I disaggre,

more time pass, more people will forget Xbox360 and go PS3
time play in favor of Sony
they cannot match the Xbox360 right now cause amazing line-up + good price for the Xbox360
Sony just need to survive right now to better attack next year.
Sony doesn't need to have amazing sales BUT they need that Microsoft has NOT amazing.
Time play for them ...
"wait little all, we will reduce the PS3 price and you will be able to get one, dont buy the others consoles, keep ur PS2"

KruzeS said: . Remember, you heard it here... second. For first, go there: http://arstechnica.com/journals/thumbs.ars/2007/09/09/500-80gb-ps3-with-a-spiderman-3-blu-ray-pack-in-our-mole-lets-us-in-on-sonys-future-plans

actually this was a rumor more than a month ago so i heard it there first..

If they would make only 60gb for 450$ that would be the best deal from all ...

i think its safe to say that the ps3 80 gb will be 499 for the holidays and they will maybe introduce another sku for 399 for the holidays.. is that the smart thing to do yes!! but will sony do it ???who knows

KruzeS said: The resident mole at Arstechnica's Oposable Thumbs blog, who by the way has a pretty good track record, is pointing to this as the lineup for Sony's american holiday season: - Playstation 3 80GB for $499; - Playstation 3 40GB for $399; - Spiderman 3 as a packin for either one, or both; - Playstation 2 for $99. Remember, you heard it here... second. For first, go there: http://arstechnica.com/journals/thumbs.ars/2007/09/09/500-80gb-ps3-with-a-spiderman-3-blu-ray-pack-in-our-mole-lets-us-in-on-sonys-future-plans

 I think Sony could really improve things if they would begin to market the PS3 as a GAME CONSOLE that just happens to have Blu-Ray player.  Sony wants and needs the Blu-ray format to win and it shows in their attempts at pricing, bundling, and marketing.  I just want to play games and I guarantee you that is what the majority of potential customers are looking for in a PS3.  Why pack-in Spider Man?  Instead, pack-in some Sony 1st party goodness.  How about a gamer starter pack?  PS3 stripped down model with no memory card, smaller hard drive and no wi-fi.  Two six axis controllers plus motorstorm and resistance.  All this for $399 going into Christmas.  I'd be the first mofo in line to buy one and would wait in line.  That's saying a lot for a person that already has a 360, PS2, and a Wii and has more games to play than time.  The continued push to sell it as a Blu-Ray player is just annoying to me personally.  I don't have a high def TV anyway... 75% of the rest of the U.S. doesn't, either.

Sony is far behind in the U.S. and unless they have a stellar holiday, they will lose more ground to the 360 over the holidays and they can ill afford to go further in the hole.  Price is 800lb gorilla in the room that apparently Sony can't figure out, won't accept, or simply can't afford to address at this time.

Personally, I believe this is true.

PS2 sales are finally drying up at over $100, so I've been expecting the price drop there.

Putting PS3 at $500/$400 is tantamount to an actual price drop - since Sony launched at $600/$500 in the eyes of consumers.

At $400/$300 last year Xbox 360 did 1.6 million in the USA over the holidays (Nov-Dec).  At $500/$600 Sony wasn't really going to go north of 1.0 million in the USA over Nov-Dec combined (I had it pegged at 840k in Dec, 360k in Nov).

At $400/$500, PS3 can probably do 1.5 million to 2.0 million in Nov-December (I'd guess 550k Nov/1100k Dec).  Although I think Wii can do 2.25 to 3.5 million in Nov-Dec (I'd guess 1000k Nov/2000k Dec), and I think 360 can do 1.75 to 2.5 million (I'd guess 650k Nov/1300k Dec) depending on when most people buy it for Halo 3.

At $99, I'd also like to point out that PS2 will probably sell more than PS3 again, and it may outsell 360 again over the holidays.  It can probably sell 1.5 to 2.5 million units (I'd guess 750k Nov/1150k Dec), but will likely be flattish over last year due to the price drop offsetting natural declines.  PS2 probably has a 1 million unit holiday left in it in 2008, before finally dying off completely in 2009/2010.  

You still have to wonder though, how many games are so good people will spend $400 for a console, when Xbox 360 is cheaper?  360 has Halo 3, Call of Duty 4, Rockband, all the big multi-plat PS3 games with a lower entry barrier. 

Sony I think is willing to sacrifice some cash to maintain marketshare, but I think PS3 is going to have 'PSP syndrome' this holiday season - fairly respectable hardware numbers at the lower price - but not a ton of software sales.

It could happen, BUT here's the problem......Do you honestly think SONY would release a 40GB PS3 for $399 WITHOUT taking anything out (EE chip, putting in a WIRED Sixaxis, no Wi-Fi like in previous 20GB version, etc.) You gotta think about stuff like this. Maybe if this were true, then maybe Sony did take out the EE chip due to the PS2 becoming more affordable. I know this hasn't been confirmed; as a matter of fact; let's wait until TGS for SONY to confirm this. If I wanted a PS3, I would just wait it out because people are getting screwed with all of these SKU's.

+1 for you kn,
I completely agree.

I also believe this is true... except i think Spiderman 3 the movie will be bundled with the 40 GB and not the 80gb so sony can say thats the 100 dollar difference between the two...

But Source i think you are underestimating the casual gamers here...360 sku's are what 449, 349, and 279(even though i rarely see a core) PS3 has Ratchet and Clank (i know its not a halo but its a proven aaa franchise)  plus call of duty 4 plus Rockband GHero III all the big multiplatform games... it doesnt have a lower entry than the 360 but when you look at 399 vs 350 that sounds really enticing for people who wanna play games like ratchet and Singstar those are both games on the casual side... on the hardcore side you have games like UTIII and Haze .. so it might just be able to put up respectable numbers this holiday season compared with the 360...

But this is sony we're talking about here they might introduce a 20GB at 700 dollars for all we know...

i think at this point if i were sony i would make the 40gb just like the 80gb but thats only if i were sony.. i wouldnt take anything out...  but its sony so who knows lets just wait to TGS as you stated...