I think Sony is more interested in at least breaking even on the PS3 than they are in continuing to subsidize hardware costs to marginally increase their userbase.

Basically, it's going to be a while before they drop another $100 off the PS3, and I don't expect any dramatic market shifts will result from it.

Once it gets $299 we will have threads saying "Just wait, once it gets $199"...

Right now is more about perception than price, and out htere the most selling console is having the best possible perception by the mass market...

I don't think this will happen for a variety of reasons, but people also need to stop laughing this off.

Not counting this week (MGS4 throws data for a loop if we're looking for average weekly sales), PS3 sales are up nearly 200% (3x) in Europe since this time last year, and are up nearly 100% (2x) in the US. Japan, not so much, but we'll see what happens after MGS4 dies down.

In short, at least in the West, the PS3 is doing something no other third place console has ever done: its sales have increased dramatically over time. That's practically unique among non-winning consoles.

People need to stop rofling these comments away, because there is now significant data to support the concept of a PS3 resurgance. First place? That's... probably not going to happen. But a significant increase in relevance is clearly in the cards.

Giving yourself hope that reality is going to reflect your off base conceptions of reality rather then admitting how you see the world isn't so.

Actually, Bodhesatva, third place contenders rising to second place is not unprecedented. In fact, it happened just last generation: the XBOX surpassed the GameCube, in spite of the GameCube's early lead on it. Granted, that happened much faster, but it was the same basic effect.

secondary note: thanks to walmart the ps3 effectivly does/did cost $299 in america. let's take a look at this weeks data with the combined effects of MGS4/$299 ps3, reintroduction of 80g ps3 and see how much it effects sales.

@Bodhesatva, where did you get a 200% increase of PS3 sales in Europe? The numpers up right now only show an increase from last week of roughly 26%.

Rising to second place wasn't the part that I considered unprecedented: tripling sales is. Xbox passed Gamecube as a turtle passes a snail: the Xbox slowly but gradually outsold it.

By contrast, the PS3 has tripled its sales in a single region YoY, and doubled its sales YoY in another (Japan, not so much). The Xbox and particularly the Gamecube experienced stagnant sales worldwide by this time in the generation; the PS2 was on its way up, while the Xbox/GC were dwindling downwards, as the winner became clear. This time, the Wii is on its way up... and the PS3 is on its way up, too. That is unusual.

We're talking YoY. Look at the sales for the PS3 this time last year (I am NOT using this week, because this week is strongly affected by MGS. Look at the weeks starting in April 07 in Europe, then look at the weeks starting April 08; That's ~2.5 months of sales data, a sizable amount. In that timeframe, the PS3 averages 3x the sales now that it did the same time last year).

 What? All I am saying is that using history many things can be predicted in the future.

If you touch a stove and it is hot, you are not going to touch it again because of your history saying that it is too hot.