Of course not one of the blind fanclub have given a second's thought to the timing of this new model.

It's surely no accident.

It seems highly likely to me that this proves that Sony have no immediate solution for 'profile 1.1' (nevermind 'profile 2.0') for the PS3.

IMO it's no accident that they have announced it and gotten it out there, not just in time for Xmas, but also in time for the 'profile 1.1' deadline.

Suckers.

**But.. no cost to Sony anyway!
**But.. no cost to Sony anyway!

Sony removed the hardware for backwards compatibility to save money and decided to go with software only for PS2 and PS1 support.

Since Sony is supporting compatibility for those that paid for this feature they already have to write the code anyway..

If it's not costing Sony, where's the logic in making people angry and losing some sales?

Ok, so now what are you supposted to play on the PS3 without any PS2 games?

Quebert

Sony has it's head up it's own ass.

LMAO

£299 = just over $600 at todays rates and that is now supposed to be a 'good deal' is it?!

Since when was the same money expected for a unit (with a stack of the original abilities removed compared to the 'full-fat' version that was launched in the USA) a full year on anything like 'a bargain'!?

Jayzuss wept, the brainless cretinous sheep-like fawning over anything Sony will serve up is just beyond parody.
Pathetic.

Nice try. Tax in UK is 17.5%, the US price is PLUS tax. In addition, there is 10% import duty.

nearly 30% of the cost of not down to Sony, it's claimed by Eurocrats.

Still if a PS3 at £299 is a bad deal. a 360 for the same price, that fails every other week, and needs hunderds of pound of extras to make it even remotely function, must be a dire deal.

"Nice try. Tax in UK is 17.5%, the US price is PLUS tax."

- ....and what? Are you now claiming that they don't have any kind of sales or state taxes in the USA?

"In addition, there is 10% import duty.

nearly 30% of the cost of not down to Sony, it's claimed by Eurocrats."

- BS.
Depending on the goods in question there is a 2.2% - 14% import duty to the EU.

"Still if a PS3 at £299 is a bad deal. a 360 for the same price"

- You seem (like most of your fanclub mates) to be under the delusion that I could give a flying f*ck about the XBox 360.

The facts stand.
The original 60gb US PS3 was $600 and had a far higher spec one year ago than this sku now available in the UK for the same $600/£299.

Just cos the original PS3 in the UK was a ludicrously outrageous £425/$850 does not make this a 'good deal'.

Okay. 100 quid off, and you loose PS2 compatability.

Price of a PS2 - £100. Erm, hang on. How can that be? We've been told that the European PS3 uses a software emulator to make it behave like PS2, which is why it had less emulation on launch.

So, they're really not giving anyone anything, and probably still raking it in! Oh god no!

Well, I'll still wait until I win the lottery to buy one. or ten.

It's only £50 difference between the BC and non BC models.

40GB non BC = £299
60GB BC = £349

For that you also get card reader, extra 20GB space, and 2 games. There are some reports that Sony licence 3rd party tech to handle PS2 EE emulation. If this is true, then that would also save on licencing costs.

So Steve, you're admitting that the 40 GB model was indeed a bad decision?

1/ I am not Steve.

2/ It's a good decison. £299 for a Blue ray player and media client is awesome value for money.

It's £100 more than a crappy 1080i Toshiba HD DVD player, but the PS3 does so much more, and so much better.

"It's £100 more than a crappy 1080i Toshiba HD DVD player, but the PS3 does so much more, and so much better. "

- Why would the vast majority of the HD TV owning market care less about that ridiculous 1080i/1080p BS?

If you don't have a TV with a native res of 1920x1080 you can't even see 1080p and if you do then 1080i will be displayed progressively anyways
(ironically it'll be the more expensive 1080p TVs that have a decent deinterlacer to rid the telly of any artifacts too).

HD DVD is by far the better choice with a cost structure and amount of available and exclusive movie content Blu-ray cannot match.

Let's hope SCEA don't release the 40GB unit here for $399, as most of the apes here who claimed that once the 60GB PS3's were gone, it would only be the 80GB units left, which would result in a price rise.

They would look pretty foolish right then (Ed Oswald included).

ok steve, fool

"The new console has a lot to do with consumer feedback -- the 40GB model has no backwards compatibility."

Question: HUH!?

Yeah, I thought that was interesting as well.

Sony: What would you change on the PS3?
Consumers: Backward compatibility!
Sony: Done! It's gone now. You're welcome.
Consumers: Wait... what?!

They finally got rid of the one thing that was keeping people busy while they wait ever-so-patiently for those "mind-blowing" titles that never seem to show up.

But, when (or if) that first must-have title is actually available, I can see F@H scores for teams all over the world decline. :)

Isn't there anything else Sony can remove from the PS3 to cut costs further? They seem to be getting really desperate. Maybe they can sell consoles without a power supply or without a controller. How about making the backwards compatibility an optional add-on? Scratch that. Knowing Sony, they would charge you $5 less for it than the price of a real PS2.

At any rate, I can't say I'm surprised by this latest move by Sony in the ongoing PS3 fiasco. They have always been stingy with features/extras. The PS2 is a perfect example of this. Back during the glory days of the PS2, every console on the market (N64, Game Cube, Dreamcast, Xbox) had 4 controller ports as standard, but not the PS2. It cost around $50 for the adapter back then. Seven years later it still costs $40 to buy a 4 player adapter. And to add insult to injury, Sony made sure some of the big titles (in house and games from EA, etc.) wouldn't work properly with a 3rd party adapter. So you couldn't just buy a cheap adapter, it *had* to be an "official" one. Just some food for thought.

"Isn't there anything else Sony can remove from the PS3 to cut costs further?"

yes, it is called blue-ray technology.

To Mr. Austin:

"Hi Ed,

Yes - that's correct. There are enough stocks in most countries to last into Christmas but then the 40GB moodel will be the only model in the SCEE region.

Best regards,

Nick"

OK so a cheaper ps3 with still NO GOOD games, WOW! It cannot do ANY backwards compatibility. I could use it for a doorstop or maybe a foreman grill replica!

""Remaining on sale while stocks last, the 60GB model represents outstanding value for the keen gamer wishing to upgrade to the High Definition capabilities of PS3."

That is from Sony. "While stocks last" usually means its being phased out last time I checked. Since the press release is not clear, we will be asking Sony and have clarification."

Wow, I know most people probably don't care too much for backwards compatibility. But I do, I was going to go out and get a PS3 once GT5 came out. I'm seriously reconsidering now, I'd still like to play God of War 2... I suppose I could still buy the 80 gig version for $600, but why would I. I don't need motorsport.

This is so drastic that its difficult for me to comprehend. Wasn't Sony's whole marketing campaign about full backwards compatibility. I mean partial is fine, but to just strip it entirely... WOW

Yep, here we go.

Yesterday: "PS3 is too expensive, my crappy job does not pay enough"

Today: "I want backwards compatability, that I was saying sucked last week".

GROW UP FFS.

You apparently cannot read, THAT was Sony's big selling point when Xbox360 cut out compatibility for the majority of their games.

FFS LEARN TO READ

An I don't care what kind of job you have paying $300+ for a doorstop is a rip-off no matter how you look at it.

Sorry I'm an Engineer. I can definitely afford the junky PS3. I just don't think its worth it. First theres B/C, now not? What kind of game is Sony playing here?

As off right now I've been holding off on the purchase because I'd rather have the PS3 collecting dust at the store and not at my house. No games = no console for me, but now I can easily add no B/C = no console too.

why are you complaining? all they're doing is adding a cheaper model with less features. its not like that should matter if the same model you were eyeing before is completely unchanged.

And if you learnt to read, you would see that the BC is only removed from the budget unit, and the higher units still have it.

If you were really an engineer, you would respect the PS3, as a reliable and well designed console, rather than jerking off over than junk you love so much.

LMAO, no, what your saying is that I should follow blindly into buying Sony. My TV is Sony and I wish I had bought a Samsung, go fig.

Heres an old post, but as an Engineer I consider the hardware, not blind trolling.

http://www.hardcoreware....eviews/review-348-1.htm

Theres more, but alas I don't have the time to waste on a retard like you.

Actually I'm eyeing the 60 gig model. But I'm not purchasing it without a descent game, but alas that will be discontinued soon before a descent game comes out...

I just find it odd that Sony is the only manufacturer literally removing HARDWARE even though their selling point show a lot more built in.

You know if they are trying to save money that desperately they might as well remove the blu-ray drive and put in a DVD drive... [sarcasm off]

So you're saying we need to grow up because we want a console that isn't crippled and we want it priced competitively? According to you, we can't have both. It's not our fault Sony can't deliver.

I have to say this new model is more appealing to me as I dont have any older games i want to play. Maybe some new ones that are coming out next year on ps3
Buuuuut, at this stage all the PS3 has is a few titles and all its really good old ps2 games... which people wont be able to play if they buy this model hehe
Go figure

Well-designed for what? Has anyone actually figured that out yet?

No doubt... that's what I've been screaming.

Of course you can't have both. How stupid are you?

The PS3 is still crammed with cutting edge stuff.

You have the choice, the 60GB with BC, card readers, and 2 games for £349 or the bare 40GB with none of that for £299.

Either way, the £299 unit is still better equiped than a 360 Elite, for the same money. The fact that 40GB can be swapped out for a standard larger disc in the future means it's not upgrade crippled like 360 consoles.

If you truly were an engineer, you would understand how the PS3 is better than the 360, in every single aspect, not only does it contain the most cutting edge components, it does it reliably, and now it does it for £299.

As for year old reviews from a 360 fanboy, very credible.

That's excatly what the 360/HD DVD fanboys want Sony to do. However it's not because it makes sense, it's because it will level it with the 360, and remove he Blu-ray PS3 advantage.

It's not going to happen, as much as you wish it. PS3/Blu-ray is here to stay, it's essential part of next gen gaming. 360 is bring crippled by the same storage medium as the PS2/Original Xbox..

Holy @#$%, that's stupid. That's what I say about Sony taking back-compat lacking hardware and SHOVING IT at the world. Once again, Europeans get the @#$%ing shaft. Meanwhile, Sony's "too little, too late" call is somewhat like this: OPEN MOUTH, INSERT FOOT. Very immature business decision, if ya ask me.

I'll be surprised if even Sony can survive THIS. Because it's finally over. SCE has gone TOO FAR now. So goodbye, PS3 (and possibly all of Sony, too) - besides, we hardly knew ya... :'( [weeping at the fall of the giant...] :'(

"The fact that 40GB can be swapped out for a standard larger disc in the future means it's not upgrade crippled like 360 consoles."

'How stupid are you?' You can, it's called a 120gb HDD. You can buy it at Walmart.

The PS3 may be 'crammed with cutting edge stuff' but what's it worth without any games?

EVen if the PS3 was engineered 'better than the 360', there's just one little problem. Where's the games?

Refer to previous post.

Or his proof for this statement?

Who cares about a disk swap if the system has games. I would rather swap a disk then play Q-bert and about nothing else. Where is the advanctage there?

"In 3 years when your PS3 DVD drive goes out due to playing lots of movies (PS2 was notoriously bad about this) you will have to go buy another PS3. With the 360, you’ll just chuck your HD-DVD player, and go buy another one at the store"

This is going to be interesting when this happens because its not a matter of if its when as Sony as notorious for using cheap parts.

So, because an engineer favors xbox360 he's a fanboy. Go ahead and argue the points, they are very well thought out.

Just because graphics are better doesn't mean the system will be, xbox was far more powerful then ps2 but did nowhere near as well as the ps2 but for its first entry in the market MS learned a lot.

Its funny how Sony fanboys like to bring up the failure rate of the xbox360 but neglect to speak about all the problems the ps1 and ps2 had (the ps2 slim-lines still have problems because using the machine as a dvd player and games burns it out pretty damn quick)

Cue: Aload of fanbots who yesterday were complaining about the price of PS3, who are today complaining about Sony removing backwards compatability and offering a cheaper PS3.

They obviosuly have no idea how econonics work, you get what you pay for. This is why the dirtbox360 is cheap, because it's crap.

Cue a fanboy vehemently defending his choice of console.

You get a console with nothing to play, how is that getting what you paid for? This far along and where are the games? So far the PS3 sucks!

It's probably better to let him have his childish rant, stomp his feet, and tire himself out.

Is this Steve or Benjamin? or both?

its both.

Thats amazing thats exactly what I do with my dog.

Oh please.. This is not Novemeber 2006.

There are plenty of great PS3 games.

Umm, where? Most (if not all) of the good ones are multiplatform.

Where?

The new ones still suck the reviews even back that up.

Where are they? Are they hiding the good ones somewhere that we didn't know about?

No, there are not.

"However, if consumers wish to play their PS2 games, they still have to buy the bigger model -- the 40GB has no backwards compatibility".

Considering that the emulation is purely software now the only reason to make this new base model not allow backward compatibility is to try and force people to pay more for the 60/80 gig version while still appearing to have a low price point.

Each time someone brings up the lack of games Sony says that there are 100s or 1000s of PS/PS2 games that can be played on the PS3. Yet now they shun the backward compatibility for no real reason.

1/ The existing models are not purely software. Only the Emotion Engine is emulated, there is still some PS2 innards, namely GS chip and some circuitry. So not it's "purely software".

2/ The emulation is bought in, and not developed inhouse by Sony, and therefore is licenced on a per-console basis. Removing BC also removes this cost.

3/ This article (as usual for Betanews) is total bollocks. Betanews decided to make this bit up: "Sony said that the 60GB will be phased out once supplies of the console at the new price are exhausted." The model with software BC is going nowhere, as the Betanews article implies.

Not to mention that the new 40GB model will be released on the 10th, and not the 13th as written here.

Good job Mr. Ed Oswald. I'm sure this was just an accident. Try reading the official Press Release next time or at least Google it.

We've corrected the error. I scanned that press release twice and did not see the release date. Usually its put at the end, that is an honest error.

"Remaining on sale while stocks last, the 60GB model represents outstanding value for the keen gamer wishing to upgrade to the High Definition capabilities of PS3."

That is from Sony. "While stocks last" usually means its being phased out last time I checked. Since the press release is not clear, we will be asking Sony and have clarification.

Steve,
1) The emulation in all the PS3s sold in Europe as well as the newer ones in the US use software emulation. Please show me any link to official documentation that says there is any other hardware in the console related to emulation other then the Emotion Engine which is what they are emulating in software now.

2) I highly doubt that Sony went out of house for the emulation or that it would be licenced back to them since they own all the patents and copyrights to the PS2 architecture. Once again feel free to post a link to any supporting documentation you have.

3) "Remaining on sale while stocks last, the 60GB model represents outstanding value for the keen gamer wishing to upgrade to the High Definition capabilities of PS3."

This is a direct quote from the SCEE website.
http://www.scee.presscen...D=4434&NewsAreaID=2
The 60gb model IS being phased out.

"Sony said that the 60GB will be phased out once supplies of the console at the new price are exhausted."

Umm, that is the truth. He makes no mention of the backwards compatability model being phased out. You make no sense.

If you have to buy the bigger model to get BC that means the 60GB model or 80GB model correct? Well, for BC the 60GB model is the cheapest right now, but will not be around forever because they are not manufacturing any more units at that level.

Seems factually accurate to me. Go find something else to complain about fanboy.

1) Fron Sony themselves.

http://www.pcmag.com/art...2/0,1759,2099538,00.asp

"Q: Does this mean that the PS2 hardware chips have been removed completely and replaced with software-only emulation?

A: The original PS3 used the Emotion Engine/Graphics Synthesizer to emulate PS2 titles. With the latest European specification we have removed the Emotion Engine, retaining the graphics chip."

2) There is an interview being posted Monday on Gamesindustry.biz that hints at licencing fees for backwards compatability. Whilst it may not be the entire BC, it's certainly some bought in software tech.

3) the 60GB model will certainly be phased out, but that does not mean that backwards compatability will be gone as this article implied, the 60GB will be replaced with something else (120GB/160Gb my guess) so it will be 40GB entry/120GB highend.

Nowhere does it say in the BN article they are removing BC from the 60Gb version (it does say they are phasing the 60 Gb version out which Sony has confirmed), it states only the 40 GB version will have NO BC, hell even the official sony website in the uk states the exact same thing.

Your article is 7 months old, this is something NEW that will be out Oct 10th.

WTF is wrong with you?

to be honest, im not into buying gaming platforms for their "storage space." the fact that this was ever a salable difference still baffles me. as long as it has enough memory to save my progress in the games i play along with maybe a few custom sound tracks i can listen to during games, i really can't be bothered with a big drive. I'm still stunned anyone could find use for a 160GB ipod (let alone en mass). 10GB, fine, 20GB, super, 40,60,80, who cares? it's still overkill! If sony really wanted me to buy one of these things they would have spent some time bringing the price down to a realistic level. They're just games and movies. If I can't even play them with my friends online because no one can afford their stupid console, who friggen needs it. not I! Still holding out with my XBOX 1 until I'm convinced I can't live without a wii or 360. Sony is clearly out of touch with the consumer on this one.

Steve,

Thank you for the link. My understanding then is that not only have they removed the Emotion Engine but perhaps also the Graphics Synthesizer as well now. If this is the path they desire to take in order to reduce cost then they should consider emulating the GS as well. It would certainly take some effort but how many people who get a 40gb unit for christmas and plop in an old game are going to call Sony asking why it doesn't work?

I don't know if the article was edited or if you are replying to my post but neither the article nor my post ever states that BC will be completely removed in the future. I even mention that I think the reason that it is removed is to get good PR for a lower price point but force people to actually buy the more expensive PS3 with BC (if that is something you are looking for)

NULLedge,

Larger drives in consoles is for the hope that Sony and MS, and even Nintendo have that you will purchase content directly from them and store it on your console.

Nintendo is doing this with virtual console games while MS and Sony are doing it with expansion for existing games and HD movies.

If they are to grow this new revenue stream then larger drives are imperative as you purchase more content but refuse to delete what you have rightly paid for (and why should you. you paid for it)

That is correct, the GS is removed from the 40GB units. However, it's pretty complicated to emulate this, as the RSX would have to handle it. But why bother? The unit is sold with no BC, and will forver be without BC. If you want BC, spend £50 more (just over the price of a game), and get 2 games, 20GB more space, backwards compatability, a card reader.

Sony want to attract peoples attention with the £299 pricepoint, and then they want them to see sense, that for £50, they get so much more. Bottom line, is they don't want people to buy 40GB units..

The £299 will be for people buying it as a blu-ray/network media client, and people on extremely tight budgets.

The article was edited before you read it.

The 60GB is being phased out, but that does not mean that it will just be 40GB units available when that happens, that is a backwards step. There will be >60GB units with BC at that point in time.

However for the moment, you can choose.

No BC, £299, or BC, card reader, 20GB more, 2 Games for £349.

Well as of 2:07 it still said that only the 40 Gb version would not have the BC as posted by the guy above you where you still continue to say the article is wrong.

Where you posted at 2:19 as an edit.

"Yet now they shun the backward compatibility for no real reason."

Shun the non-believer, Ssssshhhhhuuuuunnnn!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5im0Ssyyus

Although expensive when you convert the price to us/cdn, I was going to at least commend Sony for narrowing the gap between the PS3 and XBox over there.

Then I read this: "However, if consumers wish to play their PS2 games, they still have to buy the bigger model -- the 40GB has no backwards compatibility".

Way to go Sony...

Side note - 65 titles? I'll believe it when I see it.

"Although expensive when you convert the price to us/cdn"

Again, "experts" who have no idea.

Taxes in Europe are typically 18% to 25% (compared to 3%-5% in the US), there is also 10% import duties for non EU goods.

In addition, all consumer items are guarenteed for a year, compared to US/CN 90 day. This is also factored in.

This is what makes the $/£/Euro difference. Europeans are used to it..

Eh, easy tiger that was based on face value and not even the point of my post. But regardless of taxes and tariffs, it's still pricey.

Second of all, I guarantee I have more education than you. Although I just knocked myself down a notch by replying to you. Go figure.