A new PS3 at Gamescom?

All the reliable rumors I've seen point to a new PS3 announced around/at Gamescom convention. Beyond that, nothing is know what it will be. So
I'm taking a somewhat wild guess at what kind of new model it will be. Could be wrong, but it got me thinking of the only possible model that would make sense.

Introducing..... the PS3 Small, PS3 Mini, PSTHREE, or Whatever.

- New Model will be priced at $99.99 US MSRP without that kind of deceptive payment plan the "$99" 360 has.

- New Model will drop the thing that the PS3 was initially promoted as, the Blu-Ray Optical Drive. Basically, it won't play any of your current PS3 Disc Games. Then Again, they aren't going after you with this.

- New Model will feature a minimum 160 GB Hard Drive to store PS3 and PSN Downloadable titles.

- It's main selling point is that it will be cheap for families. It would heavily promote the current (and awesome) PS3 library program for PSN Plus members. The program allows subscribers to download from a rotating assortment of PS3/PSN games and keep access to them as long as they are Plus members ($50). If I was Sony, I'd advertise the hell out of that on the box, on in-the-box pamphlets, and during the routine PS3 set-up.

- Consider this, for only $149.99 and $50/year subsequent, PS3 owners will be able to access games like InFamous 2, Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One, and more without costing them extra money for games. Plus they can Download other PS3 games (many are already on PSN) and regular PSN titles, PS1 classics, and available PS2 classics.


Why did I come to this conclusion?

- There is already a PS3 Slim model, is Sony (who is struggling financially) really going to dump all this R&D money into a new model that is basically the same as the current one?

- They can undercut the 360 at its own game with the magic $99 console and bring in a lot of customers with a low initial commitment, giving a huge boost in sales that could give help its stock prices.

- In order to make a big splash and change its status in the market, it would need more than $199.99 similar-modeled PS3. To do this, and maintain lower production costs and still be a PS3, they can either get rid of the hard drive or the Blu-Ray sensor. Therefore, it seems more logical for the sensor to go. Maintains its current changes with the PS Plus program.

- Finally, they've already done it before. It was called the PSP Go. Sure, that bombed, but digital download and the PSN store have come miles since then.


So, What do you think?

You proved your point wrong with your last bullet point. PSP Go.

And the PSN is just as bad now as it was then. It hasn't changed.

The BluRay capabilities are the only thing the PS3 has over MS. Take that out and you have a pointless box.

Ya, the PSN service isn't great for gaming, certainly not like XBLA, but it quietly has put together a pretty impressive list of downloadable games, which was the point of my idea. Also, PS Plus got them alot of buzz for giving away at least games for free while your subscribed and bigger discounts on games to buy. BluRay players are cheaper now. Nintendo didn't dominate with the Wii because of its superior online. This new model is targeted at the casual cowd if you read my article.

I don't think this is totally off base. I would hope Sony has learned its lesson from the PSP Go, but $100 for a HD Netflix box w/gaming capabilities isn't a terrible deal for people in the market (for $50 more than a Roku HD you get gaming capability). If I didn't already have a Roku HD in my bedroom I'd be all over this. Hell yeah Pixel Junk games in bed!

I doubt they could make one with a 160 gig HD for that price w/o taking a haircut though (probably more like a kick in the shorts).

Edit - the more I think about this the more I think I would buy one. I already have a bunch of downloadable games that I have purchased. Having access to those games plus the features of my Roku makes me think I would purchase one for $99 assuming it had a decent level of storage. No way it would replace my disc based PS3 though.

[quote name='Ziv']You proved your point wrong with your last bullet point. PSP Go.

And the PSN is just as bad now as it was then. It hasn't changed.

The BluRay capabilities are the only thing the PS3 has over MS. Take that out and you have a pointless box.[/QUOTE]

Pointless? I beg to differ. Netflix and Amazon as well as being an excellent media center. I use all of those features. Hell, something like this could be competitive with devices like the Roku.

Also, one thing this idea has over the PSP Go is PS+. For $50 a year, you can build up quite a collection of games and never have to buy a game.

I'll still take my media on a disk rather than a download when possible. PSN+ Doesn't appeal to me.

Well, not until this EU ruling that game companies have to make a way to be able to resell my license. Wake me when that happens.

[quote name='Ziv']I'll still take my media on a disk rather than a download when possible. PSN+ Doesn't appeal to me.[/QUOTE]
This. 1,000,000x THIS!! I prefer my media on physical format still, especially since the PSN prices for full games suck balls(and my connection speed for the price I'm paying sucks) because they're mostly MSRP or damn close. Wake me up when PSN starts offering games at their lowest available price I can find a disc version of them at(some for as low as $5 or even LESS).

PS+ is fairly worthless to me as well except for maybe the cloud save due to devs putting locked saves in their in' games. you Pandemic. I'm glad EA shut your asses down.

[quote name='TheLongshot']Pointless? I beg to differ. Netflix and Amazon as well as being an excellent media center. I use all of those features. Hell, something like this could be competitive with devices like the Roku.

Also, one thing this idea has over the PSP Go is PS+. For $50 a year, you can build up quite a collection of games and never have to buy a game.[/QUOTE]

The 360 does Netflix and Amazon Instant too.

And had people been smart and backed HD-DVD instead of Blu, the 360 would have beat the PS3 on that front as well.

[quote name='JasonTerminator']The 360 does Netflix and Amazon Instant too.[/QUOTE]

I know. I'm just pointing out that the PS3 isn't worthless without Blu.

And had people been smart and backed HD-DVD instead of Blu, the 360 would have beat the PS3 on that front as well.

Click to expand...

Except that Xbox 360s never had HD-DVD players built in.

I don't argue with Cheapest that PSN is not all that valuable to us CAGs, tho I argue with him about the merits of PS+. PS+, for the average person, is really a good deal. IMO, a better deal than Netflix.