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80GB PS3 Launching in South Korea

By Ed Oswald, BetaNews

May 21, 2007, 10:58 AM

The highly-anticipated 80GB version of the PlayStation 3 will launch in South Korea on June 16 as the sole version of the console available in that country.

The launch indicates that the higher-capacity PS3 model could be the company's standard console from here on out, as well as possibly signaling an imminent debut elsewhere in the world within months.

Sony's current public stance on the availability of the new model is that it has "no plans" to introduce it outside of Korea. But having gained FCC approval in the United States indicates that Sony intends to eventually sell it in the US.

No mentions of the 20GB or 60GB versions appeared in Korean press information announcing the release date, which seems to indicate Sony plans to continue its recent policy of focusing on manufacturing the top-of-the-line consoles due to higher sales.

While the decision to announce the 80GB PS3 in South Korea before its home country of Japan may seem strange, Sony actually has a valid reason for this strategy. The country's broadband network is one of the most pervasive in the world.

Sony wants to increasingly market the console as an entertainment center, something Microsoft has successfully done with the Xbox 360. With South Koreans already heavy users of online media, the country was a logical choice.

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By siryak

posted May 22, 2007 - 6:16 PM

Oh and for all the Sony fangirls still trying to insist that the PS3 is not hard to code for.

http://www.gwn.com/news/...Creator_Slams_Sony.html
"Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi has criticised Sony’s Playstation 3 console insisting that it is too difficult to develop for"

Score: 0

By kashin

edited May 21, 2007 - 9:13 PM

"The 80GB model will bear a pre-tax price tag of KRW 518,000 (£232) and will hit the shops on June 16."

"The 60GB model in the UK has a suggested retail price of around £425 - that's £193 more for 20GB less and the loss of hardware based backwards compatibility."

"The INQ tests its PS3 titles and software on a Japanese PS3 which cost half of the UK price, and comes with the full support of a substantial Playstation library."

Funny how the Japanese get a special price of about half what the Europeans are paying, yet they're still not buying the PS3. When you sell your console for half the price in your home country and still nobody wants it, that really says something, doesn't it?

Source for the quotes: http://www.theinquirer.n...ault.aspx?article=39743

Score: 0

By Joey Deacon

posted May 22, 2007 - 2:55 AM

If you libed in the UK, you would realise how stupid your comments are.

The UK price you quote is RRP, it's available for £399 in some places.

It's also INCLUSIVE of VAT (17.5%) and Import duty (10%).

Your comparision figures, you need to take £25 and 27.5% off your £425 price...

Score: 0

By kashin

edited May 22, 2007 - 2:19 PM

"The UK price you quote is RRP, it's available for £399 in some places."

Yeah, in some places where they decided to sell the console at a LOSS, because nobody wants it. I believe the MSRP is £425. It doesn't matter what kind of taxes you try to calculate into the price, it still doesn't justify selling it for such an inflated price in one region compared to another. I suppose a Sony zealot would have to go around calling people stupid, if they happen to point out they're ripping people off in certain regions of the world.

Even if we go with your numbers and buy the console from a retailer who is selling it at a loss, after subtracting £25 and the 27.5% for taxes, it still costs £290, or £58 more for a console that doesn't have hardware based emulation or a bigger HD. But I suppose in Sony land this is perfectly normal.

PS. - The above calculations are rather unrealistic. When was the last time you went to buy a piece of hardware and made your buying decision based on its price before all the applicable local taxes? When was the last time you subtracted import duties from the overall price and based your buying decision on that? I'm guessing never. The bottom line is, people look at the final price of an item they're purchasing. I doubt anyone in the UK has gone to the store saying "Well, I'm going to buy a PS3 because it's a good deal. Not at the $425 (or $399) price, but if I subtract 27.5% for it then it's almost competitive with other regions! Thank you Sony!"

Score: 0

By Benjamin Linus

posted May 23, 2007 - 9:28 AM

Isn't that his point, for Betanews and The Inquirer to report the PRE TAX price, is basically very misleading, as you can't acually go into a shop and walk away with a PS3 at that price.

The same argument is true in the US, where the PS3 is claimed to be $599, and people use that as the comparision with other regions, forgetting of course that it's $599+TAX.

It's only the US that quotes prices pre-tax, almost everywhere else in the world, the price you see, is the price you pay...

Score: 0

By Benjamin Linus

edited May 21, 2007 - 12:40 PM

I really don't know why this is being reported as "news"...

80GB 2.5in SATA drives are cheaper to buy in bulk than their 60GB counterparts, simply because the base spec of laptops has risen since the PS3 was introduced in Nov last year.

By staying on 60GB, means the cost does not come down as quick as Sony want, and customers are losing out on 20GB of space. Win/Win for everyone.

It's NOT however a new SKU as some speculate, it's the same spec as the Euro/PAL console, apart from the obvious 20GB diskspace difference.

The whole thing in non-news anyway, as the PS3 handbook clearly shows you how to replace the HDD with whatever size you want. I've put a 160GB 2.5in SATA in mine for $80 after rebate.. I've read reports of 500GB 3.5in drives on caddies connected to the sata port on the drive bay...

Still the XBots will try and suggest this is akin to introducing HDMI/proprietary 120GB HDD on the 360 Elite.

Score: 0

By foxfyre

posted May 21, 2007 - 2:43 PM

Only a fanboy could turn this into a partisan subject.

An upgrade is an upgrade is an upgrade.

It must be very lonely in PS3 land. No wonder they worry so much about the other folks who are no where to be found. Yup , like the XBox or even more, the Wii folks, give a d@mn about this. Heck, the PS2 fans who are still buying more PS2s than your unit, in any config!, don't care.

Score: 0

By Steve Austin

posted May 21, 2007 - 3:42 PM

"An upgrade is an upgrade is an upgrade."

Remind me where I buy my HDMI cable for my Xbox360 Preimum again... (and not the bogus Liksang one).

Sorry, upgrades are not the same.. This "upgrade" is nothing you can't do yourself to a 20GB or 60GB model PS3 for less than $60...

Score: 0

By foxfyre

edited May 22, 2007 - 9:30 AM

"Still the XBots will try and suggest this is akin to introducing HDMI/proprietary 120GB HDD on the 360 Elite."

My reaction sis to this line and yet a PS3 fanboy turns it into some anti-PS3 comment! Well, i will give you credit, you certainly don't want to let the XBox fanboys claim any credit for being jerks over what you can contribute!

Let's put is another way that is sure to confus4 you as well. I couldn't care less about XBox360 or the PS3.

Except as far as fanboy jerks like you contribute to my detesting both platforms. So take a bow and credit for a few less sales!

Score: 0

By Hollywood__

posted May 21, 2007 - 6:40 PM

More Sony crap from sonyprotectiongroup.com boy over here. Give it up Steve.

Score: 0

By Joey Deacon

posted May 22, 2007 - 3:00 AM

Seems a valid comment, why get defensive?

Score: 0

By Benjamin Linus

posted May 22, 2007 - 8:08 AM

Because he knows he is in the wrong... (as usual)

Score: 0

By siryak

edited May 22, 2007 - 9:17 AM

Lol coming from the man that is wrong 99% of the time.

Score: 0

By siryak

posted May 21, 2007 - 1:27 PM

"Still the XBots will try and suggest this is akin to introducing HDMI/proprietary 120GB HDD on the 360 Elite."

Nope...I don't make comments I know are ridiculous unlike every Sony fanboy on this forum. If it was the other way around I am sure you probably would try to make a comment like that judging from your past posts.

Score: 0

By foxfyre

posted May 21, 2007 - 12:10 PM

As material costs come down for new peripherals, does it not make sense to upgrade components?

Real news would be if they persisted in using old technology despite newer technology costs declining to be more competitive!

Anytime an upgrade is announced it should most probably be viewed as a transition to the new standard!

Score: 0

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