SCEE knows early PS3 adopters may feel cheated
by Nick Doerr 
{ Oct 8th 2007 at 3:30PM }
If you feel cheated for buying the PS3 upon its release, Sony UK's managing director, Ray Maguire, understands how you feel. He told GI.biz that it's natural to feel slighted, and "the difference between our industry and many other industries is that if you're selling cars or houses the price goes up steadily. Consumer electronics only goes one way and that's downwards."Maguire denies that Sony is making buying the PS3 confusing with different options, pricing, and bundles. "As products evolve the offerings change because they have to adapt to the needs of the consumers but I don't think it's been particularly confusing in six months to go from stand alone, to a bundled proposition into a low price entry level model ... We also have to remember that consumers don't search around the world for different configurations. We are a global company but we have to act locally as well."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ryan @ Oct 8th 2007 3:36PM
cheated? i think not... i got the 60gb model and im glad i did, i want full backwards compatibility in my console.... granted it isnt perfect but its better than nothing...
phattie @ Oct 8th 2007 3:39PM
Not as bad as the iPhone dropping $200 (33%) after 9 weeks.
finelicker @ Oct 8th 2007 3:43PM
Sony have dropped the ball with this one. If its their new strategy, why is it only the EU thats getting shafted with second rate toss SKU's.?
Heads should roll for this decision.
Damn you Sony, you're stabbing the few faithfull followers you have with this crap.
I hope for their sake that their in house game dev teams pull some serious magic out the bag with up and coming games.
They seem to be going the wrong way, making cheaper lower grade machines, whereas the competition is opposite.
kingofwale @ Oct 8th 2007 3:46PM
>They seem to be going the wrong way, making cheaper lower grade machines, whereas the competition is opposite.
Going the wrong way? If you mean 'closing the price difference between PS3 and competitions' price point' the wrong way.
Gosh, I really don't want to know what the right way is.
Benjamin09 @ Oct 8th 2007 4:12PM
I'm confused though, I remember when PS3 fanboys were making fun of the Xbox 360 for having multiple sku's in the store. Now the PS3 will have the 40 gig, 60 gig and the bundle with motorstorm.... ironic much?
Now I don't really feel cheated on my PS3 purchase, I just feel cheated on games. I have Resistance and that is it. Please don't go into all the blu-ray movie crap because I bought this for gaming not for movies. Every game is pushed back and what will we see this Christmas for it? I just want to play MGS4 plz thz.
Trev @ Oct 8th 2007 3:50PM
I got my 60GB when it was $600 and haven't minded a bit, even when I could get the same thing now for $100 less. That's what you get when you buy things right away. I COULD wait until Ratchet & Clank is a bargain bin title, but I want it a.s.a.p, and will drop the $59.99 for it. Simple as that.
No one can feel screwed because they made the decision to go buy something then later the price went down. Sony was not watching you with tiny spy cameras and billion dollar satellites to see when you bought your console, just to lower the price and piss you off.
In after "BAAAAAAWWWW" (finelicker)
Sony started with the high-end unit and people complained. 360 started with gimped, faulty units and are working their way up. Maybe I'll get a 360 when I don't need to buy almost $300 worth of add-ons for not quite the same capability (wireless $100, hd-dvd $170, play-and-charge $15-20) as a PS3.
finelicker @ Oct 8th 2007 3:55PM
? @ Trev,
I gather from the fact you're using dollar signs that you're stateside. Well you wouldn't be put out would you because you have the 80gb model with full backwards compatability. The UK just gets the pissy new 40gb model, thats it!!
How can you not fathom why that seems unfair ?
Reza0 @ Oct 8th 2007 4:02PM
I was totally pissed off! After buying PS3 for 700 CA$+13% tax (wich was sth about 700 US$), the price cut showed up, and then Blu-Ray Saving Plan came, which I didn't get that neither, and the show seems to be going on!
I think the guys in Sony should have done the same thing the people in Apple did for iPhone. Putting the difference in price in your PSN account, enabling you to buy games online for 100$ or so.
baconmp85 @ Oct 8th 2007 4:07PM
I don't feel cheated, I was planning on buying the 60 gb last year when it was $600 anyway, but I couldn't afford it then and the price drop that came this year was an added bonus enabling me to afford another controller and more games!
@3 Lower grade machines??? The Ps3 didn't lose the cell, blu-ray, or even Wi-Fi and these things are what matters for the future!! When the new SKU hits, it will once again be one of the cheapest, yet most reliable blu-ray players on the market! The competition are a bunch of monopolizing sharks that are offering consoles that are half as innovative as the PS3.
With all of the great titles coming this fall/winter and early next year, I won't even need to use my backwards-compatibility anymore! I only wish they included it so that people would stop whining...then it would just be about bashing the lack of memory card readers and usb ports (sigh)..it never fails..
Afsheen @ Oct 8th 2007 4:11PM
It is a little complicated. I bought my 60 gig PS3 about 5 months after the release date, and paid the release price. I knew the price would come down, but I chose to buy it then because I knew that future gen (and lower priced) PS3s were not going to have the hardware configuration I wanted, so I bought early. I would feel cheated if the exact same system I bought was selling for #399. But as it is, I'm happy with my purchase and will continue to be as Sony pulls more and more out of the console to give it a competitive price.
finelicker @ Oct 8th 2007 4:16PM
I wonder if the psn retro PS1 games will be affected ?
sicklesdawg @ Oct 8th 2007 4:25PM
I Don't feel cheated. Also the New SKU are cheaper and you cant find 20gb or 60gb they ran out.
Khash @ Oct 8th 2007 4:25PM
@10
Actually no, it's not ironic. The problem with the multiple Xbox SKUs is that the Core has no hard drive. Every PS3 has a hard drive, Blu-Ray drive, HDMI, ect. Every PS3 SKU can do everything the others can when it comes to games/movies/downloading/ect.
So no, this is nothing like the Xbox Core/Premium/Elite bullshot Microsoft is trying to pull.
Paradox @ Oct 8th 2007 4:26PM
It's not that I feel cheated. I'm happy that I have backwards compatibility on my PS3, but without that it causes people to be less inclined to buy a PS3.
Fewer PS3s out there means less of a market. Less of a market means that developers won't be as inclined to make games for the system.
ruibing @ Oct 8th 2007 4:29PM
I don't feel cheated, I just want the PS3 to be successful so I can get a lot more games for my PS3.
Benjamin09 @ Oct 8th 2007 4:34PM
@ 13. Last time I checked I didnt get HD cables out of the box when I bought my PS3. So dont tell me it does everything out of the box. And actually yes it is ironic, because every PS3 model cant do the same thing. this new one has only 2 USB ports, no memory card slot and isn't backward capable.
So its the same stuff as Xbox 360, each sku is different at different price points.
watcher @ Oct 8th 2007 4:37PM
I don't feel cheater either. Guess what? People who buy the 40 gb now will get it for 399, but sometime in the future (3+ years maybe) Sony will drop it again. Will people feel cheated then? The objective here is to sell as much PS3s as possible. More PS3 = More third party support and more games! Current PS3 owners should feel good about this.
Edge @ Oct 8th 2007 4:39PM
360 fanboy that I am, I have to admit that PS3 did one right by putting a hard drive in every PS3. There really was no reason for the 360 Core to roll out like it did. I remember catching a guy walking out of a Best Buy with a Core and I offered that he should get a hard drive with that.
Funny how people who don't want my advice always ignore it.
"You would be playing more and better games on an Xbox 360."
See what I mean?
Nate @ Oct 8th 2007 4:45PM
I don't feel cheated. I have my 60 gig model with 4 USB ports, EE chip, wifi, HDMI, upscaling of PS2 games.... I have the elite model of PS3... I don't mind that new stripped down versions are coming in at 399... that just makes it more accessible for everyone else, so I'll have more people to play with. Hopefully they'll keep one base model (40gig no BC) and one elite model (80gig, BC). Either way, I just want more PS3s sold.
tk00 @ Oct 8th 2007 8:57PM
Dumb comparison. The prices on real estate are in constant flux, based on the economy as a whole, they don't steadily rise. The price on cars rise with new cars, improvements are made to the new models. They don't sell the same cars over and over at higher prices.
On the other hand, no one has any reason to feel slighted. You buy "cutting edge" tech you pay a premium. The folks that wait a year or years will get it cheaper. A game console is a luxury not a necessity. If its too expensive for you, don't buy it.
finelicker @ Oct 8th 2007 4:56PM
@ 19
Yes, we know you're not cheated, but what about future purchasers from the EU, at least in the states you have the choice, EU will only have the shitty model, so you may not feel cheated, but prospective owners might.
Emrah @ Oct 8th 2007 5:35PM
Cheat feel meter (out of 10): 1
It comes to me as no surprise they are talkin that way, they are trying to lure new customers by implying, "you have waited long enough, look, early adopters feel cheated that we're doing this, buy it already!"
Livi70590 @ Oct 8th 2007 6:02PM
The simple fact is that if you thought it was good enough value, you bought it (as a great many of us did). I think the 200+ gameplay hours between me buying the Playstation 3 and this latest price cut was worth the extra £100.
drizzlelicious @ Oct 8th 2007 6:23PM
I said it before and I'll say it again, I really don't care that people are getting PS3s for 100$ cheaper than I did. I got 20 more gigs + backwards compatability, 5 blu rays, and I don't have a PS2. Amazing deal, and I encourage people to buy the new 40 gig PS3s.
Titty Pink @ Oct 8th 2007 7:34PM
Benjamin those 2 slots, HD cables and BC don't define next gen capability. Blu ray, wireless name it, and an HDD do. And the HDD matters a lot more than those HD cables because 360 games that require a HDD are right around the corner, so if FORCES you to get a different SKU to play those games. Not nearly the same thing.
And if you only have Resistance, then you're seriously missing the boat. Rainbow 6, NBA 2K8, WARHAWK???? Heavenly Sword? I dunno man, those are a few. I can see if you don't like basketball 2K8 is probably not appealing, but the others...if you like shooters, you can't go wrong w/ R6 or Warhawk. Its not possible...
Titty Pink @ Oct 8th 2007 8:37PM
And it DOES sound like the EU customer is getting shat on. All I can say there is get a power converter and buy a US spec one from Ebay...
Shattercross @ Oct 8th 2007 8:50PM
@6.
Kudos man, I know when it comes to gaming: Europeans often get the shaft- it's nothing new. Sucks that you guys didn't even get the 60 gig with full hardware emulation... don't worry, when our president gets us nuked you'll have the last laugh.
Dirtbag66 @ Oct 8th 2007 9:28PM
All this talk doesn't really matter to me. I'm just excited about the end of this month/early November!
Assassin's Creed
Call of Duty 4
Guitar Hero III
Rock Band
Kane and Lynch
Might have to mug a few 360 fanboys to afford all these games!
MYPS3KilledMy360 @ Oct 8th 2007 10:13PM
MS does a worse job than sony. with falcon chips, hdmi, heat sinks, bigger HDD, now bundle, and they are all out at the same time with no numbers of how many of the old versions are out there.
mnemo @ Oct 9th 2007 7:01AM
I'm not actually feeling cheated by the newer PS3 but more by the lack of games for the system. The thing is gathering dust since March after playing through Resistance once. And I don't see that changing. Lair is crap and Heavenly Sword's is no must-buy. I really should've refrained from buying that thing. *sigh*
mnemo @ Oct 9th 2007 7:02AM
iPod buyers at least got a $100 coupon! Cough it up, Sony! :-P
Benjamin09 @ Oct 9th 2007 12:02PM
@ Titty Pink, I'm not saying anything about it not being next gen. I am just saying it was ironic that at first the Xbox 360 was made fun of for it coming out with multiple sku's and now that PS3 has multiple sku's its okay by you hardcore fanboys. Don't explain the difference between the 360 and the PS3 sku’s because each of them are different in their own ways and if one doesn’t come with the HHD, and a consumer buys it, that is the consumers fault for making that decision.
Everyone has their own opinion. I just think at this time my PS3 was a disappointment in general because of the lack of exclusive games at this time. Blu-ray is not a factor at this time for me. I again didn’t buy my ps3 for movies.
Dodo Sams @ Oct 9th 2007 12:29PM
Lowering the price doesn't matter much if there are not many good games justifying the purchase of the console in the first place.
The inclusion of a hard drive in all models has not made a damn of a difference. All Xbox 360 games still run just fine without the hard drive on the core system and there are tons of games that eclipse anything you've seen on the PS3 thus far. You guys need to give up the ghost on that argument.
Sony's offerings are just not up to snuff right now and no feature can save them from that fact...Not Blu-Ray, not internal wireless and not a standard hard drive in all models.
It's the games stupid!