40GB PS3 Heading to Japan, With Price Cuts and Color Change

Wired's Game|Life is reporting on the movement of the 40GB PlayStation 3 across the 'other' pond, to Japan. The Japanese 40GB will retail for 39,980 yen (about $340). This backwards-compatibility-less unit will come in the current black color, as well as 'Ceramic White'. The two current models will get price cuts as well, with the 20GB version marked down to 44,980 yen ($383) and the 60GB to 54,980 yen ($468). "This will be the first official price cut the PlayStation 3 has received since it launched last year, although Ken Kutaragi actually cut the price of the unit before it launched at Tokyo Game Show. Also on November 11, Sony will release its Dual Shock 3 controllers in Japan for 5500 yen, in white and black colors. They will not be bundled with the PS3 hardware, all models of which will continue to pack in the Sixaxis controller."

OMG...OMG..OMG ...Colors

[svendsen]

If it is pink with PONIES I am so buying one :-)

Re:

[p0ss]

actually, my gf refuses to let me buy one until it comes out in pink.

Color a good indicator

[Endymion]

While I'm in the camp that thinks axing the backwards compatibility is idiotic for Sony (like everything these days...), if you can indicate it with a color that would be very helpful for customers.

I know they are using the 40GB/60GB/80GB markers to indicate what version you have, but you can't see that by looking at the system. If they made them different colors, it'd be easy to see which ones were backwards compatible or not. Something tells me that "I have a black/white/pink PS3" will be less confusing than "I have the 40GB non-backwards compatible PS3" to most people.

Re:

[AuMatar]

The real reason for the color change is far more sinister. They want people to be fooled into thinking they've bought a real game system- a Wii.

Re:

[This_Is_My_Happening]

Who would be fooled by that? Comparing a PS3 with a Wii is like comparing a buick with my lawnmower!

Of course I guess someone could gut a PS3 and hide their wii inside (or 2, or 5) to fool thieves...

Re:

[Dogtanian]

Who would be fooled by that? Comparing a PS3 with a Wii is like comparing a buick with my lawnmower!

That's certainly a good analogy; for cutting grass, the lawnmower is a far more sensible choice. As a lawn-cutting device, the Buick is grossly overpriced, and doesn't even do the job it's supposed to.

I'll leave you to read into that what you will ;-)

Re:

[badasscat]

The real reason for the color change is far more sinister. They want people to be fooled into thinking they've bought a real game system- a Wii.

Yeah, because clearly Nintendo invented the color white.

Are Nintendo fanboys going to start aping Apple fanboy reasoning now?

PS2 did white a long time before the Wii existed. See here [cf-network.com]. In addition, Sony showed white PS3 mockups before the Wii was even announced. Did Nintendo "copy" Sony?

Hell, I may as well argue Nintendo chose white for the Wii to fool people int

Re:

[7Prime]

No, Nintendo and Apple are the same company... have been for years. I'm just wondering why Steve Jobs doesn't where turtlenecks when he walks on stage as Miyammoto.

Re:

[AuMatar]

Hey, you know that thing flying over your head? Its called a joke.

Re:

[ivormi]

It would be, if Sony weren't also brining the new model out in both black and white colors.

Still, you can't win either way. When Apple has done this in the past with iMacs/iPods, people complain about the price premium associated with what is essentially, an aesthetic decision.

Re:

[suv4x4]

I know they are using the 40GB/60GB/80GB markers to indicate what version you have, but you can't see that by looking at the system. If they made them different colors, it'd be easy to see which ones were backwards compatible or not. Something tells me that "I have a black/white/pink PS3" will be less confusing than "I have the 40GB non-backwards compatible PS3" to most people.

Except, the 40GB non BC one is black in Europe and white only in Japan. So color means nothing for the model.

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

They have the 40GB non-backward compatible in standard black too!

Re:

[king-manic]

While I'm in the camp that thinks axing the backwards compatibility is idiotic for Sony (like everything these days...), if you can indicate it with a color that would be very helpful for customers.

Only for the bottom end 40gb. The 80gb will continue to have the EU type chipset layout and SW EE emulation.

20 gig more expensive than the 40 gig & No Wi

[trdrstv]

It will be interesting to see the trends. I hope the 20 gig outsells the 40 gig, despite being 5000 yen more, to illistrate customers value the PS1/2 compatibility more than the extra space & Wifi (and of course the price difference).

Re:20 gig more expensive than the 40 gig & No

[nschubach]

I've come to the conclusion that BC isn't that important (for the majority). Sure, the hardcore gamers or those that spent a ton of money on old games might like it. (In fact, I thought it was something I would use tremendously... but I found out I only put my games in to see if they would actually work and never touched them again.) For the majority, a new system needs new games. They've already played the crap out of all those old titles and it's time to move on. Removing BC to reduce the price is going to go unnoticed or "uncared" by the majority of the people looking for a "Playstation" brand gaming console for HD games. They will only notice the sticker on the shelf.

It's the same reason people upgrade software on their PC when they get a new OS. The old software clashes with the new and groovy look.

Re:

[flitty]

So, if sony wants to aim at non-hardcore gamers, they need cheaper games/more games. I mean, look at how poorly the 360 "core" version is doing, it's the "casual" system, and everyone still mocks it and has always mocked it. The same will go for this gimped system.

Re:

[ravenshrike]

The core 360 is gimped purely because of it's lack of an HDD. All other differences are irrelevant. It's a simple performance issue. for PS3 games, there are no performance improvements applicable to PS3 games that could be brought to bear between the 40 and 60/20/80 gig versions. Big difference. The core system, given that MS is forcing the vast majority of games to be playable w/o major differences between core and non-core, will in the long run, seriously hamper the 360's performance.

Re:

[fbjon]

Except it's a bad deal for those who might buy a PS3, but haven't owned a PS2. There's a lot of good games for the PS2 around, and they're cheaper too. I know that if I buy a PS3 (in a few years or so), I'd like it to have compatibility.

Re:

[KDR_11k]

Not only that, there's still PS2 games coming out. I'd wager a lot of people won't realize the BC is missing until they put a PS2 game into the console, after all the PS2 and the early PS3 were backwards compatible so the Playstation name is kinda synonymous with BC (hell, some people thought the PSP was BC with PS1 games!).

Re:

[Sciros]

I doubt you'll see that happening if their prices remain as they are. The consumers who really DO care that much about playing PS2 games would either stay happy with (or buy) a PS2 (which happens to be selling decently at the moment, btw) and save themselves over 200 dollars which can be used on better things, like a DS ^_^

Indeed, aren't the DS and PS2 outselling everything else in Japan for real, or is the Wii doing about as well as the PS2 at this point? In any case, I just don't see backwards compatibili

Re:

[yuna49]

Let me guess that most of those other buyers you know are fairly hardcore gamers.

For the rest of us, backwards-compatibility is a must. We still play PS/1 games on our PS/2 and will continue to play both sets of games on a PS/3 if we ever buy one.

If backwards-compatibility is implemented in the PS/3 the same way it is in the PS/2 (by including the PS/1's chipset on the PS/2 motherboard), how much can this cost? I'd guess a few dollars per device at most in quantity. And, if backwards-compatibility is imp

Re:

[Sciros]

Actually most of the PS3 buyers I know are NOT hardcore gamers at all, since the PS3 is sorely lacking something a hardcore gamer would be looking for -- games :-P On the contrary most of these guys are older (28+) IT folks who own maybe an Xbox or something but don't generally play too many games. They buy a console for something particular -- Spinter Cell 5, an F1 racer, whatever.

They're not including the PS2's graphics chip (hardware) in the newer PS3 model. PS1 emulation was done entirely in software, b

Re:

[macshit]

Jp apartments might be small but believe me one of those slim PS2s isn't going to make life any worse than it would be if you just had a PS3 by the tv.

I think in a case like this the issue is not a literal lack of physical space, but rather a dislike of clutter. A general lack of space and crowded environment tends to emphasize the desire for things to be neat and streamlined, and having multiple console units (along with the inevitable rats' nest of cables) is just annoying and clumsy.

The result isn't goi

Re:

[Sciros]

PS3 is way bigger than Xbox or 360, heh. Sony needs to work on cutting down the size of that thing, and really trying a better form factor because good grief it's like the Ford F-350 of consoles when it comes to looks.

Re:

[sanosuke76]

30 year old IT guy here, with a PS3 (and PS2). One thing I've noticed amongst the younger generation, is that they tend to consider my type "non gamers", just because we play 1.5 to 3 hours at night, instead of 4+ per day while skipping games like a channel-surfer on a TV set. I think the folks currently making this generalization will readjust their thinking once they have a full time career, and commence to be annoyed at the younger generation calling them non gamers. :) To me, a non gamer is the guy w

Re:

[trdrstv]

Anyway, I (and my various other 30ish PS3 buddies) tend to play through games completely, rather than just hop and skip from game to game. The current release rate of PS3 titles is actually just fast enough that I don't end up without a game to play at any given time.

On a side note, I'm not sure how the various gamer generations view co-op. To my crew, split-scree co-op action is a huge seller. Dynasty Warriors Gundam is awesome. :)

30 year old IT guy here, with a PS3 (and a Wii60). Ok, I will say loca

Re:

[KDR_11k]

I think "non-gamer" refers to people who don't play anything more gamey than Solitaire or Bejewelled (and may have had an Atari or NES but nothing more recent). Owning a console and playing games that are sold at retail for full price definitely puts you outside the non-gamer demographic.

Re: 20 gig more expensive than the 40 gig & No

[trdrstv]

The consumers who really DO care that much about playing PS2 games would either stay happy with (or buy) a PS2 (which happens to be selling decently at the moment, btw) and save themselves over 200 dollars which can be used on better things, like a DS ^_^

In this case they aren't saving $200. They're saving 5000 yen, which is like $40. Also consider that multiple consoles jammed into an entertainment center is not ideal in Japan where space is at a premium.

Re:

[Sciros]

T_T if they buy a PS2, they save $200. Space in Japan isn't *that* horrible that the multiple argument is at all legit. Most folks would rather spend 5000 yen on something other than the opportunity to get rid of their PS2 to make more room.

I'm surprised no-one brought up what I think is a reasonable argument -- buy the backwards-compatible PS3, sell your old PS2+controllers and maybe save money over the 40-Gig PS3 in the end!

That is a hassle, though...

Re:

[iainl]

Unless of course, they're like me and value the price difference and some white plastic higher than backward compatibility. I need to keep my PS2 around anyway, as it's modded and I have games from all three regions. Plus there's the question of Guitar Hero.

Mainly, though, I like my consoles in white, which is one reason I don't have an Elite.

Re:

[Mattsson]

What I don't really understand is the lowering of disk-size.
The difference in cost between a 40GB drive and a 80GB drive is a few dollars.
There is no cost-reducing reason at all for Sony to reduce from 80 to 60, 40 or 20.
Maybe if they'd gone from 160 to 60... But this? It's ridiculous.

Thanks for the mess Sony

[thetagger]

Buying a PS3 seemed like a bad idea before, now it takes a PhD and a few hours browsing fanboi websites that use terms such as "SKU".

So, is there a model that has good backwards compatibility, a large disk and built-in Wifi? How do I recognize it?

Re:Thanks for the mess Sony

[trdrstv]

Buying a PS3 seemed like a bad idea before, now it takes a PhD and a few hours browsing fanboi websites that use terms such as "SKU".

So, is there a model that has good backwards compatibility, a large disk and built-in Wifi? How do I recognize it?

Get the US (or Japan) 60 gig model while they last. It is the best of all configurations, offering both PS2 chips for near perfect BC, WiFi and the 60 gig HDD will last you quite a while (really, there isn't much content on PSN yet), and if/when you eventually run out of space, you can swap it with a different 2.5" laptop harddrive.

Careful, cowboy

[Tony]

...you can swap it with a different 2.5" laptop harddrive.

You can swap it out for a SATA 2.5" hard drive. Regular old IDE hard drives won't cut it.

Re:

[MobileTatsu-NJG]

"...browsing fanboi websites that use terms such as "SKU"."

SKU isn't a fanboy term. The term's been around for ages, it's more descriptive, and it's only 3 letters long.

Seriously guys, let this one go.
   

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

It is a retail term with a specific meaning that is out of place in the vernacular. It is not more descriptive *unless* you are either in retail or a sales-related business, or merely a zealous enthusiast ("fanboy") who attempts to track such things. Typical "consumers" (ugh) do not. To speak this way outside of retail or a related business is to attempt to speak beyond what typical customers and potential customers tend to understand about retail.

You can't deny that there are innumerable video game enth

Re:

[MobileTatsu-NJG]

"You can't deny that there are innumerable video game enthusiasts who speak in industry terms in order to inflate the credibility and perceived professionalism in their writings and speech."

I don't deny this. However, lots of people have worked in retail. You don't need to be an enthusiast to be exposed to the term. It also makes sense to use it when describing the various packages that get out. This isn't a direct example, but look at all the people trying to get certain PSPs because they know it's und

Re:

[bhagwan]

Sales. Keeping. Unit.

Simple, Direct, Descriptive. More or less synonomous with "product," but used primarily to make our digital retail experience faster.

Even the grocery store uses SKU. It may well define ubiquitous in the channel.

Or is that too scary a word as well?

Re:

[MobileTatsu-NJG]

"Where? The enthusiast press. Refer back to thetagger's original post. Do you not see the appriopriateness of his joke?"

Oh yes, I get the joke he's trying to make. Unfortunately he's saying more about himself than he is about the people running the sites he's describing.

"I anticipated this response even as I typed mine. "There is nothing to be won here, so just let me win."

Actually it's just: "Calm down." There's nothing for me to 'win' here.

"When Nestle's new candy bars come out, I want to hear about wh

Re:

[MobileTatsu-NJG]

"I'd hate for anyone to confuse you as being elitist and proving my points for me."

Umm.. yeah... It's hard to take offense to this, sorry. I'm not the one in a tizzy over use of a relevent term.

"Seriously guys, let this one go." = "Shut up."
"Sorry buddy, but of all the battles to fight, this is pretty darned petty." = "Shut up because it's unimportant to ME."

Nope. 'Calm down'. Both cases.

Should all potential customers of these products, who by your explanation would all "temporarily become enthusiasts," be expected to speak in these terms? I'm all for raising the common awareness, but the slow and forced leakage of marketing and sales jargon into the common tongue by way of the enthusiast press seems a bit overboard.

You just asked if millions of people should suddenly know a bunch of terms inside and out, of course it seems a bit overboard. Try asking a sensible question.

"I think the reference to non-hobby sales completely escaped you..."

Nope. You're just not listening.

"...along with the fact

Re:

[MobileTatsu-NJG]

"Did you assume that I was trying to offend you? Who's trying to offend whom, really? I think an objective reading of the whole thread would reveal more of the contrary."

Riiiiight. I'm sure somebody reading a post declaring that all use of the term 'SKU' outside of a retail environment means rabid fanboyism will stroke their beards and say "Mmm... how totally non-offensive."

"Should all potential customers of these products, who by your explanation would all "temporarily become enthusiasts," be expected to

Re:

[MobileTatsu-NJG]

"If you at any point took offense to anything I've said, that's all the explanation I need for the demeanor and tone that you've clearly been displaying in our discussion of this most banal, but personally somewhat important, subject."

I'm not offended. However, your tone has been such that I haven't felt all that inclined to take your comments very seriously. Now, I'll grant you that I contributed to that. If you want to have a serious discussion (as opposed to an argument), then I apologize for my behav

Re:

[MobileTatsu-NJG]

Is that a no, then?

Too many versions?

[PrescriptionWarning]

While I can agree choice is a good thing, and its nice to have high-end, mid-range, and low-end options... but it seems to be getting a little ridiculous. There's what, more than 7 different version of the thing to this date? xBox 360 has had about 5, the Wii has one.

whats the world coming to, honestly? I doubt most people, myself included, have the patience to select between more than three logically different units of what is essentially the same damn thing.

other examples:

Vista: too many editions, eek
X

Re:

[k8to]

nitpick: osx has multiple versions.

http://www.apple.com/server/macosx/ [apple.com]

Re:

[7Prime]

Technically, true, but it only markets one. It puts server out there but only those really in the KNOW know about it, and those are the only kind of consumer's their interested in selling it too anyway. I didn't even really think of it until you said anything, and I follow Apple's OSs on a weekly basis. The result is that even if they do have two, from a marketing standpoint, they only have one. Unlike XP, Vista, and the PS3, in which the marketplace shelves are a mess with all different versions.

Re:Too many versions?

[Intellectual Elitist]

> There's what, more than 7 different version of the thing to this date?

There have been four, not counting color variations.

20GB - 4 USB, no card slots, full hardware BC, $499
40GB - 2 USB, no card slots, no BC, $399
60GB - 4 USB, card slots, full hardware BC, $599 (later $499)
80GB - 4 USB, card slots, hybrid hardware/software BC, $599 (later $499)

The 20GB and 60GB versions are now discontinued, so there have never been more than 2 versions actively being marketed at one time.

Re:

[trdrstv]

> There's what, more than 7 different version of the thing to this date?

There have been four, not counting color variations.

20GB - 4 USB, no card slots, full hardware BC, $499 40GB - 2 USB, no card slots, no BC, $399 60GB - 4 USB, card slots, full hardware BC, $599 (later $499) 80GB - 4 USB, card slots, hybrid hardware/software BC, $599

First, the "(later $499)" on the 80 gig, is possible but it has neither happened, nor been announced yet.

Second, there was a different 60 gig version available

Re:

[ToasterMonkey]

Does it really count if it was only released in a particular region? I mean, us Slashdotters are among the few who are even aware of it.

Re:

[badasscat]

First, the "(later $499)" on the 80 gig, is possible but it has neither happened, nor been announced yet.

Second, there was a different 60 gig version available in Europe than shipped to the US/ Japan. Not only did they get it LATE, they were the first to contend with the "hybrid hardware/software BC", so that would be #5.

I know you said adding a different color (White 40 gig) doesn't count, but that would make #6

So in other words, the parent's point still stands.

In the US, there will be two current models:

Re:

[ookaze]

You're wrong, there are more than 4 versions. There's at least one more that USA won't see, but still exists, which is:
60 GB - 4 USB, card slots, hybrid hardware/software BC, 599 (later or today, 499 )
This is the european version.

So the number of versions are on par with the XB360. Actually, no, they're not, XB360 has more versions than 5, because of the ones without and with HDMI.

Re:

[Sockatume]

Also, Europe had a 60GB version with hybrid hardware/software back compatability, and Korea had an 80GB with (I think) full backwards compatability. That gets us up to 6.

Re:

[LoudMusic]

other examples:

Vista: too many editions, eek
XP: Home or Pro, simple
OSX: one version, easy
Ubuntu: desktop or server, excleent

Hmmm, I don't know what to say about Apple's marketing, but there is a server version of OS X. Also the Windows Server for XP is called 2003. So if you're going to count Ubuntu as having two versions, one of which being server, the others need their server counterparts included.

Re:

[Dr. Eggman]

I built my PC gaming platform from a near endless choice of parts, the only things limiting me were price and sensibility. I assembled it myself, piece by piece and delt with issues bit by bit. Choosing between three identical platforms with only minor differences in storage, compatability, and price only requires an(y) attention span.

Patience is a virtue for gamers just as anyone else.

Re:

[aonaran]

You missed a few.

Vista: too many editions
XP: Home, Pro, 64bit
OSX (Tiger): desktop or server
Ubuntu: Ubuntu desktop, Ubuntu server, Edubuntu, or Kubuntu

Backwards compatability

[cpt.hugenstein]

I would rather buy an object knowing that it will not have backwards compatability than buy something (like the early ps3s) that claims to be compatable but has something like a 40% chace of a game not playing correctly.

If they reduce the price, get rid of a feature that did not work correctly to begin with and up the specs I would be happy with that. Not that im going to run out to spend 400$ on just the playstation. Hell my motorcycle is only worth about 400$

Re:

[ToasterMonkey]

like the early ps3s

The first PS3s had full BC hardware, did you pull that 40% out of your ass?

$400 for a brand new, high end, consumer electronics, entertainment device isn't quite the same thing as a fifteen year old $400 motorcycle. Besides, cheap, new dirtbikes might go for ~$4000, real motorcycles mostly start at the high end dirt bike prices and go all the way to $15K or even higher. What exactly are you comparing?

Re:

[Pitr]

While it did have hardware compatibility, there were problems from the initial launch until a few firmware updates later. Probably something to do with the way the PS3 emulates PS1 and PS2 memory.

http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/11/13/2025220 [slashdot.org]

Re:

[gravis777]

The early PS3s seem to have full backwards compatability. I bought mine in January, and have yet to see a PS2 or PSX game that it will not play, and I have about 30, some, such as FF4 and Chrono Trigger for the PSX, played on my PS3 with only minor flickering during a transition (rare, not a major problem), but at least it played, it did not play at all on any of the PS2s I threw it at.

In my experience, the backwards compatability of the early PS3s are better than the backwards compatability of the PS2.

As t

More interesting would be a PS3 coming to the USA

[WillAffleckUW]

with Japanese-region games that had been translated and unlocked for use in a US market (region).

You can never have enough giant sword-wielding hentai.

PS3 games do not use region locks

[G Fab]

you can get a system that plays japanese ps3 discs in any electronic store in alabama

Re:

[WillAffleckUW]

Then why do all the G4 TV ads show Japan-only for some of the games for the PS3 that are released in Japan?

Re:

[toolie]

give us what we want: 80GB PS3, backwards compatibility, Dual Shock 3, HDMI. END OF STORY. Why does every single version have to be broken in some way?

You forgot inexpensive. If you want it inexpensive, something has to go. Obvious choices are... backwards compatibility, HDMI and drive size.

Oh Sony, it's working already!

[rbarreira]

Japan's Nintendo wins exclusive deal for Capcom's Monster Hunter 3 title [sharewatch.com]

Nintendo is eating the PS3 alive in Japan... The PS3 is looking more and more like an epic flop.

Get your act together Sony, and stop lying to your customers!

340$... USD?

[Yvan256]

That means about 300$ CAD right?