This is a great ad. It's about time Sony stepped up their game in that regard.
I'm starting to think part of Sony's strategy was to set up the PS3 as a "luxury device" for a couple of years, then suddenly drop the price to a reasonable level so that everyone can finally feel "special" by owning one. Props to them if it actually works.
Are you seriously denying the comment section of N4G has a heavy pro-Sony bias?
Sure, there are 360 fanboys posting too. But just compare the agree/disagree ratio on 360 fanboy posts vs. PS3 fanboy posts and I think you'll see the obvious truth.
It's not really surprising, either. The PS3 started off as the most expensive, and so it obviously had the furthest to drop. No console was going to be priced at $500/$600 for very long if it hoped to stay competitive.
$299 is the sweet spot, no question.
I have to agree, this price drop won't change much. If Microsoft really wants to play ball, they need to bundle an HDMI cable and wireless network adapter together with the Elite for $300 max, or even $250. Then, stick a 60 GB on the Arcade and keep it at $200, OR lower the Arcade to $150. That's what it will take for them to stay competitive in those ever-popular "feature by feature compare" sheets.
The next few months of NDP numbers should be a wake-up call to them...
Or, you could actually own both consoles, and get the benefits of both instead of choosing a "side" and fighting in the "console war" in the name of a company that doesn't care about you and just views you as a giant walking, talking wallet. And yes, that refers to both Sony AND Microsoft. Is the $299 PS3 a better value than the 360? Undoubtedly, but that doesn't mean the 360 is completely worthless - there are still great games for it, which is the primary reason to ow...
I'm sorry, but that's a load of crap. Everything everyone does in this industry is for profit. None of these companies are making valiant sacrifices in the name of "advancing the industry". Sony doesn't sell their consoles at a loss because they're kind-hearted and loving. They do so because they're a business, and make their money from selling accessories, games, and the right to MAKE games for that console. If they DIDN'T sell their consoles for a loss, they'd probably already...
Oh, I agree, in-so-much as that I don't actually care who "wins" the console war. I just think it will be interesting to see how things play out, with both the PS3 and the 360 dropping in price and the Wii finally losing its momentum.
Quite possible, with the new hardware and pricing. It will be VERY interesting to see the NPD numbers through the rest of the year.
I imagine they probably still have plenty in-store, though I could be wrong. They had plenty when I was there yesterday, but at the rate those things are going, who knows?
Is anyone surprised though, really? At this point, the Wii is a lot like an Apple product - people are paying a premium for the name, rather than for the actual quality of the item in question.
I wouldn't be shocked to see a Wii bundle at $200 with Wii Sports Resorts packed in in time for Christmas, depending on how the Wii sales fare against the PS3 Slim. It'd be a smart move too, in order to get the Wii MotionPlus into as many homes as possible.
Yeah, this list is pretty fail. No mention of Shadow Complex or Castle Crashers? No thank you.
As well they should. With the $299 Slim SKU, this is truly Make or Break time for the PS3. A big advertising push between now and Christmas will certainly help.
I went to Best Buy at lunch and it was swarming with PS3 Slims. They had an entire area set up for PS3 Slims and Batman.
Accusing people of being "retard fanboys", and disguising your swears in order to get past the filter, is not the sort of behavior that's supposed to happen in the Gamer Zone. Do you really consider that "friendly and civilized" discussion?
If they're going to show up in the Open Zone, why don't you go post this crap there, where it - and you - belong?
I intentionally picked up a 160 gig Fat PS3 the night the price drop was announced. I liked the look of the older model, and preferred the guaranteed reliability of the older model vs. something that's thus far unproven.
It's likely the Slim will have no problems, but in the end, I decided to go with the older hardware. So far, no regrets.
A bit more on topic...I actually got my PS3 at Best Buy, so maybe I should advantage of this unofficial "deal". ...
I'm pretty sure the Slim momentum will carry through to Christmas, bundle or no. A bundle would just be icing on the cake.
As an owner of all three consoles, I'm really curious to see how the NPD numbers play out for the rest of the year.
I can't imagine this is a surprise to anyone. Sure, the components are smaller and cheaper, but even still, $299 for everything packed inside that box is ridiculously low. I'd be amazed if the production cost actually gets lower than $299 in anything less than a couple of years.
Awesome.