Kotaku: PS3 60gb Nixed from UK Too

"From Nick Sharples, Sony's Director of Corporate Communications in Europe:

'The 60GB Starter pack will remain on sale until stocks run out (a number of months, depending on territory.) Thereafter, the 40GB model will be the only SKU in the SCEE region'"

[aaquib5]

It'll look a lot better to the average consumer to only se a 300 pound PS3 instead of a more expensive one as well. This puts the PS3 in par with the elite.

Advantages of PS3 over 360:

Wifi, Bluray, Linux install, rip your own videos, and don't forget PS3's HUMOUNGOUS amount of exclusive games already here, and coming soon. (GT5, KZ2, GoW3, GTA7, etc.)

[chester]

but with absolutely no BC, the number of exclusives isn't HUMOUNGOUS anymore as all those fantastic ps2 exclusives aren't available. so we have resistance, motostorm, lair, HS, warhawk, and that's about it. sure, there are some coming out in the near future and next year, but the loss of BC makes things alot tougher. i have the 60gb and wouldn't trade down to the 40gb without bc even if they gave me back $200 bucks.

[Mark 1]

To quote Phil Harrison

"Are there two versions of the Xbox 360 that people want to buy...when I look at those formats, I think it just confuses the audience. They don't know which one to buy, developers don't know which one to create for, and retailers don't know which one to stock."

"Backwards compatibility, as you know from PlayStation One and PlayStation 2, is a core value of what we believe we should offer. And access to the library of content people have created, bought for themselves, and accumulated over the years is necessary to create a format. PlayStation is a format meaning that it transcends many devices -- PSOne, PS2, and now PS3. If the developer wrote the game according to our technical requirements checklist, we will have what we believe will be almost perfect backwards compatibility. There will be some exceptions, there always are, but we believe those will be very few and far between. Even less so than we saw from PSOne to PS2."

[nasim]

if you want BD then get a 350 pound ps3....wont cost you much just 50 pounds more.

BTW GARBAGE BOX elite has no HD DVD .no wifi ,no hdmi support.

any ps3 version of a console is wayyy above any garbage box 360 console.

almost 120 million people own a ps2. They need a PS3 where they could play next gen games not OLD PS2 games.

If you want old ps2 games then just pay 50 pounds more for a 60gig version with 2 games

[Lumbo]

Phil Harrison = SCEA = Sony AMERICA = 80GB unit with close to full BC = completely right

If you want to throw your feces, like you do all the time, biatch at the right address, as in SCEE = Sony EUROPE = David Reeves, who unsurprisingly never said something like that.

At least put some thought into your bashing, else it takes the boomerang way of hitting back into your own face.

[heroman711]

SONY : i counter ur halo 3 with my 40 gb ps3

[Mark 1]

Sony will probably phase out the 80gb PS3 in the US with this crappy unit.

[Time Lord]

Will come out over here, the 60gb days are numbered.

[jlytle1234]

now im sure there are people who still did this. But i wonder what the percentage of people kept playing ps1 games on their ps2 year by year. I bet not many. In fact i bet sony could have sold a ps2 without ps1 compatibility and nothing would have changed. So this will be the same way. And who has ps2 games and doesnt have a ps2? thats pretty weird.
Anyways, if it came down to it and people want BC, Sony can fix that. So i would say that this statement is there to generate a response and Sony will adjust accordingly.

[Meus Renaissance]

They're bluffing.

[WAR_MACHINE77]

agreed. this really doesn't make any sense since I was just reading that they were going to change the 60 gig pack once the existing one is gone. Even if they do just have the 40 gig you can bet they are already working on software to replace the GS chip so it can have BC

[octaeder]

This directly contradicts the SCEE Press Release which states that the 60GB starter pack (at £425) will be replaced with a 60GB value pack for £349.

In fact the press release officially states that SCEE is offering the choice of a 40gb model or extensive BC with the 60gb model for 50 quid extra.

http://threespeech.com/blog...

[Jamaicangmr]

This will most likely be replaced by the 80GB as it does in the US. I don't think they will only have the 40GB in Europe. This is just phasin out like they did in NA.

[ip-student]

It seems like everything said by Sony is contradicted the next day.

If there is only the 40 gig SKU I think Sony is making a huge mistake. BC is generally a minor issue but without it there is no particular reason for existing PS2 owners to buy a PS3 over a XBOX 360 if you are looking at games - because the XBOX 360 will have a better library of games (at least for a while longer). Sony better hope people are sheep because without brand loyalty.... I personally have nevered cared about brands - it is alway about the value of what I am getting. That is why some people think the PS3 is a great value (because they use a lot of the features the PS3 includes) and others (such as myself) are disenchanted because the additional features are worthless to me.

In the end I think BC is a small issue but it adds some comfort to the person looking at spending the money and Sony needs to cultivate that positive feeling. Interesting to see how this plays out but I think it is a mistake. I sometimes wonder if Sony is intentially trying to lose the console battle - because the logic of most of what they have done is questionable to me.

[CrazzyMan]

I think soon or later, there will be left 40GB and 80GB version in europe. =)

So it`s normal, that 60GB will be replaced with 80GB later, not just 40GB. Because it`s stupid to remove better model of ps3. =)

[Mark 1]

To quote Ken Kutaragi

"the PS3 will feature backwards compatibility with PS and PS2 games from day one. I'm emphasizing this because, from what I hear, there are some platforms that haven't been able to completely do this. It's costly in terms of hardware, but we'd rather invest firmly on compatibility from the beginning, rather than to have issues later on."

[sajj316]

Ken K is no longer there. The units instructed to put into production has the EE and GS. I own one of those units. This is Kaz's show from now on. Deal with it.

Regarding your Phil, post ... Totally taken out of context (on one point). With respect to development there is a big difference between lack of HDD and lack of BC. While I do agree that multiple SKU will always confuse the public, he made those comments even with the 2 original SKUs. I do agree with Microsoft in keeping it globally the same with respect to the SKU types. Bottom line, its hard to confuse 299.99.

I used to think I knew what Sony's strategy was. They completely threw a curve ball with the 60 GB at 50 more. Makes sense to remove the 60 GB stock. I agree with Crazy Man that all that will remain in the UK will be 40 and possibly a 80 GB model.

The PS3 is def evolving and that fat is being trimmed off. I do believe that they will eventually invest into a software sim of the PS2 GS. If the world cries for it, it'll happen. If they don't, kiss it goodbye from now on.

[PimpHandHappy]

2 play PS2 games

and all u 360ppl that have said so are just grasoing at straws. You buy the 40GB for games like RFOM HS MGS4 GT5 SOCOM KZ2 Uncharted Warhawk COD4 HAZE LBP HOME(not a game but will have games in it) and so on and so on

Sony made the right move and the ppl that say they didnt are blinded by there own world of self loothing and hate....

I have my 60GB so i can care less about BC. I have only played one PS2 game on my PS3, GOW! Sure there are a few good new PS2 games but not ones i care to play.

[Death]

You are making assumptions based on your own experiences. Sony has made it clear that they are still focused on PS2 as a viable gaming platform for the next few years. In that time frame there will be more PS2 games released that are worth playing. Now, people need to hang on to their PS2's or buy new ones if they wish to play PS2 games. This is a very bad move on Sony's part if it is true since they are extending the hardware life of the PS2 even more which is definately cutting into the PS3's potential user base.

Sony should have used the Cell from day 1 to emulate the PS2's EE to not only perform basic backwards compatability, but they could have used the PS3 to enhance the PS2's library giving them access to the largest selection of games available on any system.

Taking out b/c through emulation is just plain mean on Sony's part. I don't see how it costs them money when it's already done for the other sku's.

-Death

[Lumbo]

Death, really, you should be more attentive to what other people write in the multiple newsposts regarding the 40gig's BC features.

The software emulation for PS2 that is used in the current EU and 80gb US models only emulates the EE (EmotionEngine) wich has been removed from the PS3 to reduce overall cost. The original US launch SKUs had a combochip that included EE and GS (PS2 GPU) in one chip, but cost according to Sony ~$80 to include.

With the new 40gig models Sony also removed the remaining GS chip from the SKU wich therefor renders the current PS2 emulation software nonworking (as it uses the original HARDWARE GS to work with)

Is it possible to make a full Software emulator ?
Sure it is possible, the question is if it is useful to pay developer resources for it from a business point of view.

I bought a EU launch unit, so i am not concerned at all. The broad public normally buys NEW Systems for the new games. The BC stuff is mainly for FANS, and guess what, most of the hardcore fans already got the system, including BC features.

[Death]

I've seen the posts where people claim the EE was removed, but not the GS. From what I know, they were both contained on a single chip just like the Slim PS2. Here's a pic of what it looks like. http://pc.watch.impress.co....

I find it hard to believe they replaced the combo chip with a single GS chip, but I am not positive. I'm not sure why they would choose to emulate the EE in software with the Cell and then run it through the antiquated GS either.

-Death

[Gina-get-u]

I think the Sony spokesman just screwed up.

If this statement is not corrected, it ought to stampede a lot of people into buying up the remaining stock of 60gb models under the impression that these would be the last models with backcompat, much like the way the clearance sale on 20gb models did a few weeks back. This should create an impressive sales spike for Sony to crow about. Should Sony later reintroduce a model with backcompat, either with a new SKU or a software solution for the previously non-BC 40 gb model, a lot of people that bought the 60 gb model may get pissed, but nobody will feel too sorry for them.

[jaja1434]

Ok so there is the 40 with no BC, except for PS1 games?
The 60 with somewhat limited BC?
The 80 with well no it has everything working just fine?
Ohh and there used to be a 20?

In only 10 months. I'm confused :(