The real price to pay for the new PS3

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET Networks)

For the longest time I've yearned for a desire to want to purchase a PlayStation 3. Like many other gamers, the hefty price tag and lack of blockbuster exclusive games has kept me far away from the big black box and enjoying my Wii and Xbox 360. And yes, even the lack of rumble had me second guessing a purchase.

The latest rumor-turned-reality comes from Europe and has a 40GB PS3 priced at $400 (when this deal inevitably comes stateside). Sure, there's an argument to be made that $400 is a great deal for Blu-ray player, but apparently this thing is intended to play games, as well, and that's what my decision-making process is based on. But after learning that the newly discounted PS3 has absolutely no backwards compatibility with the PS2, I've officially given up hope in waiting for the perfect PS3 to arrive. What's my solution now? Either grab one of the last remaining 20GB models with the original PS2-compatible Emotion Engine hardware inside and easily swap out the drive for a bigger one, or continue to wait for a perfectly tailored model that will most likely never exist.

Sorry Sony, you've left me with no choice. I want to play Uncharted, I'm dying to try out LittleBigPlanet, and I'll figure out how to experience Metal Gear Solid 4 one way or another. But why take out PS2 compatibility? It's no secret that the console is still selling incredibly well and will continue to do so throughout the holiday season. Plenty of PS2 games are still rolling out, not to mention my huge existing library of games--many of which I still have yet to play all the way through.

I'm just sick of all of these cost-cutting measures that take away from the originally envisioned console. If you told us from the get go that the PS3 would have no support for PS2 games, we would have laughed right in your face. And now, less than a year after the system's launch, this will actually become a reality.

Let's not forget this isn't the first time we've had our minds played with as we all remember the E3 price-drop debacle. To me, this doesn't look like a company trying to give the consumers what they want. What it does look like is a bunch of scrambling, mixing and matching hardware till the end result is a Frankenstein PS3 with no soul. And I think it's safe to say that a model with no backwards compatibility is not the answer.

[brandonh33]

Think about it?

There is really only one person that wants the ps2 feature on the ps3. That person owns a ps2. Why not just keep using your ps2? ya its is a little bit of a hassle but i think that it is worth $100. Really, what do ps2's cost anyways? $100? I think that if people process this in their tiny little minds, they will realize that this is an incredible deal compared to the 360.

[sauerball]

Don't buy this model if you care about BC

But the price is also coming down on the 60GB. And more price cuts are likely in the future.

I don't understand how having more choice is bad.

[Squirrel1081]

Wow - cry me a freaking river...

Or instead of going emo over it, you could just buy the $400 PS3 and keep your existing PS2 console plugged into the TV. In a few years once the PS2 support is phased out, you probably won't even care about playing PS2 games anymore.

I don't understand the fuss about backwards compatibility with old PlayStation games. Last I checked I bought my PS3 to play PS3 games, but that's just me I guess....

[phppimp]

Multiple Consoles...

Speaking as someone who has multiple consoles hooked up to my tv I can tell you that one less thing hooked up can make all the difference. Other than being able to say you have all the systems that have come out in the last 10 years there is no point to having a ps2 hooked up if you have a ps3. That is, after all, what sony promised. Wii managed, 360 managed, Sony, as per usual in this market with the ps3, has not.

[israelf1]

Why all the cryin?

If you want to play ps2 games then just go get one thats available now instead of crying over one that has yet to come out! I did and I swear I never play ps2 games on it.

[DLTV]

Cry Cry cry me a river

OK, I for one am NOT a Sony fan, and rather admit I hate them. But I did pick up a PS3 w/ 20% 599 - 20% + 10.95 for shipping no tax discount... so I figured I would post my reasoning?s.
Pretty good eh? Well it hurts my eyes to know that a price cut will be underway, but how long will i hold the lead? How long would i have had to hold out to get the holy grail of pricing?
This announcement was of no surprise considering the rumors on the internet and reaffirming postings of retailers new updated systems. What is a surprise is that the USA will not get this price cut for some time, or at least it is unknown at this point. So that leaves me 1 above the other people patiently awaiting a price reduction. I got the PS3 because well it was a good price for what i was getting, but now im thinking i spoke too soon.

I think that these new consoles do have cost saving features like less UBS ports but common who is going to use them all. Secondly the EE chip.. give me a break the XBox modded was using Emulation to play all sorts of games and no one complained that software was making the system render the games. I think software rendering of PS2 games should of been what Sony did all along. I think its a misprint about the new console not being able to play ps2 games.
Well the last topic is the bluray disc feature. While Im happy to be able to try it out i do believe Sony sucks for releasing an incomplete format into the wild. They must of really felt HD DVD pressure of being first to market and have a finalized format. I see more flaws in the BRD specs than I do with the HD DVD specs. I also believe that a reason Sony was so late to inception was because all the major players it has backing the format wanted to have its hand in the cookie jar, or have its cake and eat it too. Meaning they all wanted something out of the deal that would benefit Corporate rather than the end user. So while Sony tried to please all of its supporters with revisions and extra security HD DVD didn?t.

[Metal Guru]

To BRANDONH33

You sir, are a noob.

[brandonh33]

Are you serious?

You really need to get a life. I dont know how many accounts you have gone through but cnet obviously does not want you and your 13 year old idiotic opinions on this website. You just called me a noob again, get a life. All you ever do is get on cnet and read everything i say. I dare to bet that you cant even find a friend because you are such a jurk to everyone. You need some serious help.

[caroline.mccarthy]

Ha ha, someone called Jeff 'emo'

[lil-yankee]

This article is BS.

For some reason the guys on C-net happen to like to take it on sony. This is going to be an entry level ps3 not the only model. They are also cutting the price in the 60gb version that comes with all of the desire features. My point is, the 360 came out in two versions. One didn't even have a hard drive however no one complained. It didn't' have support for the original xbox, nobody complained, so why pick on sony. Everybody knows the value you get when you pick up a ps3 technology wise that is so much more advance than the rest of the pack. You might think is price, but is worth it. 60 gig playstation with blue tooth, wireless, Ethernet, blue ray,cell processor for 500 I mean seriously. Thats lie a computer and a very good one for only 500 dollars. Internet browser, picture viewing, videos, home, blue-planet....
I got one and is the best gaming device eve, true there are not so many games to make you sweat but they are coming.
Tell me games like msg4, grand theft auto, war haw and all of that. Stop hating and realize they are the only ones in the market loosing money with their systems because they are so advance. Respect quality and not money. Otherwise everybody would go around in Hyundais and rear projection tvs. The price as I see it is very competitive given the specs of the ps3 compared to the rest of them, Im pretty confident that cutting on the backwards compatibility with the ps2 was not such a smart idea but they offer other models, thats just the entry level.

[Metal Guru]

The PS3 sucks

The Nintendo Wii and the Xbox360 is all a gamer needs. The best games are there. Developers already jumped ship and abandoned Sony due to the poor sales. And actually is good and healthy that there's a switch of powers in the gaming world. It's time for Sony to be last this time around.

Wii60 all the way!


P.S. Brandon... you're a tool.

[brandonh33]

Get off cnet

Nobody cares about your stupid opinions already! you dont back them up with facts. You back them up with "i like this one better because i have it".

[techhawkfez]

The Company Formerly Known as Sony

Do you remember the days of the Walkman? I sure as hell don't, but somebody must. I'm told they were bigger than the iPod, which probably means that Sony had then some sense of direction, some something that they no longer have.
I'm so sad to see so many great games made by so many great devs go to the PS3. In my mind, the PS3 costs three times more than I want to pay, is entirely unconvincing in performance and suffers from incredibly weak minded design.
These great games like the Metal Gear series seem to keep making their games for Sony, and it kills me that I can't play them. I don't know anyone with a Playstation 3, and I doubt I'll find anyone anytime soon.
Sony just keeps going down. It's just one bad decision after another.

[droolski]

Sony... Do you even care?

I agree with many of the points posters have made. And I am glad that Crave
is "spreading the word" on what's to come from Sony. Yes... what has
happened to Sony. They were the first electronics company to design with
human ergonomics in mind. They invented the portable/personal music
player market. They brought us the first solid state TVs and the Trinitron
CRT. They had a hand in developing the Compact Disc format with Philips.
They corned the 2ndGen game market with a powerful machine, the fact that
it was backwards compatible with their previous system was a major feature
for gamers who wanted to upgrade their PS1 even at the steep launch price of
$300. And now that PS2 games won't even play on the latest PS3, it's proof
they don't care about their core audience anymore. I too have been mulling
over whether or not to drop the funds on a PS3, even with the recent price
drop... but now, NO THANKS! Get a clue Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo are
kicking your butts and you are doing nothing but alienating the very people
that helped you "get your foot in the door" of the home video game market.
Wake up!!

[solblack]

GROW UP!

Stop crying about the PS3 buy it or not. Simple as that! PC is the real gaming. Wii is a childs game. 360 did they get rid of that red line? Look Sony is the one. Not a Fan but have been watching them for many years. So Baby's stop crying!! SONY IS THE ONE.

[darthgator]

You don' have to pay that much.

Every other month Sony Financial Devision has a promotion where they will give you a 100 to 150 credit on your first purchase of $300 or more on a Sony Credit Card. I bought the 60GB version in August for $545 including tax on the Sony card. Then they credited me the $150 before I even got my first statement. I paid the card off and closed the account. It cost me a total of $394 including tax when all was said and done. The only catch was you had to buy it from a Sony Style retail store or from their website. All it cost me in extra effort was a 5 minute web application for the card and a phone call to cancel the account a few weeks later. I wanted a Blu-ray player and I never owned a PS anything before so I am enjoying the now bargain PS2 titles quite a bit while I wait for some better PS3 games. If only I could get my free Blu-ray movies as quickly as this all happened.

[twowheels]

Choose PS3 and Don't Look Back

I used to have a PS2. Then I bought the PS3. Quite frankly, I haven't played a PS2 game ever since, so I sold my PS2 system, games, and accessories. It just isn't the same playing a PS2 game on a PS3 system. If it means that much to you to play PS2 games, just buy a used PS2 system.