Sony is just proving one thing - they don't have a clue. They axed the 20gb within a few months after launch - the 60gb shortly thereafter, and now the 80gb, leaving folks with just one choice.

Keeping the 80gb around is really the only choice for PS2 gamers who haven't made the jump and would love to keep their collection. Now, Sony is saying 'Either buy the PS3 now and have one that will play your PS2 games or miss out altogether.'

Sony needs to find the jackass who keeps pressing the panic button and bury him.

Each move like makes the last-gen wins look like flukes ...

"low sales" must be code for "we didn't ship many to retailers in the first place because we didn't want to make very many of them"?

Its the same crap they pulled with the 20GB. They shipped very few then canned them due to low sales.

Darc Requiem said: Its the same crap they pulled with the 20GB. They shipped very few then canned them due to low sales.

Exactly - low sales because they chose not to ship very many of them.  "But teh market has made it's decision!!11! they don't want the 20gb!11!"

 

Yeah, can the 80GB ... then bring back the 60GB! Full circle, Sony alternates models every four months for the rest of the generation.

It makes as much sense as whatever they're really trying to do.

Yeah, I'm either gonna grab a 60 or 20GB off of ebay when it is time, or, if all else fails, a 80GB. I need BC.

I think Sony's expecting people to not catch onto their little scheme here... They discontinue the models with full BC, then introduce one with none, and now they're planning to discontinue the one with limited BC too? Those who plan to get a PS3 at some point (hopefully when it's less than $400 for a full-featured model; I'd go for $200 at most myself, given the current PS3 lineup), don't give into their scheme, or you're just forfeiting your power as a consumer over the supplier. Suppliers are supposed to provide to meet demand, not force consumers to consume the supply with a threat that it will be replaced by an inferior product.

Let them run out of 80GB models in due time, and when the 40GB model isn't flying off shelves, they'll inevitably introduce (or re-introduce) a model with BC to pick up the slack again. And then promptly discontinue it to try and scare people into buying a PS3 with BC, just like they did with the 20GB and 60GB discontinuations. If that's not their plan, then they've certainly done a good job at making it seem that way.

DOATS1 said: i agree, cann the 80gb and reduce the 40gb price by $100. i think sales will spike over 360 sales if it happened.

 Why would axing the 80gb help sales though? I cannot fathom a reason whyit would help sales to lose the one model that can still play PS2 games.

Calm down, people. This is one analyst's prediction, not an official announcement. We all know how accurate they usually are. The fact that this site didn't put "Rumor" in the headline is just poor reporting.

It's still equally likely that they're just reconfiguring the 80gb bundle, and I'd say the evidence for that is actually stronger (I've heard at least 2 Best Buy employees say that's what they were told by their superiors). This quote only makes it seem more likely:

If Sony were discontinuing it permanently, wouldn't they be boasting about it so that people rush out and buy it before it's gone? That's what they've done in the past. Keeping it secret would only piss people off if they're scrapping it and we don't find out until it's too late. On the other hand, keeping a lid on it is what you would do if you were releasing a better bundle later, because you don't want people to stop buying while they wait for it. It's the same thing they do when a price drop is coming.

And I'm not saying this is right, but I for one haven't heard anything about 80gb sales being poor. The last thing I heard comparing the 2 models was the week of the European 40gb launch, when the 40gb reportedly flopped compared to the other model. Obviously that's since changed, but has the 80gb really gone down the sales tubes? Is there any new info?

i read that NPD said that the 80gb actually OUTSOLD the 40gb in US in Q4

 

http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/news/sony-ditching-80gb-ps3-due-to-poor-sales-says-analyst/19208/?biz=1