Rumor: 80gb PS3 replaced with 120/160 gb?

[DarkwingChuck]

A Best Buy employee has leaked an internal memo informing managers the chain is closing out 80gb PS3s.

"The 80GB version of the PS3 is going closeout and won't be replaced at this time. It will come off the planogram on Jan. 28. The 60GB version should already be gone from stores. Only the 40GB version of PS3 will be sold in Best Buy stores at this time.

At this time, Sony hasn't made any announcements about new products."

No telling yet if this is something only Best Buy is doing but that's unlikely.

Just days ago, a FCC filing surfaced showcasing the Ceramic White 40gb PS3 that's already available in Asia.

[Perversion]

Re: Rumor: 80gb PS3 going bye-bye?

Geez! Now I'm really glad I got my 60 gig when I did...

I'm guessing this is Sony's response to the December and year-end sales numbers that had the PS2 outselling the PS3 by a wide margin. I guess they think that by removing BC (with the PS2, anyway), it will force people to buy the PS3. If the PS2 was not keeping their video game division on life support right now, and they did not depend on it so heavily, I'm sure they would have stopped producing them by now in order to force even more people to purchase a PS3, ala Microsoft with the original Xbox.

[Valkysas]

Re: Rumor: 80gb PS3 going bye-bye?

really, really hope this is only best buy.

[Shard]

Re: Rumor: 80gb PS3 going bye-bye?

I feel the same way about the 60g I picked up, but the last Holiday Season figures I saw were 1.3M for the PS2 and 1.2M for the PS3. That's not a huge disparity, although whether either system is profitable and to what degree, I have no clue. 1.4M for the Wii in the same period.

I'd think removing Backwards Compatibility would be more of a cost-savings move on the production end rather than trying to force people to buy the newer console. IF BC had that much of an effect on consumers' buying decisions, it seems like it would make more sense to include it in the new console and stop producing the old.

I'm guessing the 80g hard drive wasn't as big of a selling point as they'd anticipated either.

[Valkysas]

Re: Rumor: 80gb PS3 going bye-bye?

I don't see how cutting PS2 backwards compatability is a cost-saving measure. the 80GB version achieves backwards compatability through software emulation. there's no extra hardware in the system for it, it's a piece of software on the system. it doesnt cost anything to put that software in there. the 40GB version COULD be backwards compatible if it had that software.

I believe the only reason the software emulation isnt in the 40GB system is to keep the PS2 alive.

[Toaster]

Re: Rumor: 80gb PS3 going bye-bye?

I love how Sony does things like that. Like making Sony products only compatiable with Sony merchandise to limit potential profits from being lost.

Memory Stick Pro Duo II

[Shard]

Re: Rumor: 80gb PS3 going bye-bye?

I don't see how cutting PS2 backwards compatability is a cost-saving measure. the 80GB version achieves backwards compatability through software emulation. there's no extra hardware in the system for it, it's a piece of software on the system. it doesnt cost anything to put that software in there. the 40GB version COULD be backwards compatible if it had that software.

Yeah, I was thinking of the emotion engine in the 60g and didn't take into account the emulation.

I believe the only reason the software emulation isnt in the 40GB system is to keep the PS2 alive.

I still don't really see how Sony benefits in the long-run from limping along with two platforms. Is the PS2 console itself a mechanism of profit? I thought Sony's general tactic was to get consoles in homes and profit off the software/movie sales. Most people buying a new PS2 would still be buying old games/DVDs, most of which must be after-market, right?

[DarkwingChuck]

Re: Rumor: 80gb PS3 going bye-bye?

I'd think removing Backwards Compatibility would be more of a cost-savings move on the production end rather than trying to force people to buy the newer console. IF BC had that much of an effect on consumers' buying decisions, it seems like it would make more sense to include it in the new console and stop producing the old.

Sony said themselves that removing software BC didn't have a signifcant impact on cost and they did it because they felt PS3 finally had a strong library blah blah "please buy a ps3 and a ps2 so we kin has more munny".

They're breaking even on the 40gb PS3 at $399 so if they're willing to start taking a loss again they could drop the price again.

Is the PS2 console itself a mechanism of profit? I thought Sony's general tactic was to get consoles in homes and profit off the software/movie sales. Most people buying a new PS2 would still be buying old games/DVDs, most of which must be after-market, right?

The software is the key to start with but once the tech is cheap enough to turn a profit on the console at a shelf clearing price then you want to push the hardware. PS2 is still selling better than PSP or PS3 and they're making money on every one so any reason they can give people to buy one the better.

[JLaCroix]

Re: Rumor: 80gb PS3 going bye-bye?

I don't see the problem. You can buy hard drives over 500GB if you wanted to. You can even buy bigger hard drives at Best Buy.

[Valkysas]

Re: Rumor: 80gb PS3 going bye-bye?

you don't see the problem with discontinuing the only available PS3 that can play PS2 games?

[Toaster]

Re: Rumor: 80gb PS3 going bye-bye?

Tis moon logic.

[DarkwingChuck]

Re: Rumor: 80gb PS3 going bye-bye?

Yeah, it's the loss of BC that matters not the hard drive size. The only reason Sony keeps shuffling the hard drive size is to make people who don't know the hardware think the 80 gb was better than the 60gb and the 40 better than the 20.

[JLaCroix]

Re: Rumor: 80gb PS3 going bye-bye?

you don't see the problem with discontinuing the only available PS3 that can play PS2 games?

First of all, the memo was regarding the Best Buy chain closing out the 80GB versions. There has been no official statement (that I know of) from Sony to confirm that the model has been closed out everywhere.

Even if it had, I don't see the problem with lacking the PS2 compatibility for now. Either Sony will release the backwards compatibility software as an update in the Playstation network (that you'd have to purchase, so they can help fill up their checkbooks) or some other means later on, or homebrew console hackers will figure out how to extract whatever was in the 80GB model that made PS2 games work and figure out how to install it in the 40GB version.

Maybe my understanding of how the backwards compatibility works in PS3 is incorrect, but knowing the game industry, it's only a matter of time before someone figures out how to do it, meanwhile I'll finally be able to afford a PS3 so I'm grateful.

Yeah, it's the loss of BC that matters not the hard drive size. The only reason Sony keeps shuffling the hard drive size is to make people who don't know the hardware think the 80 gb was better than the 60gb and the 40 better than the 20.

I'm not privy to Sony's business tactics, but neither the hard drive size or lack of backwards compatibility bothers me. Just leave your PS2 hooked up. Problem solved.

Even though I think it's highly likely that the 40GB version will be hacked or homebrew will make it backwards compatible, I think Sony will try to turn more profits by offering backwards compatibility software for sale.

I don't know if its true, but I've heard the built in PS2 backwards compatibility sucked in PS3. I've never tried it so I don't know. However, Nintendo (in my opinion) is the only company that's ever done backwards compatibility flawlessly anyway.

[Goufunaki]

Re: Rumor: 80gb PS3 going bye-bye?

I don't know if its true, but I've heard the built in PS2 backwards compatibility sucked in PS3. I've never tried it so I don't know.

Works great for me.

[JLaCroix]

Re: Rumor: 80gb PS3 going bye-bye?

Works great for me.

I stand corrected on that part then.