Directional Pad

PS3 $100 Price Drop Confirmed, Desperate

This price drop story has been kicking around forever. It started ages ago as speculation, possibly hoping:

"Gee, I sure wish Sony would stop being ridiculous and drop the price of the PS3. You know, so normal people could actually afford the damn thing."

Then it turned to something we flat out expected:

"Aahaaahaaha Sony is getting crushed. They've got to drop the price soon if they want to survive this one.

Then it turned to rumor:

"We hear from 'sources' that Sony is totally really going to drop the price of the PS3 at E3 2007. For reals. We mean it this time."

Then last week retailers let it slip:

"With or without Sony, Starting the weekend of the 21st, Circuit City is going to be selling the 60Gb PS3 for $499. Oh and some Targets are already selling them at this price."

And of course Sony denied it. And then they went back on that and said "Oh ok, you got us."

Starting more or less immediately, Sony will drop the price of the 60Gb PS3 from $599 to $499. The 20Gb model won't change because the 20Gb is dead to Sony. (This might change though, who knows!) A new 80Gb model will be taking the $599 price point. Additionally, this new 80Gb model is going to have Motorstorm as a pack-in.

Why an 80Gb model? Are people out there really filling up their 20 or 60 gig models? Nobody Knows! I guess Sony just really loves that totally goofy $599 price point.

More details are obviously expected to come out later this week at Sony's E3 Press Conference on Wednesday, but really, the big question is going to be "Will Microsoft respond with a 360 price drop?"

An equally big question is "Does this drop save Sony?" Personally, I really don't see them flying off the shelves at $499. However, if retailers decide to drop the old 20Gb model down well into 360 pricing territory, then that might start turning things around. But Sony isn't exactly talking about the 20Gb model anymore. Maybe they'll have something to say on Wednesday.

And, you know, maybe they'll also announce some games someone might remotely care about.

Discuss this article on the forums.