'PS3 Slim' rumor fervor hard to fathom

"Fanboy-driven fervor with no substance.

A rumored new PlayStation 3 form factor that could well be on the horizon...But why..people seem to be so excited about this as-yet-unseen console? After all, the PS3..has lagged far behind its competitors.

Even when the video game industry was still roaring...the PS3..badly trailed both the Wii and Xbox. Yet by all measures, Sony has come up short with the PS3.

So why all the enthusiasm?

"The only real (reason) I can (think of) is 'fandom' or 'fan-boy-ness"..hopes it will help Sony pull out of third place in the console race..For others..something smaller, and possibly cooler--current PS3s run pretty warm."

..slow sales aside..this may be Sony's chance to catch up...For me, it doesn't make sense. To be sure, I'm not one of the partisans, but I just can't help thinking that even a newer, slimmer PS3 is still going to..be more expensive than its rivals, and have a games library which...is generally seen as less impressive than what's available for Xbox.

And clearly, I'm not the only one who feels this way.

"I think it's an overblown waste of time"..until we know, it's just rumors and speculation to torment the fanboy mind."

[usern4g]

I think the author is dead-on-the money.

I've said many times -- and heard it oft repeated -- that the ps3 slim is just a non-issue frankly.

Sony must start a price war to jump start it's install base -- just as Activision warned -- unless they do not, they will continue to languish and fail in distant 3rd.

I expect a $230-$260 PS3 by January - slim or not, things arent looking good for PS3 (PS3 sales are in freefall and titles are not earning sales).

I know this will bristle the feathers of a loyalist crowd at N4G, but please, consider this soberly before you hit disagree or nail bubbles, their isnt much good news for Sony's distant 3rd console in some time.

The PS3 had a bad start, a brief recovery and now a long steady decline. The PS3 slim - unless it is all-but "Dumped" at a super low price point, isnt going to make any dent.

And, as Carmack said, I fully expect the PS4 to hit market first for Sony to quickly try and end this gen.

[randomwiz]

we'll find out in 12 hours about a price drop.

There's no way Sony will sell the ps3 at $399 when production costs are $240. You really think that they'll keep the price at $399.

"PS3 sales are in freefall and titles are not earning sales"
PS3 software sales aren't bad.

[BulletToothtony]

if they were released at the same time the ps3 would be ahead..

More importantly, the ps3 has a wider variety with better titles than the 360 does now.. so why do i care if it hasn't caught up yet..

People love to forget that the 360 came out a year earlier and the ps3 came out almost a year and a half later in europe.. so get your numbers right MS_Cnet and stop trying to put down the ps3 like you always have since it came out..

[poindat]

You may think he is right, but there is one thing that certainly does not belong in this article... The 'PS3 has no games' argument.

I'm trying really hard to keep a middle ground here, but come on... does he even have a PS3? The PS3 library is just as good as the 360 one.... In fact, they are almost completely similar. The majority of "must own" titles are multiplatform, and there are enough great exclusives to fill the gaps on both consoles.

For every exclusive the 360 has, the PS3 has one to match and vice-versa.

There was no reason whatsoever for him to include the games argument in a PS3 Slim article anyway. Higher sales aren't going to change a thing... 3rd party exclusives are all but gone; 1st party is where it's at, and more sales are NOT going to make a 1st party dev make more or less exclusives or switch sides (that is laughable).

Jeez...

[chaosatom]

Cnet.com. :(

[TheBand1t]

Cherrypie's new account I see.

[Aclay]

"The PS3 slim - unless it is all-but "Dumped" at a super low price point, isnt going to make any dent."

Did you forget what happened the last time the PS3 got a price cut in Nov. 2007? It outsold the 360 for the first half of 2008 Worldwide and in the U.S., and in 2008 the PS3 temporarily surpassed the 360's installbase in Europe despite launching over a year later and costing more. It wasn't until Microsoft dropped the 360's price in Europe last year for a 2nd time that they regained the lead in that territory, but after GT5 hits, I expect that to change.

And despite the PS3's so called "low sales", the 360 has ONLY sold 0.1 million more during the first half of this year. In that case, if PS3 sales are low, then so are the 360's because the PS3's cheapest console is half price of the 360 Arcade.

I'll just end my comment with: FFXIII in Japan + GT5 + PS3 Slim/$299 PS3 = MASSIVE Impact, there's no doubt about it. With system sellers like that on the horizon, a PS3 Slim or simply just a cheaper PS3 will make a HUGE dent.

[Anon1974]

Read the article. Now compare it to the description above. The two aren't even remotely similar. The poster took some guys email that's mentioned in the article and copied it above to make it sound like this random email is the authors opinion that he's expressing. It's not. It's some guys email the author simply mentions in the article.

What a hack job usern4g pulled in submitting this article. He completely misrepresents the article by cutting and pasting random quotes from throughout the article. This should have been failed in it's current form until he fixed that description.

[solidjun5]

I wouldn't be surprised at the very least. Not at all.

On a lighter note. Did SONY step on CNET's bichon frise?

[aparri24]

Does ANYONE even consider why there is SO MUCH anticipation around a price cut/new model of the Black Beast!!!!!..... There is so much anticipation because it's a price cut/new model to maybe one of the greatest consoles ever manufactured in video gaming history, if not THE BEST.... the variety and diversity of the console is second to none.... no other console on the planet right now is more technically impressive than the PS3....

Here's a link and testament to what I'm talking about:
http://lacal.epfl.ch/page81...

Here is another one:
http://www.youtube.com/watc...

so you see the technical gibberish may not mean alot to all you fanboys... but I know why I purchased my PS3.... I don't regret any cent I paid for it either.... because I realize quality and value when I see it.... there is no way I am going to purchase a console that has a 33% to 54% failure rate, I'm sorry.....

The PS3 is where it's at to play the games that DEFINE this generation simple fact.... the competition doesn't come close..... the sheer quality of exclusives speak for themselves, and they are only going to get better..... so when this generation over and the media looks back to nominate the games that stood out for GAME OF THE GENERATION award, it will be the PS3 exclusives that will be competing against one another..... the competition will be utterly left behind in terms of QUALITY.....

[Headshot81]

"Fanboy-driven fervor with no substance".
Slim or no slim, price is what matters, and sony will be dropping prices like hot potatoes. If theres a slim, that would be the icing on the cake. Clearly, i haven't heard any good ps3 articles from CNET. Theres a million more great things that the ps3 has to offer, why only concentrate on the bad all the time, when sony is starting to gain momentum?
EITHER WAY, THIS IS THE LAST CNET ARTICLE IM GOING TO COMMENT ON, GOOD OR BAD, I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE THEM HITS, GOTTA HIT'EM ON THEIR POCKET BOOK.

[iagainsti120]

@ aparri24 1.9 - "PS3 dominates even in third place ",
do you read anything that you type in what universe does 3rd place = domination, I'm just wondering that's all.
oh Cryptologic Algorithms have nothing to do with game performance, same with Linux <- i don't care if the ps3 can run it iv got a real computer to use to surf the webs and i can't stand the Linux GUI.
oh and i think the best console ever was the SNES i like the huge library of very fun games it has and its uber light gun.<- not making that up really is my favorite system

I would love for there to be a slim ps3 i would buy one now if it was out but until then ill keep my eye out for launch models so i can get backwards compatibility, i really want to play Rage on a PS3 since its gunna be split up on to 2 discs for xbox.

[eagle21]

go play teh geeerz and teh HaLo. lol :)

[iagainsti120]

"1.12 - @usern4G... I think that's the most stupid comment in N4G history.
go play teh geeerz and teh HaLo. lol :) "

I'm have to agree with you on that i can't stand outlandish fanboy comments like that.

below not aimed at eagle21 just me ranting
I like my xbox 360 a lot but i would also like a ps3 and if they lower the price or make a slim, I'll buy it. I just cant afford to buy a new system right now between bills expenses, going out with friends and coworkers, buying new games/movies it gets hard to afford a $360-$450 (prices from NewEgg) console.

[FamilyGuy]

The description is written like a comment straight from usern4gs keyboard. Then I see he posted it and edited the actual article to make this the description. Picking and choosing how HE wanted to describe what was being said.

It's ridiculous that this was approved in this form.

The PS3 console itself has the most anticipation behind anything going on with it compared to any other ELECTRONIC in history (well since the light bulb and then the radio and then the Tv)
To say a price drop wouldn't do much is a clear sign that someone or something has brainwashed you.

I assure you, Microsoft is scarred sh1tless right now and rightly so. You should be aware of the possibilities as well.
M$ knows that the PS3 was dominating last year and they HAD TO preform an act of desperation to keep market share.
M$ knows that the PS3 has PASSED them in notable exclusives
M$ knows that if someone saw their console and sonys console priced the same at a retail store that their console would be COMPLETELY ignored.
M$ knows that their year head start is their only saving grace as the PS3 with two competitors on the market and at the highest break in price still managed to sell more consoles in 2.5 years than they did at a lower break in price and NO competition for a year and more in some countries.

The PS3s price is EVERYTHING. There's literally nothing to complain about with that console. Some may want a feature or two or an upgraded feature but for the most part owning a PS3 and no other console would keep ANY gamer happy right now.

Think about it.

[Syronicus]

Two things...

First, you agree with Activision and what that douche bag Kotick said about the PS3...

Second, you quote Carmack.

These are two obvious reasons why I say you need a healthy does of...

[Microsoft Xbox 360]

LOL @ description. That's open zone material right there. He tries to write all smart but ends up looking like an idiot instead. 360 fanboys are so desperate these days.

[Qayin]

If the 360 has a 54% failure rate wouldnt that mean that there is more PlayStation 3s in customers homes its simple math

[Arthur_]

Its not going to sell, until Sony drops the price, and markets the console to the public better.

[Raptors]

I will definitely be purchasing a slim. Unfortunately my ps3 fans come on about 15 mins into usage and is very loud. Love the system, hate the fact it runs so warm.

[PirateThom]

"After all, the PS3..has lagged far behind its competitors. "

More bull from CNET, pretty much neck and neck with its competitor since it launched.

[usern4g]

I'm sorry -- and I'm trying to be delicate and respectful -- but I cannot see how you could possibly reach that conclusion.

The PS3 is *well* back in 3rd place. PS3 sales since last Fall have been worse than the the year prior (ie: A further decline/distance in 3rd).

Game sales have been very poor.

3rd parties are saying "increase the install base or we drop you". Carmack has said "Sony will release PS4 first" due to the obvious state of the PS3.

Your vision of the current state of PS3 is just unattached from reality frankly. I'm sorry that bothers you, I'm sorry you're not comfortable with that - but it's time for sober reality: The PS3 is well on track to being a case-study in Console failure.

[PirateThom]

You want some "harsh reality".

PS3 is double the price of the 360.

Last year, their sales were neck and neck, this year, the 360 had a 0.1m lead.

That's the "harsh reality" of the PS3s "failure".

[chaosdivine]

"3rd parties are saying 'increase the install base or we drop you'."

Who are these companies that are saying this? The only recent comment from someone that said something similar was from Bobby "idiot" Kotick (the same idiot who said he would raise game prices even further during a worldwide recession if it was up to him)who was clearly bluffing and just putting out an empty threat to Sony. After looking at Activision's last quarterly reports, Activision would have to be complete idiots to drop the PS3 as they make good revenue.

"Carmack has said 'Sony will release PS4 first' due to the obvious state of the PS3."

Because we all know Carmack has inside info at Sony Computer Entertainment. He's no more knowledgeable about the next Playstation's release than a random forum poster.

I also think you have a very US-centric view of things and need to look at the bigger picture which would be worldwide performance.

[randomwiz]

"The PS3 is well on track to being a case-study in Console failure"

Im sorry, but did you start gaming this gen? The ps3 has surpassed the lifetime sales of the gamecube, and its nearing the lifetime sales of the orginial xbox.

You have no idea what a real console failure looks like

[usern4g]

@2.3

Right. Because the president of Activision should be considered an "idiot" in the industry.

If you think men with that kind of power say *anything* in public they dont mean or dont intend to be taken seriously you're fooling yourself.

*rolls eyes*

[Megaton]

One 3rd party said that about the PS3, and several others mocked that 3rd party for it. Thom is absolutely correct about the numbers too. Chock up the rest of the difference to the 360 getting outta the gate a year earlier.

Seriously, what the hell Cnet? Are you hiring your writers out of N4G's Open Zone?

[Genesis5]

The president of Activision didn't seem to mind the $150 million in revenue Sony generated for them. How does he tell the stock holders the he is going cease collecting that money?

[RememberThe357]

Dude, stop trying. If you were right Thom would have agreed with you. He's one of the most logical people on this site. It is this kind of crap that need to be reined in here. These type of comments don't add to the discussion. Instead they miss lead it down a path of fanboyish bickering.

And if you really think that Kotick was being real, check out Howard Stringer response: http://www.reuters.com/arti...

Oh and Biowre's comment: http://kotaku.com/5314061/b...

[Anon1974]

The idea that the PS3 isn't keeping up with the competition isn't supported by the facts. 2007, dead even. 2008, dead even with the 360. Even with the 360's price cut so far for the first half of 2009 Microsoft and Sony's own fiscal updates show only 190,000 separates the two consoles. The notion that somehow the PS3 isn't selling doesn't stand up to the facts. It's moved millions more units in it's first 2 1/2 years then the 360 did in it's first 2 1/2 years providing overwhelming evidence that the PS3 is being adopted by consumers at a much faster rate than the 360.

Last year for the first 8 months of the year the 360 was trailing the PS3 by over a million consoles. Then a price cut turned it around so it could end the year with a virtual tie. You really don't think that a price cut for the PS3 this year could easily erase the 360's 190,000 console lead worldwide so far in 2009?

[Parapraxis]

usern4g - 1 hour ago
PM
Track
Ignore

HMMM...I think that last option sounds good.
What a fail article, fail description and fail troll.

[solidjun5]

you're more a fanboy than an objective observer. Particularly with choice comments like "The PS3 is well on track to being a case-study in Console failure". Seriously just stop. That fact you're fervently defending this article with augments that does not support the 'Reality' of the current generation shows how you're REALLY being respectful and delicate.

Also...this is from cnet.com. Nothing new here.

[ZOMBIEMAN1]

i think Cnet are just trying to take away the hype because these past days there were tons of Sony article based on that a price cut could happen and the slim possible new games it's crazy hell MS & nintendo got 0 hype at gamescon that's why there down playing PS3 slim and honestly why call it pointless now where were they when Sony made a slim of PSOne , PS2 & PSP it's what Sony does they always make a slim

[ZuperAmazingCooKie]

In fact, PS3 is the 3rd best-selling console at its current rate, only behind the Wii (which sucks according to many gamers) and PS2 (which is the best console ever by any objective measure you can think off). That means it is above 360, PS1, NES, SNES, Genesis and N64, none of which are considered failures.

It can only be concluded that UserN4G is a deluded fanboy.

[JonnyBigBoss]

You have won every argument I have seen you get into. Mind me asking how you do it? These guys just have no way to counter you. Your irrefutable factual evidence stomps the logical fallacies and irrationality that the 360 users that plague this site post.

[commodore64]

It's sad how statistics are skewed, misrepresented, and taken out of context in this thread, just so people can delude themselves into thinking they have won arguments.
Let's review some basic facts, shall we?

Fact is,
this past year, including the most recent quarter, the ps3 is being outsold EXTREMELY convincingly, despite doubling as a cheap bluray player - a decisive advantage that the competition does not have.

Fact is,
in the last twelve months, the sales gap has grown back to what it was in 2006.

Fact is,
Ps3 sales have FALLEN year on year, while 360 sales have RISEN year on year.

Fact is,
Sony desperately needs a price cut to compete, but CANNOT afford it, despite the 70% PS3 cost reduction.
http://www.gamegrep.com/new...

Fact is,
the high PS3 price ironically is used to excuse inferior sales, but concurrently is ALSO used to justify PS3 value and inclusions, which SHOULD translate into market leading sales, yet do not!
(think about it)

Fact is,
given the reputation of the ps2, the ps3 should be doing much better.
No brainer.

Fact is,
the ps3 is third and falling further behind, after 3 years on the market, after multiple sku revisions and price drops, after MGS4, after LBP, after R2, after Motorstorm2, after Killzone2, after 'Home' and despite free PSN!
WOW!

Bottom line:
No matter which way you spin, guys, the above facts remain.
So yeah, if you want to congratulate yourselves on winning 'arguments', then feel free. It seems that not much else is left...
;)

[RememberThe357]

Your using assumptions and conjecture and expecting us to take it as fact. (It's amazing actually)

Fact is, your taking an incredibly micro-economic view of the situation, which doesn't help you point since they have a ten year business model for the PS3.

Fact is, Sony already knows what they need to do and they will do it mark my word on that.

Fact is, taking a broad look at the industry as a whole, it's doing quite swimmingly.

But you go ahead with your doom and gloom, and keep reading only what you want the fact to tell you.

[snp]

"Fact is,
this past year, including the most recent quarter, the ps3 is being outsold EXTREMELY convincingly, despite doubling as a cheap bluray player - a decisive advantage that the competition does not have."
----

I don't consider the numbers EXTREMELY convincing personally. As for Bluray; the prices on cheap players have come down significantly in the last year. The PS3 has nowhere near the price advantage on this front that it had back in say 2007.

-----
Fact is,
in the last twelve months, the sales gap has grown back to what it was in 2006.

Fact is,
Ps3 sales have FALLEN year on year, while 360 sales have RISEN year on year.
------

The 'fact' is that the XBox had an enormous price cut on the back of falling sales and losing marketshare (which granted has turned things around for them). The 'fact' is that Sony whether through obstinence or inability hasn't countered this price cut - what happens when they do is the entire debate.

-------
Fact is,
Sony desperately needs a price cut to compete, but CANNOT afford it, despite the 70% PS3 cost reduction.
http://www.gamegrep.com/new...
-------

Who knows whether they can or not? The bulk of gaming revenue comes from royalties on game sales. I've not seen an equation done myself to prove or dispel the advantages of pricing the PS3 more competitively - and certainly your link provides no 'facts' either way (just shows what happens to companies who provide non-essentials during global recessions).

----
Fact is,
the high PS3 price ironically is used to excuse inferior sales, but concurrently is ALSO used to justify PS3 value and inclusions, which SHOULD translate into market leading sales, yet do not!
(think about it)
-----

In an ideal world where each consumer has interest in the extras and where parents aren't buying for kids on limited budgets etc, and where an economic recession globally isn't making 'cheapest option' more preferable... yes, in that world - which isn't this one atm - you'd have a point.

In 'this' world, 'fact' is an entry price half that of the most similar competitor - with many of the same games - is the difference between a buy and not a buy.

I've just invested some money in a managed fund - i had two options: 1)have a big chunk taken out upfront but much lower ongoing fees, or 2)have no entry fee but higher ongoing fees. My adviser said he always recommends 2, but finds people go with option 1. Why? Because people bulk at paying up front - even if it costs them in the long run.

It's not a coincidence MS has the Arcade unit. They'd be well aware of the psychology of "$199!!!", and its effect on people regardless what extras are or aren't included.

-----
Fact is,
given the reputation of the ps2, the ps3 should be doing much better.
No brainer.
------

Sure. Mind you, Sony could have cut the PS2 off at the knees and probably pushed a number of sales through on the PS3 had they chosen to follow Microsofts path with the XBox. Not doing so has pro's and cons.

----
Fact is,
the ps3 is third and falling further behind, after 3 years on the market, after multiple sku revisions and price drops, after MGS4, after LBP, after R2, after Motorstorm2, after Killzone2, after 'Home' and despite free PSN!
WOW!
----

Falling further behind atm, catching quite convincingly pre-significant price last cut on the XBox. Future? Remains to the be seen.

As the dearest entry price console of the two by 2:1 - and more in areas outside the US (eg. Australia is more 2.5:1) - the PS3 has the most waggle room in terms of picking up interested 'but can't afford it; especially at the moment' customers. Whether they manage to or not we'll find out if and when the price comes down.

[iagainsti120]

if you want a console that became a case study look no further than the piece of flaming dog crap that is the SEGA Genesis with the SEGA CD and 32x add-on or the SEGA Saturn, the NEO-Geo, Sega Game Gear, the 3DO, and Virtual Boy

[Information Minister]

@ Commodore 64:

Your OPINION isn't FACT. But here's some "facts" of my own for ya: with 1 year head start and at half the price, the Xbox 360 should now have twice the PS3's install base. But it doesn't. In fact, the 360's lead right now is comparable to what it was when the PS3 was first released. It was even outsold by the more expensive PS3 for a while, forcing Microsoft to drop the price. Now, with rumors of a PS3 price cut, there's a high chance the PS3 will once again surpass the 360 in monthly sales. And that's why xbox fanboys such as yourself are in hyper-fud mode, doing damage control left and right.

@ johnscooper:

The CD-I, the Jaguar and the 5200 were miserable failures. The Genesis, the Saturn and the Neo-Geo were not.

[Bubble Buddy]

I agree. Pirate Thom is one of the most honest and logical people on this site. We'll see today what happens.

[Goomba12]

In software sales it has been lacking behind the competition. Hardware sales have been alright, considering the price point. I feel the price point is what is affecting software sales. The Ps3 has great games, just not a whole lot of them.

[iagainsti120]

I know the Sega Genesis is not a failure what i was trying to say was that the Sega CD and the 32x were failures and sucked badly as for the Sega Saturn i never even knew anyone who bought one and the neo-geo i never cared about either.

[Ziriux]

Yay, great more PS3 slim articles.

[Ace_235]

this is some pretty biased stuff.
I own both consoles but xbox library is not impressive over ps3's at all.
the only thing i like more about the xbox library is the rpgs.
But i still play my ps2 rpgs more then any system.
I'm not saying the xbox's library is lackluster just saying its not better then ps3's.
I still love gears of war and all. just sayin.

[Pistolero]

You can't substitute your opinions for facts though....the 360 does have a much larger library of games with more games at every rating...above 80...above 90...etc. I'm not saying the PS3 has a bad library because I have a PS3 and I really like many of its games...but it is an objective fact that the 360 has a larger library of well scoring games.

[cmrbe]

how is 8 million behind a distant 3rd?.

PS3 fanboys are not the ones bringing up all these rumors. Its the media/industry/gamers.

I know Cnet is biased but this is downright stupid.

[hates video games]

but oh well. Cnet is a pretty stinky site. They have nothing ever useful on there site.

[cmrbe]

the bots are going crazy. Don't worry bots, 14 more hours.

[JonnyBadfinger]

what happens in 4 hours???

is that Dooms Day for the PS3??

When GT5 is given a release date i might then look at buying a PS3, but at the moment it has nothing i want.

[Mo0eY]

54.2%

[Sir Ken_Kutaragi]

Why do people talk about the PS3+Slim+Anything to do with the PS3???...

It's because it's the most WANTED Games console on the Planet!!! ;-P

[ravinash]

people have been saying they want a PS3 at a lower price.
Now that it looks like it might happen with a slim version their getting excited.
Whats so hard to understand???

And that games comment is rubbish.

I could say the same thing about 360, but thats only because I only got Bioshock and Mass Effect for it. One later came out for PS3 and the other I will be getting for my PC later so I can play Mass Effect 2 on the PC. But thats my opinion.

[ravens52]

watsup wit tha gun in the picture?

[Max Power]

of a black market playstation 3 "slim" from 1 or 2 years ago, I think the dude who got it said, his brother was in the Philippines or China or something and bought for him as a joke.

[hates video games]

its owned by MS

[Anon1974]

However, CBS and Microsoft have always had a close relationship. There's actually an exclusives agreement for CBS's shows like Heroes to be exclusive to XBL, but that's just one facet of the longterm relationship that Microsoft has with CBS.

Gamespot and Cnet, underwent an editorial shift just prior to the CBS merger. Although it was rumored that there was a financial deal there, it's probably more likely that Gamespot simply looked at their demographic, saw 60% of the world's 360 owners lived in the US and the US being their main audience decided to go pro-Microsoft. Take any news article regarding Sony and Microsoft. Even if the content doesn't warrant it, Gamespot writers will always use words with negative connotations when writing regarding Sony, or bring up unrelated little tidbits to try to make things look better. For example, and article about the PSN will undoubtedly have them throw in something negative about Home.
They've been at it for at least a couple of years now. Personally, I was a huge fan of Gamespot back in the day and used the site for nearly a decade (I remember when it was www.videogames.com) It was certainly sad for me as a fan to witness their changes, even if I could understand the business side of it.

[LordMarius]

Lame ass article
I guess the bots are trying to downplay the hype
Bots just close your eyes it will soon be over

[LordMarius]

Damn a new low for Cnet
Trying to downplay the hype
pathetic

[cmrbe]

It must kill the author that everyone is talking about Sony and nothing about MS. Come to think of it. I really don't know what MS is showing.

[Max Power]

people are still talking about the 360, didn't MS just increase the price of the arcade unit in the UK, and dropped HD cables from the new price cut elite bundle?

[Parapraxis]

Yup they did Max, those people disagreeing with you better peruse N4G for a minute.

[cmrbe]

no one really cares about those news. It came and now gone while people are still talking about PS3 price cut,slim or new FW update.

[Bubble Buddy]

You're correct Max Power but MS news these days seem to be mostly bad news, while Sony's is mixed with bad and good, the latter being more present.

[NegativeCreep427]

"...slimmer PS3 is still going to..be more expensive than its rivals, and have a games library which...is generally seen as less impressive than what's available for Xbox."

Okay that was it. That was the "WTF? Is this serious?" breaking point. This author is either really behind the curve or broke through the time matrix and is somehow communicating with us from the year 2007.

This is f*cking ridiculous! Everyone knows that the PS3 Slim will come with a reduced pricepoint (popular estimations are $299) and for how freaking long were people just like this author complaining about Sony not dropping the price and how much sense it would make for Sony to catch up in the console race.

Now that the price drop rumors become more and more feasible as we approach August 18, what is being said now? "I think it's an overblown waste of time"

Sony releasing a new, sleeker, slimmer PS3 SKU with the lowest price ever and now its suddenly a "waste of time"?

JFC, and what does the author open with: "Fanboy-driven fervor with no substance" Yeah thats exactly what this article is made of!

Edit:

Oh excuse me, This was from Cnet? From a man named Daniel Turdiman? ... LOL, No Comment! Cnet has the same level of optimism for the PS3 as a Neo-Nazi faction has for the Black Pride Parade.

[Godmars290]

If the price cut comes yet people complain if the slim doesn't show.

[Create]

This entire article can be summed up by its first sentence.

A new model of a console that has yet to be denied or confirmed, if there was a new smaller 360 rumored to be revealed, people would be all over that as well. It has nothing to do with being a fanboy (annoying, overused word by the way), considering most Sony fanboys already own a PS3 and would have little to be excited about.

[Anon1974]

The first sentence was "While all new technology product rumors have to be taken with a grain of salt, you can sometimes tell--often by the volume of online chatter about a particular morsel--that one is more likely to turn out to be true."

You see, what usern4g did was take a quote in the middle of the article - not from the author but from a random email the author mentions - and make it his first sentence in his description. "Fanboy-driven fervor with no substance."

He does that throughout the description, takes quotes from random emails the author mentions but makes it sound like that's the view of the article.

Take a second to actually read the article and it becomes quite apparent what a total hack job usern4g did with his description. I guess somehow this was missed during the approval process. I guess the people who approved didn't actually read the article either, otherwise they shouldn't have approved it with that doctored up description.

[360isthebestps3sucks]

prepare for disappoint ps3fanboys.. ;) ;) ;0

[The-Warranty]

youve been dissapointed all year

us? nah we are doing good on games right now unlike 54%360

[frnkyl]

Yea that's what your face would look like if you saw Uncharted 2 running in real-time XD

[topdawg122]

New ps3 model aka slim would further increase the fact of production costs being down and would surely mean a price cut and more developers would want to work on it, more systems selling, etc. That's why people are excited. not that hard to figure out

[Soldierone]

How many times does Cnet have to say something like this to tick you off and get hits? Just by the info on N4G you can spot SEVERAL things wrong with it.

1 PS3 Sales are not terrible like they state. PS3 is in third because Xbox had a year of sales alone, why do they ALWAYS over look this? Stack up sales to each other without that extra year and 360 barely edges out the PS3.

2 Games library that is not impressive? Its the other way around. The PS3 has the highest rated exclusive librarby currently. Say that back when PS3 launched and ill give it to you, but its time to stop living in the past.

3 Its only to relieve the fanboy mind? Thats why paid analysts are saying it will do amazing things? Thats why MS is dropping the price of Xbox to combat it?

And dont go trying to back up your fanboyism by stating you "supported the PS3 up till now" because we all know Cnet didnt...

[snp]

Well, that's got to be the most blindly partisan supposedly 'professional' article i've ever read.

All we know for sure is that the last time the two products were closer in price range - PS3 still costing more, but not at double the entry price - the PS3 was outselling the Xbox in every region, with the sales gap margin widening monthly.

'This' remember, is why the Xbox360 is as cheap as it is. It wasn't some monumental foresight that lobbed half the price off the thing, it was a serious downturn versus it's nearest competitor. And at the time far more negative conjecture surrounded the future of the machine than there is these days (and since these MS pricecuts) surrounding the PS3.

Maybe a PS3 price cut - which is the underlying hype surrounding the Slim, really - won't help sales. But i find that position unlikely. As badly as it's doing versus Playstation brandings previous lofty numbers, for it to be doing this well - versus competitors - at such an elevated price in 'this' economy.. it'd be a brave man not to suggest things would turn around sharply, probably repeating the situation of last time the two were closely priced, should the PS3 get a decent price cut.

Microsoft has done brilliantly this gen, but branding like the Playstation has achieved over a generation ain't just going to go away over night. There's hoards on sidelines not buying into any of the major systems this gen (Wii has done great numbers, but has opened up very different markets). There's little reason to think a further $20 or $50 off of the XBox's already lowest price will do the trick; there is however a good case a substantial and overdue cut in the PS3's 'dearest of the consoles' price could well lure a good number of these Playstation fence sitters.

[Sunny_D]

Yes! I'm out of the OPEN ZONE!
On topic: I believe when Sony does announce the slim, they will be getting a big sales boost worldwide along with the price cut.

[Ninjamonkey82]

Plain and down right simple fact for you all to digest here. It won't be commented on either are replied on for the xbox fans shy away from this. 50+% Failure rate. That near half your sale have come from new consoles for those that have had to replace an old one. Before you go with the sure xbox replaces rrod. We that's true to a point. What about consoles where the receipt has been thrown out.

Most people don't keep the receipt of something they think will work. Hence people have to buy a new console/ Walla System sales seem very high. But you will have to take a step back and think how many times you have been outta pocket before you can start calling up a failure on Sony's system.

Its just gathering steam till a console that has had a years start. In the terms of any Sony system in the past the xbox is a downright failure.

[skatezero246]

this article fails

[Wurider]

You just wait until Killzone 2, LBP, and Resistance 2 comes out the PS3 will dominate the sales---Anonymous Fanboy August 2008

Things have actually gotten worst in the past year.

You just wait until Uncharted 2, MAG, and GOW 3 comes out the PS3 will dominate the sales chart---Anonymous Fanboy, August 2009

You guys sound like a broken record.

PS360 owner-so don't call me a fanboy!!!

[Sunny_D]

I usually see PS360 owners have lots of bubbles, but you seem to have only one? Why is that?

[Father Murder X]

Father, I think that you are correct. I am a PS3 owner and don't have a 360 but the Ps3 fanboys are soooooo horrible on here.

Maybe he doesn't have any bubble because he speaks the truth and is not a fanboy!!!

[kaveti6616]

People who claim to be logical should at least try to be. Saying that the PS3 would be ahead of the 360 in sales had it been released at the same time is fallacious. There is no way of knowing. All we know is what DID happen. So whenever a guy compares the yearly sales of 360 vs. PS3 and says the PS3 sells more per year, they're just wasting their time and making false claims.

[snp]

I agree with you, but i'd add the caveat that anyone comparing sales numbers and not at least mentioning that the PS3 has had a year less at market in America and a year and a half less in Europe etc, is being at least as if not more duplicitous.

[Anon1974]

You can't just say the PS3 is in 3rd place and not mention that it hasn't been on the market as long.

However, and I've used this before, if you're asked to judge a race and one runner runs today and the other tomorrow, does the first runner win because he finished the race first or would you take the distance run by each runner, see who ran it faster and then declare a winner?

[kaveti6616]

Well, no offense dude but you just committed another fallacy and it's called a false analogy. You cannot compare this to a race. And the thing is that the xbox fanboys may have started the false logic statements first, but you cannot and should not dismiss logic from your own statements. I don't really know what else to say. The major fallacy has always been the appeal to consequences of belief. It's okay to state something as an opinion, but to post the same statement as a claim and use the fallacious premise in your argument makes it wrong.

For example, saying, "I think the PS3 might have sold more if it was cheaper" is an okay thing to say. It's okay to think that because it's not an argument, it is only a claim.

Here's the wrong way of saying it. "The PS3 would outsell the 360 had it been cheaper in price and released earlier."

You can't know that You can't know that because then someone else could respond with the argument that MS would have done something else to beat the PS3 had the PS3 been released earlier. If one person operates outside of logic, then another can follow suit. That's what is happening on N4G.

[Anon1974]

You say this can't be compared to a race and yet no where do you explain that? Why not?

I'm not dealing with conjecture of what if's, I'm dealing with facts. We know for a fact the PS3 has moved the more units in it's first 2 1/2 years then the 360 moved in it's 2 1/2 years, so based on that evidence we can conclude that consumers are adopting the PS3 at a faster rate then the 360. There's no "What if's" in that statement. Explain to me how there's anything inconsistent with the statement that the PS3 is selling faster based on those facts.

[kaveti6616]

Darkside, stop reverting back to that illogical fallacy. It's not a fricking race. Like I said, a fallacy cannot be used as a premise. Take a fricking logic class if you don't believe me. Any way, I didn't say that the figures you put out were not facts. There's another fallacy called the non-sequitur fallacy and it refers to the usage of irrelevant facts to support a claim. You're using the fact that the PS3 got adopted at a faster rate in the same time-frame to support your claim that PS3 is "winning the race" or whatever the hell you're saying. This is not relevant. An Xbox fanboy can just as easily respond back with the fact that the Xbox 360 is seeing a year over year growth in sales and the PS3 is declining year-over year as a support for his invalid claim that the 360 is winning some delusional "console war." Darkside, if this was exactly like a race, then Microsoft could be disqualified for starting early. But no one in the gaming industry is looking at it that way. They see that the Xbox 360 has a higher install base so the 3rd party developers are going to keep the 360 in the loop when making their games, instead of shunning them for "cheating" in your aforementioned race analogy.

[ironcreed]

For an article that calls people who happen to be fond of the PS3 nothing but a bunch of fanboys, the writer sure spews quite a bit of fanboy drivel himself. Pure and utter flamebait fail from the first sentence. By the way, who approves this sort of nonsense to begin with? Oh, must be the local lemming crew who thinks they are not fanboys despite the fact they actually endorse laughable pieces of epic fail such as this, lol.

[beardpapa]

You're new and it seems like you're trying to be a contributor. It's good that you at least submitted a link from a reputable [but questionable] source instead of others that submit crap from newly created blog sites. The only problem is Cnet has from time and again created articles that are slightly biased - some may say anti-Playstation. Maybe they're not biased, but they surely aren't up-to-date with the times and are quick to bring into argument Sony's problems instead of also giving us a perspective of problems the other competitors have faced.

Now you're going to get a lot of disagrees from a lot of people because your perspective on Sony's business practices are reflective of how the Cnet guy thinks. The way you worded the description summary of the article also points to us that it seems you are firm with your idea that Sony is doomed - just like the other editors that all said BluRay & Sony were doomed last year or two.

Now if you truly believe in that, I'd have to say that's as ignorant as a fanboy. Others have already pointed out, but I believe these three important facts are key:

*Sony's console has been selling quite well despite being at a higher price point - a price that can get you 2-4 games on the competing console.
*Sony started a year later, and about 1.5 years later in Europe than the competitor. (Add to that "competitor" was trying to downplay the Sony Europe launch event by having a boat with competitor's console propaganda to slow sales at launch night - I believe gamersyde still has a video of this)
*Competitor released new console into this generation of video games with absolutely no other competition <--- very important

With that in mind, Sony is still around and I don't expect them to go away. They may have lost a lot of support and some loyal fans, but they're still going strong.

[ikral]

I dont even read this kinda stuff. PS3 is my favorite, and is here to stay. And with price cut, it will rise high. Wait when you see Forza 3/GT5 comparision.

[Dellis]

The ps3 slimmers are getting mad

they will all cry if slim doesn't happen LOL

get ready........

[psiom]

What a hilarious "article". What's with all the...random elipsis pauses?

Nothing more than a poorly written fanboy diatribe. It wreaks of irrational contempt for the PS3. Childish squabbling rivalry.

Pretty good for a chuckle. I hope that's the only reason it got approved.

[Synex]

^^^^

[aiphanes]

And it does not have bluetooth 2.1, or controllers that have lithium ion batteries, or built in wifi, or bluray, or free online. And the Xbox 360 can not [email protected] the Xbox 360 does not use industry standard replacible 2.5 inch laptop harddrives....and the xbox 360 does not have a web browser....yet...even the Zune HD has a nice web browser!

Now if the Xbox 360 Elite was $249.99....hmmmm

[NewScratch]

reads like an amateur blog...

[NewScratch]

While all new technology product rumors have to be taken with a grain of salt, you can sometimes tell--often by the volume of online chatter about a particular morsel--that one is more likely to turn out to be true.

That seems to be the case with the so-called "PS3 Slim," a rumored new PlayStation 3 form factor that could well be on the horizon. And if the latest slew of blog and forum posts are right, there's a pretty good chance Sony will formally announce the new console Tuesday at the Gamescon conference in Cologne, Germany.

That may be true, and, of course, it may not. But what I want to know is why so many people seem to be so excited about this as-yet-unseen console? After all, the PS3--once thought by many to be the most likely winner of the next-generation console wars between Sony, Microsoft (with its Xbox 360), and Nintendo (with its Wii)--has lagged far behind its competitors.

In July, for example, while Nintendo moved 252,500 Wiis and Microsoft sold 202,900 Xboxes, consumers only bought 121,800 PS3s. Similarly, in June, the Wii led the pack with 361,700, while the Xbox came in second with 240,600 units sold and the PS3 again was third, with just 164,700 sales. Even when the video game industry was still roaring, last December, the PS3 (726,000 units sold) badly trailed both the Wii (2.15 million) and Xbox (1.44 million).

For some time, I argued that the PS3 would eventually win this generation of consoles. I made Sony's case that it looks at consoles as a 10-year play, and I brought up the incredible PlayStation consumer base. And Sony, I explained, had so much history with consoles that its competitors would have a hard time keeping up with its institutional memory.

Yet by all measures, Sony has come up short with the PS3.

So what is it about a new, slimmer, PS3 that has so many people champing at the bit?

"I think the reason why many people are so hyped up over the PS3 Slim is because of the fact that it is something new (and) something different," a PS3 fan named Nick Johnson wrote me in response to a thread I posted on the official PS3 forums. "And it will hopefully be at a good price like $299 (hopefully!)"

To be sure, one reason Sony has sold less next-gen consoles than either Nintendo or Microsoft is that the PS3 is the most expensive of the machines, and has been since day one. Today, the cheapest PS3 runs for $400, while it is possible to get a low-end Xbox for as little as $200 (or less) and a Wii for $250.

So for many, the prospect of a smaller, slimmer PS3 comes with the logical conclusion that the price will drop, too. And it's not just the fans who are thinking that way.

"Beyond generating consumer interest over a new hardware form factor, the most obvious reason to celebrate the arrival of a PS3 Slim is that it should allow for a lower price, through lower costs of components and production," said video game analyst Colin Sebastian, a senior vice president for equity research at Lazard Capital Markets. "I expect (Sony) to lower the price on the older versions (of the PS3), but the cost to make the new version should be lower."

A lower price, especially on a device that has at times seemed absurdly expensive--relative to its competition, and despite having a full-blown Blu-Ray player built-in--certainly seems like a good reason to look forward to the PS3 Slim, if in fact such a device exists.

But it hardly seems like enough to generate the froth that's coming from all corners of the the video game world these days. Searching for "PS3 Slim" on Google returns fully 1.85 million results. There's even a YouTube video (below) that purports to show an actual PS3 Slim. Not bad for a device that doesn't (officially) exist.

So why all the enthusiasm?

"The only real (reason) I can (think of) is 'fandom' or 'fan-boy-ness,'" Brian Champion wrote in an e-mail response to my forum post. "With all the technologies, when something faster, sleeker, and smaller comes out...for LESS...everyone wants it. Why the fanboys are foaming at the mouth is because no one really knows what it will look like, cost or have 'under the hood.'"

Sony's dark knight?
And Justin Meisinger, a Boston University journalism graduate student, added that "some users are excited over the aspect of something simply new...in the hopes it will help Sony pull out of third place in the console race. Commonly this assumption seems to come along with the Slim having a price drop, which is just as large a rumor as the Slim itself. A cheaper, smaller PS3 is seen as Sony's dark knight."

Meisinger continued, "For others, it's the simple concept of something smaller, and possibly cooler--current PS3s run pretty warm. Smaller processors and external power bricks are expected to bring the system down in size. It'd also make it more convenient for travel or just sitting in the entertainment center. There's also the rumor of the re-inclusion of backwards-compatibility with (PlayStation 2) games."

To me, those are all interesting reasons to look forward to a possible new PS3, but nothing to get as worked up as a lot of bloggers seem to be. After all, the PS3 has been on the market for almost three years, so I have to wonder whether someone who really wanted a PS3 but hasn't yet pulled the trigger would finally break down over a potential $100 price break.

More likely, slow sales aside, there are simply a ton of PlayStation fans out there, and many of them simply love the idea of Sony coming up with something that could finally help the company improve its position in the console wars. If you're not a video game player, or if you are but not a serious one, you may not realize how passionate and partisan some gamers can be. Yankees vs. Red Sox? That's peanuts compared with the fervor that a good PlayStation vs. Xbox argument can bring up.

So, given that there are millions of gamers for whom the sun rises and sets with Sony, anything that company can do to rev the console wars up is worth the energy that's been expended so far on behalf of the PS3 Slim rumor.

"You may (ask), 'why should care, I already have a PS3,'" Johnson wrote. "I am personally excited that more people will get to enjoy the PS3, including some of my friends who weren't able to afford one (previously). And this may be Sony's chance to catch up with the Xbox 360."

For me, it doesn't make sense. To be sure, I'm not one of the partisans, but I just can't help thinking that even a newer, slimmer PS3 is still going to be a PS3. Which means it'll be more expensive than its rivals, and have a games library which, while including some impressive titles, is generally seen as less impressive than what's available for Xbox.

Some may argue that a lower-priced PS3 will lead to a larger consumer base, which in turn will result in more, and better, games. But that's a lot to hope for, given the struggles going on in the video games industry right now.

And clearly, I'm not the only one who feels this way.

"I think it's an overblown waste of time," Meisinger wrote in his e-mail. "But it's nice to see Sony getting some traction on all sides of the proverbial fence, and I think it really could be a good thing for them if they did indeed release it at a lower price point. (But until) we know, it's just rumors and speculation to torment the fanboy mind."

[callahan09]

You're right. I had to triple-check this thing to make sure it wasn't a blog. It sure as hell doesn't read like a professional piece of journalism.

[SnukaTheMan]

in their eyes the wii should be in third place...and that joke of a excuse of its a year behind the xbox 360 does not fit...the wii is the inferior product....yet its on top of both "next gen" consoles...all the excuses in the world will not pull the ps3 into first place, only a huge price drop will solve that problem.

[psiom]

It's not an "excuse".

People are simply saying that the PS3 and 360 have sold at the same pace. If you can actually stop and think about that, and understand what it means, good for you.

By all means feel free to dispute that fact with any data you can find.

It's not a big deal, it doesn't change the problem that the PS3 hasn't done great. But it is a fact - an irrefutable one - that the two consoles would be an equal second if they launched together.

No opinions, ifs or buts, just numbers.

[cooperdnizzle]

come on people thinking that the ps3 is that far behind is just ridiculous i mean sure it is in last but the sells are not that far off of the 360 less then 10 million and with the slim ps3 just like the slim ps2 it will be cheaper to produce making it just as much as a 360 299 but you get a blu-ray player a console with built in wifi and my opinion better games and a slimmer sleeker looking console and people are blind they can't see that sony is producing alot more first party title then ms and will continue to do so in my book the ps3 is a way better console this gen then any other console and i own all there including two 360 two ps3 and 1 wii mistake in buying that console but you will not believe me so call me a fanboy if you want probably wiil but what i do is speak the truth and that is the way i see it late

[Henry Cain]

Talk all you want, but the fact is price and being first to the market has played a major part in the 360 lead. The proof is last year you know as well as everyone else that the PS3 was outselling the 360 until they drop the price. Even when this happened, the PS3 still sold the same amount as the 360. This year is no different. The 360 has a slight lead right now. But when Sony drops the price it will be a different story. If you take the year head start away from M$, it would have less consoles sold than Sony. In the 360 first 2yrs it sold 14mill. In the PS3 first 2yrs it sold 16mill.

[DarkTower805]

I never knew this was a race. Is there a gold medal at the end of the race? Is there a behind the scenes bet between CEOs that the loser never makes video games again?

Truth is, 23 million consoles sold from 2006-2009 is not bad. 3rd party game sales between 360 and PS3 are rather even now, with PS3 outselling 360 in some cases, and vice versa in other cases.

It's the media that perpetuated the "Console War" or "Console Race", not us gamers. The media created fanboys, not us. Just enjoy your consoles and games and take these article with a grain of salt.

[uckitsayitchbay]

Thank you for being the only other one with a shred of common sence about how the media works in this country

[monkeynuts89]

Idk about anyone else but for me it comes down to whether or not you buy into the whole price thing, from my perspective and experience(selling xbox's and ps3's)I would argue the X-box is just as expensive,while I know the argument has been made and mine probably won't sway close to anyone I feel it's adequate to say this article is garbage propaganda meant to light up interest in the site(which I respect). As a sales associate, member whatever you want to call it, I've had customers ask what they need to have the complete experience, I usually tell them to go with pro(which should be obsolete in a few with the price for the elite taking over), and this is my response, well: 300 for the console, not including tax and the extra warranty which usually comes at about 29, 50 dollars for another control(optional),100 dollars for wifi(optional),50 for gold(not optional don't care what you say), 60 dollars for a game(rough estimate), 20 dollars for charge kits.That alone if you want the complete experience usually hits around 580, not counting tax's which would raise the cost into the mid to upper 600's.I get the same look everytime, and a familiar question always follows,"what do you get with the ps3", and for comparison purposes I tell them well for the 80gb model that's 300 dollars for the console that comes with a blu ray player wi-fi bluetooth connectivity and free online service, an extra controller will cost 55 dollars(no tax), 60 for a game, and 20 for charger cables,and if you want to get picky an economic hdmi cable for 30...if my math is correct the price should come to about 465(no tax) and hell throw in a new blu-ray that's about 495, with tax's probably around 530...ssssssooo,if anyone's had the patience to sit through this and read all of it my point is that you can clearly get the full ps3 experience for about 70,60, or 50 dollars less than the full xbox experience.Websites and media alike have praised the 360 for it's low price, which can be true if you go bare bones style but I'm talking true gamer style, the ps3 would be the more dare I say....Economical choice..."and that's all I have to say about that".

[yoghurt]

What an absolutely rubbish article. Nothing but a fanboy rant with no clue as to the facts and nothing but blowing all statements out of proportion. No games? what year are you in? there are too many games!

as someone commented on the cnet comments: "The PS3 is the third fastest selling console in history. Only the PS2 and Wii have sold at a faster rate."

[Daves]

"For others..something smaller, and possibly cooler--current PS3s run pretty warm."

My laptop is far 'warmer' than my ps3 - never had any heat issues at all. So where is this article getting its 'facts' from?

My ps3 is cool and silent. Maybe he's running his next to his oven in the kitchen.

Oh, and don't like how supposed facts spread to become reality. one lad to another "hey, you heard how PS3 run hot? Must have real problems"

ffs.

[peeps]

hmmm maybe ppl are excited because they are thinking of getting a ps3 and would like a slim, or perhaps they are looking for a replacement. my ps3 broke not long ago and so i'm annoyed i may miss out on the slim since i just bought a new ps3 straight away.

it's not all about sales.... leave that to the companies that actually care

[TenPThor]

So hoping a gaming company is in the green is fanboyish?

I guess that means I'm a Sony, Microsoft AND Nintendo Fanboy.

I do, however, feel that if the rumors were about a slimline Xbox 360 the author would have had a different tone, his loyalties are easily spotted.

[Captain Tuttle]

Makes some good points (except for the "PS3 has no games" BS, that's an old meme that isn't true for most people anymore and hasn't been for quite awhile).

[lonix]

Because they hate competition
I bet they hate mac's and iPods too

[woolley]

how does the 360 have a better game library than the PS3? the only game coming out this year is another Halo

[Alcohog]

Nice writing, Terdman.

[Father Murder X]

but why do you guys figure that everyone wants a Blu_ray player? I Mean it is one hell of a feature but most folks don't care one way or the other. Sony was counting on Blu-Ray to be the next DVD but that strategy didn't work this time and they are getting burned. With my job I visit a lot of families and I see everyone with big screen tv's but no one with HD tv service or Blu-Ray players.

[callahan09]

Wow. This article was the biggest waste of time I've ever clicked on from N4G. It absolutely reeks of DAMAGE CONTROL. At the threat of Sony gaining some popularity and positive public opinion, they make up this BS article to try and quell the impact if the announcement does happen. His only "sources" are anonymous forum posts, private messages sent to him by message board users, and some random moronic journalism student who e-mailed him.

[Persistantthug]

But now, reading through this CNET article, it's clear as day that some media members, at least this guys at CNET, a supposed reputable, impartial, and unbiased media source....it's clear he has a personal disdain for the PS3.

Did anyone else notice the disparaging slant and tone to this guys article?

[tripewire]

Mr Cnet needs to go check out kmarts website.

Epicness in the failing.

[Guitardr85]

One reason I care is because of the potential for a bigger install base. With a bigger install base, devs are more likely to make games for the console and put more money into them. I think its actually obvious...maybe other people just need to think for a few more seconds!

[EvilTwin]

As a Wii owner, I have no stake in the PS3/360 fanboy war.

But I don't know how anyone could not see a PS3 for $300 as a big deal. It's a HUGE deal (that has apparently been confirmed by K-Mart's web site).

Why? Because it's great for gamers. It puts the PS3 within reach for more people. The 360 and Wii may drop their prices in response...once again, better for gamers (hell, you may end up being able to buy all three consoles -- well, the 360 arcade, anyway -- for the original price of the PS3).

Win-win, IMO. GOW3 is looking a lot more tempting now.

[uckitsayitchbay]

That it's a race or even better a "war" it is neither sony ms and nin all 3 just do there thing and probably don't worry to much about one another i used to be a loyalist on this site... wow i hope i wasn't as bad as some of you.. NO MATTER WHAT!!... SALES,HARDWARE FAILURES, ECONMY, SLIM,FAT, neither of the 3 are going anywhere and will be around for some time to come.. ZOMG PS3 IN 3RD PLACE THIS MEANS XBOX RULLLLZZZZZ some of you need to get a life

[PsYcHoToE1]

they will remain in 3rd place regardless of the Slim and or the price cut. MS will counter them everyway possible.

[ForROME]

SONY has 2 Problems

MS Has 1

MS= Hardware
SONY= Price\Marketing, price will be taken care of, Marketing who knows wtf has happened there

[djroberts]

This article is lame. He's says right in the article that people might be excited because the price is dropping then determines that's not a valid reason and says fanboyism must be the answer. Wow, what a shameless attempt to get attention.

[Goomba12]

I dont know what to think honestly. Yea the Ps3 lacks a huge game library, but i feel if a slim, cheapper version is to come soon, it will propel sales, especially if Sony can bring Gran Turismo out before the holidays.

I will say that Ps3 figures on software has been a sore spot, not neccassarily hardware numbers like Cnet seems to be pointing out.

[Ferretman]

It's kinda pointless to make this because most people who want a ps3 already own one but some people will buy it. I will most likely buy one if the price goes down with the ps3 slim.

[Azures]

i think the author of this article has officially been proven to be an asshole.

[Wisewind]

yeah dismissing this hype as fanboyism is irrelevant considering that the now confirmed price drop and model will appeal most to consumers who don't own a PS3.

[Anon1974]

The PS3 Slim has been unveiled, the price has come down and demand for information about it is crashing sites all over the web. I guess this guy just simply doesn't get the industry. Seems like a good point to admit you don't know what your talking about and let qualified people comment about the games business.

[djroberts]

This guy looks like a fool now that the Slim has been announced at $299 with 30% less power usage.

[snp]

The interesting thing will be whether those who dismiss the difference price makes (i notice my reply to Commodore has 5 disagrees for its 4 agrees, for example.) will be quite as bold and c_cky now that the price cut and new model is an actuality. (and that goes for the writer of this ridiculous article to)

Many have been keen as mustard to write off the significance of price while the XBox was half entry price (even though to do so is self-evidently stupid - the Xbox rebound v PS3 was plainly about price and Sony's non-response for too long a time); be curious to see how things play out herein.

[minimartin91]

he doesn't realize this whole article is him being a fanboy to the xbox and he's talking about ps3 fanboys kind of a hypocrite people have there opinions of which one is better i think the ps3 is others think the xbox is but why the hell does it matter?

[lilc315]

I agree with poindat, Must everything be about console wars? When I clicked on this article I came here to see information about the ps3 slim system, whether it was all talk or there was some proof. But, of course the author had to post a article pointing in the direction of negativity towards the playstation3 system. To be honest, no one cares about the opinions of people who own other systems or people who dislike the playstation3 system. And if anyone here would actually do some research instead of being ignorant and listen to everything that the media tells you, the playstation3 is not in a distant 3rd at all. People exaggerate it to attempt to make their console look better. I will admit that the ps3 did not have anything worth buying at release but now it is going strong. It has some pretty good exclusives, it's a durable and reliable, and lastly but not least it has free online. Basically, keep your fanboy comments to yourselves because you are ignorant and no one really cares about your untrue facts and your opinions based on lies. IF the playstation3 is such a horrible system as you assume, why would sony bother making a slimmer more efficient version for the consumer? I understand all systems have their pros and cons but don't exaggerate. I could tell you hundreds of reasons why the xbox360 is a waste of money but this isn't a time or place to voice a negative opinion towards it. If you want something to comment/talk about tell everybody the truth. Tell them how the 360 has a 54% failure rate. That's more than half. Don't believe it? It's right here on this site. Tell them how microsoft pays off companies and news providers to make their beloved system look good. Tell them how microsoft pays for exclusivity for games that are originally intended to be multiplatform but became a 360 exclusive as an attempt to keep sony and nintendo down. Tell people how microsoft has admitted to believing that Halo: ODST will sell poorly. Tell people that everyday Microsoft gets sued for selling faulty products but what kills me is that people know it will break down but buy it ANYWAY. DO research and stop being ignorant. Thanks for reading and getting educated. :)

[Mc187]

Sorry xbots and contributor all your BS and lies and all us Sony fans have is good gaming at a great price ahead of us. Have fun with your wanna be last gen eye toy games this fall, lol

[gamerzBEreal17]

ps3 slim is coming out first week of september the new price is 299$ starting tomorrow the same price as the xbox260 elite and elite no longer comes with HD cables ps3 is compatible with any HDMI cable from the 6$ ones to the 60$ ones but xbox360 is not and the games are not better as a fact metacritic is fake thay put the same game for ps3 and 360 with the same scores on ech site but the overall came up lower for the ps3 and higher for the 360 thar fanboys sales also mean nothing thay come from fanboys of the game like do you think halo3 would sell as much as it did without halo2 and halo1?? how about gears2 no thay buy it b/c thay liked the first one it dosent mean the next one is going to be good but thay get it first day anyway u cant trust reviews so thars no way of saying 360s games are better than ps3s and im not going to say GOD OF WAR3 b/c that will make it a double standerd but thats what evryone dose anyway