It’s been rumored that Sony is going to announce in the next couple of days that the PlayStation PS3 is going to be not only getting a price cut, but also a possible Blu-ray drive cut, according to Mike Hickey, an analyst at Janco Partners.
?We think the company needs to reduce the current price by $100 to effectively restart unit velocity at retail,? Hickey said in a research note quoted by Edge. ?We believe the market is expecting a PS3 price cut in April or by June.? Hickey went on to point out that removing the Blu-ray drive would be one way for Sony to easily trim production costs. But this approach is unlikely.
Which makes me ask the question, what is the point in having a PS3 if it doesn’t have the beloved Blu-ray drive. Not only for games, but being able to watch those crystal clear movies in full 1080P. I understand completely that Sony needs to stay competitive in today’s market, but having two variations with the PS3 is just suicide.
First, you’re going to see more limited games for your specific console. Some games will be released for the Blu-ray version, while others are released on the DVD version of the PS3.
Secondly, for all the gamers who purchase the cheaper version, what happens to them for the game selection. Are the game developers going to release all the older PS3 games in the non Blu-ray version. Most likely not! It’s just going to split the Sony’s PS3 user base, and possibly frustrate their fans depending on what side of the fence they’re playing on.
I’ve always been a devoted Sony customer, from purchasing the Sony PS3 60 gig model, to my older two Sony HD’s and my more recent Sony 46 Z series Bravia TV. But if Sony does go through with this, I will be completely disappointed. There’s many other ways to cut cost in today’s market. From the materials they use to how it’s manufactured. Cutting the price by removing hardware and screwing the fan base is just non-sense Sony!
Let’s just hope this analyst doenst know what the hell he’s talking about!
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