Rumor: $399 40GB PS3 Release Date Oct. 30th

[shams]

leo-j said:
M$ wants to DESTROY SONY. Sony needs to destroy micro$oft without them knowing it... $399.99 ps3 will destroy competition.

Sony easily have the weakest software lineup this Xmas - I don't see how anyone can debate that (note that I'm not saying its a BAD lineup - just worse than both MS & Ninty).

An extra price cut will only drive sales so far.

I still think it would be insanity to release a $399 PS3 now - rather than after the holidays, when Killzone, GTA4, MGS (etc..) all arrive.

...

And BTW, Sony is still losing money on the $599 PS3s - from what I gather, they aren't that much closer to breaking even. So to suggest they can drop $20-$30 of components, and drop $200 off the price - I just can't see it.

...

I do wonder though - Sony DID say they were going to refocus advertising on the BluRay playback feature of the device.

With the release of cheap HD-DVD players this Xmas, a much bigger worry for Sony is that HD-DVD could gain some real momentum. So maybe this new model is basically a BluRay player - a ultra-stripped down PS3 that comes with nothing except Spiderman.

They *might* be able to justify that... maybe. But even if they do reach the $399 price point, HD-DVD players will be on the market for what - $199? Half the price?

(the BluRay consortium would be much better off releasing non-PS3 dedicated players for $299, or whatever they can afford?)