Pricing a console is never easy. Nothing is a better example of this than the PlayStation 3. With multiple SKUs and varying price ranges, to say the PlayStation 3’s price has remained constant is a joke.
But if there was one constant of the PlayStation 3, it is that everyone agreed that its price should be lowered. With the Wii at $250 US and the Xbox 360 sitting comfortably around the $350 US mark, it didn’t take a major in buisness to realize that if the PlayStation 3 wanted to compete, it had to lower its steep price tag.
So who would have thought, just after a year on the shelves that the PlayStation 3 would be outselling the Xbox 360 for the month of January (reliablity Microsoft, reliability), have an upcoming game library even Microsoft and Nintendo should be envious of, and have the PlayStation 3 coming packed with the winner of the hi-def DVD format war.
It seems crazy, but Sony has actually made the PlayStation 3 (for some) the console to own in 2008–for those looking for the most bang for their buck.
No one should be surprised to hear that Sony is now considering keeping the PlayStation 3 price exactly where it stands. The pressure to reduce the price is easing and it turns out that Sony is taking this as a hint to not lower prices again. If people are buying it now, why drop the price, they’re thinking.
Props to you Sony. Sure, in the past you’ve made some weird decisions, but the new humble attitude is great, and we as gamers appreciate it. Keep the online free, the interests of us at the core of the PlayStation 3 strategy–and there is no doubt many more PS3s will be disappearing from store shelves in the months to come.
[Via Reuters]
