SONY dont need to drop the price now. But if they did, then it would kill the 360 in Europe. But with Microsoft's price drop, you can still compare the PS3 to it value wise. How much is Live? Add that to the Premium and dont tell me you dont need Live. With the bigger HDD, Blu-Ray, Wifi and brand recognition - Sony's 40GB is still a threat to Microsoft. I'm not even comparing the Elite with that. And those who mention the Arcade - how much is the HDD? And if anyone thinks the Arcade will compete for the "mass market", show me the games Microsoft has to steal that thunder from Nintendo and their obsession with bloody Brain puzzles.

It's a good move by Microsoft, but nothing to make Sony sweat in my honest opinion. However all the things I mentioned above? How much of the consumer will they know about those facts? Close to little. So Sony should just increase advertising here in Europe - hype Metal Gear Solid 4, GTA 4 and Gran Turismo. Hype the heck out of it and Europe will eat out of their palms (as usual, and I hate them for that).

OMG, i've just read about 10 stories on this site and all the comments are filled with PS3 fanboys having a go at Microsoft or the 360. Why dont you just go and play on your PS3?

PS. To Trapperdan, you'll be sad to hear 'it' will never be over, unless we end up with only one console to choose from in the next generation.

Maybe they should release home!

be it with 2, $50 price cuts or one big $100 cut.

but no matter what, if the ps3 gets a price cut the fanboys who one min say its over priced will turn around and say they are being desperate by doing what they say they should do. :/

and the consumer wins again...

even though 360 1year head start....the hardware sales in europe still less than ps3 monthly basis....microsoft need to lower the price....
europe know ps3 package bluray+wifi+harddrive+free online.....

Is that the first few weeks will get you a surge in sales but then level off t somewhat normal numbers. If this price drop has anything to do with GTAIV then I think its a little early to drop the price. Seems like Microsoft is putting alot of its eggs in the GTA basket while its a fantastic basket...Sony is putting its eggs in multiple baskets that are just as great, and some baskets that are new and interesting. Sony has never had all its hopes in one game and it dont seem like it will be that way now.

Damn I just heard that the prices are even lower as expected on the Premium and Elite...

360 Premium for 269 EUro
360 Elite for 369 Euro

Imagine that. This is about the same effect as last year when the PS3 was 600 Euro and the 360 on 400 Euro. The customers saw that large price differences and left the PS3 on the shelves and got the 360.

This will be the same again. Choice for the mass of people is:

360 Premium for 270 Euro, or the PS3 for 400 Euro. That's 130 Euro difference PLUS the effect of the mass of people buying around 200 to 250 Euro/Dollar

And Sony dropping again? You mean they'll go from 600 Euro/Dollar to 400 Euro/Dollar and then to... what, 300 Euro/Dollar in ONE YEAR??? CUt the prices in half? That'll be too much and they'll loose too much money. The production costs haven't been cut in half within that year. They started selling the PS3 when the production costs were about 900 Dollar. Imagine that.

Microsoft is out to kill the competition

I see March belonging to the 360 in Europe and maybe next month as well but no further. I don't think it will stay on top for the next 5 months like the PS3 as it is only popular in the UK and recently it was nearly 1:1.

I will not buy a 360 as nothing on the 360 has me interested no matter of the price.

.

I don't think there is any pressure on Sony with the price since they still have games that people want coming out.

In the end another price drop from Sony is a win for everybody.

I dont think the PAL region ever got a price drop....

Its a trick in the bag. You buy the cheapest xbox,,, next thing you know, you realize that you need a harddrive right? Then you like, damn, I should have bought the premium version,, then you buy the hdd and thats when you realize that you paid as much as a ps3 cost. And you still have to pay for live, and you still dont have an hd dvd,,, the loser of the format war. The xbox is obsolete.

If they just started releasing these games that supposedly are to make 2008 the year of the PS3 as we have all hyped it to be. Seriously, PS3 fan here, but man where is killer-app software man? My most anticpated game prior to freaking april was a multi-plat from EA! That Sony, is just sad if this is supposed to be your year...

p.s. I can't wait for MGS4

lol @ the XBOX 360 Arcade... I think that pretty much sums it up.

I don't think SONY has to make a price drop even if MS want to.PS3 is a great machine,and I think people will still buy it no matter the cost,its still worth the price.

Another price cut for the ps3? Alot of people are saying that a ps3 price cut will kill the 360 but in fact it will kill Sony. They can't afford to lose more money on the their ps3. And at what cost? Every ps3 has seen something taking out since its launch console. Backward compatibility is already gone. What's next?

dropping the 40GB to 350bucks for MGS and making the 80GB with ruble 450.

you all know the arcade sku is a failure. Even the most harden xbox fan knows it. You know the future means the use of HDD.

I hope this moves does make a impact in the EU because if it doesnt that just means Sony wont be dropping no price untill the holidays

i say what else

no one buying a PS3 cares about bc and the sales of the 40GB should be all the proof you need.

Conisder this 1stKnight

most ppl that have bought the 360 in its 1st 2 years where ppl from the 1st xbox. Not all but most. I guess we will see when the 360 reaches the same time frame that the xbox had right....

The same can be said for ppl buying the PS3 in its 1st year. They where Sony PS2 fans that took the step into the next-gen. These where the ppl that helped GT3 sell 10milli0n in NA alone. Just wait for MGS and games like Socom and God of War.

Now lets add high-def freaks because blueray is the FORMAT for hi-def movies.

I wont say the PS3 will sell 130mil by the time it is replaced but they made the hardware to do it. No one can say the same about the 360

Charging for online alone will limit your install base when ppl consider you pay a monthly bill for it in real life and you also spend the money on games, the machine, controls, and extras to play in the 1st place.

Now that Jim Ryan is gone just need to remove Herman Hulst from his position! And maybe give Shuhei the position he deserved.

This gen hasn't been the best for games, last gen consoles are still out there and now there's been talk of the PS6 and Xbox Two for a year or so. Many games this gen will be ported to next gen and the cycle will continue. The re-release of the Neo Geo AES+, games on cartridge for £70 ($95), gaming is going back in time. Gaming has gone pricing mad with the high cost of games, consoles and controllers. The men and women at the top are clueless.

It’s always interesting to hear behind-the-scenes stories like this, especially involving veterans like Shuhei Yoshida and leadership figures like Jim Ryan. That said, there are usually multiple sides to decisions at that level. It could be less about not “listening” and more about differences in long-term vision for PlayStation. Yoshida played a huge role in shaping the brand, so whatever the reason, his impact is undeniable.

If true, and I'm inclined to believe it is, it goes to show that Sony lost their way when they became more western/didn't respect the PlayStation origin story. Andrew House and Jack Tretton did great work, but they also didn't try to fundamentally change the PlayStation DNA. Ryan oversaw the death of Japan Studio and a live service direction.

I already figured this, good lord imagine if Shuhei took over instead, would've been a platinum era 😩

I miss the first three generations of PlayStation. The way they turned PS3 around, we knew they meant business. We were all worried for a bit there around launch. Eventually from 2008 they started shifting slowly. But since Yoshida was fired, it's never been the same. Still enjoy my PS5 daily. I got a backlog dating back to PS2 lol So I'm fine but new games aren't as appealing anymore.

It seems like we were thrown on to the worst timeline possible where everything is too expensive and the wrong people were put in positions that makes the world a shitty place. We could have had Shu as the head of PS but we got the shitty alternative. Same goes for everyone in power around the world. Doesn’t matter the company or country the majority of us got the shitty picks and the world is declining like never before. I do think PS can come out of this because of their studios, talent and IP but they need someone more in touch with gamers leading things like Shu was. They’re still the best place for console gaming imo but it could be much better than it is especially without the massive live service failures. The rest of the world I have a lot less hope for right now. Hopefully the pendulum swings back towards the good ole days but I’m preparing for the worst.

There goes illuminati distraction story

So now there's certifiable proof that Ryan was in fact "fired", as opposed to when it was first announced that he "retired", in order to save face.

There's another guy who recently "retired" as CEO of another large gaming company, after doing a dismantling job as lead for well over a decade.

seems legit, the business man, fires the one who has ideas to move the business forward.

Jim Ryan is the reason why we are entering year 6 since the PS5 launch and many of us don't feel like the PS5 has gotten started as yet.

I hope going forward, we will see a return to form.