40 GB, PS2 BC-less PS3 unveiled by SCEE (Update White 40GB PS3 for Japan @ 39,980 Yen - 11.11.2007)

[Mondain]

New PLAYSTATION®3 Model to Take Holiday Season by Storm


Aggressively priced hardware and a terrific software line-up make for an unbeatable combination
New 40GB PS3 at €399

London, 5 October 2007 – Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) today announced details of its exciting new PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) model that will launch throughout the SCEE territories on 10th October 2007 at the highly attractive price of €399.

Providing an incredibly appealing entry point to the world of High Definition gaming and entertainment for the holiday season, the new PS3 brings the next generation of interactive home entertainment to homes all across Europe, Middle East, Africa and Australasia.

Along with an ever expanding line-up of PS3 titles (a total of 65 titles tracking across all genres by Christmas), the new PS3 is equipped with a 40GB HDD and includes all the features central to the High Definition entertainment experience; true next generation gameplay, stunning High Definition Blu-ray Disc™ movies, SIXAXIS™ wireless controller, Wi-Fi and HDMI connectivity, all powered by the Cell Broadband Engine™, the digital heart of PS3.

As with the 60GB PS3, the new PS3 features upgradeable firmware allowing new features and functionality to be added to the system as time progresses. A recent firmware update, for example, enabled PS3 to upscale DVD’s played on the system to full 1080P High Definition.

The introduction of the new PS3 has been determined following user feedback from thousands of existing PS3 owners as well as research into future potential PS3 owners. The new model features two USB 2.0 ports rather than four and no longer includes the multi memory card port.

The new model is no longer backwards compatible with PlayStation®2 titles, reflecting both the reduced emphasis placed on this feature amongst later purchasers of PS3, as well as the availability of a more extensive line-up of PS3 specific titles (a total of 65 titles across all genres by Christmas).

The existing Starter Pack*, comprising a 60GB PS3 with extensive backwards compatibility, an additional SIXAXIS wireless controller and two first party titles will be reduced in price to €499. Remaining on sale while stocks last, the 60GB model represents outstanding value for the keen gamer wishing to upgrade to the High Definition capabilities of PS3.

“The introduction of the new PS3 has been the result of extensive research into the entertainment needs and preferences of the next generation of PS3 owners,” said David Reeves, President of SCEE. “It has allowed us to deliver an extremely advanced, yet incredibly affordable High Definition gaming and entertainment system, configured to the needs of the next generation of European PS3 owners. PS3 has always been the device of choice for the discerning gamer and entertainment seeker, and the new PS3 is more than ever the perfect High Definition entertainment system.

*In the UK and Ireland, the Starter Pack will be replaced by a separate in-store promotion on the 60GB PS3.

[demi]

Whoever buys this is a sucker, with rumble in the future.

[hyp]

better late than never i suppose.

[Himu]

I was going to get this 400 dollar ps3 but if it doesn't have ps2 bc then it's a NO SALE.

[Himu]

NO SALE DAMMIT

[Mr. Gundam]

NO SALE DAMMIT

There is no $400 PS3 yet. 400 euros is a lot more than $400.

[Phoenix Dark]

No PS2 compatibility? Well what games are people gonna play on the PS3 now?

NO SALE

[brawndolicious]

There is no $400 PS3 yet. 400 euros is a lot more than $400.

yeah but don't they charge the same number of euros for consoles as they do dollars?

and does this mean there will never be any software BC at all?

[Mondain]

it's going to cost 399$ in the US to be sure, the old insider information about this whole thing was spot-on and indicated that in NA this was going to be the price for the 40 GB unit

[Mr. Gundam]

There is no $400 PS3 yet. 400 euros is a lot more than $400.

yeah but don't they charge the same number of euros for consoles as they do dollars?

and does this mean there will never be any software BC at all?

The currently existing 20GB and 60GB have hardware BC, and I'm guessing the 80GB will keep software BC capability.

[Himu]

NO SALE DAMMIT

There is no $400 PS3 yet. 400 euros is a lot more than $400.

Well there's a rumor there's going to be a 400 dollar ps3!

PD:

Uncharted
Ratchet and Clank
Metal Gear Solid 4
Wipeout HD
Super Stardust HD
Yakuza 3
Aqua
Sanco (new team ico game)
Star Ocean 4
Megami Tensei game
Another team ico game
Echochrome
Valkyrie of the Battlefield
Infamous

I'm sure Distant can fill in the rest!


NUB. Ps3's got lots of interesting games coming out!

[Mupepe]

I'm sold I think


Sony


Sony's new slogan should be "We finally did something right."

[brawndolicious]

The currently existing 20GB and 60GB have hardware BC, and I'm guessing the 80GB will keep software BC capability.

So there's no reason for this not to be able to get software BC, am I correct?  I'm mostly interested in keeping up with the major PS2 game releases.

[Mr. Gundam]

The currently existing 20GB and 60GB have hardware BC, and I'm guessing the 80GB will keep software BC capability.

So there's no reason for this not to be able to get software BC, am I correct?  I'm mostly interested in keeping up with the major PS2 game releases.

They cut it out to keep costs down, apparently. I'm glad my PS3 has it, though.

If you're unwilling to shell out another $100 or so for BC, you could always hang on to your PS2. My PS2 still comes in handy for my Japanese imports and DDR.

[demi]

NO SALE DAMMIT

There is no $400 PS3 yet. 400 euros is a lot more than $400.

Well there's a rumor there's going to be a 400 dollar ps3!

PD:

Uncharted
Ratchet and Clank
Metal Gear Solid 4
Wipeout HD
Super Stardust HD
Yakuza 3
Aqua
Sanco (new team ico game)
Star Ocean 4
Megami Tensei game
Another team ico game
Echochrome
Valkyrie of the Battlefield
Infamous

I'm sure Distant can fill in the rest!


NUB. Ps3's got lots of interesting games coming out!

Name games coming out in the near future or already out please, none of this late 08 crud

[Mr. Gundam]

NO SALE DAMMIT

There is no $400 PS3 yet. 400 euros is a lot more than $400.

Well there's a rumor there's going to be a 400 dollar ps3!

PD:

Uncharted
Ratchet and Clank
Metal Gear Solid 4
Wipeout HD
Super Stardust HD
Yakuza 3
Aqua
Sanco (new team ico game)
Star Ocean 4
Megami Tensei game
Another team ico game
Echochrome
Valkyrie of the Battlefield
Infamous

I'm sure Distant can fill in the rest!


NUB. Ps3's got lots of interesting games coming out!

Name games coming out in the near future or already out please, none of this late 08 crud

Resistance
Uncharted
Ratchet and Clank Future
Super Stardust HD
Warhawk
Heavenly Sword

Wipeout HD, Echochrome and MGS4 are early 2008 titles, by the way.

[demi]

Those games should be fun when rumble is included in late 08

[Mr. Gundam]

Those games should be fun when rumble is included in late 08

The MGS games are the only ones that I've ever found rumble useful. I'll probably import a rumble controller when they come out in Japan, though, just in case something else truly takes advantage of it.

[brawndolicious]

They cut it out to keep costs down, apparently. I'm glad my PS3 has it, though.
If you're unwilling to shell out another $100 or so for BC, you could always hang on to your PS2. My PS2 still comes in handy for my Japanese imports and DDR.

that's weird, I didn't think software BC cost anything in hardware costs.

[Mr. Gundam]

They cut it out to keep costs down, apparently. I'm glad my PS3 has it, though.
If you're unwilling to shell out another $100 or so for BC, you could always hang on to your PS2. My PS2 still comes in handy for my Japanese imports and DDR.

that's weird, I didn't think software BC cost anything in hardware costs.

Don't ask me, that's just what SCEE said.

[demi]

Those games should be fun when rumble is included in late 08

The MGS games are the only ones that I've ever found rumble useful. I'll probably import a rumble controller when they come out in Japan, though, just in case something else truly takes advantage of it.

It must be important enough for them to bring it back. I think I can wait, they'll probably do another package with the rumble included.

[Himu]

doesn't ps3 have shmups coming out distant?

[MrAngryFace]

lowering the price by stripping features. OH SONY lol

[Mr. Gundam]

Those games should be fun when rumble is included in late 08

The MGS games are the only ones that I've ever found rumble useful. I'll probably import a rumble controller when they come out in Japan, though, just in case something else truly takes advantage of it.

It must be important enough for them to bring it back. I think I can wait, they'll probably do another package with the rumble included.

Oh, I'm sure they will. They like money.

doesn't ps3 have shmups coming out distant?

There is that one being developed by EastAsiaSoft and funded by PlayAsia... Soldner X:Himmelstrung or something like that... I'm not a big shmup guy, so I wouldn't know.

[demi]

Oh, I'm sure they will. They like money.

Evidently not, as the price cuts indicate - from $600 to $400 in how long? Has it been a year even?

[brawndolicious]

soldnerx looked good.  it's a shmup with co-op and good graphics.

[Mr. Gundam]

Oh, I'm sure they will. They like money.

Evidently not, as the price cuts indicate - from $600 to $400 in how long? Has it been a year even?

You don't get money unless people buy your stuff, though! 

[Vizzys]

sony is truly desperate

[Mondain]

Yeah Soldner looks hot, look at this HD video

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/25936.html?r=1&type=wmv

[CajoleJuice]

Fuck this shit.

[Phoenix Dark]

Fuck this shit.

lowering the price by stripping features. OH SONY lol

.

[Vizzys]

SO SALE

The only games worth playing on PS3 are PS2 games.

[Himu]

I'M GONNA BUY IT DAMMIT

SO SALE

[Vizzys]

Read the thread viz.

SO SALE

I lost.

[demi]

I think Himuro has Autism

[abrader]

i agree that not even including the software BC is lame. WTFX? that means people cant even download PSOne games from the PSN store?

They need to just include the Euro/80GB PS3 software BC.....WTFX!

[Mondain]

BC isn't software, and costs a whole lot more than to just include a GS chip

most mundane consumers don't have a lot of PS2 games in the first place and are jaded of them, there aren't lots of major PS2 titles on the horizon, some of you guys forget that most people simply play a few games per year

and it's likely that they've kept their existing PS2 anyway because the trade-in value for the system would be extremely low at GameStop

[Himu]

stfu mondain. I want bc!

[abrader]

also here is SHOCKAXIS?

[Vizzys]

stfu mondain. I want bc!

Persona 3 looks good upscaled.

[Vizzys]

Mondain is a remarkably unbiased apologetic poster.

PS3 has less colors.

[Himu]

what the fuck is that avatar viz!

[Vizzys]

what the fuck is that avatar viz!

check out the avatar thread in the real talk forum

even i do not approve

[Mondain]

Mondain is a remarkably unbiased apologetic poster.

uh? what the hell are you talking about? I don't understand why you're saying that

[ferrarimanf355]

Whoever buys this is a sucker, with rumble in the future.

I'd rather buy a used 60 GB model...

[Oblivion]

Why are people happy about such a thing? Won't another SKU cause more problems? Isn't this one of the issues MS got bitched at for the longest time?

[Mupepe]

Why are people happy about such a thing? Won't another SKU cause more problems? Isn't this one of the issues MS got bitched at for the longest time?

multiply sku's seems to be fine when Sony does it!

[bud]

i'll pass. the price is nice, but i'd rather have the bc. as for the memorycard readers, and 2 extra usb ports... i want them, too.

Why are people happy about such a thing? Won't another SKU cause more problems? Isn't this one of the issues MS got bitched at for the longest time?

apparently, this will be the only sku in europe, and in the us it'll be like this and the 80gig one, or maybe just the 40gig eventually.

[bork]

No PS2 support?  Less USB ports?  No card reader?

This is for suckers.

[brawndolicious]

No PS2 support?  Less USB ports?  No card reader?
This is for suckers.

I think they'll do another SKU after the holidays (depending on how well this one goes) that is like $50 more and has those three things plus  a maybe 50 GB HDD.  I mean, they're phasing out the 60 GB in Europe so that probably means there will be a new version that has BC because that can be a huge selling point for casuals by 2008 when PS3 is $300 or less and when there could still be PS2 games coming out.

[Ichirou]

No PS2 support?  Less USB ports?  No card reader?

This is for suckers.

IAWTP

This is one of the dumbest moves Sony has made in a while, and that's saying something.

[bork]

Multiple SKUs is the problem.  If they do it, they ONLY difference should be pack-ins and/or the size of the hard drive.  But it's all a big fucking rip-off.  I got a 160gb hard drive for my PS3 for around $100.  They can price this stuff cheaper.

[Ichirou]

Yup, this shit is just going to confuse the average consumer even more.  And the lack of BC is a dealbreaker for me.  At this point, I might just buy one of the 60 GB units used at some future point, just for decent BC.

[Eel O'Brian]

I wonder if it can be hacked to play Ps2 games?  If so, I'll wait for that.

Next up - 0 GB sku with no hard drive, no controller, and no case, just a bunch of loose parts in a box with a plastic screwdriver, $299

[The Sceneman]

Here's Sony's blundering Phil Harrison laughing at Microsoft's decision to offer more than one hardware configuration.

"I think we wouldn't take that strategy. We wouldn't create confusion" - Phil Harrison, Sony, August 2005.

[The Sceneman]

^ stolen form UKR, but still gold

[ferrarimanf355]

Is it me, or are there a lot more bannings at GAF since this announcement?

[Mupepe]

Is it me, or are there a lot more bannings at GAF since this announcement?

I don't pay attention to the gaming side anymore really, but there were a lot more when everyone began to realize that the PS3 was not going to be a juggernaut.

[bud]

1up yours was pretty funny. garnett: ''ms started the no-bc shit''

they should probably not discuss stuff like this a day before it's announced while they don't know much about it, lol.

[Mondain]

the 40 GB SKU will be the only one available in Europe in the long run according to SCEE, and the same situation will probably happen too in North America and in Japan

concerning BC, maybe it's a good idea that such support was beginning to be discontinued, because it just wouldn't be possible in the next generation of systems to emulate PS3 and 360, you'd have to re-include tons of hardware components again and it would be a huge mess, and add unnecessary costs

it's understandable that some held BC to heart, but ultimately to offer a full-fledged next-gen system at the cheapest price point is much more important

however, why would anyone be disappointed of seeing two USB ports and memory card ports go away? they're useless, are you really going to use them? if they're that important to you, why not get a cheap eternal USB memory card adapter? if you need more USB ports, it's very easy to daisy chain connections with an adapter too