Confirmed: No PS3 price cut for U.S.

[SpOoNmAn]

Sony has confirmed that the price cut for the 20GB version of the PlayStation 3 is region specific - there will be no reduction in price for the US.

The price of the Japanese 20GB model has been slashed before launch, from 62,790 yen (421 euro) to 49,980 yen (335 euro).

But speculation of possible price cuts outside of the region has been quashed, with Sony boss Kaz Hirai stating "There are no plans right now to adjust the pricing for the US market," in an interview with GameSpot.

The reduction in price has been seen as a token effort by one industry analyst, with UBS Securities' Mike Wallace commenting, "This price cut is only on the 20GB version of the PS3 in Japan, which in our view is not significant given that the US is the key market for the PS3."

Wallace also labelled the move "a questionable business decision and a sign of weakness."

Japanese firm Retela Crea Securities also recently branded the price cut "ridiculous".

Source

[Jon Liu]

that is so stupid. Yes, let's play favorites! I am not too thrilled about the way Sony is doing things around here. "WORLD WIDE ANNOUNCEMENT! WE HAVE GREAT NEWS FOR THE WORLD! EUROPE WON'T GET IT UNTIL NEXT YEAR! OUR NUMBER OF UNITS HAVE BEEN CUT IN HALF TO 2 MILLION TO SHIP BEFORE YEARS END! WE ARE ONLY CATERING TO THE JAPANESE PUBLIC BUY CUTTING THEIR PRICES BY 20% FOR THE LOWER END MODEL! REAL-TIME WEAPON CHANGE!!!!!!!!!! "

Oh well, I guess I am swaying further and further away from Sony at the moment.

[SpOoNmAn]

In all fairness, they are catering to the states just as much by shipping 400,000 units here, japan is only getting 100,000.

As far as swaying, I wont stop you

[CamDawg]

Interesting. thanks for posting Spoon. I guess I be going without a BluRay player (the only reason that I wanted a PS3) until either the PS3 or a stand alone BluRay player drops to around $400.

My new HD-A1 stand alone HD-DVD player is giving me plenty of HD lovin' so I can be patient for a couple of years.

[BrewCityUpstart]

Grrr...stoopid Soreknee!

[Jon Liu]

400,000? Mehhhhhh just because we believe in christmas and those japs don't! totally kiddin' there.

Seriously though... those numbers sound weak... 500,000? What were the xbox 360 number like? Were they around that number?

[SpOoNmAn]

I believe around 380,000 360s sold immediately. That might have been all they shipped. Dreamcast had the most ever, check out this post I made in the Nintendo area...

*Nevermind, you replied in that thread

[NuclearCujo]

I loved my PS2, but i will NOT be throwing that much money down for the 3. Every new bit of info I get concerning them, turns me off even more.