It's official: 20GB is no more

by Andrew Yoon { Apr 11th 2007 at 5:00PM }

PlayStation 3 is now officially 599 US dollars--and only 599 US dollars. In a move that surprises absolutely no one, Sony has officially discontinued the cheaper SKU. Dave Karraker told GameDaily BIZ: "Due to the overwhelming demand for the 60GB model from both retailers and consumers, we have ceased offering the 20GB model here in North America. In addition to the larger internal hard drive, the 60GB PlayStation 3 features added storage media slots and built-in Wi-Fi not found in the 20GB system. Based on retailer and consumer feedback, we have decided to focus our current efforts on the more popular 60GB model."

Tags: 20gb, dave karraker, DaveKarraker, playstation 3, Playstation3, ps3, sony

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Colin @ Apr 11th 2007 5:15PM

Holy cow! It was rumored, but I would have never thought Sony was actually gonna do it.

Well, go Sony. The one SKU method is much superior than having 2 (or three *cough* 360 *cough*). And now that they're focusing on one SKU, maybe they can focus on lowering the price too. :)

-Colin

Nick @ Apr 11th 2007 5:26PM

this is a good plan by SONY, I was innitually surprised when they announced they were goign to offer two different systems.

Only having to produce one unit will help SONY reduce production costs.

OrganicShadow @ Apr 11th 2007 5:26PM

This coupled with the last article posted smells of price drop to me. If this isn't any indicator that Sony isn't taking the high price criticism laying down then nothing is.

There is a vicious cycle that is hard to ignore:
-High install base = more games developed for the platform
-More games = more people buying units and higher install base

Then you throw exclusives into the mix.....let's hope the upper management shuffling will wake them up and make them reassess where they are spending their money. Exclusives, price cuts, and focused online service ftw.

Brent @ Apr 11th 2007 5:32PM

The reason I bought the 20 gig is for 3 reasons.
1. A. Wifi adapter is 10 dollars.
2. I can buy a 250 gig HDD from newegg for 75
3. My computer has a card reader.

So for the same price as a 60 gig I have a 270 gig PS3 Thank you very much. :P

Geoff Gibson @ Apr 11th 2007 6:18PM

They should have kept the 20gb version.

It may nto have been in super high demand in comparison to the 60gb but it helped out a lot for a few reasons:

1. Legitimacy. They could compare their BD $499 PS3 to a core Xbox360 with HD DvD drive and say it costs the same but you get a little bit more with the PS3. They can't do that anymore.

2. Holiday seasons are coming up again, and the parents (that are not rich) will have to decide between a $250 Wii, a $299 360, or a $599 PS3. That $100 would have gone a long ways, I guarentee that.

3. People without wifi do not want the 60gb version. Plain and simple. Now you are forcing a whole group of people who don't care for that feature to buy it for $100 more. (Let it be known that without wifi connection there is also very little need for a 60gb drive)

4. BluRay Disc Player. Remember that guys? Sony used to be able to tout "We have a BD Player for $500" which isn't that much more expensive than a standard HD DvD player. They have now effectively pushed that price up $100. $100 is a BIG deal.

I love video games, and I love my PS products. However it is getting harder and harder to believe in a company that keeps shooting itself in the foot. Just when I think "Sony is coming back!" they seem to stumble over some questionable PR speak or undeniably bad decisions.

stfugine @ Apr 11th 2007 6:22PM

I think they're getting ready for a price drop.

Killer @ Apr 11th 2007 6:28PM

Holy shit, I should have bought a 20GB, maybe there's some time still left. That verison in the distance future will be a rare thing to sell on ebay. To Best BUY! *Runs out to car*

Ancient_One @ Apr 11th 2007 6:53PM

Since they are currently concentrating on the one machine maybe they could put back the chip they took out of it in Europe and Australia.

Make it a better machine and more attractive to those who were going to buy it with full backward compatability.

Fargus @ Apr 11th 2007 7:01PM

How was the 60 GB in higher demand? Every store I have gone in since January has had the 60 GB PS3 on their shelves collecting dust with not a 20 GB to be seen. Gamestop and EB both told me their were waiting lists for the 20 GB with 60 GB being able to be had without a wait! Oh Well, its not important now since the 60 GB is in such high demand.

Obadiah @ Apr 11th 2007 7:28PM

I bought the 20 gig because, with my trade in, I got it for $400. Yes, Gamestop is evil, but it was worth it. Wi-fi and card reader? *YAWN* Don't need 'em... but thanks anyway. Bigger hard drive? I'm with the 270 gig guy. I will say that I had to work REALLY hard to get a 20 gigger. They were sold out everywhere. It was worth it.

djSyndrome @ Apr 11th 2007 7:50PM

Ironic then that the picture for this post is of a 60GB version (hint: Engadget got it right).

lenny0487 @ Apr 11th 2007 8:07PM

They should of in the first place, I just cant see why you would want an inferior version of a PS3. Then again, I heard that the popular PS3 model in japan was the 20gb model...

mccomber @ Apr 11th 2007 10:17PM

I really think this is just the first step of dropping the price of the 60gb down to $500, the next being the elimination of the ps2 hardware ala Europe. Having one unit to manufacture has to cost less, and this would help make for a decent time frame to prepare for a drop in price this fall.

Sonic_extreme @ Apr 11th 2007 10:50PM

I think it is cut cost. They where manufacturing 2 different motherboards right? One with built in WI FI and card reader the other didn't. It's fine from a business model. MS uses the same motherboard for both models and soon the third. So for them its the same thing. However I think sony is really loosing their touch with the same people who made the PS2 great which are gamers. Not high end video viewers. That being said don't expect a price drop till sony can cut down cost down way below 450 manufacturing cost per unit. Why would they loose 271$ per unit sold today. Then tomorrow they found ways to lower the cost of production by 150$. Then lower the price of MSRP by 100 again. So 271-150= 121. Then add the cost of lowering MSRP. 121+100= 221 per unit lost. Just an example here. But get my drift. It can happen if they are willing to keep loosing and not make money but only SOny can answer that question themselves.
To me I was eyeballing the 20gb because I can play games and BR and I dont care for the other things. That I already have. + I have a HDD bigger than 60gb ready to be used. But now o well. I will wait again.
Tomorrow we might here Apple getting rid of there shuffles cause they are not selling and the 4gb Ipods as well LOL. Get my drift.?

Azorean @ Apr 11th 2007 10:53PM

Let's kill the only SKU that had the potential to lower it's price the fastest! Genius!

Jay @ Apr 11th 2007 11:07PM

funny how people always complain about price but yet no one buys the cheaper ps3? clearly people are just hatin

Champloo @ Apr 12th 2007 8:19AM

I don't believe for one second that the 60GB model was in higher demand. That statement is clearly just about the PR, and making people think this is the right choice for the consumer... when it clearly isn't. Unless they release an even less expensive model, or give the $599 system a massive price drop... this is just a bad decision.

With this they've just alienated the following groups: the so-called middle class, kids, teenagers, single parents, and the elderly. This is just ludicrous. As if there PR wasn't bad enough previously now they do this? I can see it now, thousands of headlines saying: "Sony forces the little guy to pay a big price!: If you want our product, WORK HARDER TO EARN MORE MONEY".

Come on Sony, get your head back in the game, we miss the old you.

Jon @ Apr 12th 2007 12:58PM

What is all this talk of a price drop! Don't you people realize this is in fact a price increase???

The PS3 has been out for 6 months in the US and only like 1 month in Europe...there is no price drop coming anytime soon. Again....this is a price increase!

What awful timing to release even more bad news a day after MS announces Halo 3 Beta.

With Games like Guitar Hero II, Command And Conquer & Halo 3 Beta all happening on the 360 in the next month...Sony better get their act together on the PR side of things. It seems like for every bad announcement the PS3 has (and it's had many) the Xbox 360 gets 3 or 4 good announcements.