[quote name='Scorch']You're acting like no more will be sent to retailers. There was a memo released the other day touting the success of the bundle and that more are en route to retailers now.
I don't blame them for shipping in low numbers. Look at the PS3's sales history. The market was flooded with 80GB Motorstorm bundles, it took months to get rid of them. They didn't want to oversaturate the market.
If anything, this is the first thing that they've done
right. Now people want the PS3.[/QUOTE]This and Sony loses money on every 80GB sold (compared to breaking even on the 40GB, because adding some PS2 components greatly increases the cost). There's no way they want to overproduce them, which is why they are going to keep it limited. They will have more shipments, but not a big number. Regardless, the 80GB SKU will ALWAYS stay as LIMITED EDITION. It will never be a main SKU again, since Sony plans to mostly stick to one main SKU worldwide (with maybe an occassional different SKU around different times).
I made this post at a PS3 forum as to why Europe gets the 40GB and why the Euro 60GB is gone (similar to the 80GB, but this partially explains why it will never be mass produced:
Pretty Easy.
-They lost significant money from the Euro 60GB/80GB NA (20GB and NA/Japan 60GB especially). Every console sold was losing them a lot of money. The 40GB breaks even or loses very little money.
-SCEE does NOT want multiple SKUS. I can understand this because the SKU mess with have in NA is pretty bad, leading to confusion (where when they had 40 and 80, people will want to buy the 40 because of price, but when they see what the 80 provides, they end up not buying because they want the features, but don't want to pay $100 more. Having just one SKU, take it or leave it).
-People complained over and over again PS3 was too expensive in Europe and needed to get its price down. Unfortunately, with what the 60GB had, that wasn't possible to do for a few years. Although going with a smaller Cell and RSX would help reduce costs, it's still quite costly (people wouldn't want to imagine how just including all or some PS2 components (In any of the SKUs) can increase the cost (I am talking about the Euro 60GB/U.S. 80GB also). Well, the only way to get a lower priced SKU was to make revisions and cut out features, and that's the 40GB. Eventually it may play PS2 games (once they get an emulator up and running for the GS + EE).
If people didn't complain about the PS3 being so expensive, bought into its higher pricetag, and bought a decent amount of software to make up for the loses, they may have kept it around longer. In reality, Sony has done better worldwide with just the 40GB (even sales in the U.S. have gotten better) due to less SKU confusion and lower price. Yes this may make some angry, but at the same time, at least Sony is losing very little or no money for every PS3 they sell. If you were Sony, would you want to continue taking close to around a Billion dollars in loses on hardware for a long time? Basically, the price of the features you get, was just too costly for people.
I'll actually bring something up people may not even think about. Before the introduction of the 40GB, Sony struggled to sell around 100k PS3 consoles, and every one they sold at the time, they took a massive loss (especially on the 20GB and 60GB). Sony did a bit better having an 80GB and 40GB around at Christmas time (compared to before), but really struggled to sell as well as the competition. Since the beginning of 2008 (until the MGS4 bundle), Sony was only making the 40GB. Ever since then, look at NPD sales, where PS3 outsold its direct competition in January, February, came very close in March/April, and outsold it in May. Before, they struggled to sell around 100k. Now, they are selling around 200k in the U.S. (or slightly under). That's a pretty big improvement, and with the 40GB, Sony isn't losing money on it (or if they are, VERY little money). That allows them to stay more competitive, and they no longer have the highest priced console overall. If you were in Sony's case, would you rather lose significant money to maybe pull in a few more customers, or would you rather lose next to no money and maybe take a small hit with customers? If I were them, I'd rather do what keeps me profitable, and that is not take a large loss on hardware.
Next, I'll get into the SKU reasoning. I guarantee if Wii had more than one SKU (like one with HDD, one that can upscale to 720p/1080i, etc.), it would not be a hot selling item. Someone would want a Wii, but when they see different types, they'd be confused as to what to buy (I'm talking about casuals here). They want to buy the cheapest, but when they hear what it lacks, they start to get unsure on whether to buy or not, sometimes leaving without a purchase. Having just one SKU, allows people to buy on impulse much easier (because that's all their technically is, if you want a particular platform). I seriously think it has helped Sony a bit because before, people would want a 40GB because of pricing, but when they hear what 80GB has, they get confused and unsure what to do (because many hate paying an extra $100). I honestly feel 360 has been hurt a bit with the casual crowd with multiple SKUs, because I cannot say how many times I walk into retail, hearing people get confused over SKUs (including employees). I knew some who wanted to buy an Arcade/Core because of price, but once they hear what it lacks, they start wondering whether they should pay extra for a Premium. And then when they see an Elite, they start to wonder whether getting a larger HDD is beneficial (most people don't consider swapping HDDs). I've seen a bunch walk away, because they did not understand the SKUs. Although the 40GB may lack a few things, it still plays PS3 games well (IMO, unless you badly want to have just one device to play everything or never owned a PS2, I honestly feel it's best to go with the 40GB. Even I'd get one now because to an extent, it's a pain to play some PS2 games on PS3, especially ones that support accessories). For hardcore gamers or many people at CAG, multiple SKUs are okay because you all can at least research what's the difference and go with what's best for you (many casuals don't even use the internet for gaming related stuff. Some I know don't even have internet access).
Some may wonder, why doesn't Sony keep the 80GB has the only SKU? That was actually their plan at one point, but their mind changed. How many people constantly said the PS3 needs to be priced at $400 or bust? How many people joked about the PS3 pricetag for a while. The main reasons are they lose money on it, and Sony just doesn't want to have the most expensive console out on the market anymore. Originally, Sony felt enough people would buy the PS3 along with PS3 games and accessories, so they wouldn't take massive loses, but in reality that wasn't the case, so they had to re-think their strategy (last gen it worked for them). Sony could not just reduce the price of the 60GB/80GB to $400 (they cost around $600-$800 to produce), so they had to cut features. Many many assume blu-ray is the reason PS3 is expensive, but that's a HUGE myth (blu-ray disc diodes are like $8 now actually). The reason for being expensive was the price of the PS3 motherboard (at launch it cost $500 alone for now, the 80GB is around $400 for the motherboard I believe), having some PS2 components (even the 80GB still uses some PS2 components for BC) along with the Cell and RSX was not cheap. Oh course they cannot rip out the Cell and RSX (it will reduce cost as it gets smaller, but not significant). Many may think adding PS2 components probably only costs a few dollars, but that is very wrong. The GS chip and its associated components are needed. However, the entire PS3 motherboard has to be re-designed, using more expensive components overall to make the PS2 BC work with everything (and oh course it produces more power). Also, I know many who stated, if there was only a $500 PS3 SKU, they would not have bought one because it was way out of their price range. Plus, it would make Sony the most expensive console again (well, as in top SKU) and they are trying to avoid that from now on.
So anyway, what I'll tell everyone is, the MGS4 80GB PS3 is limited. We will see another shipment according to sources, but it will never be mass produced. Sony does not want to overproduce the SKU and lose money, and they do not want to keep two SKUs on the shelves confusing consumers. That is why if you really an 80GB PS3, buy it right away. If you continue with the attitude complaining about everything, it will just go away. I remember many talking about they wanted a 60GB (which Sony took $240 to $340 loses on per every one sold). Sony said during the pricedrops, they are being discontinued forever, so if you want it, you better buy it. Some people just continued to complain (not buying it, despite them being readily available for several months even at a price drop). Once they were gone, some complained they could no longer find one. Some had to just settle for an 80GB due to the decision. Getting back to the 80GB, I see SCEA maybe releasing a special bundle around the Holiday Season with the 80GB, but for the most part, it will probably not be a mass produced bundle again. If people don't like it, sorry, Sony just doesn't want to be the most expensive anymore AND they do not want their gaming division to take heavy loses again (they profit from the slim PSP and PS2, and the 40GB loses very little or breaks even).
To let everyone know, there's a good chance the 40GB will play PS2 games one day. SCEJ is looking for people to do PS2, PSP, etc. emulation. One big reason 360 is cheaper than PS3 is, it has zero Xbox components for its BC.
) then maybe it turned out to be not such a bad thing.
in' up somethin' ferocious.
