To Good To Be True!?!? PS2 (Rumoured) To Drop to $199 on 12/26!!! (Warning: Flames inside!)

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MJGunn

Golden Member
Aug 28, 2001
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Theres no way they would drop it this close after christmas. Everyone who had bought it for their kids would be pricematching. The Eariliest I would believe a price drop of any amount would be January......26th or so, 30 days after christmas.
 

bubba

Golden Member
Oct 10, 1999
1,589
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It is either true or not true, it is not the end of the world!

At some point Sony will lower the price of the PS2, but as of yet we are not sure of when. Maybe in a few days, maybe in a few months... Others have speculated that they won't lower the price, but they will bundle in things, perhaps the broadband adaptor/harddrive.

Speculate all you want, but please keep it civil. This interchange has been pathetic.
 

emonkey

Golden Member
Dec 2, 1999
1,277
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<<Look you little sh!t face. U are pissing everybody off here. So why don't you just shut you yap. >>

Looks like someone missed naptime.
Anyway, he only seems to really be pissing off one person. I dont think he created the rumor to get you to go nuts so just avoid the thread if it offends you so personally. ;)

(you're in college now. try to have some dignity and hold your composure. its just a game system.)
 

SF DUDE

Senior member
Oct 12, 1999
627
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People seem to always be twisting what is said. I stated that "rumors" were heard, nothing concrete. Was simply stated my personal opinions as to why Sony would do this. Everyone has to understand profits are made in games and accessories-not consoles. A price drop would have an immediated impact on sales (read: more games and accessories). As far as supply, it is fine-we have over 300 in stock. And yes, as I have already stated, I would not expect a price drop any sooner than the end of January, in order to protect 30 day price match for all of the Christmas sales.

Everything is speculation right now. Xbox's are not selling at the "madness" level everyone expected. A PS2 price drop could have a dramatic crippling affect on the Xbox......think about it. And think about how profits are made.


Chad
 

dealmaker

Senior member
Feb 14, 2000
237
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I have to agree with the consesus. No way would PS2 drop to $199. This is a ridicously low price and would cut into their existing DVD product lines. I see maybe 250 or so but 199 is too low. Why bother buying a Sony DVD player when you can get a PS2 for a few bucks more. Unless Microsoft lowers the price on Xbox. Nothing will happen.
 

GQUnknown

Banned
Nov 26, 2000
137
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Some one didn't take their prozac today
You want people to stop a flaming each other, but yet you add fuel to the fire. You are really intelegent.
Besides I will stop talking trash to defref once he stops talking trash to me. So why don't you mind your own business.
 

daMachine

Senior member
Oct 30, 2001
322
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OK, there's a lot of heat in this thead.

As a few other ATers mentioned the console companies make there money from game sales and not the system. They actually loose money on each system they sale. Now why would Sony, this years' top console seller, reduce there prices? Because they want to sell more games, obviously. I would guess they are planning for their future (summer 2002). MS has a long track record of getting into a market and competing very aggressively, plus many software vendors are supporting the XBox. This means many top games will be coming to the XBox (via a port or otherwise).

Right now, PS2 is the only way to go given the great quality and breadth of many of it's games. Eventually, MS and Xbox will catch up. So, new buyers will now have a real choice to make. Spend $299 on the latest console hardware and get most of the games I want, or spend $299 on aged technology and get most of the games I want? For newbies to the world of console gaming, the choice starts to shift in favor of the XBox. Sony wants to stave off this by reducing there prices, and more importantly they want to get PS2's into as many homes as possible before people have a "real" choice to make.

For console companies, the more homes they are in means more money making potential. With that said, I would have to agree that a price cut of $100 sounds a bit high, and I don't think they would initiate any type of price cuts until March or April (all those 30, 60, & 90 day best price guarantees would be a disaster for retail).

 

SF DUDE

Senior member
Oct 12, 1999
627
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Excellent point dealmaker. Don't you think Sony would rather have someone buy a PS2 than a DVD player? What future sales do they recoup on a DVD Player? nothing......a PS2? GAMES! That strategy would not surprise me. Whether Sony sells a DVD Player or a PS2, they sold a unit-market share. And a unit with an almost 100% chance of additional high profit games and accessories.

Game consoles are all about one thing-market share. The higher the market share, the more game designers that sign on board. Most people buy consoles based on the wide availability of games and accessories. The PS2 has excellent game selection already, with the Xbox somewhat limited right now. A price drop would give a major boost to the great market share they already have. And with the quality control issues of the Xbox right now, it makes sense from a marketing perspective.


Just my two cents worth......

Chad
 

TerryMathews

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
11,464
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<< This is a ridicously low price and would cut into their existing DVD product lines. I see maybe 250 or so but 199 is too low. Why bother buying a Sony DVD player when you can get a PS2 for a few bucks more. >>



You haven't owned a Sony DVD player before, have you? People don't buy Sony DVD players because of the price point, they buy them because they match with their Wega TVs, they look nice, they have a common remote protocol (You never ever have to program a Sony remote), and did I mention they look sharp?

I had a Sony DVP-S560D; I sold it and bought a PS2. While I love the PS2, it doesn't even hold a candle to the S560D. And that model is a few years old.
 

Vegito

Diamond Member
Oct 16, 1999
8,329
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I saw on yahoo news for a fact, and sony press statement, that internationally, they will drop the price 20% after jan 2002 but not in US. that might have changed and started the rumor, this was like in end of nov..
 

Wingster

Senior member
Jan 23, 2001
313
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Wow.. Gotta start another thread called "PS2 (rumored) for $139.30 plus tax on 12/26" Virgin store will still have 30% off :D Dun worry.. I'll camp there starting the close of store the night before so I'll buy wutever's left :p




 

paladiin

Member
Oct 23, 2001
181
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What about a 1 day sale at Best Buy on 12/29 for the PS2 at $199? Could this be the possible root of the rumor? This would be plausable, as it wouldn't produce the huge losses from 30 day price guarantees (there would be some who do the price adjustment, but many probably wouldn't know about it). It would also generate huge post-Christmas interest in the system. It could be done on a limited supply (possibly with the backing of Sony) to see how interested the public would be at a $199 price point. And other stores wouldn't have to honor the price, since most have disclaimers about honoring limited to stock on hand pricing.

This wouldn't be too far-fetched. It's only been a couple of weeks since Best Buy had some really incredible deals, like the $99 GeForce 3 Ti200 card (-$50 instant, -$50 MIR).

Just adding fuel to the flame....
 

knightc2

Golden Member
Jul 2, 2001
1,461
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Why are some people getting so bent over this post? It is merely a rumor (as stated in the title) from what the poster claims is a reliable source. What is the big deal here about slamming this guy for posting what he heard? If the price drops to $199 then great. If not, then who cares.
 

emonkey

Golden Member
Dec 2, 1999
1,277
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<< You want people to stop a flaming each other, but yet you add fuel to the fire. You are really intelegent. >>


Um, you spelled "intelligent" wrong. Pretty ironic and indicative, isnt it?
(I'm only replying because GQUnknown is attacking me in PM's for some reason. Chill out, dude!) :eek:


ANYWAYS, as far as the PS2 vs Standalone DVD players goes, the PS2 DVD player is suck. It has some major compatibility problems with many DVD's and the remotes are pretty cruddy so far. It's a great selling point but most people wouldnt be satisfied with the quality it produces. The XBox DVD capabilities/compatibility is alot better but i'd stick with standalone if you can afford it.

 

Noirish

Diamond Member
May 2, 2000
3,959
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can we log (oops, i meant LOCK) this, mod?

this is not hot deal at all.
i think this should go to rumor mill (do we even have one?)

anyway, it's pointless to argue.
all you who want to get at $199 just go to virgin mega and get it for $210.
it's only $10 more, geez...
 

austin316

Diamond Member
Dec 1, 2001
3,572
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I highly doubt this is true. over at ps2.ign.com where they almost always get it right, they say that a price drop probably won't happen for awhile. They say the next deal Sony will do is throw in a broadband adapter and a harddrive and keep the price at $299, but they won't lower to $199.
 

Lalakai

Golden Member
Nov 30, 1999
1,634
0
76
interesting rumor but I'm still going with the xbox. as someone pointed out, for a newbie, the xbox reflects a better future investment rather then basing a console of older technology.
 

LordZeppelin

Member
Nov 15, 2001
26
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<< Seem slike DefRef can't afford a PS2 and is trying to make every body wait till dec. 29. that way he isn't the only one with out a PS@. >>



Yeah, cause I'm sure people live and die by this board, and if someone across the country has something that you don't , it's death. I seriously hope this was sarcastic...
 

Lalakai

Golden Member
Nov 30, 1999
1,634
0
76
.....................also forgot to mention an ad I seen in BB, where they stated that "price guarantees (sp?)" did not apply to prior sales for these items. So the concerns about a store being hit for major refunds on past purchases, might be avoided.

ummmmmm, and still going with the xbox.
 

emonkey

Golden Member
Dec 2, 1999
1,277
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(IF this deal turns out to be true then heres some info. But as stated in the title, its a RUMOR! So don't flip out.)
For those worried about the price-protection. If you bought the PS2 from almost any major store within the last month then they usually extend their Post-Christmas return policies to cover anything purchased from november to christmas to be returned up to mid January.

Again, I am NOT saying this is a true deal, I'm only giving people a heads up on the return policies for most major places. Best Buy says their deadline for returns is Jan 31 for purchases between Nov. 1-Dec 25. So if you MUST buy now then go for it and just hold that reciept in case the rumor turns out to be legit.

Here's an interesting article on why Target is suck.
Store Return Policies & Holiday Shopping Article
 

flomokev

Senior member
Mar 5, 2001
348
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IMHO, PS2 with a MSRP below $200 won't happen until Sony brings out its next generation of game device(s). What I might guess on, can be based on past Sony's practices.

1. Sony has dropped the PS1 prices twice. I believe it came out at about $200, later went to $150, and now MSRP at right under $100. When people wants your products or services due to it value, then you can sell at a premium. But, when the N64 came out, Sony decided to keep market share by lowering the PS1 price. For those who remember Marketing 101, the second phase of the marketing cycle. As some posters as mentioned, the PS1 is now a cash cow for Sony. Maybe by lowering the PS2 price, Sony could get those who are like me, saying it ain't worth three hundreds. Either is an X-Box.

2. Add-on products, e.g. memory cards, for the PS2 came on the market quickly, even after Sony's BS that anything not sanctioned by it could destroy your machine. I bought the PS1 at $149.95 with a unofficial memory card that save me about ten dollars. Since I want to use the S-video input on my TV, at that time, my only choice was to pay $35 from the local Sony's part distributor. One now can buy, a cheap and not as good cable for twenty less by mail. Maybe by lowering the PS2 price, Sony could bring a broader market, young kids with their parents, into the stores or on-line and convince them to buy a PS2 with lots of accessories and games.

3. Also Sony's has to keep an eye on what are the plans of companies that develop games for various platforms. A shrinking PS2 market could cause these companies to shift resources into developing for or porting Japanese versions onto the X-Box or the Gamecube platform. Sony may see another set of problems, if lack of demand for the PS2 causes retailers and even rental businesses to change their favorable view of Sony. Maybe by lowering the PS2 price, Sony could keep from becoming the Sega of the 21th Century, a dinosaur that time past by.

I'm hoping that Sony does lower the price on the PS2. My guess is that the price will drop no more then 25% ($224.95) and could only be 20% (239.95). I also see the reduction coming at the same time as FF10 comes out. All of the above is just my 2 cents worth.
 

knightc2

Golden Member
Jul 2, 2001
1,461
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The PS1 came out @ $299 and I think maybe even $399 at first. I remember my roomate in college just had to have one the week it came out. If I recall Sony made a $100 price drop about a year later.
 

BrettG

Junior Member
Dec 20, 2001
3
0
0
Rumors...conjecture... insults, oh my !

Well, I'm glad this thread was brought up because I had heard rumors of a price break too... now I see several more rumors. Of course, others have to start flaming the thread starter because they're probably pissed about something going on in their own life ... but I'll still just cross my fingers and hope it happens whether it makes sense or not. ;)
 

clunk

Senior member
Jun 15, 2000
236
0
0
Really hate to jump into the fray, but ...

If you're worried about price drop, buy it with your Blue card (if you can). That'll give you thru the end of February to get your pricematch to the potentially lower price. If it doesn't happen, use their Return Protection policy (you have thru the end of March) to get your $300 back (you'll be out sales tax and/or shipping).

Now let's all try and play nice together. It's almost Christmas and Santa is watching.