PS3 gets a price boost in South Africa
by Peter Vrabel 
{ May 22nd 2007 at 1:30PM }
As we all know, bundles for game consoles is nothing new. But at least over here, we get something for the additional expense, even if they are wonderfully average launch titles. So before you sign any petitions to lower the North American PS3 price, take a look at what our brothers and sisters in South Africa are paying.
BT Games: R 6499 ($922.20)
Look & Listen: R 6799 ($964.80)
Incredible Connection: R 6599.95 ($936.55)
[Via digg]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Kspraydad @ May 22nd 2007 2:09PM
The RAND has been dropping in value vs the YEN and is poised to fall further as SA deals with foreign debt. ALL Japanese goods will be going up in price as current inventories are depleted. This isn't so much about SONY as it is about the reality of foreign exchange.
It even happened in Canada when the PS3 went from 659 to 699 and back to 659
Jakob @ May 22nd 2007 3:38PM
In Denmark the price of 60 GB PS3 console is about $800, and bundles with 1 game and 1 blu-ray movie for $900. So all you Americans, who think they pay a lot for the PS3, they are wrong ;)
wkcr @ May 22nd 2007 4:58PM
It's South Africa we are talking about here. Give it another 10 years, and you won't be able to buy a ps3 at all.
nduimiso @ May 22nd 2007 5:29PM
@ kspraydad, we get our ps3's from the UK so the yen price does not affect us
and it is all down to sony, the 360 here costs the same as in europe and hasnt gone up in price
massive_98 @ May 22nd 2007 9:49PM
No offense, but I don't think too many South Africans have the money to buy a PS3, maybe Sony should try and sell some PS1's?
stirlo @ May 22nd 2007 11:38PM
that's just ig'nant, massive!
Mebbe you should spend some of your Ample Dollars on some books!
Lupus @ May 23rd 2007 12:39AM
South Africa is not affected by the Yen at all, in fact the odd thing is the Rand is actually a tad stronger now then it was when the PS3 was launched, this is probably Ster Kinekor (the distributor) trying to make money off of the failing PS3, I've even seen quite a few for sale in Pawn shops and second shops already for R1000 less. Ah the PS3 well done Sony, wonder if they've been speaking to Nintendo...
Tom @ May 23rd 2007 2:19AM
PS3 costs 6799 Rand eh? Hmmm... so how many Sea Shells, Clay Pots, and Ivory Arrowheads is that? C'mon, gimme something I can work with!
sami @ May 23rd 2007 2:29AM
it's just as bad in the middle east, at least in israel... to buy it at the largest computer chain (bug), it costs 5000 NIS (60GB ps3 with 1 controller), and 1 dollar is almost exactly 4 NIS... that makes the PS3 here (same exact configuration as in the EU) $1250. if you buy it online the price drops to 4400 NIS, or about $1100. yeah i'll get my PS3 when i'm in the states next year in college. i'll have about a $600 price drop (or $500 if sony doesn't drop the price as well)
Lupus @ May 23rd 2007 3:41AM
Tom are you a retard or just plain stupid. How about we put into a value you will understand it is a lot of Big Macs, it is as explained above over $1000 worth. I don't know if you should leave your house and go experience the big wide world before making an idiotic comment like that.
Graeme_N @ May 23rd 2007 4:00AM
I haven't really been looking, so I can't refute the examples given, but South African online retailers Kalahari.net and Take2.co.za both still have the console listed at R6299.
It's not really correct to compare the South African price to the US one, because we technically fall into the European zone. Unfortunately, the PS3 is still expensive compared to that, R6299 equates to £455, and it seems to be easy to get the PS3 for £400 in the UK.
This wouldn't be so bad if everything was more expensive in SA, but unfortunately for Sony, Microsoft have priced the Xbox 360 at more or less the same price as they charge for it in the UK (R3699), which to the average mathematically challenged consumer, appears to be half the price of the PS3.
Gavin Mannion @ May 23rd 2007 4:17AM
hehe it's awesome reading some of the comments in response to this article....
To clear up a few misconceptions.
1. The Rand is stronger now than it was when the machine was released.
2. Some retailers still have stock from the launch which is why they can still sell that the old price
3. Tom I second the fact that you should not be allowed out the house with ignorance like that
4. Thanks for the link love ps3fanboy :)
doobiwan @ May 23rd 2007 5:26AM
What Gavin said ;)
From what I gather after I spoke to a few sales peeps at the offending stores is that R6800 was always the initial list price, R6300 was just a launch special. It's not unprecedented, when the PS2 launched here it cost around R4500 (I believe it was $300, no?) Which is just as overpriced.
And for those folks who "dunno where Suth Africah iz?" The PS2 has sold over 2 million units here, so believe me, there's a market.
StoneDogZa @ May 23rd 2007 7:11AM
God some of you people are ignorant, massive_98 you say that most people in South Africa can't afford PS3's, are you retarded? I live here, what do you actually think this country is like, I see so many posts like this, it scares me how ignorant some of you people are, and im not just generalizing americans or anything like that, because I know a lot of you guys are well informed. But how can you honestly make a statement like that? You should take a trip to this place sometime and see for yourself instead of making stupid comments that have no fact. Judging by your comment I guarantee you that there are a lot more South Africans better off than you are, in fact I'm bloody happy I'm not part of the same country as you. Tool
Draco @ May 23rd 2007 10:26AM
it costs just shy of 650USD here in Winnipeg right now at Futureshop. granted if you buy it from ebgames or the other stores that havent raised the price you get it for about 600USD.
700 CDN = 644.84 USD
http://www.bankofcanada.ca/en/rates/converter.html
then again a 360 premium is
500 CDN = 460.60USD
Ghen @ May 23rd 2007 3:49PM
South Africa has what, like 3 people with more than a dollar (US) to their name? What does this matter?