| NSS7 said: Increase a lot. I know a lot of people who are waiting for a cheaper PS3. Any price drop for PS3 will increase its sales a lot. $100 price cut 1st week sales Japan = 80k NA = 200k Europe = 280k $50 price cut 1st week sales Japan = 45k NA = 120k Europe = 200k Weekly sales might increase at least 25%. I dont think Sony will cut $100. Slim PS3 will cut production cost but not that much. $50 is more aceptable. They still sell PS3 at loss. So, any increase in sales means more loss. Don't think Sony can afford more loss especialy during economic downturn. |
There are a number of ways Sony could quite easily offset the losses of selling a PS3slim at $299. For one thing, the slim model alone with it's smaller frame and motherboard, matte finish, 45nm Cell chip, smaller and cheaper heatsinks, and any other changes we may not know about will likely bring the manufacturing cost of the system down to at least $350 I should think.
With this in mind, Sony could keep their premium model available with 160GB hard drive and bundle it with a game like LittleBigPlanet, Uncharted 2, or Gran Turismo 5 for $399.99.
There's also a few things to keep in mind regarding Sony's financial situation.
1. Sony's fiscal prediction shows a 30% increase in PS3 sales over 2008 but at the same time shows their losses getting cut in half, albeit still way in the red. Arguably the only way Sony could possibly reach a 30% increase in PS3 sales is with a substantial (read: $100) price cut in every region this fall. The price cut is definitely coming. It's just an argument of how far back it will set SCE financially, which apparently isn't a crippling amount if they predict their losses will be cut in half.
2. The PSP Go! is a massive money maker. Since it most likely costs less than the PSP-3000 to manufacture and the current PSP is already profitible, that means that Sony gets over $80 in profit for every one sold. And rest assured, the thing will sell like hotcakes in Japan.
3. Sony has an unprecidented 1st party lineup coming for this fiscal year. God of War III, Gran Turismo PSP, Jak & Daxter: The Lost Frontier, SOCOM: Fireteam Bravo 3, Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, Heavy Rain, MotorStorm: Arctic Edge, M.A.G., EyePet, SingStar Queen, Motown, and Take That, Buzz! Quiz World, Hot Shots Tennis, Fat Princess, PixelJunk Shooter, and more than likely the megaton that is Gran Turismo 5. Many of these games are ones that Sony has been sinking money into for 3 to 5 years now and they're finally going to be seeing a return for their years of investments.
4. Sony may still be selling the PS3 at a loss after the $100 price cut, but they likely won't be for long. A 45nm RSX chip should be coming to the PS3 by Spring 2010 at the latest.
