Could PS3 Price Cuts Be On the Way In the States?

There’s been a lot of negative talk about the PS3 lately, we all know that, but Sony seems to be getting the idea. One of the first things that many analysts mention when discussing the PS3 is its high price. Debuting in the U.S. at $600 and $500, the PS3 has been quite a lot to swallow for the average consumer. Then again, that price may drop very shortly as Sony discusses more price drops in Japan.

Due to the importance of the Japanese market, when the PS3 was launched in Japan, executives decided to cut the launch price from $499 to $429. “In the PS3 business, production was very tight, but we knew the market wouldn’t wait,” said Takao Yuhara, Senior VP of Sony. This led to low production runs and an all-out delay in European launch, scheduled for this March.

Now, according to Yuhara, more price cuts may be on the way for Japan, because even though the run was limited, they still aren’t selling out. This comes after the announcement that the Sony games division was a major contributor to Sony profits being down 5%. Could this lead to cheaper PS3 prices in the U.S?

Losses per unit, especially in Sony’s hardware “showcase,” isn’t as bad as units sitting on shelves. A drop in price could help get those units out of the stores and into people’s homes where they can start earning money off of software sales. We’ll have to wait and see if Sony swallows their pride, at least as far as the U.S. is concerned, for long enough to take action.

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