PS3 Slim for autumn - report

By Robert Purchese Published 30 June, 2009

And Xbox 360 Elite to replace Pro.

Sony may be readying a PS3 Slim model for launch this autumn, while Microsoft may be cutting the price of the top-tier Xbox 360 Elite.

To make way for the Slim hardware, Sony will finally cut the price of existing PS3 consoles, according to Ars Technica's "favourite inside source".

Preceding that, retailers will be given a limited inventory of 80GB PS3 units in order to clear stock.

The same source also claims the Xbox 360 Pro model will disappear at the end of the summer, after plenty of shelf-clearing bundles similar to the Halo 3/Fable II deal.

The Elite will reposition to fill the gap after an "early September" price cut, allowing more users to effectively use on-demand video streaming and downloaded content from Xbox Live.

Sony has a history of thinning its PlayStation hardware. The PSone and PS2 were both reduced in size - the latter four years after European launch. The PS3 didn't launch in Europe until early 2007, so this would be an early move on Sony's behalf - although arguably the pressure is greater than ever before. And, of course, Sony trimmed the PSP after just two years.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (56) Latest comment 3 years ago

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

  • m0thr4 #1 3 years ago

    Wonder what we're losing in the slim version?
    Edited by 1 at 30/06/09 @ 08:51

  • Chufty #2 3 years ago

    Hopefully some bad Eurogamer commenters - we can but hope.

  • Beano #3 3 years ago

    I don't think they will trim any features this time. It's just smaller and cheaper to manufacture - and hopefully use less power :)

  • daz_john_smith #4 3 years ago

    More interested in what the cost will be

  • SpaceMidget75 Verified Senior Software Developer, Minerva Computer Services #5 3 years ago

    I agree with daz. Smaller is better, but price is the deciding factor for me.


    ...wonder if they'll put a faster drive in it?

  • Dizzy #6 3 years ago

    Very unlikely that we will be seeing a PS3 slim so soon, but the rumour mill keeps on turning.

  • MeBrains #7 3 years ago

    I tend to believe this...

    Not claiming this is proof or something, but just last week I was talking to a shop keeper from a big Belgian chain. He told me with definite certainty that in August, PS3's price would come down by a €100. Also, that a few months ago, they received just one shipment (different sku code than the usual) priced at €299 and that the 10 boxes flew out in half a day... I think a lot of people are just waiting for PS3's price to drop and then jump on the bandwagon... just my .02c.

  • systems #8 3 years ago

    Will the Elite be the price of the Pro now then? Is it finally a hard disk price cut? We can only hope, and it'll be good for when the Sky service launches in autumn. I swear my Sky box is about to die (but then again, my 360 is getting a bit noisier too).

    As for the PS3, obviously a slim is coming as they've always done it. I wouldn't be tempted to replace my big grilling machine with it though until it dies. I bought it for Blu-Rays and have only watched about a dozen.

  • kangarootoo #9 3 years ago

    @MeBrains

    "with definite certainty" indeed.

    In my experience there are two kinds of staff in games shops. Those that actually know what is going on the industry and don't talk about it much, and those that have no idea but talk like they do.

  • GamesConnoisseur #10 3 years ago

    i dont believe that they would add a new faster BD drive as this would create issues by creating two tiers of PS3 owners to cater to... unless they fixed the speed by software to the standard one.

    However this is a good news for consumer should the price be attractive and drive the market further along, as Sony would want to make better progress by Xmas 09.

  • MeBrains #11 3 years ago

    yeah kangarootoo, with this specific one I talked to, I am on the fence. thinking - if "even" he knows this, then how come the netz is not rife with reports about it? but it did sound possible - only because I feel that it would be about the right time for ps3's price to come down...

  • Buztafen #12 3 years ago

    Slimming is the way forward...anything that creaks under its own weight when picked up needs to loose a few pounds. Interested to hear about whats being removed to trim the fat.

  • schnide #13 3 years ago

    So they're going to cut the price of the fat one for a short time, then release a slim one similar to the current price point?

    People aren't not buying the PS3 because it's fat, they're not buying it because it's expensive. A slimmer version might be slightly more desirable but nowhere near to the point of making headway into the work the 360's done.

    Like it or not, Microsoft have the best value games console out there and Sony can't come close to touching it like this.

  • space_ace #14 3 years ago

    /preorder

  • king2001 #15 3 years ago

    Agree with Beano there - power consumption needs a drastic reduction.

  • kangarootoo #16 3 years ago

    @MeBrains

    Those sorts of commentary are always "possible", but you rightly point out that in this day and age information spreads fast. Web-savvy folks that we are, it is very unlikely some dude in a shop would know something that we wouldn't then see confirmation of within a week from 8 different sources.

    I once overheard some expert teenager in a shop stating with certainty that the next PSP would have a 4GB hard drive in it. 4GB...? Hard drive...? What next, steam power and top hats? This was about 3 years ago too.


    @schnide

    I would have thought that stocks of the fat version will be kicking about for a little while, so people will have a choice. Current model at a reduced price, or new posh version without a discount. Customer choice is good, no?

  • GreyBeard #17 3 years ago

    Until someone points out a more plausible scenario, I'd expect a price-cut within the next 3 months.

    Why the delay?

    Sony need to sell through existing stocks before launching the slim. The purpose of the slim being purely to cheapen production costs, allow for a global price-reduction along with a "soft" relaunch of the PS3 brand.

    Cutting the price now would just be pouring money down the drain for Sony, yet the endless rumours of a PS3 price-cut are hurting them. Hence the "deny everything" mode Sony's been in since the start of the year.

  • jaguarwong #18 3 years ago

    First thing I thought when I opened up my PS3 was what a big ugly bastard it is - I don't think it's the sort of thing that would drive huge sales but a more attractive machine would be nice.

    For my money the original PSone redesign took it from being the ugliest machine ever designed to the best looking (with the exception of the rubber keyboard speccy) but I doubt they'd make that radical a change to the PS3.

  • Beano #19 3 years ago

    "Why the delay?"

    Announcing new game hardware and price drops in the summer is not the best time - far better in the fall.

  • El-Dev #20 3 years ago

    "with lack of house hold name ips"

    Say what now?

    Some of the games on the PS3 have been about longer than the Xbox and MGS even pre-dates the PS1.

    People moaned there was no good games, apparently, on the PS3 so Sony get a lot of them out in a reasonably short space of time, which didn't really boost sales to a major extent. So if Sony reduce the price will everyone buy a PS3? I still doubt it, it'll probably have a bigger effect than releasing a AAA exclusive every few months but it will take a while to close the gap between them and the 360.

    A price-cut in September will make the most sense as it is in time for the Christmas rush, and the release of Uncharted 2.
    Edited by 1 at 30/06/09 @ 10:09

  • schnide #21 3 years ago

    @kangarootoo

    Nice idea mate, but are people going to buy what will in comparison be a big, fat ugly PS3 for £100 less when they know the more desirable (but also prohibitively expensive) PS3 is out there? I think not - and if they do, it won't be in numbers big enough or fast enough to drastically turn around the fortunes of the PS3.

    Don't get me wrong, I've always wanted the PS3 to succeed, but I gave up hope of that happening some time ago. Sony are making mistake after mistake. The main thing they'd need to do now is release the slim PS3 at the reduced price point. It'd be enough to change public perception of the console and give it a virtual relaunch. As it is, this method of revision is only damaging the brand.

  • Toothball #22 3 years ago

    I've been meaning to buy a PS3 for little reason other than to complete the set. Since Last Guardian isn't going to be out for a while, I can probably wait until whatever is happening happens.

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #23 3 years ago

    are people going to buy what will in comparison be a big, fat ugly PS3 for £100 less when they know the more desirable (but also prohibitively expensive) PS3 is out there?

    I would.

  • El-Dev #24 3 years ago

    "sony have lost all the household names like gta etc..since the ps1/2 days with nothing to replace them"

    Not wanting to start a list war but look how many new IPs Sony has brought to this Gen nevermind sequels to already existing IPs. Everytime Sony "lose" an IP to cross platform they generally have a new one to replace it, and this gen what they are bringing is generally much of an improvement over what it is replacing.

    This Gen war has now shifted from game quality to numbers which is a shame.

  • Monkey_Puncher #25 3 years ago

    A good price cut and a solid holiday line-up might convince me to part with my cash, I could do with a Blueray player.

  • SpaceMidget75 Verified Senior Software Developer, Minerva Computer Services #26 3 years ago

    Tescos are now doing a Blu Ray player for £69 in store!! That's the start of the cheapo player explosion that we saw with DVD.

    That is bound to effect one of selling points of the PS3.

    The same thing happened with the PS2. A lot of people stopped using it as a DVD player a few years after launch. The big difference is that by that time the PS2 was the 'must have' games console too.

    It will come down to how much people are willing to pay for PS3 exclusives. Either they have to pay for a second console as they already own one of the others or they have to pay more than the competing consoles for their first purchase.

    I'm waiting for The Last Guardian, which might swing it for me, but currently I don't have neither the inclination nor the money to buy another console.

  • BlueDot #27 3 years ago

    It would be nice for a cheaper and slimer PS3 but my purchasing point is the release date for God of War 3, whatever the price is or how it looks at that point.

  • Britesparc Verified Creative, ITV #28 3 years ago

    I think the PS3 Slim packaging we saw around E3 time is legit, so this story has basis in truth. However, cynic that I am, I agree with those who are saying that the existing "fat" PS3 will get the price cut to clear shelf space for the Slim.

    Xbox-wise, maybe they're getting rid of the Pro to introduce a high-end Natal model. I was hoping they'd loss-lead by replacing the Arcade with a Natal bundle, thereby attracting "teh cazuals" (Wii price point is what they should aim at, if poss). But if they are dropping the Elite price, PLEASE can they cut the price of the hard drives too?! Get rid of the 60gb, make the 120gb the price of a new game, and bring out a 250gb or 500gb model for about £60. Surely the proprietry tech & software they stick in em can't make them THAT much more expensive than an ordinary PC drive?

  • DrDamn #29 3 years ago

    @m0ther4
    "Wonder what we're losing in the slim version?"

    Allegedly the ability to install a different OS. Though I'm not sure how that saves them money.

    @SpaceMidget75
    I think there are a few differences this time. Cost of Blu-ray discs need to come closer to DVD's for a start. The other difference is that as a DVD player the PS2 was actually quite poor. The PS3 is a very good Blu-ray player (something the Cell processor does very well). How good is the £79 player? The PS3 also offers some good entertainment extras above a standard BR player that the PS2 didn't - playing movie files and the optional Digital PVR functionality (PlayTV) for a start.

  • SpaceMidget75 Verified Senior Software Developer, Minerva Computer Services #30 3 years ago

    I don't deny that there are differences. Lots of them. I'm simply saying that if blu-ray players have dropped to £69 it is bound to affect some purchasers.

  • peterfll #31 3 years ago

    Am I the only one who likes the current "chunky" design?

    I was up there with the best of them with the home grill jokes, but in the last 2 years my PS3 ha's kinda grew on me... there's something reasuringly..... solid about it.

  • M_of_the_sys #32 3 years ago

    Tesco also sell cheap HD TVs but I would never buy one. You get what you pay for.

    I find it quite amusing that people are already whinging about a price drop for the PS3 slim.
    Edited by 1 at 30/06/09 @ 13:11

  • mkreku #33 3 years ago

    If the PS3 drops 100€ in price, I'm on it like Elvis on roasted squirrels!

  • malexous #34 3 years ago

    And of course no one bashes Sony for bringing out a new versoin that doesn't add anything. I hope no one that has posted so far has bashed Nintendo for it (specifically the DS line).

    I would love to buy a PS3 or even an Xbox 360 but sadly I'm not allowed. Still, I am very content with my Wii. There are so many "good" games for it that I still haven't played.

  • Erebu #35 3 years ago

    SpaceMidget75

    But by selling more BluRay-lasers the price will go down. It's a win-win situation.

  • SpaceMidget75 Verified Senior Software Developer, Minerva Computer Services #36 3 years ago

    Tesco also sell cheap HD TVs but I would never buy one. You get what you pay for.

    I didn't say anything about quality, or that you do or don't get what you pay for, or infact what YOU would buy.

    My statement was very clear.

    I find it quite amusing that people are already whinging about a price drop for the PS3 slim.

    I'm assuming that's aimed at someone else.

  • SpaceMidget75 Verified Senior Software Developer, Minerva Computer Services #37 3 years ago

    @Erebu

    I'm not disagreeing with that.

  • onyxbox #38 3 years ago

    If Blue Ray goes massive because of cheap players and people start buying Blue Ray films instead of DVD then this would be a good thing for PS3.

    If you're gonna buy your kid a new console, you buy the one that supports all your films DVD and Blue Ray IMO and as a bonus you get a machine that can also playback DivX and stuff without needing a Windows PC actively sharing content over your network.

  • menschenfracht #39 3 years ago

    damn, they really ought to make a 45 nm PSP Slim instead. maybe it will last more than a couple of breaths with Wi-Fi turned on.

  • Petulant_Radish #40 3 years ago

    When have Microsoft ever announced the discontinuation of the Elite?

  • Machiavellian #41 3 years ago

    If you are a Dad, you get your kids the system they want. Usually kids want what their friends have. This was the case in my home since I had a 360 and my son's friends also had their parents get them a 360 because that is the system they play on the most. People usually get the system their friends have especially if they play online. The bigger the lead the 360 gets the harder it gets for Sony to overcome no matter what they do.

  • M_of_the_sys #42 3 years ago

    @ SpaceMidget75

    My apologies. You made the very obvious statement that if they release a £69 blu-ray player then it's bound to have an impact on some purchases.

    That is bound to effect one of selling points of the PS3.

    I was simply pointing out (albeit not too clearly) that I don't think it will at all. If you're looking for a good blu-ray player with plenty of multi-media functionality, which I think is one of the selling points of the PS3, then I doubt you'll go off to purchase this £69 blu-ray player. That is assuming that it is actually crap. Perhaps it's not... but I think it will be.

    I'm assuming that's aimed at someone else.

    It was. :p

  • Machiavellian #43 3 years ago

    I do not see the Slim going down in price. If anything it will stay at the price point of the PS3 now. Sony is bleeding money so it would make perfect since for them to reduce the cost of building the PS3 but not pass that cost to the consumer. As with the PSP Go, Sony is looking to make a nice profit not stay in the red. The PS3 Slim will have that markup in price and Sony is hoping just like the PSP Go that it will be attractive to early adopters to splurge for the added cost.

    Personally, I am in the market for another PS3 in my bedroom because of the Ability to play DVD, Stream from my PC and play Blu-ray movies. I will be more than happy to purchase the fat PS3 for the cost reduction instead of the Slim.

  • m0thr4 #44 3 years ago

    My fat PS3 is a launch machine with PS2 BC, memory card slots and a 350GB HDD, so it's only going to leave my "cold dead hands".

    I was wondering (in the OP) if the ability to swap out the hard drive might disappear with the slim version. We already know that some people have had problems with the extra heat larger drives create - that problem's likely to be magnified in a smaller and more compact machine.

  • onyxbox #45 3 years ago

    The bigger the lead the 360 gets the harder it gets for Sony to overcome no matter what they do.

    Yup, you've got a good point there, especially when they're competing against each other on Gamer Score etc. the whole thing just makes it harder for anyone to break away from the crowd.

  • sneetch #46 3 years ago

    @ Machiavellian
    I do not see the Slim going down in price. If anything it will stay at the price point of the PS3 now. Sony is bleeding money so it would make perfect since for them to reduce the cost of building the PS3 but not pass that cost to the consumer. As with the PSP Go, Sony is looking to make a nice profit not stay in the red. The PS3 Slim will have that markup in price and Sony is hoping just like the PSP Go that it will be attractive to early adopters to splurge for the added cost.

    Yep, I'd have to agree with that, the (daft) PSP Go prices suggests to me that Sony expect people to pay more for "style" even if it means less "content".

    If the current chubby one drops in price by €100 and the new super sexhay slim stays at the current price, well then, I'll get a big-boned one.

    If the slim comes out for €50 more and there is no price change on the stout one then I'll continue waiting to buy one. There's no real rush, the number of good games on PS3 continues to grow and my PC and other consoles mean I'm not exactly starved for entertainment.

  • Machiavellian #47 3 years ago

    The reason the 360 isn't flying off the shelf is because of the major mistake MS made which is the RROD. Sony came out very lucky and MS made a complete blunder. If not for the RROD, I truly believe MS would be crushing Sony at this point. The RROD killed MS momentum. Even today people still experience the problem and this lack of confidence in MS hardware is what has slowed the 360 from selling like it could have.

    Also, I highly doubt we will ever see the PS3 sell at the same price as the 360. MS will make sure there is always a price difference because there is a hardware difference between the two system. MS knows they cannot compete with the PS3 on hardware features so they will make sure their price is always below the PS3. During the big holiday push, you can believe MS will have a pick up and forget price point for the Arcade that will ensure they continue to lead for consoles sold for the year and the holiday period. Drop another 50 bones on the arcade and its an impulse buy.

    There are a lot more buyers out there then the hardcore that frequent sites like this one. Those people do go on price and word of mouth. 8 million lead is a lot and it continues to grow not shrink. As more 360s get into people hands thats sells taken away from the PS3. The PS2 sold better than the Xbox and Gamecube because so many people had it by the time those two systems came out that momentum continued to grow. People bought the system because their friends bought the system and thus their friends bought the system even though the Xbox and Gamecube had the better hardware. The better hardware means nothing if you can get the same type of games for a cheaper price. Bells and whistle are only good to compliment a gaming system but usually not a system seller.

    I still wonder can Sony take a huge hit if they drop the PS3 by 100. Would Sony really be able to recoup the loses they will have to stomach just to gain marketshare.
    Edited by 2 at 30/06/09 @ 17:18

  • Petulant_Radish #48 3 years ago

    Monsieur Grasshopper, Microsoft had to, as you so eloquently put it, ‘ejaculate prematurely’ to get any foothold in the market, due to the fact Sony always had the upper hand. The massive success from the PS2 means that MS would have been grateful for any market share larger than the one the previous XBOX had, I’m sure they were very pleasantly surprised with he market lead they have over the PS3.

    I’m sure that will dwindle if Sony do cut the price though, and yes the PS3 does have more buzz, several of them in fact, the 360 only has Scene It, not really got the same ring to it does it.

  • laudy #49 3 years ago

    "Sony came out very lucky"

    Are they very lucky because they used more rigorous testing protocols, or lucky because MS were in such a hurry they didn't really care what was wrong with the machine as long as everyone bought one?

    MS didn't really make that much of a blunder did they? PC's with Windows always crash and for whatever reason that's become an accepted part of owning one, although none of my friends that own Macs have ever spoke about it crashing.
    So a console from Microsoft that crashes was simply par for the course was it not?

    How many of you would buy a car if your mates told you that the particular model you were after was likely to fail completely whilst you were driving? Warranty or no warranty you would think twice.

  • M_of_the_sys #50 3 years ago

    @Machiavellian

    There are a lot more buyers out there then the hardcore that frequent sites like this one. Those people do go on price and word of mouth. 8 million lead is a lot and it continues to grow not shrink. As more 360s get into people hands thats sells taken away from the PS3. The PS3 sold better than the Xbox and Gamecube because so many people had it by the time those two systems came out that momentum continued to grow. People bought the system because their friends bought the system and thus their friends bought the system even though the Xbox and Gamecube had the better hardware. The better hardware means nothing if you can get the same type of games for a cheaper price. Bells and whistle are only good to compliment a gaming system but usually not a system seller.

    What you say holds true more so in this Gen due to online gaming. You're more likely to get a console your mates have got so that you can play them online. Someone mentioned a domino effect somewhere and I personally think this is what can make it swing either way.
    That said, I don't think Sony are looking to get the lead now. They've got a lot of work to do for that. a price cut will, however, help them claw back a large part of that margin. At what loss? I guess you have to wait and see what they can recoup in software sales.

  • Goodfella #51 3 years ago

    but if you just want games the 360 is a better choice

    It isn't though is it, that's only your opinion. I have a 360 but I don't particularly want to play Halo, Gears, Forza, Mass Effect or Fable etc (just Alan Wake I'm waiting for). What I really want to play God of War, Uncharted, Gran Turismo, The Last Guardian, amongst others. I can only do that on my PS3.

  • Goodfella #52 3 years ago

    No, you said but if you just want games the 360 is a better choice. How is it?

    The PS3 also has all the most popular games like CoD, GTA, etc. Free online as already mentionend, Blu Ray, whether you like it or not is irrelevant, and just better hardware in general.

  • MeBrains #53 3 years ago

    @donnie: the fickle joe public have moved on(to WII/360) and sonys so behind with the times now.

    if that were true, then how can you explain the numbers PS2 is still doing?

    fickle joe public has moved on, but only a part of it. the part consisting of ms jeane public buying Wii. mr. daddy joe buying wii for the kids.

    Mr. 16y old bought 360 (daddy wouldn't buy PS3 because of price). The americans bought american. The lower class "hardcore" bought 360 because of price. The loyal Xbox1 owners bought 360 because MS abandoned their first. There is an immense amount of people on the fence - a lot of which waiting for PS3's price to come down, since they were happy with PS2.

    imHo.

  • Rodchenko #54 3 years ago

    FACTIMUS MAXIMUS if your out there brother i need some help

    Hilight of this year's EG commenting history. Pure comedy gold.

  • Ryze #55 3 years ago

    a faster drive would be perfect for game installs, and to cut loading times.

    I'm afraid I completely disagree with GamesConnoisseur comment. It's meaningless.

    Faster drive equals faster data transfer, and that's it. There's nothing to really break by adding one. Games would be designed for the slow drive obviously, but any times where a load depends on waiting while a set amount of data is transferred from the BD to the RAM or HDD will benefit immensely.

  • kangarootoo #56 3 years ago

    @schnide

    Some people will absolutely buy the "big fat ugly" PS3 and be pleased to have saved £100.

    Its a games console, not a hat. For all the steam that internet posters might vent, most people don't really care what it looks like once it is stuffed inside their TV cabinet thing.

    New slimline versions of consoles are for early adopters and hardcore fans who care about that sort of thing. Many gamers simply don't.