Was watching X-Play yesterday dated 8/12/2009...

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Was watching X-Play episode dated 8/12/2009 and the little scrolling text at the bottom of the TV monitor mentioned two little nuggets of relevant console info: Microsoft now has the Xbox Elite console priced at $299.99 USD and the XBox 360 Pro model has been discountinued. Also, the Slim PS3 console officially made it's debut at that famous game expo held in Germany. Expect the remaining fat-ass PS3 consoles to get sold quickly to make room for the new slimmer PS3 consoles. So those rumors of a Slim PS3 console are true after all. It took SCEA awhile for the PS2 Slim to make it's way through USA retail distribution once it was unveiled though. ^_~

Good news to those sitting on the fence about whether or not to buy one of those new-fangled PS3 Slims or an 360 Elite console for a mere $300 USD. ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[nikkos010]

Was watching X-Play episode dated 8/12/2009 and the little scrolling text at the bottom of the TV monitor mentioned two little nuggets of relevant console info: Microsoft now has the Xbox Elite console priced at $299.99 USD and the XBox 360 Pro model has been discountinued. Also, the Slim PS3 console officially made it's debut at that famous game expo held in Germany. Expect the remaining fat-ass PS3 consoles to get sold quickly to make room for the new slimmer PS3 consoles. So those rumors of a Slim PS3 console are true after all. It took SCEA awhile for the PS2 Slim to make it's way through USA retail distribution once it was unveiled though. ^_~

Good news to those sitting on the fence about whether or not to buy one of those new-fangled PS3 Slims or an 360 Elite console for a mere $300 USD. ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

Well, There's nothing in the news yet. I hope it's true, and I hope they bring back PS2 compatibility.

But I thought the expo was still in the future? There's supposed to be a Sony Press Conference on the 18th...

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Sounds like the rumor mill went off the deep end with this info coming from X-Play or rather G4 themselves. Reminds me of the video game rumor articles in the USA-based Electronic Gaming Monthly with the shitty Quartermann articles. Entertaining but never taken seriously (and this applies to G4 as well). ^_~

Of course, it would have to be straight from SCEI themselves about the PS3 Slim console and it's internal specs along with the MSRP as well (considering that the current cheapest PS3 console is selling at $399.99 USD right now). Makes me wonder what other Playstation related hardware is coming out besides the PSP Go and the possible upcoming PS3 Slim console from Sony's SCEI R&D department. As it is, SCEI is still taking a loss on each PS3 console that it manufactures. ^_~

Suppose if SCEA did sell the PS3 at $399.99 instead of $599.99 for it's 60GB console variant during it's USA debut launch back in November of 2006, would've it done better sales-wise? I recall upon looking in the local newspaper classified ads hawking new PS3s for $800-$1,000 USD during the 2006 Christmas season. Of course, it's all about supply and demand (and on a first come, first served basis in retail "brick 'n' mortar" store sites -- you had to be extremely lucky to have scooped a brand new PS3 whithin minutes of it been unpacked and placed on retailer's shelving) in the end.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[MadScientist]

As it is, SCEI is still taking a loss on each PS3 console that it manufactures. ^_~

I don't think that's still the case - from a couple of weeks ago;

"During a recent investor conference call, Sony corporate CEO Nobuyuki Oneda revealed that the PlayStation 3 console is now roughly 70% cheaper to make than it was at launch."

http://www.techspot.com/news/35673-sony ... wn-70.html

[nikkos010]

As it is, SCEI is still taking a loss on each PS3 console that it manufactures. ^_~

I don't think that's still the case - from a couple of weeks ago;

"During a recent investor conference call, Sony corporate CEO Nobuyuki Oneda revealed that the PlayStation 3 console is now roughly 70% cheaper to make than it was at launch."

http://www.techspot.com/news/35673-sony ... wn-70.html

Like I've heard from various websites.. it's either the worst kept secret ever, or the biggest hoax to date.

So far it's shown up in a Best Buy Ad http://www.examiner.com/x-12218-Provide ... est-Buy-ad
A Chinese gaming magazine http://www.gamespot.com/news/blogs/rumo ... eveal.html
and a huge amount of rumors and hints from secret Ninja spies.

[Specineff]

Putting the Emotion Engine and Graphics Synthesizer in the PS3 costs them money. It's almost unlikely BC will be put in the new systems. Funny how PS2 games would be pretty much the biggest detriment to PS3 software sales.

[nikkos010]

Putting the Emotion Engine and Graphics Synthesizer in the PS3 costs them money. It's almost unlikely BC will be put in the new systems. Funny how PS2 games would be pretty much the biggest detriment to PS3 software sales.

I thought they had announced/patented an emulator to use on the CELL chip recently.. Yep found it - http://www.siliconera.com/2009/06/29/so ... rocessors/


Also, file this under unsubstantiated rumors, but this was noted on a site I visited today:

Over at my local GameStop (where I work), our Sony rep stopped in earlier today to update the PlayStation 3 kiosks and check in with us. I decided to ask him about all the rumors going around on the PlayStation 3 slim. When I asked him about whether or not is coming he told me this:

"All I'm going to say is this: both a price drop and a firmware update with backwards compatibility are coming soon."

Directly from the mouth of a Sony rep. GamesCom is next week, folks. Don't be surprised if you hear the announcement."

So again, we're back to biggest hoax or worst kept secrets. Could be a hell of an announcement next week.

[Specineff]

Oh, I meant to say that Sony putting hardware-based BC (The actual EE+GS chips) in the PS3 is highly unlikely.

[UnscathedFlyingObject]

I don't care how they do BC as long as they do it well.

[Ex-Cyber]

I thought they had announced/patented an emulator to use on the CELL chip recently.. Yep found it - http://www.siliconera.com/2009/06/29/so ... rocessors/

They already did this with the PAL / 80GB and related models. The missing piece is a GS emulator.

[nikkos010]

I thought they had announced/patented an emulator to use on the CELL chip recently.. Yep found it - http://www.siliconera.com/2009/06/29/so ... rocessors/

They already did this with the PAL / 80GB and related models. The missing piece is a GS emulator.

I think you've got it mixed up, but I can't find any detailed information on the Software emulation that was used after they took out the hardware emotion engine. This emulation was used in US PS3's as well.

This patent is new, and the resulting rumors suggests that it was emotion engine emulation that was the problem. I guess we'll see next week.

[nikkos010]

PS3 Slim announced today. 120gb hard drive, and $299.

Firmware 3 announced as well, no sign of PS2 BC.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

So SCEA did finally "let the cat out of the bag" with it's Slim PS3 console announcement. Did they say when it will go on sale to the general public?

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[kengou]

The real question is whether there's a version with a smaller hard drive that will finally crack the magic $250 price range. Why would you need a 120GB hard drive on a console? My laptop doesn't even have a hard drive that big.

[nikkos010]

So SCEA did finally "let the cat out of the bag" with it's Slim PS3 console announcement. Did they say when it will go on sale to the general public?

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

Sometime in September is seems.

As for the hard-drive, anyone with a lot of games has to be using up quite a bit of space, add all the downloadable games, demos, trailers, movies, tv shows, themes, etc and all of a sudden there's not much room left.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

After checking out the PS3 Slim on the official PS3 site, September 1st, 2009 is the day that you can buy it. Upon looking at the highest resolution pics of this new PS3 on Flickr, some pics are dated 1/22/2009 and 1/23/2009. So both SCEI and SCEA had it under "lock & key" all this time until today's official debut day. ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[Specineff]

As locked as they had it, this has been this year's worst-kept secret.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

Yep, I gotta agree with your post about the PS3 Slim being one of the worst kept secrets in a long time. ^_~

Here's some more relevant news concerning SCEA dropping their price of the current 80GB PS3 console down a $100 (from $399 to $299) effective right now. Of course, this news really isn't relevant for the early PS3 adopters. ^_~

Here's the link: http://money.aol.com/article/sony-slash ... 100/628053

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[UnscathedFlyingObject]

Damn, had they thrown in BC, I'd had bought two. Sure I have a PS2 but having less consoles means less clutter. They did get rid of the glossy finish tho, thank God. I hate glossy electronics because it's all looks and not practical at all. They get shit dirty by simply touching them, dust piles on them and they get scratched very easily.

[Ed Oscuro]

This year's worst-kept secret is the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV.

Well, actually, perhaps I just need to realize an excuse to get a PS3. Hmm...

[UnscathedFlyingObject]

I wonder how many people would buy a slim BC PS3 for say $350-$400. I know I'd get one. I think Sony would sell a ton of them. Another option could've been to include an expansion slot to allow people to connect a "Backward Compatibility Module" (or USB device if that's even possible) into the PS3 with all the PS/PS2 chips and let people choose whether or not they want BC anytime they want. Kind of like how they had the optional modem for the PS2. Only I'd like the BCM to sit flush with the console and would probably not pay more than $80.

[Specineff]

^^ As opposed to a used/refurb slim PS2?

[UnscathedFlyingObject]

Sure I hate clutter and refurbished doesn't inspire much confidence.

[ZOM]

Let's add that the PS3 does an "ok" job at upscaling PS2 games if you have the thing hooked on a uglyscreen (read LCD TV).