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PS3 to be $830/$999 in Australia at launch

cnet.com.au — CNet reports the official pricing of the two PS3 SKUs in Australia - 20GB version will be $830AUD and the 60GB version will be $999AUD. This is compared to $499/$650AUD for the Xbox360. With a probable price for the Wii being $350-$400AUD you could almost buy 2 consoles for the price of one.

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  • Trjn, on 10/12/2007, -1/+38Doing the currency conversions from the US price, the 20GB is AU$645.81, and 60GB is AU$775.25, that's with a straight conversion from US$ to AU$

    I honestly can't see why this supposably region free console is being marked up AU$185 and AU$224 depending on version

    If it is region free, I'm ***** importing.

    Europeans aren't the only ones being unfairly marked up here.

    Oh, and with the Wii, at the rumoured price of US$249, that works out to be about AU$322, seeing as everyone marks their ***** up before it comes here, AU$350 is still a fair price in my books, because being marked up AU$28 compared to AU$224 . . .
    • lenier, on 10/12/2007, -2/+11I'd agree with the Wii being $349AUD - Nintendo did well by us with the DS after all ($179ish).
    • dude3609, on 10/12/2007, -5/+12thanks for the quick conversion. Now people know AU is more expensive then some other places.. just like hawaii has $5 mcdonald cheeseburgers(not that i eat those, but you know what i mean). Just hope people realise this before they automatically think that sony is just ripping them off. Also, keep in mind that the ps3 unit itself contains over $1000 usd. of hardware.
    • SkeletaLlama, on 10/12/2007, -2/+20I wasn't going to buy it at $600 USD but are any Australians really crazy enough to buy it that kind of price? I mean honestly? No system is worth that much no matter how many pretty textures it has.
    • Mac2492, on 10/12/2007, -0/+20Llama, there are people who would buy it for $2,000 dollars. That's not the point, though. The point is that most general consumers WON'T buy it for over $500 (US)... I wouldn't.
    • dWhisper, on 10/12/2007, -3/+14So, realistically, you could expect US prices to be $549, $649 at launch, given the penetration differences. Yes, Aussies are getting screwed, but prices that high will only hurt sales across the board.

      The Xbox will probably dip to $300 for the full bundle at PS3 launch, the Wii will run $200. If Sony tries to come to the market with their "premium" system running $649, you're already paying a premium for BluRay, which doesn't have a lot of industry support. Developers won't focus games on a platform that has a smaller install base based on price deployment alone.

      Consoles are not a "premium" industry. There are no Lexus models running around. Computers have that market locked on their video cards, but overall top end cards contribute to around 2-4% of sales for the big two. If Sony comes in with pricing that's so much higher than their competition, they'll lose this fight. If anyone owns Sony stock, I'd probably look at moving it before they launch this thing...
    • strictnein, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5"So, realistically, you could expect US prices to be $549, $649 at launch"

      Erh... no, realistically you could expect the US prices to be $499 or $599 at launch, as they announced.
    • TheCount, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Maybe the device shouldn't be marked up in AU, but based on sheer technology, can you really be surprised the xbox 360 and PS3 cost more than the Revolution? If there was a way for Sony or Microsoft to sell their systems for $250, you think they wouldn't do it?
    • cbreaker, on 10/12/2007, -25/+3Well, that's what you get for living in the sticks. Get a real continent, like Africa or something. Lots more people there.
    • dWhisper, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4If there was a way for them to sell them there, no, I don't think they would until they had to.

      I'd missed the coverage on their pricing announcement, thanks for the clarification. $100 for 40 GB seems amazingly steep to me, and more like a margain gain move. There's no other marketable gain in it past that, from what I see. At least with the 360, the extra Benny gets you a hard drive, wireless controller, and HD cable.

      This reminds me a lot of other sony launches, like the Cybershot digtal cameras, Walkman Mp3 players, and anything with "mini disc" in the title. Cybershots came in about $100 more than other cameras with comparable features, had a memory interface requiring a proprietary card that cost 50% more than comparable sizes, and was generally unreliable. Their Mp3 players flopped, and mini disc was the more modern version of the BetaMax failures.

      One has to wonder if the executive management at Sony is really this blind (or stupid), or if they've committed so much to this already they're just pushing ahead to shore their losses. I can't see the 100 million Playstation customers out there forking out double (or more) than what they paid for their current console. Or if a developer will commit to developing exclusive titles on a console that carries such a high price adoption barrier.

      It doesn't take a Jedi to see a rough future in this all of this.
    • Criterion, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4"$100 for 40 GB seems amazingly steep to me"

      Then again, it also gets you the ability to read flash media and an HDMI output.
    • jonnyeh, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6"$100 for 40 GB seems amazingly steep to me"

      Plus wifi capability
    • treelovinhippie, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I was doing these conversions in a previous thread and saying just the US to AUD conversions came out with ridiculous Australian prices. But this is just mind-boggingly stupid... only the super rich will bother buying one.

      ... I've decided I hate currency conversions, and sony :D
  • estvir, on 10/12/2007, -4/+12the ps3 is being marked up around 99 pounds in the uk, that was bad enough but i'm not going to spend $999 (don't bother suggesting the 20gb one, i bought my lcd tv with hdmi for a reason, i also better get damn wireless controllers for even $830), $650 for my 360 was pushing it.

    ps3 has nothing anyway, all i need is wii 360.
    • cbreaker, on 10/12/2007, -8/+1*sniff* I feel really bad that you can't afford the extra $99. I guess your $4000 TV and your $650 Xbox 360 broke the bank, eh?

      Personally, I think the PS3 looks like a really cool machine, and I really hope it's a huge performer. If the graphics look anything like the screenshots we've been fed, I'm a believer. Of course, I won't spend $900 on a game system, but if it's also a fully capable linux box it's not all that bad a deal.
    • estvir, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1$4000 tv ? what the heck are you talking about ? i spent $1200AU and got myself a sharp aquos 65cm widescreen for my room, nothing fancy or anywhere near 4000, though it has hdmi & a good resolution.

      extra 99 ? um, 999 - 650 == $349, it's not that i can't afford it, i'm just an idiot who will waste that much money, like i said, 650 for my 360 was pushing it.

      i thought a console being a 'computer' was a bad thing ? yes, i'm talking to all you morons who kept on saying the xbox is a pc.
  • thatroots, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7I just can't imagine what price we are gonna get in Switzerland....i guess around 1000 CHF, wow 4 numbers....that's a LOT for a console or Entertainment system as sony like to say
  • Nick_Circosta, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5well i'm off to CES next year, so i might very well pick one up in the US,
    The PSP was the same, i mean $400 AU??? i payed $285AU and got it from HK,

    $350 for a wii, mmm camp out at Harvey norman like for the 360 :) i am so there :)
  • rebrad, on 10/12/2007, -1/+34Just Sony's way to say ***** You Australia. Australia should likewise tell Sony to take it's Beta-Ray PS3 and go ***** Itself.
    • dWhisper, on 10/12/2007, -0/+19No, their pricing, their technology choices, and their forcing a format war is a way for Sony to say "***** you customers."
    • chris4404, on 10/12/2007, -3/+15Between F-Bombs don't forget to breathe. ;)
    • Nobi-Wan, on 10/12/2007, -1/+12LOL @ Beta-Ray analogy.

      I'm getting sick of Sony and all their propriety formats that they want the general public to adopt. I see Blu-Ray being used exclusively only for the PS3 games, possibly by the media, and MAYBE used as a greater amount of storage for computers (but go the way of the Zip Disk after a while). People aren't going to buy movies on BRD.
    • Filoviridae, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8Haha zip disks...the 8-track of computer storage media.
    • aniseed, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6Sony would have made it big if they would have pushed minidisc as a computer diskette. It' could have made 3.5" obsolete in early 90's -.they had the technology ready, but as they still do, they fumble and fail. When they finally got it to stores, no-one wanted it beacuse CD-Rs were already cheap.
  • deadbaby, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5If you want the latest and greatest you gotta pay the fanboy tax. Normal people will just wait a few years until the consoles are cheaper. I don't really see the point of bitching about prices. You're not being forced into buying anything.
  • erusan, on 10/12/2007, -19/+6With currency rates, that's about $650 and $780 USD.

    "WTF, mate?" But they'll be dead soon. *****' kangaroos.
  • tdkme, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9well besides the high price, don't you think this is the same product as the xbox for that much more? Who does Sony think they are? Sony thinks they are apple... "no matter how much we charge, they will come...."
  • mandarin, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3I think Austrailia charges a lot of taxes on anything sold there.
    • zybch, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Nowhere near as much as UK residents have to put up with.
      If I ever go on holiday to the UK, I'll bring a pallet load of LCD screens with me to sell at crazy UK prices rather than convert my aussie dollars to a tiny number of british pounds .
  • Quarks, on 10/12/2007, -0/+12Wow, and I thought the European price was bad (600 Euro or $725 US).

    Well you Australians should thank Sony for making the console decision process a lot easier. ;-)
    • shtonkalot, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Yes I will thank $ony right now.

      I bought the PSX, heaps of games for it. Light guns, beatmania and dance controllers. I even impoted a damn pocketstation.
      Got me a PS2 with network adapter, nearly 100 games most new at near $100 each. Singstar (all of them), eyetoy, more light guns...
      Also got a PSP. Imported that one for under $300 (saved over $100) Bought 1 UMD movie, have 5 games 3 of which I got second hand. Got a 2GB meory stick duo (sony brand) so I don't have to pay for more UMD movies.

      And how does $ony reward us loyal Aussies for this purchase history?
      Jack up the price of course!

      Well thank you $ony.
      I will vote with my wallet in this round. Enough is enough.
      PSP was the begining of the end of my love affair with sony.

      Nintendo won me back with Gamecube and then held me captive with DS.
      I'm going Wii Wii Wii all the way home!
  • cyberghost232, on 10/12/2007, -3/+7"I wasn't going to buy it at $600 USD but are any Australians really crazy enough to buy it that kind of price? I mean honestly? No system is worth that much no matter how many pretty textures it has."

    Yet you dumb sons of bitches will pay $1400 or more on Ebay for a 360 when they first came out. It's gonna sell regardless of what the price is. Sony knows this.
    • koabel, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2You're 100% right. I won't be buying a PS3, but a lot of people still will. They'll cry about the price but go and drop the $1500 on eBay just to say that they got one. People paying that much for the 360 told Sony that they could charge whatever they want for it.
    • Quarks, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Yes but that wasn't the actual price.

      I agree with you that the crazy early-adapters will buy it anyway, but this is the actual price tag of the PS3.
      Imagine the amount of money that can be made on EBay if Sony doesn't make enough PS3's; you'll always have the ones that will spend money like crazy.
    • aztekm30, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Your right, early adopters will pick up the PS3, the only difference is the 360 will keep selling because people will realize there really is no difference in graphics or features from the PS3 to 360 and will buy the cheaper one.
    • Filoviridae, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Blah all the corporate slave parents who's nanny sees more of their kids than they do will fork over the cash for the PS3 on eBay so they can feel like they love their little kids (especially if out around Christmas). Preorder them, sell them on eBay, make a fortune. It's like a dream stock market.
    • digiteyes, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1people tend to forget.. people waste money on even regular desktop computers in excess of $1000, how the heck do u think companies like Alienware, Falcon Northwest and ShuttlePC stay in business. I mean even a regular high end PC will run you no less than $1,800 on most PC sites.. thats not even considering the extreme gaming systems.. Granted there are ppl that put together their own systems for less..but in my experience from college.. i always saw people shelling out no less than $1,000 for their laptops. So in all honesty all these consoles could be priced in that range and they would still sell.. the real appeal to gamers are the games.. not the console itself.. if the console has 50 good titles and its overpriced, gamers would still purchase it. Just look at the success of the PS2. even though the original XBOX had better specs its outsold it by far cos there were many good titles out there for all calibre of gamers to choose from.. Thats whats gonna happen with all this next gen bullcrap.. the company with the better games will come out on top.. so its just a matter of waiting to see..all this speculation and "oh I wouldnt pay $600 for that" is just crass IMO. Even at $2K or $3K on ebay ppl will still buy the damn things
  • a7bat, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Aussies are always getting screwed. Even in computer parts, they're way marked up. Sometimes when I got to Aus, I buy stuff from Newegg that my friends want because it's still loads cheaper.

    It's strange since Australia is really close to Asia, where practically all electronics are made.
    • mike_p, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Yeah, it's really a sad situation. Australia is so close (as opposed to the US/EU) to Japan, China, Taiwan and any other country in that area exporting. You guys get a raw deal and it shouldn't be that way.
    • strictnein, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4"Yeah, it's really a sad situation. Australia is so close (as opposed to the US/EU) to Japan, China, Taiwan and any other country in that area exporting. You guys get a raw deal and it shouldn't be that way."

      But the amount of cargo traffic between Asia and the US is probably 1000-10,000 times higher than it is between Asia and Australia.
    • Filoviridae, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2*sniffle sniffle* :...(
  • prelude619, on 10/12/2007, -5/+6IS SONY ON CRACK???? Who the hell is going to pay that much for a console? (im in the US by the way) Well actully there are people on Ebay that will pay that much. Thats crazy!!! SCREW the PS3! I aint buying it!

    ~mario
  • antihexe, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8I have a feeling that Blu-ray is going to go the way of the beta machine, and 8-track.

    I also feel that ps-3, will be the last in the playstation line. It isn't because of xbox either, it's just stupid to make a console that expensive, and STILL take a loss on the production lines.
    • Filoviridae, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Yeah I mean soon they'll start approaching a price where it'll be more worth it to put a good down payment on a nice gaming pc (if we're not there already).
    • zybch, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Well I've just bought a 2nd 7800GTX and extra gig of RAM, so I should be okay for a while to come.
      I just don't get how people can play FPS games on a xbox/PS style game controller anyway!

      The Wii is looking better and better. I'm still getting a 360 (coz you're stupid if you think that MS isn't going to lower the price by a large ammount just prior to the PS3 release), but it still just plays the same old tired games that we've had for the last decade. The Wii looks like its got some really innovative gameplay. Can't wait.
  • tooshort, on 10/12/2007, -17/+3Ok the PS3 is expensive get over it. You get a built in Bluray player and a hard drive which none of the current consoles offer which is why they are cheaper. I didn't think you had to be geniuses to figure that the PS3 was going to be more expensive. Why is this such a surprise? Jeesh. All these digg articles are getting redundant and are become a merely a chance for fanboys to diss the PS3. I honestly didn't care about the consoles wars at all but now with you guys hating the PS3 so much I'm actually rooting for it to succeed to spite all of this ridiculous abundance of hate.

    **Gets Buried**
    • Gremlinclr, on 10/12/2007, -1/+16NEWSFLASH!

      You don't need Blu-Ray! You didn't ask for it, they are pushing their format on you in the vain hopes it might stick. Even though we are on the cusp of widespread digital distribution. You are looking at the last format war. DON'T BUY INTO IT!
    • CKR600, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4I can buy a Seagate 250 gig for $80.

      Sony wants $200 for an extra 40 gigs? Don't tell me HDMI port blah blah blah... this is Sony, China.. they stamp things out of plastic for CHEAP.
    • The_Decryptor, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2"a hard drive which none of the current consoles offer which is why they are cheaper."

      Last i checked the 360 came with a HD in the premium bundle, which will still be around $200 cheaper than the low end PS3.

      Edit: the premium 360 has wireless controller(s), low end PS3 doesn't.
    • cob05, on 10/12/2007, -5/+2Amen brother!

      I'm getting tired of it as well. The thing that the Wii-boys fail to mention when they harp about being able to by two systems and pay less than the PS3 is that they would still not have as powerful a system even if they bought two! They would still have no HD support. I mean have they seen the crappy graphics on the Wii? The Tony Hawk game looks worse than games that were out on the PS1... I guess when your console exists for the sole purpose of playing cartoon-ish games that are the SAME games, franchise wise, that Nintendo was putting out 20 years ago then the graphics are not such a big deal. Plus on a platform (Nintendo) that is meant for 10 year olds, I guess they can get away with that.

      I can't wait until someone injures themselves or someone else while using that Wii-mote controller and sues Nintendo! It is only a matter of time... At the Nintendo e3 display of the tennis game the demonstrator almost crashed into the wall and fell down while running. The posts that talk about grandparents getting involved in the gaming with the grand kids... the first injury will be huge financially. Jury's just love old people injured by the arrogance and lack of foresight of large companies... I will laugh and laugh and laugh as I play my PS3 with it's blazing speed and superb graphics!

      For the people that whine and bash the PS3 for being too expensive: either start saving now, get a better job, tell daddy to get a better job, or beg your grandparents... but shut up already! It is an expensive piece of hardware, get over it.

      Honestly though it is the Wii that is overpriced! For a little more you could get a better and faster Xbox 360 Core system! I feel sorry for the people who are going to buy a Wii, it is not even a next-gen system. Their "next-gen" system has the capabilities of existing current gen systems and will only now be able to play DVD. Nintendo is always behind.

      Check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_video_game_consoles_(seventh_generation) for a comparison.
    • skatingrox, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2@cob05
      I suppose there's always radical fanboys willing to buy it at any cost. I'll be sitting here playing my Wii and laughing my ass off at all you Sony fanboys, once the PS3 fails and companies stop producing games for it. What will be left with then? A rather expensive doorstop/paperweight.
    • zybch, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2:tooshort "and a hard drive which none of the current consoles offer"

      So, the Xbox 360 doesn't have a hard drive? Or the original Xbox?
      What the hell are you smoking? Whatever it is you should probably stop right now before the transformation to Ignorant, Stupid and Misguided Sony Fanboy is totally finished.
  • LNahid2000, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I've seen these markups happen in Canada over and over. For example the Xbox 360 core system is selling for $399.99 CAD and in the US it's selling for 299.99 USD. With the current exchange rate, even adding in the 2% that most credit card companies or PayPal charge to exchange money, the price should be $338.99. I don't even bother buying electronics in Canada anymore since it's so much cheaper to get it on eBay or just drive an hour to Buffalo.
    • modsuperstar, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3The companies are starting to catch up on the Canadian vs American pricing. If you look at the recent prices announced for the DS Lite, it's $129US and $149CDN. At the exchange rate of $.90 the Canadian cost for the US version is $144, so they are only out $5 on the price. Driving to the US or getting it shipped will cost you that and then some. It hasn't been that long since the dollar was weak. It's just taking a bit for this discrepancy to be recognized by companies and adjusted accordingly.
  • justice7, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9With the Canadian Dollar climbing.. @ 91 Cents USD now .. i will be driving over the border to pick up my Wii. (only about an hour's drive for me) .. providing i don't have to pay duty on the damn thing

    imo the Wii is going to out sell the PS3 and the 360 Combined. It is cheaper, and new. It appeals to everyone... and the price is where it should be.


    It is nintendo's comeback this year. Its theirs to lose. No one in their right mind will pay a grand for a PS3...
    • modsuperstar, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I don't think Nintendo is going to take over the industry, but I think Microsoft and Nintendo have definitely positioned themselves to take a substantial chunk of marketshare away from Sony. It will be nice to see Sony knocked off the pedestal they sit on. I think since they entered the game market they've felt entitled to the position they've achieved and think they can do whatever they want and fanboys will lap it up.
  • boostedfc3s, on 10/12/2007, -2/+11way to price yourselves out of the market sony. I was a die hard ps2 fan... i'm not buying a ps3 at that price.
  • RavenXeo, on 10/12/2007, -5/+1Sony? more like....screwed...y
    ...yeah..*cough*

    but still...thats just nasty.. They'll rethink these prices..you just wait....
    does anyone acctually know the English Prices? i havn't seen them..
    Oh well...Wii it is. Silly name or not it's great
  • Zorlak, on 10/12/2007, -5/+2Uhhh...
    $350 $350 = $700?
    and $400 $400=$800?
    then minus $830 or $999, carry the two, divide by the square root of......
    AH HA! you COULD buy two consoles for the price of one! (PS3)
    >>> In direct response to: "You could almost buy 2 consoles for the price of one." :)

    - Yeah, either way, that is a harsh price. I heard from someone, somewhere, that the expected USA prices will be $499 for the 20gig and $599 for the 60gig.
  • dudinatrix, on 10/12/2007, -4/+3wii ftw
  • ingoldsby, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Sony needs to start digging, up.
  • Ignitedude, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2Blue, black and white Wii'motes'

    http://sickr.wordpress.com/2006/05/10/blue-white-and-black/
  • phoenixofchaos, on 10/12/2007, -5/+0guys guys, settle sony have packed this baby full of *****, its not cheap you know. Does anybody remember whent he PS2 came out in Australia wasn't it like $900 or something ? Im sure everyone is still going to buy it and sony will be losing money because $1000 doesn't cover all the costs :O
    • modsuperstar, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4That's why Sony is going to fail. Microsoft already went through the experience of overfilling their console with features and it cost them a crapload of money. This time they decided to keep with the DVD format instead of going with something that was going to lose them money by including. Sony is walking down the same path and is going to get bitten when Blu-Ray doesn't take off and they're left with a non-mainstream technology that isn't going to drop in price as time goes on like the adoption of DVD did the last generation.
  • Yegger, on 10/12/2007, -5/+1"then you could buy two consoles for the price of one"

    And then you'd have two CHINKER status consoles and not one kick ass console.
    • ahhell, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Sweet....it must be "Let's make up words day".

      I got one for you.

      *****
  • Metasquares, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3I really have to hand it to Nintendo. A couple of weeks ago, people were still referring to "Sony and Microsoft". Now that it's getting closer to launch and all of the pre-launch problems and prices are coming into the open, Nintendo seems poised for a huge come-from-behind victory.

    Sony may want to remove some of the features in its console to drive the price down.
    • zybch, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Probably too late for that now. Look how long it took those ***** to even get it working, to say nothing of BluRay's 8 year from concept-to-delivery delay!
  • Cozmcphish, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3I'd better sell my car now, if I want to be able to afford one of these.
  • MephistoX, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2gwhahaha.

    No one's gonna buy a ps3 if it costs that much
  • ahhell, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Jesus that price is insane. Way to lose an entire market, Sony.
  • Omicron, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1so from this article, i've learned that the PS3 is more expensive than the xbox 360 in Australia, just like it is in the U.S. and Japan.

    now that's news.
  • spyd4r, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1Remember PS3 comes with Blue-ray, xbox36 comes with DVD, you want HD-DVD.. shell out more $$$$$$$
    • anamanaman, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Seems nice to have a choice. I'm not really interested in buying HDTV movies on disc for 25 bucks each seeing as I can already get lots of them via my comcast dvr.
  • anamanaman, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1PS2 succeeded because of its exclusive games. With GTA4 on Xbox360, and the list of 360 exclusives (gears of war, halo, fable) I think their advantage is wearing thin. Metal Gear Solid and Final Fantasy will keep the PS3 afloat, however if SquareEnix may at some point jump ship and start developing for the 360 (FFXI sucks and doesnt count).
    • justice7, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4don't forget .. Nintendo is king of exclusive games.

      Metroid, Mario, Zelda ...

      I fully expect the Wii to be picked up by the current gaming generation, and the "lost" gaming generation. Back in the day, everyone picked up and played the Nintendo at least once.

      Games today, for the older crowd especially.. appear too complicated. We know they are not overly complex, however they appear so.

      Nintendo is trying to simplify the learning curve.. and i believe they've done an amazing job with this.

      Wii ftw.
  • kiisu, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1seems really odd to me with all the delays, pricing, and weird rumors...sony has something up its sleeve, or about to shoot themselves in the foot.

    did they try for too much at once?
    • justice7, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I place my bets on Sony banking on its reputation solely...

      Nintendo is running away with the innovation line -- and everybody knows it.
  • justice7, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2To be really honest...

    I am not in the least bit interested in the 360 or the PS3. Sure, the graphics are prettier.. but thats really it.
    I've got an up to date PC . . and its obvious graphics do not equal gameplay.

    The Wii however, is entirely unique and groundbreaking. It looks and feels fresh.. it gives us that "that would be cool" feeling again.. where you look at games completely differently than we had in the past.
  • erusan, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1With currency rates, that's about $650 and $780 USD.

    "WTF, mate?" But they'll be dead soon. *****' kangaroos.
  • chadwn, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1I admit I will buy the PS3 for the $599 price tag. I already own the 360 and it is a good system, besides the fact mine had a hardware fail and is being repaired... I think there is definitely more than 3-5% of hardware field fails going on here. I have been hearing a lot of people with this problem. Either way the PS3 is going to be expensive but lets play the game of what you get and what you pay for. Lets take the premium xbox360 and premium PS3.
    PS3 $599 vs. Xbox360 $499:
    3x size hard drive
    HD movie format vs. possible future ~$100 upgrade for HD movie format
    wi-fi vs. $100 upgrade
    Linux operating system vs. voided warranty and/or hack
    HDMI output vs. None that I have seen yet
    free network (unproven) vs. $50 /yr Gold

    Granted there are some unknowns here... but if you were to take a xbox360 premium and outfit it with the similar capabilities of the PS3 you are talking about at least a +$200 differential in favor of the PS3.

    So then there are people that will say "I don't need all that crap." Your right. You don't need any of it. Hell you don't even need a TV or a video game system at all. But if you enjoy this technology be prepared for the HD revolution. 2008 marks when low def broadcast is being turned off. HD tv's are declining in price and soon you will likely have a HD tv. Why not make a $100 investment (if you were trying to decide between the PS3 premium vs xbox360 premium) in a HD movie player (which btw go for $1000 right now)?

    "Oh but there is a format war going on, so why bother?" ... Ask yourself how many people are going to buy the PS3? Do you think it will be many or few? If you think many then Blu-ray will be crowned champion, if not then it is likely a toss up.

    And back to the original article. It is tough to swallow the increase in price for AUS, but keep in mind Sony's cost for the system are likely still higher. So what you call a mark-up is more like a mark-up-closer-to-the-cost.

    And after I have vented a little I am prepared for you haters out there to unleash and cut down what I has said but I still hold true to what I say.
  • decay, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0If you have the money you buy the system, if not you can continue to act like your super cool with your 360 with comepletly different games then the PS3.

    I don't think the Japanese will let Sony die.
  • winampman2, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Foolish, foolish Sony.
  • Rhino_Jockey, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2what did you guys think when the ipod was first announced. $400 for a 5 gig music player? NO ONES GOING TO PAY FOR THAT!! When I see PS3 and the fact that it costs $600 together i start thinking of the ipod. Its more expensive than its competitors and all it does is play music. In my mind the ipod is overpriced for what it does but that doesn't seem to stop the general populace from spending hundreds of dollars on the damn things. If Sony markets the PS3 well they can pull it off.
  • Zidane, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Sony to be the next sega?
  • kazsymonds, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Ill be glad when this flop is over, sony have really done it this time, they should learn from MS's and nintendos mistakes.

    School-boy errors.
  • pabster, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Can you say S-U-C-K-E-R?
  • Pooavenger, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1you guys are seriously idiots. have you heard of currency conversion? Not all currenct is equal in every country. think globally not locally.
    • pabster, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Ok, smartass, so $643 / $775. Are ya happy now?

      (AUD->USD)
    • skatingrox, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Even with currency conversion, it's one hell of a markup.
    • dojobi, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1And that's not even taking the average wage into consideration. Aussies earn slightly less than the equivalent American, so they're even more screwed.
  • bojoes, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0You don't get to try out a Blu-Ray drive with the Wii.

    Why can't people understnad the FACT that the Blu-Ray is a HUGE selling point. A brand new technology that basically comes FREE with the PS3. Yes, it does not have all the functions that a standalone player will have, but it does let people who would otherwise not be an early adapter try it out.
    • Buelldozer, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Actually I quite understand the FACT that for many people, myself included, Blu-Ray is NOT a "huge selling point". There are a variety of reasons for this but here are a couple.

      First, most people do not have HD televisions and if the current HD TV uptake rate continues most people will not have on for at least 5 years, which is the lifespan of a console.

      Second, I already own an entire movie collection on DVD. Why would I rush out and repurchase it on another media format? I wouldn't, and neither will most people. Publishers aren't exactly tripping over each other to release new movies on this format either.

      Here's another FACT for you. As a working parent I am NOT shelling out $600 for a video game console, no matter what fancy pants optical storage technology it may include. It's too damn expensive. Yes I have a good job, so does my wife. I'm not exactly rolling in disposable income but I'm hardly poor. I'm still not spending huge dollars on a console.

      So you see, I understand the FACTS just fine. You need to dial down the fanboi a notch and rejoin reality.
    • pabster, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1LOL, Yeah, Blu-Ray is a "huge" selling point. Right. I'm not about to waste any money on another proprietary DRM-laden Sony format, Thank You.
    • niceyuk, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I disagree Blu-ray is a "huge" selling point, its an unproven technology and there is a competing HD-DVD format that's cheaper and both will be superseded by digital downloads sooner or later.

      Its also not free, the console is hugely more expensive than competing consoles and that's in a large part because its one of the prototypes for blu-ray.

      I couldn't care less about being forced to buy into an unproven movie player when it may totally flop like UMD, Betamax, Mini CD, SCAD, etc, etc. If I do buy a HD movie player I'd rather buy a standalone player, consoles have never been good movie players in the past.
    • bojoes, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0And you are missing hte point. That is what makesthe PS3 so valuable. Those that are worried that the Blu-Ray player will lose the HD war don't want to invest in something that only plays them. But they may want to try it out.

      And seriously..anyone that thinks that the HD war will be resolved one way or anohter in the next 2 years is an idiot.

      Again...NONE of you did resarch. They did. NONE of you are as smart as those that did the research (this is pretty obvious). NONE of you will ever make as much money in your lives as they do in a year.

      So...to think that you know more than they do is just plain idiotic. (That is the part that makes it obvious that you are not as smart as they are.)
    • modsuperstar, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@at bojoes: The research is pretty obvious. Looking at past history, Sony has tried and repeatedly failed to leverage new proprietary media formats onto the public. History has also proven that having the superior technology doesn't always mean you will win the battle(VHS vs Beta, PS2 vs Xbox, Gamecube). They do this just so they can milk the licencing fees involved with owning the format. That's where Sony's research lies, how much money can we leverage by forcing this standard down peoples throats?

      People spend years building movie collections. It's probably one of the #1 factors why people drag their feet when it comes to upgrading. There are still people out there who buy VHSs mainly because they have a whole collection of them and don't want to upgrade. VHS was around for 20+ years. DVD has only been in the mainstream for 7-8 years. The jump from DVD to HD isn't nearly the leap in quality that VHS to DVD was. Do you honestly think the majority of the population is ready to make the jump to HD? These are the same people who still use Windows 98 at 640x480 resolution and see nothing wrong with it. You're telling me that the 12 and under audience the Playstation has is clammoring for HD? While all the technophiles are creaming in their pants about HD, the vast majority of the population sees nothing wrong with the current television technology.
  • bojoes, on 10/12/2007, -3/+0Also...please stop embarrassing yourselves. Seriously. NONE of you have any expertise on the subject of price points. Sony has lots of people who are FAR smarter than any of you could ever hope to be. And they did MARKET RESEARCH to come up with this price.

    Do you have any idea how asinine you all sound basically saying "I know I work at McDonalds, and not even as a burger flipper but as the bathroom clearn...but I still say I know more about setting the price of a game console better than the experts at Sony." Ridiculous.
    • Buelldozer, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Actually I do have an understanding of price points. It came with my M.B.A. and years of business experience.

      My educated and experienced opinion is that this console is too expensive. The majority of posters in this topic agree with me to.

      Remember, something is only worth what people will pay for it. Not what YOU think it's worth.
    • nolanistic, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Yes because market analysts are always correct, aren't they?

      *Points to the Asian economic Crisis, caused mostly by Economic and Financial speculation.*

      Your move, guv'nor?
    • lenier, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I dont have Buelldoxer's MBA but even I know how stupid a psychological price point like $1000 would be in the Australian market.

      As the original poster, its interesting to see how the comments have progressed - I merely intended to provide the price to .au digg users who were annoyed by the price quoted in Euros during the Sony Keynote.
    • bojoes, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0OKL Buell...first of all, you are probably lying. Second of all, even if you have the expertise, you did not do SPECIFIC MARKET RESEARCH you frickin' idiot! Which leads me to beleive you are lying about being one. Becuase if you were what you say you were, you would never think that you know more about people that RESEARCHED IT!

      nolan...no. Not always. But they are right a whole bunch more than idiopts like you who have done no reaserch and are just basing your worthless opinions on your blind hatred of Sony.

      Let's see. Who would I think would be more right? An expert on the subject who did resarch, or a guy who cleans toilets in the bus station? Sorry, but you lose.
  • GrideEdub, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Sega Saturn came out at 400, and i bought it(Virtua Fighter). It was eventually beaten. PS# is looking alot like it.
    • bojoes, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Sega Saturn didn't include a completely brand new medium like a Blu-Ray player. One that by itself costs more than the PS3 will cost.
  • tnnss111, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0You idiots. Different countries have different pricing ratios. Lets say you buy a pen here for $1 you may go to a different country and it could be $5, but that doesn't mean it is expensive. If you do the conversions right $5 in that country could = $1 in the US. You could have a job paying $5.75 an hour in the US and then go to a different country and make $10.75 an hour. Different countries have different types of money and people are paid more or less than people in the US.
  • duncan.digg, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2You wanker. We pay $999 ($US770) for the 60GB PS3. That is $170 more yankee dollars than you. How is that fair? Sony reps will say that the logistics of getting the PS3 to Australia cost a lot more than other countries. But $170USD increase per unit is a little hard to swallow.


    Prediction: 1) Australian launch date will be delayed
    2) PS3 will not be region free
    • lenier, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2>> 1) Australian launch date will be delayed

      Agreed.

      And also, dont forget Sony's dirty little secret - PS3 is probably not 100% backwards compatible.
  • LucasVB, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Considering that the PS2 still costs around 340 USD over here in Brazil, and the Xbox 360 is 973 USD (and we don't even have Xbox Live available or anything), my guess is that PS3 would cost 2500 USD whenever it comes out around here. And we'll probably never get the multiplayer network coverage! :(
  • killin1a4, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0PS3 sucks. Xbox 360 rulez!!!!!!
    People are going to look dumb when they buy the PS3. The 360 will kill the PS3. Oh yeah the 360 will have better games this time around. Developers hate blu ray.
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