Sony will not be dropping the price of its older PlayStation 3 Slim models even after announcing that a newer and slimmer model will be replacing these obsolete versions next Tuesday Sept. 25.
"There's no price drop formally," explained SCEA VP John Koller in an interview with Engadget. "But the thing that's been happening in the market over the last year or so is that there's been so many retail price promotions, and so many different gift card offers and all those things, being done by all of us (Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony), that we've heard from our consumer, 'Enough with all these weird price moves. What we really want is content and games and value.'"
Koller also said that there are very few of the older models remaining on store shelves. So Sony feels that a price drop will not be necessary. The older models are the PlayStation 3 Slim 160GB model that retails for $250, and the PlayStation 3 Slim 320GB model that retails for $300.
The new slimmer PlayStation 3 console will cost $270, has a 250GB hard-drive and will be bundled with the "game of the year" edition of Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception. The bundle will also feature a $30 voucher that can be redeemed for bonus content in the game DUST 514. The 500GB version of the new PS3 will launch on Oct. 30 as part of an Assassin's Creed III gaming bundle for $300. The cost and value of the two editions just do not compare.
The new slimmer PlayStation 3 console features a sliding disk cover, 2 x USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0, 1 x HDMI Out and a maximum 1080p output. Gamers who are looking to have their new PS3 standing upright will need to buy a new $15 "Vertical Stand" sold separately.
What do you think of Sony's decision not drop the price of the previous edition of the PS3? Comment below...
