Will it really matter if the PS3 costs more than $500 USD at launch? |
Pricing of the next generation console videogame systems has begun to trend upward again. Maybe some of these console makers should be reminded what happened 3DO and Neo-Geo? Yeah, I realize Sony and Microosfot aren’t exactly SNK or Panasonic but there is a rather unhealthy fixation on making more powerful gaming hardware. At least with Xbox 360 Live there is a store and the dangling possibility of small developers being able to make games, but the focus on hardware instead of software has concerned me for some time now.
A Sony Vice President told a European radio station today that the Playstation 3 will be hitting Europe for 499 to 599 euros, which equals out $612 to $734
As someone who paid $650USD for the 3DO, I’m the type of gamer who will still buy despite the price tag being reasonable.
The real question is whether or not we’ll actually be able to hit the stores and buy one on launch day? The price is irrelevant if nobody can buy one. Why don’t they just come out with a $1500 price tag? I’m sure somebody on eBay will be selling them for that on launch day.
Some of the readers in that Gizmodo post are worked up over Sony’s pricing but the supply vs. demand is going to skew any of that, if recent console launch history is proof.
Here we are nearly five months after the Xbox 360 came out and there are still areas where those in a major metropolitan area can’t buy one in any local retail store. Yes, the price has come down for online sales and I could buy that way but I’m going to continue to be a holdout until I walk into a store and see one on a shelf available for purchase. Scoble was able to find one recently, so this region isn’t completely tapped out, but is it really necessary for me to go on an Xbox 360 safari to buy one?
Maybe I should thank Microsoft for letting me save money and primarily stocking the stores with excuses instead of consoles.
I notice from the completely unscientifc Hmm poll on the homepage continuing to show 58% of the respondents either have no plans to buy an Xbox 360 and 10% are undecided. That’s where it is has hovered since launching the poll. I will write about my retail experience when that magic “there’s one here to buy” day finally arrives. I’m really starting to believe I’ll have a better shot at buying a UMPC before an Xbox 360.
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Guessing you’re looking for a Premium model because around here in NC, XBOX 360 Core models are a dime a dozen. I could blindfold myself, walk into any electronic store and they’d probably have it on a locked shelf. Every Target here has one Core model at least. Zero Premium packages though.
I still refuse to buy one. I’m not supporting any gaming console by Microsoft when the games are pretty much FPS, and sports. I’m a RPG base and Sony has always been behind the greatest RPGs.
Comment by darkmoon — April 6, 2006 @ 3:56 pm PST
No core or premium models here, darkmoon, at least when I’ve checked. I’m sure if I camped out on delivery day or travelled all over a 50 mile radius I could find at least a core system somewhere in the Seattle area.
I’ve seen a couple people mention Target and we have one here locally. Checked there a few times since the 360 launched and they haven’t had one in stock.
I’m going to go there later today and see what happens. Have to drop off our taxes to the accountant near there anyway.
Comment by TDavid — April 6, 2006 @ 4:02 pm PST
I’m guessing you’ve checked the one over by uhh..what’s it called. I haven’t been home for so long.. uhh… Factoria? There’s a Target there. Not exactly sure whereabouts you are, and my favorite hangouts usually consisted of Bellevue and downtown Seattle. I think there’s also one over in the Overlake area but I don’t remember offhand. You could also try over by Overlake Mall or whatever. There’s a theater over that ways? There used to be a Funcoland there, but it’s probably Gamestop now unless they shut down that store.
I’m not that surprised that it’s sold out anywhere near Seattle actually. While I’m tempted by BF2, I’m still not touching that thing. lol. Sony all the way until MS bothers to get people that make games that suit my type of gamer. It’s amusing that they still don’t get why they don’t make sales in Japan. If you want to break that market, you have to satisfy people like myself. Gamers in US: FPS + Sports. Gamers in Japan: RPGs and things like Tako Tako, Guitar Hero and the Katamari series. Different styles.
I did finally break and get me a PSP. Now I can’t stop buying accessories. *laugh*
Comment by darkmoon — April 6, 2006 @ 4:11 pm PST
The Factoria area is a good 30 minutes away from us, we’re further south closer to Tacoma. There is a Target on South Hill in Puyallup. That’s where I’ve been checking. It’s my understand that the Wal-Mart on South Hill which is just across the main street is one of the biggest in the state. There is a CompUSA / Good Guys store right in the same plaza. The Best Buy is down the street.
If these outages continue, I’ll seriously contemplate doing a roadtrip complete with audio/video just to see how many stores I can visit before finding a 360 to buy — core or premium.
Be kind of like that crocodile hunter guy … might be pretty humorous
Comment by TDavid — April 6, 2006 @ 4:20 pm PST
Ahh. 30 minutes? Man. COME ON! That’s not that far. I think Ranch 99 from my parents is like at least 20 minutes away. *laugh* You can make a 30 minute drive. :p It’s for an XBOX360! Well, you’d have to make sure they had it and placed it on hold. But still.
Comment by darkmoon — April 6, 2006 @ 4:28 pm PST
Hehe, you must not be all that familiar with Seattle traffic. It can take 2 hours to travel what should be 30 minutes. Sometimes even longer.
But you are correct that yes I would travel 30 minutes to buy an Xbox 360 if I knew one was available to buy. Heck, I’d travel down south to Portland, OR (a little over 2 hours) to buy one again, if I knew they had them in stock.
Scoble wrote recently that they were still “flying off the shelves” in Bellevue which is more like 40 minutes North of here.
I will bag one eventually. Maybe tonight at Target, who knows?
Comment by TDavid — April 6, 2006 @ 4:42 pm PST
That’s right. traffic did become terrible after I moved here. I moved in 2001. Well, maybe you can find it tonight. If not, better be willing to drop out of work so you don’t get caught by the terrible rush hour.
Comment by darkmoon — April 6, 2006 @ 4:51 pm PST
Target not only didn’t have any tonight, they haven’t any for a couple weeks and don’t expect a new shipment for a “couple weeks” according to what the guy working in Target electronics section told me (however reliable that might be). No on Wal-Mart, the Megastore (CompUSA + Good Guys) and Costco.
The only promising news as Toys ‘R Us who said they have 10 of them — yesterday. The same day they came in, they sold.
Comment by TDavid — April 6, 2006 @ 9:46 pm PST
Sorry to hear that. I’d ship you one, but then it’s no better than you buying it from online. *laugh*
Comment by darkmoon — April 6, 2006 @ 10:59 pm PST
Sweden has a large supply so far, no “shortage” here in anyway.
Need to get one.
Comment by Forser — April 6, 2006 @ 11:59 pm PST
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