Sony's Stringer shrugs off pressure to cut PlayStation 3 prices

Wed Jul 8, 2009 9:39AM EDT

See Comments (8)

Gamers want a PS3 price cut, gaming developers want a PS3 price cut, and even analysts want a PS3 price cut. Apparently, however, lowering the price tag for Sony's struggling next-gen console isn't what Sir Howard Stringer wants.

Reuters reports that Sony's CEO, on his way to a conference in Idaho on Tuesday, curtly dismissed the idea that cutting prices on the PS3—still at least $399, or $200 more than the cheapest Xbox 360 model—might be a good idea, saying that "I (would) lose money on every PlayStation I make" were Sony to do so.

Stringer also brushed aside the pleas of gaming developers, who have complained that high PS3 prices have stifled the growth of the console's install base, making it less profitable to develop titles for the platform.

And what of Activision's Bobby Kotick, who recently said that the development house (responsible for such high-profile games as "Call of Duty: World at War" and the "Guitar Hero" series) might actually stop supporting PlayStation consoles altogether? Stringer's response (according to Reuters): "He likes to make a lot of noise … he's putting pressure on me and I'm putting pressure on him. That's the nature of the business."

That's not the best news for anyone who's been waiting for a PlayStation 3 price cut. For now, the cheapest PS3 remains the 80GB model at $399, while the Nintendo Wii sells for $249 and the Xbox 360 Arcade goes for just $199. Meanwhile, the PS3 has consistently trailed both the Wii and the 360 in terms of monthly console sales (save for a brief spell last year, following—gasp!—the initial PS3 price cut to $399).

Ars Technica predicted late last month that a PS3 price cut (along with a rumored slim version of the console) could be in the offing this fall, but Stringer's latest comments don't bode well for the rumor.

So, what do you think: Is it high time for a PS3 price cut?

[Full disclosure: My wife works at Sony Music.]

Related:
Sony CEO dismisses price cut chatter on PlayStation [Reuters]

Comments on Sony's Stringer shrugs off pressure to cut PlayStation 3 prices

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  • 1 Posted by jirojas on Wed Jul 8, 2009 11:11AM EDT Report Abuse

    They need a bluray-less PS3. I bet that's the high price item for why they need to keep that console at $399.

  • 2 Posted by naruhina9786 on Wed Jul 8, 2009 1:16PM EDT Report Abuse

    they should just lower the price already and get over it

  • 3 Posted by corence5150 on Wed Jul 8, 2009 1:16PM EDT Report Abuse

    Even if they do have a planned price cut for the fall, they're not going to admit to it now. It's way too early. They're in the business of making sales NOW. Telling people a price cut is coming in a few months is the equivalent of telling people not to buy any PS3s for a few months. They can't afford to do that. This way they can spend the next few months trailing behind their competitors, but still selling units and then boost their sales when they "decide" to cut prices at the last minute in the fall - which happens to be the lead in time for holiday shopping...

  • 4 Posted by monko12105 on Wed Jul 8, 2009 3:38PM EDT Report Abuse

    Hey jiroljas. They can't remove the bluray because all the ps3 games are bluray. Thats how developers can make games that are 30gb on one disk.

  • 5 Posted by maclingman on Thu Jul 9, 2009 12:44PM EDT Report Abuse

    @1 The blu-ray player is an essential part of the PS3 and FYI thats the format the games come on so it would pretty stupid for Sony to remove it. Also, it's unfair to compare the PS3 to the hard drive less xbox arcade. That said the PS3 is due for a price cut, and the recent spate of excellent game bundles (PS3's with Killzone 2 and MGS4 for $399) indicate an indirect price cut. Yet, I think getting rid of bundles and lowering the console cost would move more PS3's.

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