Australia misses out on 160GB PlayStation 3

The latest report out of the Leipzig Games Convention will leave many Aussie Sony fans flabbergasted as it looks like the 160GB model PlayStation 3 will not be making its way to our shores.

A Sony Computer Entertainment Australia spokesperson has told GameSpot AU that this new PS3 is a "limited-edition SKU across all PAL territories that we haven't been able to make available for Australian consumers," added that "any consumers who want more space, the option's still available to purchase a notebook drive and upgrade."

For the time being, Aussie gamers will have to be content with the the upcoming 80GB model, which goes on sale August 28.

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21 Comments

IronScissors

3 years ago

Darn. It seems Australia always misses out on these things.
160GB would be amazing.

Jellyfish

3 years ago

So what would 500GB be then? Hell 160 GB is only $90. To my understanding it is extremely trivial to swap the HDD out.

David No.1

3 years ago

Aussies are always getting shafted in the gaming world. I guess it doesn't matter all that much. 80gigs on the PS3 is heaps of space already right... I mean, why would one need an extra 80 gigs for?

odzendz

3 years ago

Play TV will have something to do with it....

Man Sony needs to drop the price, there are some great games at cheap prices but the console itself outweighs any kind of "fun factor" especially involving cash, too much? stuff it, peeps is dying across the planet for no reason at all, except for profit, games profit like war, what's the big deal?

Peveus

3 years ago

odzendz wrote

Man Sony needs to drop the price, there are some great games at cheap prices but the console itself outweighs any kind of "fun factor" especially involving cash, too much? stuff it, peeps is dying across the planet for no reason at all, except for profit, games profit like war, what's the big deal?

$700 is cheap. The PS2 launched for more than that and cost more for many, many years. It didn't drop below $700 until late 2002.

The XBOX 1 launched for like $850 if you recall, which was quickly dropped to about $700 as well.

For what you are getting, which is a bluray player as well as a powerful games machine, $700 is insanely cheap compared to past iterations and technology in general.

Besides that, I paid $1000, which left me broke, and I didn't feel ripped off. Saving, and getting something you've saved a long time for, is a very satisfying feeling.

David No.1 wrote

Aussies are always getting shafted in the gaming world. I guess it doesn't matter all that much. 80gigs on the PS3 is heaps of space already right... I mean, why would one need an extra 80 gigs for?

A lot of PS3 games require mandatory installations of several gig to run. If you have a large collection or even a decent one you will eventually run out of space on and 80 gig hard disk and have to delete stuff.

This is not to mention the fact the PS3 can store music, video and picture files will only serve to fill it up faster.

I have a launch 60gb and I have not filled it yet but I know several people with the 40gb who ran out of space almost instantly and are now severely annoyed that the 40 is being replaced so soon.

For the base price of the existing model I think increasing the hard disk size is a very good idea on Sony's part even if 40 gig owners will feel screwed over.

For them, or the rest of us or even if you get an 80 gig model, the best option for those with fast filling hard disks will always be to upgrade it yourself to 250 gig or so (which I believe is the current cap for that kind of hdd).

Chopbusted

3 years ago

Peveus wrote

For them, or the rest of us or even if you get an 80 gig model, the best option for those with fast filling hard disks will always be to upgrade it yourself to 250 gig or so (which I believe is the current cap for that kind of hdd).

I just upgraded my 40GB HDD to a 320GB one. It is extremely easy to do and the drive only cost $100.

It would be cheaper (and better) to buy a 40GB console and upgrade the drive to something bigger. So it doesn't really matter that the 160GB version is not being released here.

Mr Waffle

3 years ago

Peveus wrote

$700 is cheap.

No, it's a ripoff. I paid AUS$378 for a brand new white PS3 in Japan a month ago. An "Australia tax" of $300 is an absolute insult.

On topic though, I find the fact Australia is getting 'upgraded' to 80gb while others get 160gb is hilarious. Sony just can't quit kicking Australia when it's down... but then, it's always fun when you're the bully.

brad_sickness

3 years ago

Peveus wrote

$700 is cheap. The PS2 launched for more than that and cost more for many, many years. It didn't drop below $700 until late 2002.

I bought my PS2 from Target in 2001 bundled with GT3 and I only paid about $450.

Wedley

3 years ago

Peveus wrote

$700 is cheap. The PS2 launched for more than that and cost more for many, many years. It didn't drop below $700 until late 2002.

I know people have already been all over this, but I also felt compelled to point out that it launched in 2000. I'm not sure you could call that "many, many years".

odzendz

3 years ago

Yes Peveus I understand.

I guess I was raving about nothing which is cool for me because that is all that humans do these days. But if it's cheaper in Japan why can't they reconfigure the price to match our dollar, which turns out to be cheaper than what a store would sell?

We pay an extra 100 bucks for it than our U.S counterparts.....anywho, I might, no I will get an xbox arcade soon, they is cheaper than a Wii, I think.

Zhou

3 years ago

Mr Waffle wrote

Peveus wrote

$700 is cheap.

No, it's a ripoff. I paid AUS$378 for a brand new white PS3 in Japan a month ago. An "Australia tax" of $300 is an absolute insult.
.

I was going to do the same, but after i weighed up the cost of postage and
warranty issues, not to mention dangers of items getting lost in the post, I decided not to get the white ps3. The day after, the missus had a ps3 waiting for me when i met her for lunch..So i cant really complain. Ending up paying $625 because I know a few people that work at the shop where my girlfriend bought it

bobboblaw

3 years ago

I have a launch 60GB console, I own around 19 PS3 games (including ones that require install, ie Bourne, MGS4, GTAIV, Oblivion etc), rented a further 6 or so, have about half a dozen game demos installed, and a few trailers and music stored, and I still have approx 20GB free. While I certainly don't agree with how Australia is treated in terms of gaming, I don't feel it's that big a deal. The people that fill up their hard drives and will make use of PlayTV etc, are most likely tech savvy and know ways around this such as installing a new HDD for cheap, or just using an external harddrive or transferring some files like trailers to their PC via USB.

AllSchoolGamer

3 years ago

"I just upgraded my 40GB HDD to a 320GB one. It is extremely easy to do and the drive only cost $100.

It would be cheaper (and better) to buy a 40GB console and upgrade the drive to something bigger. So it doesn't really matter that the 160GB version is not being released here. "

yeah i was gonna say something similar...how many of you complaining about this already own a ps3?

Fly

3 years ago

It's not really the point that "oh it's easier just to swap the HDD" but the point that we as a market are not important enough for this item to reach our shores, and thus the market as a whole suffers. Less product, regardless of how insignificant it may seem to the few who know the ease and how to change aspects of it is not a good thing.

Are you out in your community telling everyone who wishes to purchase this that it's not necessary? Are you changing the ignorance instead of complaining at how pissy easy it is to get around it?

As for the PS2, $749 was what I saw it for at launch, also despite that it was supposedly a region locked dvd drive various models also contained region free drives in the phat models. As for the local prices, it's already been debated and continues to do so with the tax rebate of 40% not being applied to the video game market, when you also then add on the 10% GST you have a 50% mark up before the product is even made. Considering this, you're paying $700 locally on launch for various products within the same industry which is about less than double what you're paying elsewhere. Weird how that works huh?

Back in June Animal Logic (those guys who animated Happy Feet) decided to delve into the interactive industry but based that arm in LA because of said taxes, if they cannot make this an issue with GDAA backing (where we then lose employment and capital opportunities) then really what's even importing going to do but once again limiting product?

Heff86

3 years ago

Peveus,
The original Xbox launched at $699 but dropped to $399 two months later in May 2002 to compete with the Gamecube. M$ then reimbursed those who bought it at launch.

As for missing out on the 160GB model, From the looks of it I don't think its such a big loss, I mean, It sounds like its cheaper to upgrade an existing one right?

azazelx

3 years ago

So are these new PS3s going to have backward-compatability restored to them yet, or not? I won't buy a PS3 until they restore that, so I can play my PS2 games in glorious upscaled-o-vision, as I can with my XBox games on the 360.

Not worthwhile IMO unless it is, and, well, a price drop as well. The machine is too expensive for what is is and does in my opinion. It's not that I can't afford one, it's that I'm not willing to pay the local prices, and I'd want a local one in order to allow me to use the BR player with local purchases and rentals.

RXWAG

3 years ago

azazelx wrote

its not that glorious trust me

when i had my BC console it pretty much tried to ruin the memories of my PS2 games so i just kept playing them on my ps2....

notsofat

3 years ago

i have pretty bad eyesight but i cant see the difference in blue ray, i think i might import the white one...

maybe spend a day at the casino first though haha

Skiller

3 years ago

azazelx wrote

Only the original 60gb PS3s have BC (in PAL at least), last time I checked they were still selling for around $1200 new on ebay. It's much better than playing on the PS2 due to the wireless controllers, upscaling, unlimited free memory cards (I'm currently using 1 or 2 memory cards per game genra

) and HDMI output.
Also unlike the 360 BC this actually works on 95%+ of their games and they allow you to run any PS2 games rather than just ones they know work so you can even try playing any old and obscure PS2 games you have and they'll probably work

RXWAG wrote

its not that glorious trust me

when i had my BC console it pretty much tried to ruin the memories of my PS2 games so i just kept playing them on my ps2....

Worked/works fine for me, not a single problem and I've been playing more PS2 games than PS3 on it. I think it was only a problem early on and was fixed in later firmware releases or something, either that or I've been very lucky

plufim

3 years ago

azazelx wrote

So are these new PS3s going to have backward-compatability restored to them yet, or not?

It's not a matter of being "restored".

The only backwards compatible PS3s have had either one or both of the PS2 chips onboard. Our launch PS3s used software BC, but still required the remaining PS2 chip (whereas the US started out with PS3s having both chips).

For these newer PS3s to be backward compatible, completely new emulation software will need to be written, it's not just a matter of porting over the 60GB software.