Early PS3 buyers may feel cheated, admits Sony

By Games Industry.biz Published 8 October, 2007

But then they did get it first.

Sony Computer Entertainment boss Ray Maguire has admitted those who shelled out GBP 425 for a PlayStation 3 earlier this year might feel cheated after hearing news of the price drop to GBP 349.

"I think it's natural to feel that way, of course it is," Maguire told our old friends at GamesIndustry.biz.

"The difference between our industry and many other industries is that if you're selling cars or houses the price goes up steadily. Consumer electronics only goes one way and that's downwards."

According to Maguire, the reward for paying premium prices is you get to try out new technology before everybody else.

"One thing is common amongst the entire market for consumer electronics and that is that there are early adopters like myself who will spend GBP 10,000 on a plasma TV that is worth GBP 3000 within three years. That's the way the market goes," he said.

"What do they get for that? They get six months of enjoyment of the product before anybody else gets that ability to play."

The price drop will come into effect this Wednesday, when Sony will also launch a new 40GB PlayStation 3. Maguire said this is the next step for the company as it bids to attract more gamers to PS3. He denied there's any confusion over the different models available in different regions.

"As products evolve the offerings change because they have to adapt to the needs of the consumers but I don't think it's been particularly confusing in six months to go from standalone, to a bundled proposition, into a low price entry level model," he said.

"We also have to remember that consumers don't search around the world for different configurations. We are a global company but we have to act locally as well."

For more from Maguire, read the full interview over on GamesIndustry.biz.

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Comments (69) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Vandrius #1 4 years ago

    We all knew it would happen.

    Price drops are always a good thing (ed: For the consumer), and anyone saying otherwise is trolling.
    Edited by 1 at 08/10/07 @ 09:28

  • aidey6 #2 4 years ago

    Perhaps sending premium PSN users a 1st party game, would a pleasant surprise for those early adopters..... or a £20 voucher for somewhere like GAME
    Edited by 1 at 08/10/07 @ 09:30

  • Stu #3 4 years ago

    I can't believe anyone didn't think that was going to happen. Price drops in games consoles are as certain as taxation and death.

  • richardiox #4 4 years ago

    Price drops are a good thing. Price drops 6 months after launch suggest however that the initial pricing model was way off and needing correcting prematurely to preserve any chance of the machines success. See also N64 and Xbox as examples.

  • Moonprince #5 4 years ago

    10k for a tv? God Damn

  • Daikon #6 4 years ago

    What do they get for that? They get six months of enjoyment of the product before anybody else gets that ability to play."

    That's right. The PS3 is still the best GBP 425 photo viewer on the market.

  • lambtron #7 4 years ago

    Motorstorm was pretty good - maybe not good enough for six months though :)

  • Shrub #8 4 years ago

    Price drop = good
    Specification cut = bad

    With the 40 gig you are getting less value for your money. For those of us that value BC the cut of that feature is significant.

    What I want to hear from Sony is a firm promise to retain or reintroduce a BC equipped PS3 model, at a higher price if necessary.

  • Kiigan #9 4 years ago

    ""What do they get for that? They get six months of enjoyment of the product before anybody else gets that ability to play.""

    Or in my case, I got six months of having fuck all to play on it, mixed with regret that MGS4 was pushed back to 2008. My PS3 isn't even plugged in anymore.

  • Steroyd #10 4 years ago

    I would have felt cheated if they didn't gimp the 40GB besides a price cut always happens very early in Europe because we get it later than everyone else in the world.

  • NOSAVIOUR #11 4 years ago

    I got the pleasure of playing shite games early. More fool me.

  • 2099net #12 4 years ago

    Of course the price cut wouldn't be that big a deal if the machine launched in Europe when it was supposed to, but yeah, the cut does seem a little early into the machine's life (if we take the machine's life in Europe to start at March '07).

    But Sony were in a fix. Cut the price elsewhere, and Christmas sales in PAL-land would be non-existant as everybody waited for the price cut to hit home.

    Bit odd, no other countries have had an official price-cut announcement yet. But then again, it's PAL-land with its overpricing which needed it the most I guess.

  • Hypnopedia #13 4 years ago

    >Sony Computer Entertainment boss Ray Maguire has admitted those who shelled out GBP 425 for a PlayStation 3 earlier this year might feel cheated after hearing news of the price drop to GBP 349.

    Not to mention the people who bought it last week...

  • TafKas #14 4 years ago

    I think people adopting now may feel cheated as soon as they try to buy any games for it. or when they look at a 360 running Halo 3, Gears Of War etc.....

  • bivith #15 4 years ago

    "What do they get for that? They get six months of enjoyment of the product before anybody else gets that ability to play."

    Um, not if they bought it last week. cock.

  • el_pollo_diablo #16 4 years ago

    I got one from hong kong, pre-european launch, with two controllers an HDMI cable and Resistance for £310.

    Therefore I win.

  • drumbaby #17 4 years ago

    Bought my PS1 when Alien Trilogy hit...for £314 all in. Six weeks later there was a huge price drop. I can't remember what exactly, but I do remember thinking 'oh shit.'

    And then remembering I'd been playing DOOM and Alien Trilogy pretty solidly for those 6 weeks.

    This 7 months later, and I've had alot of use from my PS3 as a games machine and Blu-Rayer.

    It happens.

  • JohnnyWashnGo #18 4 years ago

    It looks like the people who waited to buy a PS3 until good software surface did the right thing.

    In the long run, if you buy the hardware early at the early-adopter price point, you risk sending the manufacturer the message that the price is right. They will only charge what they believe the market will support and if you hold off long enough, the message will get through to them that the market will _not_ support a £425 price point.

    A price drop this early in the PS3s lifetime will promote sales of the machine during the crazy season and provide ammunition to those who will say that the machine is doomed to failure.

    Those who bought a PS3 since launch did so knowing that they were paying a premium. Its not like this kinda thing doesn't happen in the console world. And Sony never put a gun to your head, forcing you to buy it at £425. Be happy that more people can afford it now, which will mean more games will be developed for it. If it had stayed at £425, Sony would have risked having a third place console which would stand little chance of getting any good exclusive titles.

    In summary, price cut good, hardware being neutered bad.

  • Guff-Pipe #19 4 years ago

    'six months of enjoyment'

    You've got to be kidding, right?! What's to enjoy then?

    Motorstorm
    Warhawk
    Virtua tennis
    Oblivion
    Resistance
    Being able to watch HD films and surf the Internet on my TV
    Could be better I admit. But could be worse.

  • Xerx3s #20 4 years ago

    Early adopters always get fucked, if you're not happy with that, don't be an early adopter.

    1+1.

  • bauhaus #21 4 years ago

    who cares

  • mcwildcard #22 4 years ago

    I paid £380 for the bundle pack (inc quidco discount) on the day it hit play.com, I don't regret it for a second. Anyone who does moan is an idiot, games systems never hold their value for more than a few months early on.
    Anyone who is 'into' PC building and upgrading is more than used to seeing their expensive components drop to affordable prices within 6 months, it's the same thing.

  • Xerx3s #23 4 years ago

    Guff-Pipe: LOL @ ESIV & VT3.

  • Garulon #24 4 years ago

    ""What do they get for that? They get six months of enjoyment of the product before anybody else gets that ability to play."

    Um, not if they bought it last week. cock. "

    After launch, nobody did buy it though. Ripping out huge noticable chunks of functionality in order to drop your price is very definitely not a new thing. Even the 360 Core can have backwards compatibility enabled by adding the hard disk drive, and that's the cheapest next-gen system on the market.

  • SIDEARM #25 4 years ago

    Arse - when Microsft dropped th original xbox price in the first six months they gave me 2 free first party games and an extra controller. What do Sony give me? A nice big FU!
    Edited by 1 at 08/10/07 @ 09:59

  • 2099net #26 4 years ago

    Has any console that had a price drop so soon ever survived? Or at least gone on to meet expectations?

    I'm thinking of the original XBox, the Gamecube and the Lynx

  • SIDEARM #27 4 years ago

    Uh the original xbox did pretty damn well as I recall

  • paulf #28 4 years ago

    oh well all that extra money they spent can go to buy him another 10 grand tele

  • septimus #29 4 years ago

    Meh, not bothered. Happens with every console.

    That and I only payed 375 on launch day for mine so not feeling cheated as such.

  • mattigan #30 4 years ago

    It's interesting to see that it's starting to be the PS3 owners themselves berating Sony for the shoddy treatment of their consumers, rather than "opposition" fanboys LOLing at them. This is the only way to make a company like Sony actually address your concerns, as soon as they think that they are going to loose market share/money they take action. Although the courses of action they have taken soo far seem to be a bit questionable.

    Seems to me that they have spent more money trying to avoid cutting the price of the original SKU (different formats, design changes, marketing etc...), than they would have spent just cutting the price in the firat place!

  • m0thr4 #31 4 years ago

    I don't feel cheated. This sort of thing happens all the time with new electronics - you buy it early and pay more, or you wait for the price to drop.

    If you buy these sorts of things early without realising this: you're an idiot, plain and simple.

    EDIT: For the record, over the last 6 months I have enjoyed/used:

    Resistance
    Warhawk
    Motorstorm
    GR:AW2
    Colin McRae: Dirt (better than the Xbox 360 version)
    Oblivion (also better than the Xbox 360 version)
    Lemmings
    Locoroco Coccrecho
    Blast Factor
    Downloadable PS1 games
    The web browser
    The abliity to stream music, podcasts, video and photos off my Apple Mac
    The demos and trailers from both the UK & US PSN stores
    Watching Blu-ray discs
    Watching DVDs upscaled to HD
    The bluetooth remote that you don't have to point anywhere near the PS3.
    Backwards compatibility with all my PS2 and PS1 games, all of which can be upscaled to HD
    The SD, Compact Flash and Sony Memory Stick slots
    Remote control from my PSP
    The ability to swap in a 200GB 7200rpm hard drive for only £120.

    I'd say I got my money's worth.
    Edited by 2 at 08/10/07 @ 10:22

  • m0thr4 #32 4 years ago

    "maybe sony should look into doing what ms did when they dropped the price of the xbox 1 and give the early adopters some freebies as a thankyou."

    They did that already - We all got a copy of Casino Royale on Blu-ray.

  • Guff-Pipe #33 4 years ago

    Guff-Pipe: LOL @ ESIV & VT3.

    ?
    Odd.

  • Artemis_Matsas #34 4 years ago

    @aidey6

    Good idea... although i'm still waiting for the Casino Royal Blu Ray disc i was supposed to receive. Yes, i received an email from Sony saying that "it's on it's way"... but nothing.

    Edit: I just wanted to add that i'm enjoying my PS3 to the full, thank you very much.
    Warhawk
    Resistance
    Virtua Fighter
    Tekken DR Online
    Rainbow Six
    Ridge Racer
    Motorstorm
    Super Stardust HD
    Locoroco Cocorecho
    Gripshift
    NBA 2K7
    Heavenly Sword

    Preorder:

    Orange Box
    Drake's Fortune
    Rachet and Clank
    Assasin's Creed
    Call of Duty 4
    Singstar PS3
    UT3 - hope it's not delayed further

    Watching great Blu Ray movies and my pictures - videos on PS3.

    Nothing to do on the PS3? Please...
    Edited by 1 at 08/10/07 @ 10:41

  • Guff-Pipe #35 4 years ago

    @mother4

    Nothing on your list compares to Gears of War, Halo 3, Bioshock, Wii Sports or Zelda: Twilight Princess in my opinion.

    Games maketh the machine.

    PS3 isn't completely without software, but to suggest it has a better lineup than the other two machines I think is wrong.


    I dont think anyone is suggesting it has a better lineup, its fairly apparent that it hasnt. What is being said is that its not as bad as everyone makes out, and a lot of people are happy with their purchase and having a lot of fun with it.
    Edited by 1 at 08/10/07 @ 10:34

  • Farstarbuck #36 4 years ago

    Im sorry, but no one expects the 'most powerful, and most popular console this side of Christmas' according to Sony coming down in price in less than 5 months, surely if this console is the rip roaring success that they claim, a price cut is not needed?

    So ill tell you what Sony, stop giving me the vickies and send me either a free game or a free controller, or better still both, so that i can hold onto the shred of respect that i have left for you.


    They should rename the launch edition of the console, MUG edition.

  • miiiguel #37 4 years ago

    Hummm..., as probably many know, I'm a 360 enthusiast owner, but, Sony's right on this. Early adopters did enjoyed the system for almost a year now (that must worth something). If it was worth it, dur to the lack of titles/features..., that's debatable...

    Continuing an honesty streak, why is it so hard to admit 360 is proving to be a better gaming system? Ok, we can't "swap in a 200GB 7200rpm hard drive for only £120" and "bluetooth remote that you don't have to point anywhere near the PS3"..., but... c'mon... that's a bit (just a bit) ridicule.
    Edited by 4 at 08/10/07 @ 11:14

  • 2099net #38 4 years ago

    @Sidearm

    "Uh the original xbox did pretty damn well as I recall"

    It didn't do much better than the gamecube if we take into account overall sales. I'm not suggesting it was a disaster, just that it never met Microsoft's expectations. I think few people would argue with that.

    The point is, consoles are just as much about perception than actual performance. When the PS2 came out, it had NOTHING that could compare to the Dreamcast's current games - but it won out on the perception that it was better. I'm not going to argue the case if the DC was better than the PS2 or not, but most people agree the Game Cube was better then the PS2, but the perception was, it wasn't. Due to game availability, game type and ultimately price.

    Talking of Sega, the Saturn never recovered from being overpriced and it getting a price cut early into its life cycle.

    It appears price drops early in console life cycles do not lead to sales success. This price cut, along with features being removed, does not, in any shape or form assue Sony of PS3 success.

  • Guff-Pipe #39 4 years ago

    @guffpipe

    Okay, as long as everyone is clear on that.

    I mean I like a good few of the games I've played on it, Motorstorm, Virtua Fighter 5, Colin McRae, Virtua Tennis to name a few.

    But even at £300, it's offering nothing more than tarted up PS2 stuff, or stuff that's available on Microsoft's machine for £100 less.

    I want Sony to do well, I want everyone to do well. But this price cut is not enough.

    I See your point,
    For me personally its great for me as I use it not just for games, but for web browsing on my TV, and also for HD films and for all my music collection and Photos, so for me the price I payed, with all the functionality I use, was well worth it. However, I fully understand that a lot of pople dont care about these features and just want to play games, which means the cheaper 360 is a much more attractive option. I will be buying a 360 close to Christmas as there is a load of stuff I want to play, but as far as hardware goes in my opinion the Playstation is a great bit of kit.

  • m0thr4 #40 4 years ago

    MattDamon

    "Nothing on your list compares to Gears of War, Halo 3, Bioshock, Wii Sports or Zelda: Twilight Princess in my opinion.

    Games maketh the machine.

    PS3 isn't completely without software, but to suggest it has a better lineup than the other two machines I think is wrong."

    I didn't suggest it had a 'better lineup' than the other two machines... I just gave a list of the games and features of the PS3 that I have been enjoying over the last six months.

    And, are you serious with that list above? None of those games you list above make me feel like I'm missing out by not owning an Xbox 360 or Wii.

  • m0thr4 #41 4 years ago

    miiiguel

    "Continuing an honesty streak, why is it so hard to admit 360 is proving to be a better gaming system? Ok, we can't "swap in a 200GB 7200rpm hard drive for only £120" and "bluetooth remote that you don't have to point anywhere near the PS3"..., but... c'mon... that's a bit (just a bit) ridicule."

    I think you should read my post again then. I tried to write it in as simple English as I could, but you have still managed to completely miss the point.

  • miiiguel #42 4 years ago

    m0thr4: You sound mad, don't be. It's monday, but the sun is shining.
    :)

  • Lemon Project #43 4 years ago

    I also wanted to play PS2 games on my PS3 so I don't feel remotely cheated about this new config. I feel relieved I got my 60gb unit when I did. I'm in the camp that think Sony's ditching of a previous core value ie: PS2 compatibility is madness. I sincerely appreciate the need for them to improve their price-point and acknowledge they must take options out of the existing config to maintain a sustainable business model however BC should've remained as per PS3's original marketing position.

  • OnlyMe #44 4 years ago

    Yup, I feel cheated. I always wanted the inferior non-BC compatible PS3 over the one I got.

    Anyway, I didn't actually expect a price-reduction so soon, especially not one this big. No matter how much of a Sony-bias I have (not fanboy, I can still see clearly), it's impossible to not have noticed the somewhat arrogant and stubborn view on the market since pre-launch, so the fact that they've taken the hint and actually lowered the price this much WAS a bit of a surprise to me.

    But I'm happy with my PS3.
    Edited by 1 at 08/10/07 @ 11:53

  • Penguinzoot #45 4 years ago

    Xerx3s

    Early adopters always get fucked, if you're not happy with that, don't be an early adopter.

    Quite. Personally it doesn't bother me. There may be proud new owners of the BC-less 40GB SKU that may feel cheated come Christmas though.

  • miiiguel #46 4 years ago

    I also think this cheated/proud/"xbot"/"pslol" things are way too weird. We're talking about 300 Eur (360) and a bit more (PS3) device - and with no disrespect for the money involved (I get my arse out of bed at 08:00 too...), it's not like it's a price of a car or a house is it ?
    300 Eur for a 360!, I saw it this weekend..., if one loves video-games and do not buy it, he's the one who's losing, not the "xbots"...

  • ceetronic #47 4 years ago

    Nelson Muntz - "Ha Ha"

  • Arcadiian #48 4 years ago

    I like it when people list all of the things they're enjoying about a console. I don't know why, it's just amusing. I feel I should join in.

    Things about my TV i enjoy:

    Switching it on and off.
    Tuning it in.
    Touching the static on the screen.
    Nevermind The Buzzcocks (Simon Amstell).
    Turning the volume up and down.
    Plugging my consoles into it.
    It being silver.
    Watching movies on it.
    The scart sockets on the back.

    Thank you very much.

  • hbunny #49 4 years ago

    LOL @Arcadiian. It's the pyschological affect of being consistent. Of course the user got value-for-money from their PS3 - otherwise they have to admit that they were wrong and made a mistake with the purchase. And it's not a concious choice, either.

    The more evidence there is that the person was wrong, the harder they will insist they are right.

    Being consistent is more important than being right (from a human point-of-view) - just look at politicians.

    I've done the same with games over the years. Forced myself to play games that are 'good', but I'm not really enjoying, otherwise I have to admit I was mistaken in buying them.
    Edited by 1 at 08/10/07 @ 12:42

  • bdc #50 4 years ago

    He's still trying to fucking spin everything.

  • Moz #51 4 years ago

    "Things about my TV i enjoy:

    Switching it on and off.
    Tuning it in.
    Touching the static on the screen.
    Nevermind The Buzzcocks (Simon Amstell). "

    There are plenty of 16 year old boys who enjoy Simon Amstell too ;)
    Edited by 1 at 08/10/07 @ 13:18

  • drxym #52 4 years ago

    People who feel hard done by are stupid. Why buy a console at launch when its obvious that the price is going to drop over time. This should not be a surprise to anyone.

    I would feel more annoyed if I bought a console a week before the price drop though.

  • Moz #53 4 years ago

    "I would feel more annoyed if I bought a console a week before the price drop though."

    But that's going to happen to someone wheather they drop the price after 6 months or 18 months. They just need to pick a time when sales are low to minimise the number of people court out.

  • dazzaman #54 4 years ago

    Not cheated got mine for that price anyway, lucky me!

  • Apostle #55 4 years ago

    Lots of happy customers right here.. me included :(

  • TriggerHippie #56 4 years ago

    Sony stock holders may feel cheated, admits Sony.

  • Jos #57 4 years ago

    I bought mine last week.

    I wanted it enough badly enough to pay the asking price.

    I'd have liked to have payed less, but I didn't.

    And the bundle means I've got a few games I really like straight off.

    It's really not such a big deal to me.

    It's what happens with consoles.

    Every generation.

  • Darren #58 4 years ago

    I wouldn't say I feel cheated either, especially knowing that my PS3 has four USB ports, some (admittedly useless to me at the moment) memory ports and that all-important (to me) PS2 backwards compatibility. That most than justifies the extra £75 I think, more so when you consider than I've been using the machine for games and watching BD movies on for the last six months.

    Anyway the Xbox dropped £100 in price just a month after it launched as did the N64 (I think) and that didn't bother me either. If you wait long enough, all consoles become cheaper but the point is that do you want to wait that long? I'd say no, even for the Xbox 360, which has proven itself to be notoriously unreliable but the two years of pleasure I've had from the machine (oo-er that sounds a bit dodgy) more than compensates for the lousy, lousy hardware quality.

  • Gavin69 #59 4 years ago

    "Anyway the Xbox dropped £100 in price just a month after it launched as did the N64 (I think) and that didn't bother me either."

    But didn't Microsoft offer two free games and a controller to people who paid the full price for the original Xbox? Why can't Sony do the same!?

  • Mister_G #60 4 years ago

    I don't feel cheated at all. If this is what Sony needs to do to be competetive in the market then I'm all for it.

    I paid over £525 for my bundle, and I'm totally okay with the price drop, it's what happens when you buy on launch day.

    Not sure about the dropping of the 60Gb version though, they'll be a rush on for the last ones of those now. So that'll boost sales, like announcing the 60 would be disconntinued in the states, suddenly everyone wanted a 60 and then Sony changed their mind when they saw there was demand for it, same may happen here.

    But if Sony feel the need for a freebie how about a free DualShock 3 ;o)
    Edited by 1 at 08/10/07 @ 18:57

  • jha666 #61 4 years ago

    I feel sorry for the people who bought a £425 PS3. I really do. Both of them.

  • Mister_G #62 4 years ago

    jha666: LoL! :o)

  • Khanivor #63 4 years ago

    The fact you have an executive happily talking about buying a TV for ten fucking grand gives you a good peak into the mindset of those running the Sony show, (into the ground).

    I know executives earn pots of money but to have one talking about his spending habits as if they are in any way similar to all but a nanoscopic number of early adopters is barmy.

  • Gibroon #64 4 years ago

    I don't feel cheated because £400 of my PS3 was payed for kindly by college travel expenses.

    Long live the SAAS.

    I would be a bit gutted if they got rid of all the SKU's with the card reader because PS3 is a good media hub.

  • Skywise #65 4 years ago

    @Arcadiian: you forgot about teletext :)

  • Ryze #66 4 years ago

    Sony - you reap what you sow. I'd love to see you do well - and the masses will eventually lap up the P$£.

    BUT, what happened to:

    Home, GT PSP, GT4's online play, PSP video download store, PSP / PS1 downloads, PSP being as essential as a Walkman / iPod, BC in the PS3 being 'essential', rumble being 'last gen' and incompatible with motion sensing...

    ...plus all of the other bollocks shite that we're fed way too regularly.

    Please cut the fucking shit sometime soon - OK?

    We're supposed to be your target audience.

    When your product is premium priced, you lose in the long run if you piss the hardcore off.

  • Vin #67 4 years ago

    Wut?

    Early buyers? Hell, buying one TODAY, I'd still feel bloody cheated.

  • cobracotton #68 4 years ago

    ahahahahahhahaha (lights molotovs and throws before shouting) losers!!! who'd of thought eh? a price reduction on a console, it'll be 129.99 GBP before you know it!

  • mattigan #69 4 years ago

    More spin translated into English by UK:R - (ripped off from UK:R)

    ADDITIONAL RAY QUOTES OF WONDERMENT:

    "We've been doing some research for the last few months" - WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THE INTERNET AND SALES FIGURES IN ABJECT HORROR.


    "...the hub market is really wide and the prices have come down significantly" - SONY'S NEXT BUSINESS EXPANSION WILL BE IN THE LUCRATIVE USB HUB SECTOR.


    "...if you've got a strategy and you've got products on a boat which takes six weeks to get here and there's been a three month lead time to get the product in, our business has to go on and we will go on with the strategy that we want" - THERE ARE SIX MILLION UNSOLD PS3S OUT THERE ON BOATS.


    "The difference between our industry and many other industries is that if you're selling cars or houses the price goes up steadily. Consumer electronics only goes one way and that's downwards" - YES, BUT, USUALLY EQUIPMENT GETS BETTER AND HAS MORE FEATURES ADDED TO IT RATHER THAN GETTING WORSE AND HAVING FEATURES TAKEN OUT. NO ONE TAKES A ROOM OFF YOUR HOUSE ONCE YOU'VE AGREED TO BUY IT.