Awesomepossum

I got personally vetted by a big highland cow on behalf of Sony

Read what i have written i full before pulling me up on 2 little words....thank you

spectrum48k

On another note the £299 PS3 will be announced today or tomorrow.

40GB storage, less USB ports, no mem card reader on front and other cheap *** tactics to get the price down.

messiah

To be honest - the current 4 USB ports is probably overkill for most people and the memcard reader is taking the whole media-hub thing a bit far, you can still access photo's etc from a PC if they're both networked.

dropping down to 40gb should be enough for most people though, but personally I've DL'd about 15gb of 1080p trailers so far. On the other hand, it''s just a regular laptop SATA HDD in there anyway isnt it? and you can change it yourself by all accounts, plus it accepts external USB HDD's if need be.

PeteBrant

Yup standard SATA drive - changing it is as simple as dopping in new one. I must admit, I have never used the Memory card reader on the front of mine.

DrEvil

I swore blind I wouldnt get a PS3 - got two now, one for upstairs and one for down

Sold my 360 as well - too damn noisey.

I can wait for the additional functionality, Sony seem to be working fast to uprate the features on it, which is cool. As for games, got more than enough to keep me busy this year and next (and empty my wallet!) Like Messiah, my BR collection is growing fast, the image quality (as I'm sure you find with HDDVD) is amazing.

spectrum48k

OFFICIAL - stripped down PS3 £299 on OCT 10th


The much-talked about 40GB PS3 will be hitting UK stores on October 10 for £299, Sony has finally confirmed.

The existing 60GB model will also see its asking price slashed down to £349, which will come with two first-party games. This new 'Value Pack' replaces the current £425 'Starter Pack'.

This comes after a seemingly endless run of rumours - and Sony's defiant refusal to comment - that have run rife on the World Wide Web over the past two weeks.

Advertisement:
With cutting back production costs a clear priority, the new 40GB console will, as CVG previously reported, come without the front memory card readers, lose two of the four USB ports and, contrary to popular belief, completely lack backwards compatibility support PS2 discs (PS1 support oddly goes unmentioned - we're chasing that).

All other hardware features, including built-in Wi-Fi support, Blu-Ray disc playback will remain.

Sony itself couldn't disclose exactly why the BC was dropped, but CVG has been told that it relates to saving on the licensing costs for the necessary emulation software.

The new budget PS3 puts the price of Sony gaming in line with the Xbox 360 Elite, which also costs £299, and within £120 of the 360 Core unit and Wii.

"As we approach our very first PlayStation Christmas, it is satisfying to be able to offer UK consumers the choice of two PlayStation 3 packages both now representing remarkable value," said Ray Maguire, managing director of SCEUK.

David Reeves, President of SCEE said: "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.

"It has allowed us to deliver an extremely advanced, yet highly affordable High Definition entertainment system, configured to the needs of the next generation of European PS3 owners," he added.

Iain Young

That's a bit more like it. Just needs some decent games now and I may get one

spectrum48k

exactly - the price is 'ok', now I just need some games I'd actually want to play on it.

bob269

Lol, they can't emulate their own hardware without paying a fee

messiah

That one got me thinking too...

spectrum48k

Remember, just like the PS2 before it, they implemented backwards compatibility initially with hardware. The first batch of PS3's had a PS2 chip in it - or at least, the emotion engine from the PS2. But that proved EXPENSIVE.

Result ? They removed the PS2 chip(s) and licenced a software emulator from a 3rd party.

Perhaps the 3rd party reverse engineered it - which explains why there were big issues with a lot of games not working properly.

bob269

Yeah i know they removed the chip, but i'm not convinced Sony would let a 3rd party write a legal emulator then license it back to them, maybe give them a one off payment or something.

spectrum48k

yeah, its a bit fishy.


In separate interviews today both Sony UK boss Ray Maguire and Sony Europe spokesman Nick Sharples spoke about how the 40GB PS3 lacking backwards compatibility is fine. How is it fine? Maguire tells Eurogamer that by this Christmas the PS3 will have a whopping 65 games and so they feel "there's sufficient choice in the marketplace and that we're still better off using that money that we'd put into backwards compatibility in either investing in new games or using that money to help support bringing the price down." Meanwhile, Sharples tells GameDaily, "We have made clear on many occasions that our priority is on developing innovative new features and services for PS3 and not on backwards compatibility."

We really hate to do this, but we swear Sony must honestly think consumers and the press have the memories of goldfish. Let's just take it back to the PlayStation brand for two seconds. Sony's own Phil Harrison clearly and distinctly said in a 2006 interview with GamePro, "Backwards compatibility, as you know from PlayStation One and PlayStation 2, is a core value of what we believe we should offer. And access to the library of content people have created, bought for themselves, and accumulated over the years is necessary to create a format. PlayStation is a format meaning that it transcends many devices -- PSOne, PS2, and now PS3." A little over a year and "core values" go right out the window. Who needs backwards compatibility anyway when you've got 65 games to sell?

ScoobyDoo555

Despite this price drop, I still can't contemplate a PS3. Sorry, I was a die-hard PS owner, and the attitude of the company (you know the comment - regarding Joe Public paying what Sony think they should pay) is disgusting.

The fact that they have been financially hurt with the PS3, well, quite frankly, it couldn't happen to a more deserving company. For too long, Sony have marketed cr@p products based on their reputation for making quality products. (Bit like Mercedes!!)

I personally couldn't give a to$$ about Blu Ray, as I'm still not convinced it will win the HD war.

In the meantime, yes, the 360 has faults (I'm on my 2nd - BUT have been refunded), but as an all-round gaming experience, it's very good.

For the time being, I've invested in Microsoft - I'll stick with it.

Dan

Wish

iTrader: (2)

So this £299 console will NOT play PS2 games ???

messiah

I thought the PS2 chip was already dropped from the Euro machine's...

Iain Young

It was, but now they've dropped the software emulation as well...

Iain Young

Correct.

messiah

Must be some misunderstanding - I can't see Sony that dumb...

Iain Young

No misunderstanding. That's what they've done (something to do with getting rid of the licensing costs for the software emulation - which was written by a 3rd party)

Wish

iTrader: (2)

So does that mean the more expensive wont play PS2 games either ??

Madness, Ive got a PS2 and wont ever go to the PS3. It makes all my PS2 games worthless

Iain Young

That's right

messiah

I'll have to try that out, I've not tried any PS2 games in the PS3 yet, but I've used the transfer kit to get my old save games into the HDD...

Are you sure the software emulation is not being dropped just from the lower model?

Iain Young

That's what it said. The emulation is being dropped from the lower model (to reduce the price). The 60gb one remains unchanged.

rik1471

The current BC 60GB version is only while stocks last.

Iain Young

True, but there's lots of unsold stock out there at the moment

rik1471

It's funny how something so important to Sony at the beginning of the PS3's life is now, all of a sudden, not needed.

Sony have screwed up royal this gen, how many different SKU's have the released, I've lost count.

That, along with all their other problems has become almost painful to watch.

messiah

Less than MS have with the 360 SKU's...

spectrum48k

Phil Harrison (Sony exec) back in early 2006:

as recently as 2006 Sony's Phil Harrison said that "backwards compatibility, as you know from PlayStation One and PlayStation 2, is a core value of what we believe we should offer. And access to the library of content people have created, bought for themselves, and accumulated over the years is necessary to create a format. PlayStation is a format meaning that it transcends many devices -- PSOne, PS2 and now PS3."

spectrum48k

Looks like the USA will be getting the same 40GB "bog standard" PS3 as well...


According to The Hollywood Reporter, an "industry source" of theirs says the North American 40GB PS3 model will release on Nov. 2 at $399. Another source reveals Sony has been asking stores to try and clear out existing PS3 inventory by the November date. Just like the controversial European 40GB PS3 model, the North American model will also allegedly not be backwards compatible with the PS2.

Now that it looks like the NA 40GB PS3 will have the same issues as its Euro counterpart, we can't wait to hear Sony America's rationale on this, considering the European explanation was a bit lacking. Aeropause had a strong piece this weekend on their issues about this new PS3. They said, "So why is this the worst idea to ever come from Sony? Because it basically brings the PlayStation 3 back to its absolute zero starting point with its biggest unserved fan base -- the PS2 owners who have held out because of price ... It's no longer an 'upgrade' or a 'replacement' for the PS2, giving them pride in their brand loyalty, it's a brand new machine that stands alone and doesn't replace anything at all." Now we wait for the official announcement from Sony America and watch how they'll craft the message that gamers should focus on the "65 titles" for the PS3.