Sony to drop 60GB PS3....

[Chainsaw]

hotrod05 said:

chainsawiscaw said:

Yeah, but I thought Blockbuster was also on the decline. There's only 2 Blockbusters in my area now, and I live in a fairly big city. I don't know if exclusivity is going to change people's perceptions of the system.

Right now, Blu-Ray seems to be winning the format war, but honestly, this is a videogame system, not a movie player. Remember all of the PS2's that burned out prematurely because of the DVD player? I do. I'm waiting for that to start happening to the PS3 next.

why so you can have another reason to attack them? Just asking....

No, because I expect it now. I had a PS2 unit that I played DVD's on, and then one day, I couldn't play DVD's in it anymore. Soon after that, I had problems starting games, and then eventually, it stopped loading games almost altogether. I got sick of it, traded it in, and got a slimline. It wasn't until later that i read that people were having the same problems, because the DVD drive runs faster and burns the system out quicker. Now, I won't run DVD's on it again.

Sony has a long history of having problems with their first waves of systems, so I'm no longer running out and getting the systems as they roll out. But what's really gotten under my skin is the attitude that Sony has taken with their stuff, that nothing's wrong with it and that they know what's best for people. Humility is not their strength right now. They say things, and never bother to deliver on them. The Hard Disc Drive is a prime example of that.

Please, don't think that I blindly hate Sony. I've probably bought and played more games for the PS2 than my XBox and Gamecube. And both next gen systems have problems, like 360's failure rates and Peter Moore looking like a fool when asked about backwards compatibility, and the lack of solid games and 3rd party support for Wii. But if I had a choice, I'd rather have a Wii or a 360 than a PS3. But even they're a little beyond my cash range right now.

Graphical power isn't something I obsess over. I want the fun a system brings. Each one brings their own strengths and weaknesses. But Sony's business model and the amount of ego that has brought has soured me on them.

[Mr. Mediocre]

mrbacklund said:

explodinglimo said:

Well, I think X360 is still in the lead this round, but to be fair it had an extra year out of the gate. Regardless, hardcore gamers would likely go for the 360 over the Wii any day of the week (and I'm leaning 360 right now).

If you compare all of the systems to each other in equal poitns in their life cycle, 360 and PS3 are a dead heat and the Wii is simply crushing them.

People tend to forget the 360 was in a similar state as the PS3 (but with issues in regards to distribution and even greater issues in regards to faulty products) until a few of the AAA, or at least AA, titles hit.

Also, the foreign markets play a big role, as there are still some launch 360's sitting on Japanese shelves that have yet to be purchased.

In short, except for the Wii, this generation has been pretty abysmal for the major companies. MS just has had a year to get on its feet and make a recovery.

Very valid and quite true.

[Chainsaw]

hotrod05 said:

But ever think that this might be there off system like the GameCube was? I mean yea its bad but it can be just a bad system, they will bounce back, Either it be in a year with this system or a handfull eith the next, Sony will be back up there.

What's funny is, the Gamecube has as much graphical power, if not more, than the PS2. They just got kileld because there was no solid online missive, and their original games didn't deliver what they should have.

Plus, it looked like a kid's toy.

[Chainsaw]

explodinglimo said:

mrbacklund said:

If you compare all of the systems to each other in equal poitns in their life cycle, 360 and PS3 are a dead heat and the Wii is simply crushing them.

People tend to forget the 360 was in a similar state as the PS3 (but with issues in regards to distribution and even greater issues in regards to faulty products) until a few of the AAA, or at least AA, titles hit.

Also, the foreign markets play a big role, as there are still some launch 360's sitting on Japanese shelves that have yet to be purchased.

In short, except for the Wii, this generation has been pretty abysmal for the major companies. MS just has had a year to get on its feet and make a recovery.

Very valid and quite true.

And a lot of that has come because companies are now more focused on either the graphics or on casual gamers to sell games. True gameplay innovation is going to become harder now that the companies have so much money invested in this generation. But there's hope, because now companies like Sony and Microsoft are actually encouraging homebrewed games to be created, thus putting it on amateur programmers to be the next wave of innovation for the systems.

Also, I feel like I need to change my name to Mr. Chainsaw all of a sudden.

[Mr. Mediocre]

chainsawiscaw said:

explodinglimo said:

Very valid and quite true.

And a lot of that has come because companies are now more focused on either the graphics or on casual gamers to sell games. True gameplay innovation is going to become harder now that the companies have so much money invested in this generation. But there's hope, because now companies like Sony and Microsoft are actually encouraging homebrewed games to be created, thus putting it on amateur programmers to be the next wave of innovation for the systems.

There's been some outside the box thinking. Katamari Damacy and LocoRoco immediately come to mind.

[Munkie91087]

www.gametrailers.com/player/usermovies/83351.html?playlist=featured

Sony President Kaz Harai, discussing the phasing out of the 60GB Ps3 and making the 80GB the new standard.

[Chainsaw]

explodinglimo said:

chainsawiscaw said:

And a lot of that has come because companies are now more focused on either the graphics or on casual gamers to sell games. True gameplay innovation is going to become harder now that the companies have so much money invested in this generation. But there's hope, because now companies like Sony and Microsoft are actually encouraging homebrewed games to be created, thus putting it on amateur programmers to be the next wave of innovation for the systems.

There's been some outside the box thinking. Katamari Damacy and LocoRoco immediately come to mind.

There's also been Beyond Good And Evil, Psychonauts, Okama, and Shadow Of The Colossus. All great, innovative games, all sales underperformers. Outsiode the box thinking isn't dead, but I think it will be harder to get those games produced and a solid budget.

[Mr. Backlund]

chainsawiscaw said:

explodinglimo said:

Very valid and quite true.

And a lot of that has come because companies are now more focused on either the graphics or on casual gamers to sell games. True gameplay innovation is going to become harder now that the companies have so much money invested in this generation. But there's hope, because now companies like Sony and Microsoft are actually encouraging homebrewed games to be created, thus putting it on amateur programmers to be the next wave of innovation for the systems.

The market is pretty much flipped on its head and its kind of amusing watching MS role out pink controllers and Sony emphasizing a game with very minimal graphics and strong innovation that appeals to a very different audience than what a $600 video game system with bleeding edge technology would typically (rather, stereotypically) want.

While I do really like my Wii, I'm somewhat concerned as a gamer that we're going to have another isntance of GTA-fever, where everyone is going to ape a successful idea and bleed it dry. A lot of Wii games are fun, but a lot are pure gimmicks with the controller schemes attached on as an after thought. I have the sneaking suspicion that a lot of games are going to get passed off as the "next big thing", but really only feature gimmicky controls that really do nothing for the game but change how you play it, typically for the worse.

But, at the end of the day, this generation is just the same as the others, but we don't have hindsight and a revisionist history to tell us how it plays out. I'd be as surprised to find out Nintendo claims the title as I would be MS did, or Sony did.

[Brain Of F'n J]

koda89 said:

brainofj said:

Tell that to Sega, 3DO, Philips and NEC.

Jed Shaffer
~It doesn't take people not buying it altogether to kill a system. Just not enough people to make it profitable.

Wait, what? The Xbox never made a profit, and the 360 isn't making a profit, and those both sold over 10 million units. So profit doesn't decide if a system was a success or failure, they just need to sell.

The problem with SEGA and 3DO was that they were GAME COMPANIES, video games was their only way of making money. This is true with Nintendo as well, but they make piles of cash.

Sony and Microsoft can have a system that makes no profit, and it wouldn't affect them, as they have several other means of making money.

Sony can never fail, just come in last place, and this isn't defending them, it is the truth. Now, unless Sony somehow loses billions in all its divisions, Sony will continue to make PlayStations.

But if the game division of Sony becomes TOO big of a money bleed, they will kill it. There's only so long you can keep a dying appendage on the body before it threatens the entire body's health.

Jed Shaffer
~Just like GM did with the Geo; cut off the dead weight.

[HoagieWithPastrami]

They're not gonna kill the videogame division of the company.

That's hogwash. They're not even in as bad of a position as Nintendo was when some of their systems didn't sell as well as expected.

I think some people are turned off to Sony and WANT the videogame division to close at this point.

[Action Bathturd]

ibleedpurple said:

The PS3 is gonna wind up being the biggest bomb since the Dreamcast. If not bigger.

Too bad the Dreamcast didn't, y'know, suck.

[Koda, Master Crunchyroller]

chainsawiscaw said:

hotrod05 said:

But ever think that this might be there off system like the GameCube was? I mean yea its bad but it can be just a bad system, they will bounce back, Either it be in a year with this system or a handfull eith the next, Sony will be back up there.

What's funny is, the Gamecube has as much graphical power, if not more, than the PS2. They just got kileld because there was no solid online missive, and their original games didn't deliver what they should have.

Plus, it looked like a kid's toy.

Actually, it was found that when comparing the specs of all 3 systems, the GameCube had 8% more graphical power than the Xbox, making the GameCube the strongest system graphically, only problem was, the only game to truly push the system was Resident Evil 4.

But also, going on graphics, the Wii is 3x the strength of the Wii, and yet, its second generation titles(titles that begin to show around the 1 year mark of the system being out) only have the graphical polish of the Xbox. Granted I know the Wii is graphics < gameplay, but come on, give us something good to look at...I guess it is cheaper and easier to just make these first year GameCube-like games than it is to push the system's graphics.

[tommyvercetti]

I'll still probably get one.

[gmanquik]

After reading all five pages of this thread...I'm smiling like the Cheshire Cat.

I love Sony. I have a PSOne, a slimline PSOne with screen, and a platinum PS2, among countless electronics. Those systems are great. However, the PS3 is killing them, and I cannot support the PS3 in the least, for ANY reason. The PSP isn't doing too hot either, relying on Homebrew emulators to survive, instead of actual games (and Sony tried to bury that into the ground too with their 'update service'.

Unlike Jed, I will NEVER, EVER break my Microsoft ban. I use Windows only because I'm forced to. In fact, the only thing from Microsoft I've ever liked, is this badass wireless optical mouse. I will -NOT- be buying another Microsoft gaming system, as I had trouble with their Live service ON BOTH SYSTEMS and with the wonderful red ring of death on the 360. Not even the numerous games I like heading to the system (Devil May Cry 4, RE5, Virtua Fighter 5, GTA4, and so on) and my intense hatred for Halo (in my opinion, the worst FPS I've ever seen, period) will keep me far, far, FAR away. Microsoft is dead to me, and I will never make the Xbox mistake again. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

Nintendo has not let me down, ever. I even liked the Virtual Boy (especially since I don't get seizures from it, that's a bonus), and I'm a proud owner of a fully functional NES, good as new. Needless to say, I'm in Nintendo for the long run. Every time I thought that they were going to let me down, and I'd go running to another system, I'd always find my way back to Nintendo. Needless to say, I own just about every Nintendo system released in a long, long time (except the Gamecube, as I have the Wii for those games, a Game Boy Pocket, and a Game Boy Micro, as it's pointless when I have an SP).

Needless to say, Sony's failure at this stage isn't surprising. In gaming, they seem to be WAY past their prime. Microsoft, if they don't get this red ring of death fixed by the time Halo 3 comes out, will also be in serious trouble (especially if the Halo Xbox 360's have the same problem). The worst thing I feel Nintendo has done so far, is that their wrist straps weren't made too well, but that's fixed. And I don't even need to go into the DS. It's still very, very strong, and is CRUSHING the PSP.

My grades for the three companies...

Sony: F--. Sony is in HUGE trouble. If they don't stop with the crap they are pulling, they'll be out of gaming for good by '08.
Microsoft: D+. They have a lot of major titles coming, but with my intense hate for their systems and their Live service, I will never be going back, no matter what. I can do without.
Nintendo: A-. They have a lot of decent titles coming, but a lot of them are still far away. And it's inexcusable that it took them until Pokemon Colosseum to get the online gameplay going. That should have been something they put out there from the start. The Virtual Console is also stronger than ever, but I think they need to release an external hard drive. If Nintendo keeps it up, they are going to have a strong summer-to-fall, and a nearly unstoppable late '07-early '08, especially with Brawl coming out on 12/3. Unless Nintendo goes above and beyond to get gamers to hate them like Sony is, then they can really do no wrong.

EDIT: This is my OPINION. No need to flame me or try to argue with me about it, because I'm not going to change my mind, no matter how much you try to persuade me. These are my two cents, and I'm sticking to it.

[EvilMasterBetty, Esq.]

As for the 360, take it for what you will, but I overheard people talking about a new version of the 360 in development that would run cooler and be cheaper to produce and this would be when the price cut for the 360 would occur. It came from some people at gamestop (yes i go there like once a week, nothing much else to do here) but i haven't heard anything about it since.

[Drillbit Taylor]

Honstly I still say PS3 will get big once the price starts to drop. Then it will join the race again... year from now but still will get back in

[Maidpool w/ Cleaning Action]

evilmasterbetty said:

As for the 360, take it for what you will, but I overheard people talking about a new version of the 360 in development that would run cooler and be cheaper to produce and this would be when the price cut for the 360 would occur. It came from some people at gamestop (yes i go there like once a week, nothing much else to do here) but i haven't heard anything about it since.

They said it on G4 to. It was mentioned something about a new chip they have that cost less, runs cooler, but does the same amount of wrok as the current one.

[Insomniac]

According to Microsoft, all the 360s are defective. The PS3 costs too much and Sony tricked us with the price drop. And Nintendo can't produce enough Wiis to keep store shelves stocked. That being said, there's only one console choice for me these days:

[EvilMasterBetty, Esq.]

agentdeadpool said:

evilmasterbetty said:

As for the 360, take it for what you will, but I overheard people talking about a new version of the 360 in development that would run cooler and be cheaper to produce and this would be when the price cut for the 360 would occur. It came from some people at gamestop (yes i go there like once a week, nothing much else to do here) but i haven't heard anything about it since.

They said it on G4 to. It was mentioned something about a new chip they have that cost less, runs cooler, but does the same amount of wrok as the current one.

ok cool i just want to make sure that the guy wasn't making it up.

E3 2007: Sony Confirms PS3 Price Cut Only Temporary
Sony Europe spoils surprise, America says it's true.
By Patrick Klepek, 07/13/2007

UPDATE: As a follow-up to this announcement, we asked SCEA about how potential customers might feel ripped off, given the $499 phaseout. Here's what they told us:

"We are offering the full-function 60GB PS3 for $100 less than the original price and we have ample supply to meet consumer needs for months. We think this is great news for the PlayStation fans. Throughout the remainder of the year, we will constantly be evaluating market conditions and will develop strategies to further meet the needs of consumers in this market."

So their strategy is to once again create an artificial need for the system (like they did at launch by releasing like 300,000 systems) so that people will buy it but not know what to do with it.

While i don't disagree with the strategy, esp. since they can't sell the system any other way at this point, it is kind of cheap. I mean, before people wanted the PS1 and PS2 because it was the best system available. Now they want the PS3 because they're making it seem like you won't get to own one at the best price.

[Michael Coello]

Wow. This isn't a price drop. It's a sale!

I think I'm better off getting the original Xbox as the next system(F you Morgan Webb. I want a damn Xbox!) The 360's too undependable, the PS3's too expensive, and the Wii is too elusive.

Too many toos!