you care to name in video down the track. Because a few comments that do hit the nail also state one simple truth about why the Wii is in the lead. Integration sucks donkeys through a garden hose. As I sit here on my Windoze machine with the Swiss Army Knife and wish I just had a good scalpel, I find the same is true of the whole PS3/XBOX/Wii thing. I am not going to buy any of those. I am going to by a BR player when they are in my price range and be happy with my 1080I picture.

You might have videophiles, gamers, Linuxiots, and all manner of other -iles out there, but it is the videophiles (or more accurately, cinemaphiles) who will decide the war of the high-def discs. Because they are the people who buy the primary content. If either format wants to win, they best get the classics people want to see (RoboCop, The Terminator, The Thing, and Once Upon A Time In America will have me committed to any format, although Blu-Ray has already got me with The Corpse Bride and Casino Royale). Given that Blu-Ray already has exclusive or either-way support from seven of the eight Hollywood houses, it is no exaggeration to say that HD-DVD is all but defeated. More content that is of interest to cinemaphiles is on Blu-Ray, simple as that.

It is amusing to also note how PS2 was described as being doomed because it had less than optimal third-party support and its price was exorbitant compared to the competition. Not only did it bury the machines that came out around the same time, it has buried two machines that came out years afterward. Its design goal was to introduce DVD-Video to a new market segment that previously considered it too expensive. It met that design goal. Whether the PS3 introduces Blu-Ray to a lower-income market segment is simply a matter of how soon the format war ends, which is what this is really about. And like I said, when you have four exclusive studio supporters with three supporting both formats, and only one exclusive for your competitor, you can be forgiven for thinking in terms of when, not if.

One last thing: if I can afford a display that syncs to a HD signal, anyone can. HDTVs are not lepers.

[jstewart]

PS-3 sales and XBox 360 sales have been disappointing. The Ninetendo We is the clear sales winner.

Um Xbox 360 Revenues I am positive are more high than Wii. It obviously is not a clear sales winner.

[videopoo]

Given that Blu-Ray already has exclusive or either-way support from seven of the eight Hollywood houses, it is no exaggeration to say that HD-DVD is all but defeated. More content that is of interest to cinemaphiles is on Blu-Ray, simple as that.

It's ironic but this is exactly why HD DVD appeals to me as a professional DVD designer/author. Most HD content around the world is prepairing HD DVD development ONLY. The only people who can afford these authoring tools and have the know how to finalize a working disc are the studios and a SMALL assortment of independent developers. I'd say there are roughly 200 people in the WORLD who have any kind of knowledge or experience to author Blu Ray or HD DVD discs - I'm working on my first HD DVD title now so I can't include myself in that list .

If they have resonable amount of knowledge what it takes to author either format - THERE ISN'T A SINGLE INDEPENDENT COMPANY OR PRODUCER WHO CAN POSSIBLY AFFORD TO AUTHOR A BD-J TITLE AT THIS POINT....your looking at around $70,000 per title

I'll Repeat:

THERE ISN'T A SINGLE INDEPENDENT COMPANY OR PRODUCER WHO CAN POSSIBLY AFFORD TO AUTHOR A BD-J TITLE AT THIS POINT!!!!


So unless your happy just watching all the crap the studios spew out, I would suggest giving HD DVD another look...Theres alot of wonderful HD content out there - independent films, documentaries, Anamie and yes.... Porn ect that just can't afford Sony's price tag for their prioritory crap. Not mention the fact that Sony decide what it wants replicate!!

So you have a VERY small amount of people controlling production, content and replication...

This is what your supporting when you support Blu Ray. Both formats MUST and WILL survive for many years...don't kid yourself! People will lose instrest if they doesn't Multi-format player MUST be available (similar to DVD-R and +R you could say).

[ejai]

Most people on forums like this one are techies, the majority of the public are not. They could could care less who wins the HD format wars. I agree with Lordsmurf (who cares who wins). Most people are comfortable with DVD, and yet there are those that are happy with VHS.

I know people that have HI-Def televisions that still look at the non-Hi Def stations when the true Hi-Def stations exsist. They don't seem to care or know the difference, they bought into it because of hype.

I demonstrate to many of my friends and family the differnce between Hi-Def and low resolution TV and some say it doesn't matter to them, all they want to see is a clear picture. Take the Wii for example many people purchase it over the other two systems because the games are fun, not for graphics. Another example; the PSP and Nintendo DS, of course the PSP is a more robust multimedia device but people chose the DS because of the fun factor.

Consumers are not lining up to purchase a HD player and most could care less.

[jstewart]

Most people on forums like this one are techies, the majority of the public are not. They could could care less who wins the HD format wars. I agree with Lordsmurf (who cares who wins). Most people are comfortable with DVD, and yet there are those that are happy with VHS.

I second that.

I know people that have HI-Def televisions that still look at the non-Hi Def stations when the true Hi-Def stations exsist. They don't seem to care or know the difference, they bought into it because of hype.

I demonstrate to many of my friends and family the differnce between Hi-Def and low resolution TV and some say it doesn't matter to them, all they want to see is a clear picture. Take the Wii for example many people purchase it over the other two systems because the games are fun, not for graphics. Another example; the PSP and Nintendo DS, of course the PSP is a more robust multimedia device but people chose the DS because of the fun factor.

Consumers are not lining up to purchase a HD player and most could care less.

I play games to have fun also. Who cares much about graphics in video games as long as they are fun. This is why the original Nintendo was such a big seller. I do XBox because it servers more of a purpose than just a gaming system.

[Conquest10]

It is amusing to also note how PS2 was described as being doomed because it had less than optimal third-party support and its price was exorbitant compared to the competition.

No it wasn't. The PS2 was released at the exact same price as the PSX. It was $299. Its only competition was the PSX and the Dreamcast.

[Conquest10]

Looks like this thread was posted too soon. The price drop is only for the remaining 60 gig PS3s. Its no longer in production and when those are sold, only the 80 gig $600 version will be left.

[Xylob the Destroyer]

Didn't even know there was an 80G version.
The stopped making the 20G version a long-ass time ago.....
Took a trip to the local Target this morning and there were at least 12 PS3's sitting in the display case -- looks like that $500.00 price point hasn't made anybody around here give a damn.