PS2 Platinum range a reality

Sony may be fretting over the console market in the West, but in Japan they are on the verge of launching a new PS2 budget range to satisfy gamers picking up the console in the run up to 2002. The range will be marketed as 'Mega Hits' and is set to include games that have sold more than one million copies worldwide. The first titles will be Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec, Onimusha and Tekken Tag Tournament, and they will cost the equivalent of just under £25. We can expect to see the 'Mega Hits' range launch in the States - although presumably under a different moniker - early on in 2002. The thing here is, if they can afford to sell recently-released games for less, why can't they afford to lop $99 off the price of the console in the USA? Surely that would make more sense, chaps. You'd make it back in software sales... promise! As with all good things, Europe is The Third Place. Sony has been telling people that a budget range would be a "logical" move, at least in the UK. They don't know when they would do such a thing though, or how much the games will cost. Great. C&VG has managed to frighten somebody from Sony UK into admitting that the company is in talks to release a PS2 Platinum Range, which given the enormous success of the PSOne range would make perfect sense. They also suggest a price point - either £19.99 or £24.99. As far as we're concerned, that would be a shame. For PS2 to really hit home with the young 'uns, you need to go to £14.99. We also doubt we will see titles like Gran Turismo 3 and Onimusha on a PS2 Platinum range for a while. Not while there's still full-price takings to be had! Not in this country! Related Feature - Sony frets over PS2