'No price drop' planned for older PS3 models

When Sony announced the revised "Super Slim" PS3 earlier this week, many were surprised to find that the base price of the PS3 had actually gone up. Sony explains why there's no price cut on the PS3.

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When Sony announced the revised "Super Slim" PS3 earlier this week, many were surprised to find that the base price of the PS3 had actually gone up--not down, bucking the trend. Oddly, there will be "no price drop" at all--not even of older "not-so-slim" PS3 models.

Sony's John Koller explained that customers are tired of "weird price moves" made by the hardware manufacturers with retail price promotions, gift card offers, etc. "What we really want is content and games and value," Koller said. That's why the base model offered in America includes Uncharted 3 and premium content for use in DUST 514.

Koller told Engadget that there will be "no formal price drop" on the older model, simply because there are "only so many units of the older models left on store shelves." And while the new model is smaller, there may be some that prefer the front-loading design of the second-generation PS3. Consider this your last chance to pick up the now-discontinued model.

In Europe, the PS3 will come available in an even-cheaper 12GB model, something we expected Sony to offer in the States for a budget price. However, that model is not coming to the US because North American customers access far more digital content than their European counterparts. "The smaller Flash drive isn't coming to North America, and a lot of that reason is the digital consumer," Koller says. "We really want to make sure, out of the box, that there is an option for them to be able to download that content. That is really critical for us, very very important."

Still, we still think a $199 PS3 would have been a great marketing bullet point, especially as the next generation of consoles kicks off.

Andrew Yoon was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

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  • reply
    September 20, 2012 11:00 AM

    Andrew Yoon posted a new article, 'No price drop' planned for older PS3 models.

    When Sony announced the revised "Super Slim" PS3 earlier this week, many were surprised to find that the base price of the PS3 had actually gone up. Sony explains why there's no price cut on the PS3.

    • reply
      September 20, 2012 11:08 AM

      Sony knows what's up. I hate paying less for things

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      September 20, 2012 11:59 AM

      Personally, I would've found a 12 GB unit a more attractive proposition - then I can slap a 2 TB hard drive in from the start, instead of playing for a 250 GB hard drive that'll be junked.

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      September 20, 2012 12:15 PM

      uh huh... I was really annoyed when Gamestop offered PS3 slims with Batman: Arkham City for $199.99 total. I was so annoyed that I accidentally ordered one and had it shipped to my office.

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      September 20, 2012 12:18 PM

      Sony, again proving they don't get it.

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      September 20, 2012 12:36 PM

      This feels like 2010, when the PSPgo was on its "denial last mile", with barely any discounts, and staunch denial of a PSP2... up until the unveil of the PSVita in February 2011.

      That is "the product cycle", but it doesn't make it any less callous, especially in year 4 of a recession. I know that Sony is hurting financially, but come on, guys, $229 the PS3 Slim and goose up the outgoing sales volume.

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      September 20, 2012 12:38 PM

      [deleted]

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      September 20, 2012 2:28 PM

      There'll be a price cut this holiday season. I would bet money on it. Especially with the Wii U coming out.

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      September 20, 2012 2:43 PM

      My ps3 broke and I need another :(

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      September 20, 2012 3:17 PM

      lol

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      September 20, 2012 4:10 PM

      I can't think of a more boneheaded mgmt style than Sony with the PS3.

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      September 20, 2012 9:59 PM

      ALL new super slims should be $199.99 w/500GB+ HDD's with 1 free month of PSN imo.

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      September 21, 2012 9:14 AM

      I was considering buying a ps3 to play all those titles I've missed out on, maybe even bother with blu-ray, if it was cheap. That disc-tray isn't helping their sales either. I see that thing and all I can think about is cheap counterfeits and consoles from the 1990s.

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