It's official: Sony hates your guts, but wants your money!
It's one thing that the PS3 was delayed in PAL regions. We're used to that treatment. We get everything late compared to the rest of the "civilized" world.
Another thing that the PS3 is priced 25% higher in PAL regions, or more. We've got VAT and all that. We're used to that treatment. (Which is just plain wrong as well, but there you have it.)
Now this: Sony has cut the Emotion Engine from the PAL region PS3s. The EE is what allowed the PS3 to run most, if not all, PS1 and PS2 games. Instead, we're now fed the same software emulation crap that Microsoft gave us with the XBox 360. This means a vastly reduced number of titles will run on European/Australian PS3s at launch, with "more to be added" eventually. The difference here being that the XBox had a fairly limited number of titles to emulate (in the hundreds), while the PS/PS2 number in tens of thousands. My favorite games are likely to never be emulated on the PS3.
It's one thing that Sony would do this to cut costs on a worldwide basis, but to do it just to PAL region PS3s, where the price is also set higher? Pay more to get less?! Hello Sony, this is your wake up call!
This sort of arrogance is exactly why Sony doesn't have the number of customers in Europe/Australia that they do in Japan/US. Treat us like filth, will you? Well, I'll be putting my money somewhere else, where I'm not considered a third rate customer. I sincerely hope that the rest of Europe will join me in rejecting this sort of treatment. I know you will, actually. You can't afford the new, overpriced PS3.
After the PS3s have rotted in European warehouses for a year's time, we'll be seeing the fastest discount next-gen console in the world, when Sony scrambles to make up for their losses. That's the only good thing that will come of this.
Meanwhile, I'll still be supporting Sony somewhat through the PS2 (actually mostly buying second hand over the internet, which is earning Sony squat. Ha!). While they also screwed us over on the PS2 by bringing a less than sorry assortment of games over to PAL regions, I've at least modded my PS2 to get around that kick in the nuts. I should boycott Sony completely, but that's just the double standard kind of guy I am.
I'm royally pissed at this treatment.
Arrogant Sony shoots itself in the foot... again...
Moderator: Crew
But Sony aren't done yet, are they? No, in an attempt to spin events to their favor, they once more spit in the face of PAL gamers, when they should have kept their mouths tightly shut.
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6167790.html
Basically, Sony's European CEO, David Reeves, has gone on record saying that the three month delay for the PAL release isn't disappointing, but, rather, beneficial. Huh?! Beneficial to whom? Can't be the customers you're talking about there, David. (And by the way, that's a 12 month delay, Mr. Reeves, we were promised a PS3 March 2006.)
Further, he kindly explains to us that the reason PAL PS3s are still available for preorder isn't because they aren't selling, but because this time they got it right and met demand. Apparently, that's what the three months were for? I'm pretty sure you're more than meeting demand because your PS3s aren't selling anywhere near what you hoped, but hey, it'll be a while yet before that can be proved, so spin away.
Finally, he uses this great analogy for the PS3 PAL launch:
"It has been rather like taking a bottle of soda water and we've shaken it so hard over the last six months that when we take the cork off, it's just going to explode."
Something's going to explode all right...
It has been rather like taking a bottle of soda water (with a cork?!), opening it, exchanging the sugar with vinegar, letting the fizz drain, resealing it, then shaking it over six months and offering it with a fake happy smile, promising it's just "going to explode!"
Now that they're starting to lose a lot of exclusive games, it's hopefully only going to go downhill for Sony and uphill for the competitors. As much as I would have loved a brand new spanking great PS3 with a hugely successful lineup of exclusive games, I'm very happy now that I have my XBox 360. Seems like Sony's arrogance did turn out to be beneficial as I'll be getting games I wouldn't otherwise get.
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6167790.html
Basically, Sony's European CEO, David Reeves, has gone on record saying that the three month delay for the PAL release isn't disappointing, but, rather, beneficial. Huh?! Beneficial to whom? Can't be the customers you're talking about there, David. (And by the way, that's a 12 month delay, Mr. Reeves, we were promised a PS3 March 2006.)
Further, he kindly explains to us that the reason PAL PS3s are still available for preorder isn't because they aren't selling, but because this time they got it right and met demand. Apparently, that's what the three months were for? I'm pretty sure you're more than meeting demand because your PS3s aren't selling anywhere near what you hoped, but hey, it'll be a while yet before that can be proved, so spin away.
Finally, he uses this great analogy for the PS3 PAL launch:
"It has been rather like taking a bottle of soda water and we've shaken it so hard over the last six months that when we take the cork off, it's just going to explode."
Something's going to explode all right...
It has been rather like taking a bottle of soda water (with a cork?!), opening it, exchanging the sugar with vinegar, letting the fizz drain, resealing it, then shaking it over six months and offering it with a fake happy smile, promising it's just "going to explode!"
Now that they're starting to lose a lot of exclusive games, it's hopefully only going to go downhill for Sony and uphill for the competitors. As much as I would have loved a brand new spanking great PS3 with a hugely successful lineup of exclusive games, I'm very happy now that I have my XBox 360. Seems like Sony's arrogance did turn out to be beneficial as I'll be getting games I wouldn't otherwise get.
Backward compatibility of PS2/1 games with European PS3
Short summary:
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas... no
- Any Prince of Persia.... no
- All except the first Pro Evolution Soccer.... no
- Any Need for Speed.... no
- Barbie Horse Adventures... works!
Short summary:
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas... no
- Any Prince of Persia.... no
- All except the first Pro Evolution Soccer.... no
- Any Need for Speed.... no
- Barbie Horse Adventures... works!
Do you has what it takes to join the Homestarmy? The guts? The determination? The five bucks? Join today!
Well... 2 of my 7 PS2 would work with the PS 3.
I would love to get a PS3, but it's too expensive and I don't have a HD ready TV yet. Perhaps I'll get it next year, when the price for TV's and PS3 drops - hopefully!
But I think there's one positive aspect in the European Launch! Our box looks better than the American one
I would love to get a PS3, but it's too expensive and I don't have a HD ready TV yet. Perhaps I'll get it next year, when the price for TV's and PS3 drops - hopefully!
But I think there's one positive aspect in the European Launch! Our box looks better than the American one
German Moderator and Game Hunter Trainee.
Enjoy your stay.
Enjoy your stay.
Predictably, Microsoft isn't above attempting to capitalize on the new PS3. Now we get... XBox 360 Elite. At US$479 (a lot more in Europe obviously) we get:
A black box - kind of sexy, but who cares, mine is standing below eye level anyway.
A black controller - kind of sexy, but who cares, I look at the screen.
120GB harddisk - this makes sense, but I'll be buying this separately if/when I need it.
HDMI output port & cable - obviously a step up from a component cable, as many new HD-ready TVs require HDMI. Not mine though.
...and that's it. No HD-DVD drive, no new hardware, no noise reduction. At $20 less than the PS3, which includes the Blu-Ray drive and an even larger HDD, this is one heck of a bogus deal (the "old" XBox 360 retails at $399). Good to see that Sony aren't the only ones taking a stab at themselves.
I never thought I'd see Microsoft trying to boost PS3 sales by releasing a same-priced bundle that is so clearly inferior to the competition. Or maybe I did. Clearly somebody in marketing thought, "Hey, let's put out something at the same price as the PS3, consumers who don't know any better could well fall for it." Had the PS3 been priced at $420, this bundle would have been $400, the old one $350 or something, and still made a profit for M$.
A black box - kind of sexy, but who cares, mine is standing below eye level anyway.
A black controller - kind of sexy, but who cares, I look at the screen.
120GB harddisk - this makes sense, but I'll be buying this separately if/when I need it.
HDMI output port & cable - obviously a step up from a component cable, as many new HD-ready TVs require HDMI. Not mine though.
...and that's it. No HD-DVD drive, no new hardware, no noise reduction. At $20 less than the PS3, which includes the Blu-Ray drive and an even larger HDD, this is one heck of a bogus deal (the "old" XBox 360 retails at $399). Good to see that Sony aren't the only ones taking a stab at themselves.
I never thought I'd see Microsoft trying to boost PS3 sales by releasing a same-priced bundle that is so clearly inferior to the competition. Or maybe I did. Clearly somebody in marketing thought, "Hey, let's put out something at the same price as the PS3, consumers who don't know any better could well fall for it." Had the PS3 been priced at $420, this bundle would have been $400, the old one $350 or something, and still made a profit for M$.
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6173987.html
As we all (should?) know, Sony started cutting pricing on the PS3. The North American PS3 has been cut by ~$100. Also, as could probably be expected, the PS3 doesn't get a price cut in PAL regions (Europe/Australia). And, needless to say, still no Emotion Engine. We're now paying $350 more for the inferior PAL PS3 than a NA customer is paying for the full package.
Furthermore, just to bash what teeth we have left in a little further, PAL regions will not be getting the 80GB HDD, while NA will. Instead, we're getting a bundle with an extra controller and two games, at a higher price obviously.
Sony continues its anti-PAL policy, telling us we are second rate customers. It won't be long now till the PAL price drop, though. Or so I predict. Still doesn't change the fact that we're treated like something stuck under Sony's shoe sole that they'd rather be rid of.
As we all (should?) know, Sony started cutting pricing on the PS3. The North American PS3 has been cut by ~$100. Also, as could probably be expected, the PS3 doesn't get a price cut in PAL regions (Europe/Australia). And, needless to say, still no Emotion Engine. We're now paying $350 more for the inferior PAL PS3 than a NA customer is paying for the full package.
Furthermore, just to bash what teeth we have left in a little further, PAL regions will not be getting the 80GB HDD, while NA will. Instead, we're getting a bundle with an extra controller and two games, at a higher price obviously.
Sony continues its anti-PAL policy, telling us we are second rate customers. It won't be long now till the PAL price drop, though. Or so I predict. Still doesn't change the fact that we're treated like something stuck under Sony's shoe sole that they'd rather be rid of.