I was looking through this article on g4tv and talks about the PS3 being "crippled".

[source]:g4tv

With Sony currently stuck in third place in the console wars, it seems like everyone and their mothers are coming with ideas on how the company can sell more PlayStation 3 consoles. The latest wacky idea comes from GigaOm's Wagner James Au. In order to raise the installed base of the PS3, Au believes that Sony should make a cheaper, Internet-driven device that does not have a Blu-ray player.

Full disclosure: I've worked with Au in the past and I like him. However, this has got to be one of the dumbest solutions I've heard of. As many of you know, I have no love for the Xbox 360 Arcade sku; I believe it's crippled and pretty much a rip off. To suggest that Sony sell an even more limited system seems utterly ridiculous to me. I can't see a consumer being satisfied solely relying on the (still evolving) PlayStation Network for all their new experiences. This "PS3 Net" system would also take away the machine's biggest differentiators: pure power. Au seems to want to dress the PS3 up in Wii clothing, in hopes of getting the numbers that Nintendo currently enjoys. It doesn't work that way.

Maybe I'm wrong though. Do you think a "PS3 Net" system would appeal to a larger crowd? Is crippling the console and selling it at a low price the answer?

I think these people really don't understand the gaming industry.

I agree with you. The idea of a PS3 model without a Blu-ray is pretty much a non-starter when PS3 games come on Blu-ray.

Sony have already stated they will work/release something like this. Whether its the PS3, a slimline, a PS4 (etc) though... no one knows. Physical media bays are on the way out.

The real question is if it's actually possible to make a crippled version of the PS3 (and if it's worth it = profitable). A PS3 Slim wouldn't be impossible, but the price..

Sony is not so big in the gaming industry that their product won't get pulled off the shelves by gaming retailers if they do this.

no offense, but the lowest priced PS3 is already crippled. can't play ps2 games? thats a joke. sadly, i bought that system, and I still need to keep my PS2.

god damn.

People are making it seem like the PS3 is dying. They are doing this because the question that is going in their mind is "How can Sony go from having the number 1 console to having the number 3 console." Its not that serious. People make a huge deal out of nothing. You have to remember that we are only 3 years into the 7 generation. Anything can happen in the next two to four years. Sony can still make second place.

No, I don't think they understand that PS3 games come on BluRay discs...

@Phoenix_Wright, what model did you buy?