Sony underestimated demand for the 80 GB

[Zeus]

Scott Steinberg, VP of Product Marketing at SCEA, has said that they underestimated demand for the 80 GB PS3. He said Sony were wrong in thinking that the price of the 80 GB was a big factor and that consumers would prefer a cheaper 40 GB. Steinberg said that we will now see Sony replenish the 80 GB in the marketplace.

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BIZ: Regarding the PS3 SKU strategy, there's been some talk about the 80 GB model possibly being phased out from some of the rumblings we've heard and that Sony is looking to possibly put some more distance between the 40 GB and some new model that might come out, maybe packed in with the Dual Shock 3... but it seems like there's been so much change over the last couple years; first you had the 20 GB and the 60 GB and the 40 GB and the 80 GB. Doesn't that lead to consumer confusion to have so many different SKUs out there?

SS: It hasn't hurt Apple. Our strategy at the end of the year was to offer up a $399 40 GB, which we thought was the magic price for a Blu-ray machine and then a $499 80 GB. What we were surprised to see is that $100 really didn't matter to a certain customer. Our sales were fairly equitable according to TRST and our internal numbers through the holidays and even into January; we're pretty dry on the 80 GB as a result of us underestimating the demand for the 80 GB and thinking that most folks, because the price message was such a big part of the pundits and the analysts decrying the differences between the 360 and the PS3, [would prefer the 40 GB]. Reality is the price wasn't that big of a deal and $499 sold a lot more than we thought, so the 80 GB got dry at retail not due to us artificially compressing it but the demand became greater than we thought. So you'll see us replenish these in the marketplace. We're still committed to our current strategy and there is much to do about nothing, I think is the way to think about it.

BIZ: So the 40 GB and the 80 GB... those are the two that are going to stay on the market, and there's no plans to swap one out for another?

SS: I don't know about the long term. We're looking at the marketplace and I think if the business can support two, we'll continue to do that but what we're seeing is that the hardcore guys have gone to the 80 GB and they value that extra hundred dollar worth of features and the more casual consumer, we think has gone to the $399 because they're a little bit more price conscious. We're still talking to our retail partners, we've got a big retail meeting next week in Scottsdale and we'll continue to take our learnings from the last couple months and we're formulating our strategy on how the hardware roadmap looks for the balance of the year.


News Source: <a href="http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/features/interview-sceas-scott-steinberg-on-ps3-momentum/?biz=1" target=_blank">gamedaily</a>

[Xulap]

Are you fvcking serious!?

I bought the 40gb this week, because the 80gb's was phased out. I really wanted the 80gb's, I could have waited if I knew this!! :mad: Argh!!

Anyways, I'm happy with it. :)

[Y2Bogus]

I'll save Sony the time and money of the market research and just tell them out right why people want the 80GB units.

It's not the card reader. It's not the crappy game that comes with it. It's not the extra drive space.

There is ONE reason and ONE reason only that we want the 80GB unit on the market. PS2 compatibility.

The PS2 has a near infinite library of games that we want to play and the need to have another console hooked up in order to play them is an annoyance enough that people are paying upwards of 700 bucks or more online for a 60GB unit.

Yes, we all have PS2s, but we don't really feel the need to have another console taking up space on our shelves, using inputs in our TVs, and using up another power outlett. Not to mention that it also means we have another 1 - 4 controllers hanging around for that system.

My Advice to Sony is, forget about a packin game and just bring back the EE chip and price the unit at 500. People will buy it, especially if you put a big ass sticker on the box that says "PLAYS PS2 GAMES!"

[Hootermancs]

I'll save Sony the time and money of the market research and just tell them out right why people want the 80GB units.

It's not the card reader. It's not the crappy game that comes with it. It's not the extra drive space.

There is ONE reason and ONE reason only that we want the 80GB unit on the market. PS2 compatibility.

The PS2 has a near infinite library of games that we want to play and the need to have another console hooked up in order to play them is an annoyance enough that people are paying upwards of 700 bucks or more online for a 60GB unit.

Yes, we all have PS2s, but we don't really feel the need to have another console taking up space on our shelves, using inputs in our TVs, and using up another power outlett. Not to mention that it also means we have another 1 - 4 controllers hanging around for that system.

My Advice to Sony is, forget about a packin game and just bring back the EE chip and price the unit at 500. People will buy it, especially if you put a big ass sticker on the box that says "PLAYS PS2 GAMES!"

Um, the last reason I wanted to buy an 80gig system was the PS2 compatibility. Careful with your 'we' association that you're throwing around.

[aries2k]

Hmm, why else would you want the 80gb model then?.. Surely it´s not for the extra 40gb space? You can buy a bigger drive cheaper. 2 extra usb ports and the card reader?
Sure, there OK and everyone has their own reasons for buying but I have to agree with Y2Bogus.
the only major difference in the 40gb and 80 gb is the PS2 BC

[pCeSlAyEr]

Um, the last reason I wanted to buy an 80gig system was the PS2 compatibility. Careful with your 'we' association that you're throwing around.

then why pay for a 80gb? the 40gb is the same **** if you dont care for PS2 compat.

[Hootermancs]

Hmm, why else would you want the 80gb model then?.. Surely it´s not for the extra 40gb space? You can buy a bigger drive cheaper. 2 extra usb ports and the card reader?
Sure, there OK and everyone has their own reasons for buying but I have to agree with Y2Bogus.
the only major difference in the 40gb and 80 gb is the PS2 BC

I could care less for the extra 40 gigs of space, as like you said I can/will replace it in the future with a much bigger drive. The card reader would probably get used once to see how it worked.

Honestly I wanted an 80gig just because with the amount of money I was spending what's a little more to get the premium model.

But, it doesn't matter. When I bought my PS3 a couple weeks ago nobody in my town had anything other than the 40gig models, so that's what I ended up with. Oh well, it still plays MLB '08 like a champ :D

[MadonnaProject]

well people expect to, in the future, read the horoscope, and match the date of the day of the moon phase of the month to go out and buy your playstation 3 console.

it will all depend on pot luck, as to which version you may end up with. with hardware and features removed as sony pleases.

[dannybII]

It's interesting that emphasis is laid on price difference between a 40GB drive and an 800GB drive. For a consumer on trawling the net it's only a couple of ££. For someone with the buying power of Sony it would be negligible. I'm surprised Sony/MS can still find a HD manufacturer that makes drives as small as 20/40GB. The USB ports again added pence to the overall cost. Card reader? again minuscule amount.
Truth be known Sony saw a lot of people still playing/buying old PS2 titles and not enough PS3. So they craftily phased out that SKU with backward compatibility and then they'll re-introduce it again but without the ability to play PS2 games, thus forcing owners to buy PS3 software and/or download lots of sh!tty little things off PSN.

[Blazeking]

It's interesting that emphasis is laid on price difference between a 40GB drive and an 800GB drive. For a consumer on trawling the net it's only a couple of ££. For someone with the buying power of Sony it would be negligible. I'm surprised Sony/MS can still find a HD manufacturer that makes drives as small as 20/40GB. The USB ports again added pence to the overall cost. Card reader? again minuscule amount.
Truth be known Sony saw a lot of people still playing/buying old PS2 titles and not enough PS3. So they craftily phased out that SKU with backward compatibility and then they'll re-introduce it again but without the ability to play PS2 games, thus forcing owners to buy PS3 software and/or download lots of sh!tty little things off PSN.

fucking A. I hate when people speak for me. There ARE people who have SD cards and
MS Duo's who want a card reader. Very useful if you have digital cameras. If i didn't want that, I would have another 360. But I don't. I still have my PS2 which works with memento, so BC is a non-factor. Sony didn't "force" me to buy the 60GB over the 20GB (no card reader), it was my own choice.

The gerneral "speak for everybody" posts always backfire

[Tempos]

You misunderstood his point completely and he had a good theory rather than needlessly being hostile.

[Y2Bogus]

I'll expand on my statements as well.

If you really want a card reader on a 40GB system, you can use any external USB reader. You can get the Nyko 360 reader for 6 bucks at Gamestop brand new and it has 3 extra USb ports on it. And you can use it right on your 40GB PS3.

If you want extra USB ports, you can get a USB hub fairly cheap for about 5 - 10 bucks, even powered if necessary. And you can use that right on your 40GB PS3

If you want a bigger drive, you can go to newegg and get a 320GB drive for about 130 bucks, and you can use it right on your 40GB PS3.

The ONLY feature of the 80GB system that you can't duplicate on a 40GB system is the backwards compatibility. And that's the crux of my statement.

[lusid]

I _really_ wanted the backwards compatibility. Couldn't find an 80g anywhere, settled for the 40g, now they tell us.

I could really use the extra USB ports and the card reader. Sure I can buy a card reader, and I can buy a USB hub, and I can have all sorts of muck hanging off the front of my console. It would be so much cleaner to have it all integrated. None of the aftermarket solutions will get you there.

[grapeape]

I _really_ wanted the backwards compatibility. Couldn't find an 80g anywhere, settled for the 40g, now they tell us.

I could really use the extra USB ports and the card reader. Sure I can buy a card reader, and I can buy a USB hub, and I can have all sorts of muck hanging off the front of my console. It would be so much cleaner to have it all integrated. None of the aftermarket solutions will get you there.

If your making use of all those USB ports dont you have all sorts of much hanging off your console anyway??

I do love the spin in the article that consumers didnt care about the extra $100, its not that we didnt care...its that we couldnt find a 60 and didnt want to buy the crippled model.