After the amazing technical demonstration Sony showed at their pre-show press conference, it makes people wonder just what this hardware is going to cost. Rumors floating around the net (including Gamespot) indicate a sub-$500 price point.
There's no way a game company can release a console at anything above $399 and expect it to sell well, or at least be competitive. The chances are even lower if it's released during the dry spring season. It doesn't matter how good the games look. $450-$500is simply too much. The 3DO proved it. It was the height of technology for its time and it backfired. Many retailers are only selling consoles in package deals, and that will take the price well over $500. Add in a game you want, an extra controller or two, and possibly some other must-have accessory, and you're over the price of the Neo Geo.
No amount of hype will sell a system well above the halfway mark to a four-digit figure.
Article comments
1 - Joel Caris
Based on the specs, I could understand the price being so high. But you're right--the console is doomed at a $500 price point. That's especially true if the Xbox 360 does come in at $300, which is what I imagine it will.
Throw in the fact that I don't expect PS3 games will look significantly better than Xbox 360 games at the point of launch, and that's a recipe for disaster for Sony. That Killzone 2 video was amazing, but that's almost certainly not real time and I'd be beyond shocked if the PS3 launched with games that actually looked and played like that.
My guess is that Sony will end up bringing it in at $400 or less, at least in the U.S. If the Xbox 360 is $300, I think they'll match it. At least, if they're smart, they will. If not--or if the hardware is simply too expensive to be able to--then they might just find themselves becoming acquainted with second place.