E3 2006: Local PS3 pricing and dates revealed

PS3 News | You might want to sit down.

In the final moments of the pre-E3 Sony press conference, the details regarding the launch dates and pricing of Sony's PlayStation 3 were revealed by Kaz Hirai.

Firstly, like the Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3 will be available in two flavours – one with a 20GB hard drive and another with a 60 GB hard drive. According to Sony, the 20GB pack will come without compatibility for MemoryStick/SD/CompactFlash, WiFi or HDMI OUT (i.e. no true 1080p).

The launch details are:

Japan on November 11th
20GB - 59,800 yen
60GB - open price (retailers will set it)

US on November 17th
20GB - $499 US
60GB - $599 US

Europe on November 17th
20GB - 499 Euros (£340 based on current exchange rates)
60GB - 599 Euros (£410 based on current exchange rates)

Australia on November 17th (prices quoted directly fron Sony Australia)
20GB - $829 AUD
60GB - $999 AUD

There's approximately a 20% increase in price (based on current exchange rates) between the US and European prices. Australasia was included with the European pricing, so it would be reasonable to expect that we will be in the higher price band.

Interestingly (if these release dates stand) while Japan will receive the console first, thanks to the time difference the PS3 will launch in Australian before Europe and America.

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73 Comments

Infested Jibbs

6 years ago

****.Surely playstation can't be as widely accepted this gen around with a launch price like that?I mean most teens and mums and dads didn't mind splurging and paying $300 or so for a ps2 for lil billy's b-day or christmas present, but will they be prepared to pay this??

Obviously, the thing will go down in price(maybe) after 6 months or so, but i'd imagine only by a hundred bucks or so.The modest gamer with a modest budget surely can not justify spending this much.Sony can not hold their market share(made up mosly of casual gamers, mums dads etc) with that price.It can't be done.

Jellyfish

6 years ago

It will still sell like beer at the footy. People like to stick with what they know. It'll take two generations to knock Sony down, though the Wii will give them a run for their money this time around.

troublemaker

6 years ago

does anyone know why we pay so much more than the US?

(esp given its 'region free')

döppelgangbang

6 years ago

Surely the price of the iPod has softened the market for this kind of thing... The amount of school kids on the bus with iPods and bling bling phones instills in me no doubt that there will be plenty of PS3's under the tree this christmas (if indeed SONY's elves can make enough). With the sale of consumer technology relying more and more on the influence of the adolescent in the home SONY is perfectly positioned to ask this kind of audacious price.

Now how much for one with extra controllers?

ugh the boot

6 years ago

Not surprised....I was prepared to pay about $1000 for the console. Hopefully it drops a little bit so I can buy atleast 1 game without cracking the $1000 mark, cuz with an extra controller and a few games this thing could get maybe a bit too expensive.

Still it has Blu-Ray and that justifies the sale price. I don't like how the 20gig model comes without memory stick/wifi etc support?!? What the hell does 40 gig have to do with these features?

troublemaker

6 years ago

They are following MS's lead, give 2 options ... one of which is useless

k1dcharm

6 years ago

Agree.. the 20GB option is useless.

20GB option is missing wifi, HDMI output, memory stick/CF/SD reader. I don't care much abt HDMI output, but I want wifi & CF reader

EvilHayama

6 years ago

Gah, so the 20gig option doesn't seem to have the options for expanding the disk space either? That's annoying. Wifi is a pretty big omission too.

tullyano7

6 years ago

much like the DS Lite! (with respect to Australia getting it 2nd after Japan that is)

838 La

6 years ago

Is not too much of a suprise I guess, the price is not completely over the roof anyways, rememebing that the Ps2 lanuch here at a price tag of $799.

Sh!t though, I need to start saving up now...

macca

6 years ago

I just can't see average parents shelling out $1k for a console and a couple games this christmas. I grew up in a middle-income earning family, and we sure as hell didn't get $1K presents, or anything valued remotely close to that figure.

I can only see the rich kids getting this one. I can hear the school yard taunts from here....

Then again, perhaps Sony is willing to let go of a decent portion of it's 'kid market' in hopes of increasing it's adult market share?

Looks like i'll be either grabbing a 360 or Rev this round. And maybe a DS Lite if they release more software for it.

Thinking about DS software - Why on earth hasn't anyone released Chinese language learning software? It beggars belief! It would be a huge hit in the international language learning community - literally millions of people are learning Mandarin right now. Imagine having a flash card program showing all the Hanzi with readings, examples, stroke order, etc... and allow you to practice. Quizes, etc...
Hmmm. Anyone know if it's possible to download the SDK for Nintendo DS?

Jag

6 years ago

damm im not gonna fork out that much im goin to wait for a while a long while damm though it has very good feature like blu ray etc but really $1000 is way too much and then theres the extras like a few games maybe a controller its all gonna be too much plus i wanna connect it to the net through a network like the xbox 360 and thats gonna cost

Andronicus

6 years ago

$1,000... my, my... that is expensive...

I could NEVER justify spending that much money on something that is designed to play games.

MrAndyPuppy

6 years ago

And direct from Sony Australia, the prices are (without going through exchange rates from Euros), $829 for the 20Gb and $999 for the 60Gb

Jag

6 years ago

no way im waiting till i can get a ps3 ( 60gb version) a wirless network adaptor 1-2 games all for under $950 and i dont care how. i got a releative who goes to dubai alot if its cheap there i'll get it there and if games r cheap in india i'll buy them there thanks god ps3 is region free

838 La

6 years ago

Well, backing up what I said, most of us didn't get our PS2 until the last 2, 3 years did we? We (me excluded) only got it when the price was $400, $300.
I agree though, that stupid rich kid is sure as hell gonna piss me off.

admeister

6 years ago

*has a heart attack over the price*
Ouch! That's nasty, I won't be getting one anytime soon..

I want to know the price of the Wii, and it's release date!

ObsoletE

6 years ago

even with the "it'll be expensive, bys" warning we got months ago, this is still quite a shock.

i honestly didn't think it would go this high, but here we have it.

Frozencry

6 years ago

It's bloody expensive for sure, but I'll probably pick it up. But $1000 is just alot of money...gotta start saving.

ugh the boot

6 years ago

i heard the ps3 network will be free....kinda like the ps2 one. I hope it is cuz xbox screwed us with live.....i mean you can't even play online games with the silver membership (free membership) and I think that should be the bare minimum. Sony better not pull a stunt like this..

Jag

6 years ago

thats some relif i think sony had got it sweeten the deal if the want us to fork out that much. its just too much. its soo much ive posted like 6 in the past 4 minites plus im trying to get over the shock i need a break but its all too intese and its only day 1!!!

MrAndyPuppy

6 years ago

It's pretty much what I forecast a couple months back - except that there'll be a cheaper model (my original estimate was $999).

838 La: I got my first PS2 at launch, just like my first of all my other consoles. I don't usually get a second until they get cheaper like you said.

I will be buying a PS3 at launch regardless of price.

But I AM looking forward to seeing the Wii price tonight/tomorrow - I suspect Nintendo is aiming to blow Sony out of the water from a dollar standpoint - leave them absolutely no legs to stand on at that price.

macca

6 years ago

I don't feel convinced that it's going to provide me with $400 more entertainment that the Xbox 360. That's basically what it comes down to, right?

What value do we place on our entertainment? Relative to the 360, it's not going to blow it away graphics-wise so what else has it got going for it? Blu-Ray? Maybe. But then you need an HD TV, which very few people have or can afford.

Attn: HD fanboys, HD TV's are NOT going to dramatically drop in price over the next 2 years, so please don't bother saying 'HD is coming down in price' as if it will be affordable for most people. We may see some low-end HD TVs in the sub-$2K price, but that can still hardly be described as 'cheap' or 'affordable' when compared to the sub-$800 SD TVs the vast majority of the public own and purchase.

Any way you cut it, the PS3 has been designed to appeal to the early-adopting upper-class consumer. E.g. the type of guy who spends all of his disposable income on gadgets and stuff (we all know someone who has to have a new phone every 2 months, right?)

Maybe in another 1-2 years it will be pitched towards Average Joe, but at this point I just can't see it selling at the speed that the PS2 did. Also, in another 1-2 years (when it's affordable) it's graphics won't be cutting edge - PC's will over take it way before that.

admeister

6 years ago

Nintendo will definitely blow them out of the water with price. I'm expecting about $250 for the Wii, judging by the current specs, and todays prices, like for an Xbox.

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