It's only been a few days since rumors surfaced that Sony had a hell of a plan in mind that would net gamers quite the tidy sum in savings - a PlayStation 4 and PS Vita bundle for $500. However, Sony has yet to confirm whether this was indeed true, or just a rumor. As often the case seems to be, retailers like to make their own predictions about various products without any sort of "actual" knowledge. We've seen it happen with release dates for the new consoles, video games, etc. So, maybe some shops had heard rumblings on this that could finally put the rumor to rest.
VG247's Dave Cook and Steph Nunneley thought as much, so they put in some detective work, and phoned their local shops and asked what was up. Here's what sales reps from the retailers had to say:
* Game Stop - A sales rep replied, "Oh no. That is two completely different systems. That would be getting about $700.00 worth of stuff. So for $700.00 to be knocked down to $400.00 I don't think that's going to happen. If they are going to bundle it, it won't be for $400.00. I have not heard anything about that, I know there will be a lot of cross-play between the Vita and the PS4 and I know that you will be able to use your Vita as a second controller for the PlayStation 4. So while it's not entirely unfathomable that it would happen we just haven't been given anything on it. If they definitely did that, like I said the price would be around the $600-700 area. However if [you are] wanting to get a PS4 I recommend getting into a Gamestop as soon as possible to pre-order because we don't know when they are going to be shutting off this SKU again. They have shut off reservations of PS4 twice now and they re-opened it last Saturday which was when I finally got the chance to pre-order my own. They are saying that it could be any day now that they shut if off again."
Note the last minute sales pitch. Classic GameStop...
* HMV - "We don't have any information on that yet. It probably won't be until a lot closer to the time until a price has been released and stuff...I've not heard anything, I've probably heard as much as you - that there probably will be a bundle but as far as us having it in the show I haven't heard anything."
* GAME - "Not that I'm aware of. The only bundle we've been told about is the one exclusive to us that comes with the PS4 itself, Killzone special edition and Driveclub special edition. It also comes with PlayStation Plus. That's the only one I've heard of, I've not heard anything being bundled with a Vita...I'd keep an eye on it but I'll be perfectly honest; with the amount of solus Vitas that Sony has still got - and the fact that you can already buy it solus - I don't know why they would bundle [PS4] with a Vita...If anything it would be re-bundled again with a PlayStation Eye - and that's me just giving pure guesswork. If I were Sony I'd bundle it with the PlayStation Eye instead of Vita. Maybe it's something they've still to announce as they've still to announce a release date."
Inside Gaming Daily was the original source of the rumor, claiming to have been told by a "well-placed anonymous source" that a bundle containing the two consoles will release at "the end of the year" for "around $500."
We'll let you know if Sony ever makes this official.
