Tretton: PS3 will be "difficult to cost reduce"

[NFS4]

An interview with Sony Computer Entertainment America chief Jack Tretton in the latest issue of Game Informer revealed some troubling news for consumers waiting for a lower-priced PlayStation 3. When asked point blank whether price drops for the PS3 will be "as soon or as drastic as they were for the PlayStation 2," Tretton responded with a curt, "No."

For reference, the PS2 was reduced from $299 to $199 in the United States on May 14, 2002, 565 days after the Oct. 20, 2000 release date. Using this data and Tretton's above answer, we can expect that the PS3 won't come down in price until at least June 4, 2008.

The reason for the shallower pricing curve? According to Tretton, the increased investment in R & D and hardware makes the system "a lot more difficult to cost reduce" than the PS2. "There's a heck of a lot more under the hood and it costs us more money to make it," Tretton told Game Informer. Despite this, Tretton doesn't seem to think the system's price will hurt its position in the marketplace. "I think the consumers that get their hands on a PlayStation 3 clearly see the value and not only want to buy one for $599, in some instances they're willing to pay ridiculous prices to buy one on eBay," Tretton said. (Oh really?)

Well, Joystiq readers are pretty big video game consumers, last time we checked. Do you think the PS3 can remain competitive at its current price until mid-2008? If you don't have the system yet, will you be willing to wait that long for a lower price? How much would you be willing to pay for Sony's power-packed system?

http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/22/tretton-ps3-will-be-difficult-to-cost-reduce/

 

[preslove]

It's this generation's sega saturn. I've been saying that this may be the case for a while, but this statement really makes it a certainty in my mind.

 

[Malak]

The only reason to get a PS3 is for Blu-Ray, and it's a cheap Blu-Ray player. The games are cool and all, but it's not better than the Xbox360 and costs more, so that'll be a reason why more gamers will get the Xbox.

 

[giantpinkbunnyhead]

Originally posted by: preslove
It's this generation's sega saturn.

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[wazzledoozle]

Originally posted by: giantpinkbunnyhead

Originally posted by: preslove
It's this generation's sega saturn.

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Maybe even 3D0

 

[preslove]

Originally posted by: wazzledoozle

Originally posted by: giantpinkbunnyhead

Originally posted by: preslove
It's this generation's sega saturn.

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Maybe even 3D0

I have a feeling that the used ps3's will be coveted like saturns are because people will mod them and figure out how to play games for free, do cool linux things with them, and maybe dvr functionality.

 

[Malak]

Originally posted by: preslove

Originally posted by: wazzledoozle

Originally posted by: giantpinkbunnyhead

Originally posted by: preslove
It's this generation's sega saturn.

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Maybe even 3D0

I have a feeling that the used ps3's will be coveted like saturns are because people will mod them and figure out how to play games for free, do cool linux things with them, and maybe dvr functionality.

Does linux support 8 cores?

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: wazzledoozle

Originally posted by: giantpinkbunnyhead

Originally posted by: preslove
It's this generation's sega saturn.

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Maybe even 3D0

pricing is more like neo-geo

 

[uhohs]

we already knew this.

 

[ranmaniac]

If there was a way to hook up Microsofts HD-DVD player to the PS3, I think we may have a winner.

 

[Philippine Mango]

Originally posted by: giantpinkbunnyhead

Originally posted by: preslove
It's this generation's sega saturn.

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Disturbing and is surprisingly true...

 

[Dacalo]

I am a ex-Wii owner who bought a PS3. It seems like Sony is doing everything it can to screw PS3, but its games (well, future games) are more appealing to me. It doesn't hurt that I got the 60GB version for $450

Haven't bought any PS3 games yet, playing with PS2 games. There are no launch titles that appeal to me.

 

[Eeezee]

Originally posted by: preslove
It's this generation's sega saturn. I've been saying that this may be the case for a while, but this statement really makes it a certainty in my mind.

There's nothing to back that statement up though. The Sega Saturn didn't even have a marketing department pushing it. No one even knew it existed until it was too late.

If only a handful of enthusiasts knew the PS3 existed then you may have a case. Otherwise there is very little similarity between the consoles.

 

[Eeezee]

Originally posted by: Malak

Originally posted by: preslove

Originally posted by: wazzledoozle

Originally posted by: giantpinkbunnyhead

Originally posted by: preslove
It's this generation's sega saturn.

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Maybe even 3D0

I have a feeling that the used ps3's will be coveted like saturns are because people will mod them and figure out how to play games for free, do cool linux things with them, and maybe dvr functionality.

Does linux support 8 cores?

Someone will make linux that supports 8 cores, believe it

 

[loup garou]

Originally posted by: Dacalo
I am a ex-Wii owner who bought a PS3. It seems like Sony is doing everything it can to screw PS3, but its games (well, future games) are more appealing to me. It doesn't hurt that I got the 60GB version for $450

Haven't bought any PS3 games yet, playing with PS2 games. There are no launch titles that appeals to me.

You just paid $450 for a PS2.

 

[Dacalo]

Originally posted by: loup garou

Originally posted by: Dacalo
I am a ex-Wii owner who bought a PS3. It seems like Sony is doing everything it can to screw PS3, but its games (well, future games) are more appealing to me. It doesn't hurt that I got the 60GB version for $450

Haven't bought any PS3 games yet, playing with PS2 games. There are no launch titles that appeals to me.

You just paid $450 for a PS2.

And a blu-ray player in full 1080p glory on my Samsung.

 

[loup garou]

Originally posted by: Dacalo

Originally posted by: loup garou

Originally posted by: Dacalo
I am a ex-Wii owner who bought a PS3. It seems like Sony is doing everything it can to screw PS3, but its games (well, future games) are more appealing to me. It doesn't hurt that I got the 60GB version for $450

Haven't bought any PS3 games yet, playing with PS2 games. There are no launch titles that appeals to me.

You just paid $450 for a PS2.

And a blu-ray player in full 1080p glory on my Samsung.

Well, you didn't say that in your first post, now did you?

 

[SampSon]

Down to Davey Jones' locker withya ps3.

 

[bleeb]

I think it all depends on the games available. If the PS3 has no great games, no one will want to buy it regardless of how far they lower the price.

 

[Dacalo]

Originally posted by: bleeb
I think it all depends on the games available. If the PS3 has no great games, no one will want to buy it regardless of how far they lower the price.

Yep current PS3 library blows, but at least I have Virtual Fighter 5 to look forward to next month.

 

[Wreckem]

Originally posted by: Eeezee

Originally posted by: preslove
It's this generation's sega saturn. I've been saying that this may be the case for a while, but this statement really makes it a certainty in my mind.

There's nothing to back that statement up though. The Sega Saturn didn't even have a marketing department pushing it. No one even knew it existed until it was too late.

If only a handful of enthusiasts knew the PS3 existed then you may have a case. Otherwise there is very little similarity between the consoles.

Actually you are wrong on several counts.

First, the Saturn was well known among enthusiasts. Sega however trying to be sneaky moved up the release date three months. See they announced a release date, and the Sony announced theres would be one week earlier. Sega then did a suprise nationawide launh during the first E3. So you are off there.

There are several parallels between the Saturn and the PS3.

The Saturn was the most expensive console. PS3 is now the most expensive console

Sega went with more processing cores than its competitors making it much more difficult to program for. PS3 uses more processing cores than its competitors, making it the most difficult platform to develop for.

Sega had extreme difficulties cutting the cost of the Saturn. Sony is going to have extreme difficulties cutting the cost of the PS3.

Basically its pretty similar. Sega released a buggy console in limited quanitities. It was at a higher price point than its competitors. It was also more difficult to develop for. Jump forward 11 years later. Sony releases a buggy console in limited quantities. With the console selling at a higher price point and harder to develop for.

Yeah there are no parallels.

The PS3 will finish a distant third this generation because of the high cost of the PS3. They've already cut sales projections and the PS2, Xbox 360, and Wii are all dramatically outselling the PS3, and its NOT because of supply issues. Every Big Box store Ive gone into has stacks of PS3s. Whats sad is the 1.4million PS2s sold over the Christmas holiday, dont make up for the losses of the PS3s sold. There was a time Sonys game divison kept the company a float, now its games division is hemoraging money left and right.

Nintendo and Microsoft will battle it out with Microsoft winning North America and Europe, but Nintendo narrowing out Microsoft worldwide.

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: Malak
Does linux support 8 cores?

1 core - 7 spes. Different architecture than a dual-core, quad-core, X-core.

But yes....linux is capable of running on the PS3. Just has to be modified to do so.

 

[waggy]

damn guess i won't be buying a PS3 until i hit the lotto. i can't justify paying $600+ for a gameing machine. looks like its WII and 360 for me

 

[randay]

Originally posted by: Dacalo

Originally posted by: bleeb
I think it all depends on the games available. If the PS3 has no great games, no one will want to buy it regardless of how far they lower the price.

Yep current PS3 library blows, but at least I have Virtual Fighter 5 to look forward to next month.

You should check out resistance.

 

[randay]

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: Malak
Does linux support 8 cores?

1 core - 7 spes. Different architecture than a dual-core, quad-core, X-core.

But yes....linux is capable of running on the PS3. Just has to be modified to do so.

Actually you dont have to modify anything. I have tried out a few distros of linux and they work just fine.