One of the selling points of having an HDTV is that they are in fact easier to move than a glass tube TV. Flat panels as well as rear projections are *much* lighter than crts or tubes.

And to stay on topic:

Ill say that to keep the price under $400 Sony will have 2 versions like the Xbox360 has done-- One system without BluRay and one WITH.

An online service is still way too expensive for them to consider throwing in too.

If the games are to be (eventually) on Blu-Ray discs, that won't happen.

oops I forgot

I think Pixy's point about the early PSP price speculation is apt. I have no idea what the price will be, but I think that it will be much less than what most "analysts" think.

I think $500 is the magic line. Since the X-Box costs $400 (not counting the core) $500 isn't that insane. I could see buying one if there were some really killer launch titles. That's the main reason (outside of price) that has me off of the 360, I wouldn't buy any of those games any other time outside of them being the only ones out.

$200 was the limit. $300 was not that insane.
$300 was the limit. $400 was not that insane.
$400 is the limit. $500 is not that insane.
Next generation => $500.

As far as the HDTV goes:

Sure I could get an HD tube for 1000 bucks, or maybe a smaller widescreen LCD... but I'm not downgrading the size of my TV below 27 inch 4:3, and I don't want another large TV. I'll save up, wait a little more, and get something good.

BTW, this is how the conversation with my better half goes when I talk about getting another TV: Well, the TIVO that you love so much and I paid a lot of money to upgrade to lifetime won't work any better on HDTV. In fact, it'll probably look a lot worse. I'll have to buy or rent new DVRs for it. And we need to upgrade our cable, since OTA signals are pretty much nonexistant where I live. And buy a new TV stand. And I'll be watching a LOT more football. Oh, we'll need to subscribe to some kinda sports package. Don't worry, DVDs will look a lot better, and when I spend even more money to invest in Blu Ray or whatever the next one is, it'll look even better. Trust me on this one...

I agree with the 500 barrier (for now), and I agree with the notion that what is "acceptable" will increase in price over the next few generations. Meanwhile, we'll have all of these things that used to be packed with the system as either separate accessories or in a more expensive bundle. I mean, consoles used to come with two controllers and a game, right?

It won't be $700. We all know what happened to the 3DO.

Wow, I didnt expect my thread to blow up and get this huge!

I got that $300 price from Gamepro where they were comparing the systems. They said it would be no more. Yet the Sony pres or someshit said it would just be expensive.

I had no idea that the PS3 was going to have all that stuff in it, besides bluray. I really dont care for it though as I dont plan on buying DVDs just that this system can play.

Quick questions. Will the PS3 be compleley backwards compatible, or limited like 360? Will they screw with us when it comes to controllers and memory cards and make us buy new ones like 360? Will it be able to play regular DVDs?

Im hoping itll be $400 at the most, anything more and they can go fuck themselves. Sure itll have this and that, but the principle of spending so much on a game machine dont sit well with me.

Josh is very good at predicting "certainties". See his prediction for President in 2004 par example.

There's your problem right there...

Sad but true. Gamepro is the last place to look for accurate (and insightful) information.

Josh can not be held accountable for the fact that America elected an idiot for a president.

1) Yes and No. Much more so then the 360, but some titles will not work, just like the PS2 <-PS1.

2) I don't know...

3) Yes.

Can you even buy a non-Value Pack version here in the US? If not, then that little tidbit about Japan's pricing doesn't really mean anything since we're all looking at a $249 price tag here.

If the $400 360 sells well, i'm sure they'll sell the PS3 at $400 and take a loss. I'd assume the 360 would drop to $350 by the time PS3 debuts though. I'd assume they'd bundle in a BR movie or BR trailer disc in with the PS3 to get people aware of the new format. If they can get Blu-Ray into homes and take over the HD market, the loss they take on the PS3 will be re-cooped for many years to come in BR sales/licensing.

I wonder if there will be more PS3's available for launch as opposed to the 360. Looks like most stores are not getting many systems at all. Did Microsoft not meet the demand or did they hold out on systems to basically guarantee sellout systems? I know it's a handheld, but when the PSP was first released, I saw them all over the place.

It seems pretty likely to me that it will be in the realm of the price of the XBox 360. I think $100 more max (although that will cost them sales) but not more than that--I'm sure if they can find a way to make it palatable, they'll launch at the same price as the 360, but it may be too much of a hit even for Sony.

In response to the OP's other question, I'd be very very surprised if it launched at less than the 360. There just doesn't seem to be a need for them to do that, since a lot of people are going to buy just based on it being the successor to the two most popular non-handheld systems ever (at least, I assume they are).

My feeling is that the 360 will drop to $299 by the time the PS3 debuts, because I don't think the PS3 will make a spring release. I bet we see it debut in the summer at the earliest - but more likely in the fall.

I think Sony is further behind than they've led people to believe.

This isn't Political Talk, this is Video Game Talk. Thank you.

WOW! That is the best case I've seen of using semantics to try and remove your foot from your mouth.