A new PS3 on the way – Video Games Update
It seems that Sony is gearing up for another console launch as some leaks on Neogaf gaming forums have surfaced leading users to believe that a new ‘slimmer’ version of PS3 in on the way.
If the news is true then the new Playstation 3 model will probably be accompanied by a price drop as well. Sony’s aim is pretty clear, steal Nintendo’s Wii-U’s thunder as it launches this fall.
Sony launched the original Playstation 3 (PS3) in fall 2006 retailing at $599. Fans everywhere were greatly disappointed by the huge price tag and because of that the console did poorly in the market. The high retail price coupled with a weak library at
launch lead to a really slow start for Sony’s console. The only upside at that time of owning a Playstation 3 was the Blu-Ray drive that came with it.
To make matters worse, manufacturing a PS3 unit was costing Sony more than the $599 price it was selling it for, thus forcing Sony to sell the console at a loss.
In 2009 Sony announced and released the cheaper slim version of PS3 for $250. The new design looked much better than the original and was much cheaper for Sony to produce. PS3 sales picked up speed as many fans were waiting for a price drop. Sony beat Microsoft’s
Xbox 360 in worldwide console sales that year. Both consoles were however lagging far behind the Nintendo Wii, with a $199 price tag, in yearly worldwide sales.
It looks like Sony is about to play the same card yet again by releasing another redesign and probably reducing the price. This is a pretty smart move by Sony since the Playstation 3 is pretty dry on exclusive games and with the Playstation Move not doing
so well with the fans, Sony needs something new to drive its holiday sales. The new model is rumoured to be more energy efficient and even cheaper than the current PS3 Slim to produce.
A new console accompanied by a price drop is great news for gamers as this might also lead to Microsoft announcing a price cut for the Xbox 360 if it wants to stay competitive in the holiday season.
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