Good point about the 18 rated Resistance.  But what we have to think about is what happens to the thousands of standalone PS3's on the Euro market after this package is released on 1st August?  I reckon they will reduce the cost of the standalone unit by an amount.  It certainly is a good deal considering you are getting easily £90 worth of extras (extra controller, Resistance and Motorstorm) for not a change in price.  This suggests to me that they will have to reduce the cost of the standalone unit either next month or at some time in the next few months by around £50 at least.

I also think that they will want to phase out the 60Gb model over the course as well and bring in the new 80gb model, so they are all the same WW.

Don't forget, the new rumble sixaxis while become the new standard controller in the next wee while as well, so maybe they are trying to get shot of the standard sixaxis now.

My idea is this:

1st August 2007 - New Starter Pack appears in Europe for £425 (UK price) inclusive of 2 sixaxis controllers, Resistance and Motorstorm.  Some places may be able to reduce the price to £399 to shift units.  The standalone 60Gb PS3 may be reduced to £375 MRRP although this may be delayed a month or two if the Starter Pack is a special edition.

November 2007 - You should be able to pick up a 60Gb PS3 for £350.

1-... People don't watch your age in EU... I bought shooters on my own when i was at the age of 8. As of today... This is still not a problem in my region... I can buy every 18+ game i want and they don't even look at me to check my age.

2-... I think they'll keep selling the 'normal' PS3's till they are out of stock... But i hope they get a 500$ pricetag... Which will be there till they are all gone... And obviously replaced by the 'starters' pack With 2 controllers and 2 games for 600$. 

That may be the case in practice, but I still think it's a stupid move, due to principle. What Sony is effectively saying is that legally, you have to be 18 to buy a PS3. I expect some news about this soon.

Regarding the 60 GB PS3, it's also ridiculous to not change it's recommended sale price. But these days, Sony doesn't seem to be guided by the same logic as the rest of the world, so maybe I shouldn't be surprised...

Agreed... This is gonna give em some bad advertising... In the form of: 'PS3... Ships with Mature-only game... Sony to prevent children to buy a PS3... PS3's focus on mature only' or something like that. And when that word spreads... People in stores WILL check people on age.

QUESTION :

what about he standalone PS3 60GB alone ???????????????????

ANSWER :

==> RIGHT NOW, TODAY, in EUROPE, if u go buy a PS3, people from the shop wil give u for free the 2 paddle and the 2 games.

The 1st August, the real Starter Packaging will be sell directly : all will be in the big box.

this means NO PRICE CUT.
the ONLY PS3 aviable is the one that cotst 600 euros with 2 paddle and RfM/Motorstorm.

Note that people on some french game website seems EXTREMELY disapointed about the fact that u cannot buy PS3 alone. They are angry to be, as always, the big losers of the videogame market.

It is definitively a bad move. Before people were hopping, now they think it is over.

Incredible the numbers of people that wanted to buy it and are now disapointed about this news annoucement.

In fact, what they hate is the price cut in NA and the no price cut in EU.

To all that were saying that this was no a price drop in NA,
NOW, u can see, what is a NO PRICE DROP.

I hope the PAL PS3 sales go down. That would show Sony. But I'm not counting on it too much...

Yeah NJ5... I hope PS3 sales will be SO BAD! with this focked action! That they lose all they have left in Europe!... And that'll force em to lower the price... With a 'normal' price-cut!... I'm fed up with this.. Europe is getting screwed stuff from Nintendo and Sony... U know what Sony and Nintendo... Screw you! Sony... I want a normal price-cut!... Nintendo... I'm totally FED UP WITH THOSE STUPID CASUAL AND MINIGAMES!... Steven Spielbergs Wii exclusive game is even a casual game... Called blocks! And  i think it sucks! I was hoping... Finally... A DEEP storyline written by legendary Spielberg himself... But no... You get a game with freakin Blocks with physics and level editor!... Fok em!

Well, about the games they saying: "is will be available for the usual price in all the regions, although the games would vary from region to region."

What other game they will put in? Ridge Racer 7? Formula One Championship Edition? Genji: Days of the Blade (this would be a 16 years ore older game)?

Basically every shooter in Germany is 18+. Maybe they put sing star in? Sorry two racing games in a package with the console won't do it (sells wise).

So if Sony does that, not much more sales in Europe. Bad decision i would say. But, well some company's doesn't understand the European market. (Nintendo has the worst advertisement possible for the WII in Germany. The WII could sell much much more here, if the advertisement would be good).

Wow there is too much to say in this thread.

First I´ll stay on topic: the bundle is not bad at all but Sony should have made a real pricecut. So for screwing europe again I have to say: (imagine Captain Kirk screaming) SSSSSSSOOOOOONNNNNNNYYYYYYY !!!!!!!!!

@ celb: calling the people who run the EU idiots makes no sence whatsoever and is just wrong...now go to your room and think about what you sayed,

@ Ben: yes a lot of eurotrash think they know everything better and americans are all fat rich oil-hungry cowboys who want to bulli the world around, but thats just the people who don´t like to rethink their stereotypes and only say "Ha I knew it" when they do see them come true. I´m european and american, I feel the payne on both sides.  Everybody say "thank you Michael Moore" thank you for spreading bad stereotypes around the world.

Truth is americans and europeans have the same amount of bad stereotypes about each other and the same amout of intelligent people who don´t care about them but are not heard on the other side. Fact is europeans and americans are about 95% the same but just love to fight about the remaining 5%, so we don´t like Bush very much, big f***ing deal, last time I checked about 70% of americans don´t like him to much eather.  Americans don´t like how europeans think they know everything about america, well all the europeans who´s oppinion should matter (the open minded ones) don´t think they know everything about america, hell americans don´t know everything about america, same for europe, they are too damn complex.

Can we please focus on the 95% that we share rather than the 5% that make us different, I think both america and europe are about celebrating differences and respecting each other even when we don´t always agree.