E3 2007: WTF Is Going On? Could The 60GB PlayStation Really Be Discontinued? [UPDATE]
Posted by Chris Pereira Categories: Corporate News, E3, Internet, PlayStation 3, Sony,
Earlier this morning, reports were spreading across the internet like wildfire when SCEE president David Reeves stated in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz that the 60GB model was going to be discontinued in the US.
How concerned are you about possible criticisms that you should have given European consumers what SCEA has given US consumers, i.e. the option to pay a lower price?
Well, they’re not really are they, because what the US are offering from the 1st of August is a USD 599 version with one game. All they’re doing is taking their stock in trade that they’ve got at the moment of the 60GB model, marking the price down and it will all be gone by the end of July.
So once the 60GB is gone, that will be the end of the 60GB then?
In America, yes.
To say there was outrage over this would be a grand understatement. Could Sony really be pulling a fast one and merely replacing the one option for a PlayStation 3 in the US – the 60GB SKU for $599 – with an 80GB SKU at the same price?
Gallery: E3 2007: WTF Is Going On? Could The 60GB PlayStation Really Be Discontinued? [UPDATE]
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Playstation 3 Home Beta Placeholder Site Online
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Internet, PlayStation 3,
Following Phil Harrison’s PlayStation Home announcement at the GDC, Sony has put up a placeholder site for the beta trial of the service, scheduled to start in April. Right now, there is nothing but a splash page, but the site recommends that gamers keep checking in for sign up instructions when the beta program is ready to go. Those gamers that find long lists of legalese entertaining can also read the end user license agreement and the terms and conditions of the beta online.
Read More | Home Beta Trial
Gallery: Playstation 3 Home Beta Placeholder Site Online
SCEE On Backward Compatibility Changes
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Hardware, PlayStation 3,
After Sony Computer Entertainment Europe dropped the bombshell that backwards compatibility for the Playstation 3 in Europe and Australia would be limited compared to the US and Japanese hardware, the company talked with Three Speech to try and justify their decision. As stated before, the company is changing the hardware to reduce costs. SCEE confirmed that the relatively expensive Emotion Engine/Graphics Synthesizer would be removed and replaced with just the graphics hardware, and Playstation 1 and 2 compatibility would be provided through a purely software emulation solution. Microsoft has taken basically the same approach with the Xbox 360, and while Microsoft supports a great number of titles, there are a number of popular titles left out. Sony still hasn’t made any announcements regarding the number of titles supported when the console launches on March 23. Sony promises nearly all PS1 titles, but PS2 title compatibility is still up in the air. A strong software compatibility list would do much to help Sony’s reputation in the territory, but one has to feel that if the emulation story was a strong one, Sony wouldn’t have raised a warning flag before launch.
Read More | Three Speech
Gallery: SCEE On Backward Compatibility Changes
Sony UK Sales Head Resigns Ahead Of PS3 Launch
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Corporate News, PlayStation 3,
GamesIndustry.biz is reporting that Sony Computer Entertainment UK head of sales Kevin Jowett has left Sony for unannounced reasons. SCE UK stated that Jowett had left the company to “pursue new opportunities outside of the industry.” Jowett’s departure is interesting in that it comes mere weeks before Sony’s European launch of the Playstation 3; the effect of his departure will likely be unknown until after the launch happens. Given that the sales roadmap has likely been set for quite a while now, it is unlikely that any major changes will happen, but it sounds like Jowett worked closely with a number of Sony’s retail partners and a change in that relationship could potentially have a huge impact.
Read More | GamesIndustry
Gallery: Sony UK Sales Head Resigns Ahead Of PS3 Launch
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