New 40GB PS3 Official, Confirmation From SCEE

Providing an incredibly appealing entry point to the world of High Definition gaming and entertainment for the holiday season, the new PS3 brings the next generation of interactive home entertainment to homes all across Europe, Middle East, Africa and Australasia.

Along with an ever expanding line-up of PS3 titles (a total of 65 titles tracking across all genres by Christmas), the new PS3 is equipped with a 40GB HDD and includes all the features central to the High Definition entertainment experience; true next generation gameplay, stunning High Definition Blu-ray Disc movies, SIXAXIS wireless controller, Wi-Fi and HDMI connectivity, all powered by the Cell Broadband Engine, the digital heart of PS3.

As with the 60GB PS3, the new PS3 features upgradeable firmware allowing new features and functionality to be added to the system as time progresses. A recent firmware update, for example, enabled PS3 to upscale DVD's played on the system to full 1080P High Definition.

The introduction of the new PS3 has been determined following user feedback from thousands of existing PS3 owners as well as research into future potential PS3 owners. The new model features two USB 2.0 ports rather than four and no longer includes the multi memory card port.

The new model is no longer backwards compatible with PlayStation 2 titles, reflecting both the reduced emphasis placed on this feature amongst later purchasers of PS3, as well as the availability of a more extensive line-up of PS3 specific titles (a total of 65 titles across all genres by Christmas).

The existing Starter Pack, comprising a 60GB PS3 with extensive backwards compatibility, an additional SIXAXIS wireless controller and two first party titles will be reduced in price to €499. Remaining on sale while stocks last, the 60GB model represents outstanding value for the keen gamer wishing to upgrade to the High Definition capabilities of PS3."

So BC is missing from this model, which is a bit of a bummer, but I suspect at some point they will get full software emulation working for PS2 games.  Can't be that hard.

Yeah, this rumor has been going around for a few weeks now. It makes sense because Sony desperately needs to get their price down in NA, and it doesn't make sense because going from 80GB -> 40GB can't possibly have any savings for Sony (in fact its probably more expensive for them to use 40 GB HDD's).Teufelhuhn

Two addendums.

1.) The whole world.

2.) Have more games.

While I admit to owning one right now where it still has only a few worthwhile games, the reason is I want full hardware backwards compatibility. These 40 gig and 80 gig models seem to be lacking that. And that's a pain in the butt, even for the few meager Xbox games I had I wanted to play on my 360... and my PS2 catalogue is like 5 x larger than my Xbox was.

And yea, you're right, the profit margin is made up by merely changing the hard drive for the most part.

$400 with wifi?! Yep id buy it. Do I really want all three next gen systems though? That is the question....GodModeEnabled

Assuming each system keeps things exclusive like for instance Final Fantasy or Metal Gear Solid (if those games appeal to you), yea, it's worth it.

Yeah, this rumor has been going around for a few weeks now. It makes sense because Sony desperately needs to get their price down in NA, and it doesn't make sense because going from 80GB -> 40GB can't possibly have any savings for Sony (in fact its probably more expensive for them to use 40 GB HDD's).Teufelhuhn

Another SKU to mess up the picture, great. Remember the days when there was only one console from each manufacturer?matthewjackman

[QUOTE="matthewjackman"]Another SKU to mess up the picture, great. Remember the days when there was only one console from each manufacturer?MAILER_DAEMON

When did launch systems ever come with 2 controllers?

This is just ridiculous. If this really does come out this year this will be the 4th PS3??? The PS3's launch now rivals the N64 as the worst console launch in history. I hope every manufacturer learns a little something from this.
Robio_basic

This is just ridiculous. If this really does come out this year this will be the 4th PS3??? The PS3's launch now rivals the N64 as the worst console launch in history. I hope every manufacturer learns a little something from this.
Robio_basic

Correction.

Sega Saturn, Nokia N-Gage, Nintendo Virtua Boy and Atari Jaguar all did worse.

[QUOTE="Robio_basic"]This is just ridiculous. If this really does come out this year this will be the 4th PS3??? The PS3's launch now rivals the N64 as the worst console launch in history. I hope every manufacturer learns a little something from this.
rragnaar

Well there's other reasons why the PS3's first year is still not a good one. The whole rumble/no rumble controller thing, high price point, and unimpressive library are also good reasons. This is just icing on the cake.

[QUOTE="MAILER_DAEMON"][QUOTE="matthewjackman"]Another SKU to mess up the picture, great. Remember the days when there was only one console from each manufacturer?SemiMaster

When did launch systems ever come with 2 controllers?

[QUOTE="Robio_basic"]This is just ridiculous. If this really does come out this year this will be the 4th PS3??? The PS3's launch now rivals the N64 as the worst console launch in history. I hope every manufacturer learns a little something from this.
SemiMaster

Correction.

Sega Saturn, Nokia N-Gage, Nintendo Virtua Boy and Atari Jaguar all did worse.

Okay let's not even pretend that the N-Gage, Virutal Boy, and Jaguar were anything more than failed experiments. They don't even count. And the Saturn's launch actually went fine. For the first year they were pretty much neck-and-neck with the Playstation, though neither console was doing spectacular. It was that second year that the Saturn started to fall apart.

[QUOTE="rragnaar"][QUOTE="Robio_basic"]This is just ridiculous. If this really does come out this year this will be the 4th PS3??? The PS3's launch now rivals the N64 as the worst console launch in history. I hope every manufacturer learns a little something from this.
Robio_basic

Well there's other reasons why the PS3's first year is still not a good one. The whole rumble/no rumble controller thing, high price point, and unimpressive library are also good reasons. This is just icing on the cake.

I used to be opposed to multiple SKUs, but as long as makers bear in mind that the floor is the ceiling for game designers, upon further consideration I don't see a problem with it. People have to purchase multiple SKUs of every other product under the sun, why not videogame systems? However, I am willing to bet Sony won't have more than two SKUs on the shelves. The only PS3 SKU I see at my local game storeis the $500 model.

The big problem I have with the X360's multiple SKUs is the fact that the cheapest X360 lacks a hard drive, so MS limits the size of downloadable games (Eternity's Child, a Wii game which is generating some buzz, started life as an XBL Arcade game) and doesn't allow designers to built around the hard drive (in the unlikely event there is ever an Otogi 3, it wouldn't appear on the X360).

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=188622

This is a nice price point for the console. Not great, but nice. But there is something that bothers me:

It is PROOF that the PS3 was either 1) overpriced by Sony when it came out or 2) it truly was released 1 year too early.

But, oh well, whatever. I welcome a 360/PS3 price war. I'll probably get one once it gets down to $199-299. Sorry, but my second and third consoles have to be a lot cheaper than my first one to justify the purchase. Especially considering that the 360 is keeping me more than busy.

[QUOTE="SemiMaster"]

[QUOTE="MAILER_DAEMON"][QUOTE="matthewjackman"]Another SKU to mess up the picture, great. Remember the days when there was only one console from each manufacturer?MAILER_DAEMON

When did launch systems ever come with 2 controllers?

Then I got robbed, I only remember one.

no way a 40 gb hard drive will justify the $100 price drop. Sony is losing too much for every $600 system sold already. Several other things must be crippled, and/or sony plan on only manufacture tiny amount and use them as a $399 price marketing ploy just like the $499 20 gb model last year. banjobear_basic

[QUOTE="SemiMaster"]

[QUOTE="MAILER_DAEMON"][QUOTE="matthewjackman"]Another SKU to mess up the picture, great. Remember the days when there was only one console from each manufacturer?MAILER_DAEMON

When did launch systems ever come with 2 controllers?

And they came with free games too. Originally, the NES came with two games (Duck Hunt and Gyromite), a Zapper, two controllers, and ROB the robot! Snes had SMW, two controllers, RF and stereo AV cables. Back then, Nintendo made sure that everything that a gamer needed came in the box. Man, I miss those days.

[QUOTE="MAILER_DAEMON"][QUOTE="SemiMaster"]

[QUOTE="MAILER_DAEMON"][QUOTE="matthewjackman"]Another SKU to mess up the picture, great. Remember the days when there was only one console from each manufacturer?Ravenprose

When did launch systems ever come with 2 controllers?

And they came with free games too. Originally, the NES came with two games (Duck Hunt and Gyromite), a Zapper, two controllers, and ROB the robot! Snes had SMW, two controllers, RF and stereo AV cables. Back then, Nintendo made sure that everything that a gamer needed came in the box. Man, I miss those days.

Not me. Two controllers was cool, but I could have lived without ROB, Gyromite, the Zapper and Duck Hunt. The first two were just flat out terrible, the last two were good, but I was never a big fan of light gun games. I got more mileage out of Super Mario Brothers and Excitebike. Of course, creating the illusion of value by cramming games down gamers' throats seems to be coming back into ****(the Wii in the US comes with Wiisports,the X360'swheel comes with PGR3). I wouldn't mind seeing more cables and suchlike included though.

This is great news if true. Granted, I don't know how Sony is managing to drop another hundred off the price, but there's not a doubt in my mind that this is what they need to do. It puts Microsoft back in the pricing hotseat and levels the playing field.

I'm definitely inclined to believe this. This would explain why a lot of noisy developers (Konami, Square)that were saying they may have to move projects to other platforms have gotten quiet. I think they're waiting for this bomb to drop, and if this doesn't do the trick, then the crap will hit the fan.

I think this holiday season is definitely Sony's own Helm's Deep.

This is great news if true. Granted, I don't know how Sony is managing to drop another hundred off the price, but there's not a doubt in my mind that this is what they need to do. It puts Microsoft back in the pricing hotseat and levels the playing field.

I'm definitely inclined to believe this. This would explain why a lot of noisy developers (Konami, Square)that were saying they may have to move projects to other platforms have gotten quiet. I think they're waiting for this bomb to drop, and if this doesn't do the trick, then the crap will hit the fan.

I think this holiday season is definitely Sony's own Helm's Deep.

Shame-usBlackley

I just got a mental image of J Allard and Bill Gates dressed up like Orcs.

I just got a mental image of J Allard and Bill Gates dressed up like Orcs.

rragnaar

:lol:

Yeah, and Kaz dressed up like Legolas. And check this out: Kutaragi dressed up like Gimli.

"Toss me. I said toss me!"

[QUOTE="rragnaar"]

I just got a mental image of J Allard and Bill Gates dressed up like Orcs.

Shame-usBlackley

:lol:

Yeah, and Kaz dressed up like Legolas. And check this out: Kutaragi dressed up like Gimli.

"Toss me. I said toss me!"

sounds like a good deal. I might even get one some day.

"Pocket-Lint reports that Sony Computer Entertainment Europe will be making a series of big announcements tomorrow for its UK customers. These include a price reduction of the 60GB PlayStation 3 (currently priced at £425), down £56 to £369.

There will also supposedly be an official announcement of the much-rumoured 40GB version, which will be priced at £299, and in other news the starter pack, which was announced at E3 in July, will be phased out. The new 40GB version will come with Wi-Fi and a SixAxis controller, but will have two less USB slots, and also lose the emotion engine chip and memory card reader, according to Pocket-Lint's sources."

$400 with wifi?! Yep id buy it. Do I really want all three next gen systems though? That is the question....GodModeEnabled

yeah, that is indeed the question. we gotta see some more "ZOMG THIS GAME IS A KILLER APP" type games for the PS3. Hopefully, MGS and Final Fantasy will do just that.

LAWL awesome!

But the question really is, does it matter??? The all of the PS3 exclusves are up in the air right now, and really the only "must-have" game for PS3 right now is Resistance, and well now that Halo 3 is out, there is realy is no reason to even drop $300 on a PS3 regardless of how much memory they shove in it.Magicmaster-E

It's gonna get killer exclusives, though, notably MGS4 and Sony's first party games, which have been increasing in quality (e.g. the God of War series). If there's a PS3 at the same price as the 360, I'd take the PS3... mainly because MS refuses to fix the problems with the 360 before units get on the shelves.

[QUOTE="Magicmaster-E"]But the question really is, does it matter??? The all of the PS3 exclusves are up in the air right now, and really the only "must-have" game for PS3 right now is Resistance, and well now that Halo 3 is out, there is realy is no reason to even drop $300 on a PS3 regardless of how much memory they shove in it.Angry_Beaver

It's gonna get killer exclusives, though, notably MGS4 and Sony's first party games, which have been increasing in quality (e.g. the God of War series). If there's a PS3 at the same price as the 360, I'd take the PS3... mainly because MS refuses to fix the problems with the 360 before units get on the shelves.

That, and for me anyway, I see plenty of games on the horizon that are good in spite of not being Halo 3. Folklore, Uncharted, and Eye of Judgment are all day one purchases for me. Sony has never really relied on one game to be a system seller, but rather on a varied bunch of titles across all genres. Admittedly they haven't done great in the first year of the PS3, but things are looking up.

[QUOTE="GodModeEnabled"]$400 with wifi?! Yep id buy it. Do I really want all three next gen systems though? That is the question....Astral_Vapor

yeah, that is indeed the question. we gotta see some more "ZOMG THIS GAME IS A KILLER APP" type games for the PS3. Hopefully, MGS and Final Fantasy will do just that.

Well, this is without doubt a smart, necessary move. The PS3 has been getting hammered in territories it used to own, and that situation is untenable when you're the reigning champ of the previous two generations. And you're right, it needs to be coupled with games that people feel they HAVE to play.

But while I'm definitely enthused about Sony's new plan, I don't foresee this making a whole lot of headway for them beyond the short-term. The effects of the $100 drop petered outafter a month or two. To frame the situation, they've just now gotten to the price that Microsoft launched at two years ago, and Microsoft, despite having (in my opinion) the best software library on the market bar none, has received mediocre at best results at retail.

The truth is that no system has attained the numbers that Sony desperately needs to post with the PS3 at a $400 price, including the 360. The long-standing rule was that software sold systems, but the 360 is quickly tempering that somewhat, showing that software AND mass-market pricing sells systems, but that also, there is definitely a glass (or in this case, plexiglass) ceiling when it comes to what people will pay to play something as trivial as a video game. Both companies have made the mistake of thinking the public buys the whole "entertainment hub" spiel, or howthis is a lifestyle that is worth spending hundreds(if not thousands) on. Microsoft is still not at the mass-market point yet (even at $350) and even the old launch standard of $300 wasn't considered mass market. It was until the systems got into the sub-$200 range that theyactually started to sell really well. Microsoft and Sony are going to continue to bleed money out their derrieres, because either the systems don't sell, or they cut the price on a system that costs so much to make that when it does sell, they bleed even more.

Either way, bleeding is not the established successfulmodel for a console. The established norm was that you sold at a loss (a small one), but recouped that loss by selling a ton of software. Microsoft is selling a ton of software , and they're still bleeding money. What will a collective $200 markdown in less than a year do to Sony, especialy with less-than-stellar software sales and a Japanese market that increasingly starts with the letter "N"? It's going to bleed like a freshly opened artery, and they are going to have to have games that sell millions of copies to even begin to compensate for it. This is the point they'll live or die by.

While I think the lower price of the PS3 is a definite win for the consumer, I think Sony's financials (and stockholders) will view it in a much different light. Although, given the circumstances and the fact that they can't go back in time and undo a $600 mistake, what else could they do?

The only reason for a 40GB HDD that comes to mind would be to create an illusion that you're actually getting your money's worth if you go for the 80GB HDD model.

Anyway, this doesn't change things much for me personally. It's still too much money and not enough games especially considering that I don't give a crap about what are supposedly PS3's heavyhitters - Uncharted, Ratchet & Clank, Final Fantasy, and Metal Gear Solid. Show me Rockstar's and Quantic Dream's PS3 projects, and Ueda's next game and then we'll talk.

The only reason for a 40GB HDD that comes to mind would be to create an illusion that you're actually getting your money's worth if you go for the 80GB HDD model.

Anyway, this doesn't change things much for me personally. It's still too much money and not enough games especially considering that I don't give a crap about what are supposedly PS3's heavyhitters - Uncharted, Ratchet & Clank, Final Fantasy, and Metal Gear Solid. Show me Rockstar's and Quantic Dream's PS3 projects, and Ueda's next game and then we'll talk.

UpInFlames

I think they're striving for striking a comparison between the 20 gig 360 and the 40 gig PS3, and in that sense it works. Especially so with the wi-fi built in (I hate wi-fi with a passion, but some rely on it) and the ability to play hi-def movies.

But you're totally right -- I think they need a flood of high quality software that appeals to a base beyond the existing one. Final Fantasy and Metal Gear are a ways off, and I don't think Ratchet and Uncharted are capable of sustaining an entire holiday season. I love Ratchet (bought every one but the last), but I think it was a series that benefitted greatly from the diverse, vast base of the PS2. I don't think Ratchet is going to make much more of an impact than Hot Shots Golf (a multi-million seller in the PS2 days) made when it debuted in Japan earlier this year. Uncharted has the chance to be a sleeper (and I love Naughty Dog, especially for their technical prowess), so that's one to watch at least, but I don't think it's going to fare any better than the last Tomb Raider, which had the luxury of lineage, sex appeal, and a retooling of the series to buoy it.