Sony Packs More Value Into the PS3; HDMI Now Included

[Ares]

Sony Packs More Value Into the PS3; HDMI Now Included
06/01/2010 Written by Anthony Severino



One of the biggest consumer gripes with the PlayStation 3 has long been due to an HDMI cable is not included. This is mainly due to the fact that Sony has long been touting the PS3, as the high-definition console, even offering ‘full 1080p’ gaming and movies. What good is a 1080p capable “High Definition” console when you’re given nothing more than a composite cable only capable of standard definition 480i? Admittedly, the missing HDMI cable was much more noticeable at launch when the PS3 cost $599, but who wouldn’t want a free HDMI cable packed in with each and every PS3?

Apparently, new SKUs have hit certain retailers and now include an HDMI cable. Excellent, but better yet, that’s not the only other thing that’s now included.

As if the 250GB PS3 SKU wasn’t already a great value, being only $50 more than the 120GB SKU and featuring double the HDD capacity. Now, the 250 SKU will be packed with a 6-foot HDMI cable and the Greatest Hits Game of the Year Edition of LittleBigPlanet, which is still one of the most highly-regarded titles of this generation. Here’s the kicker: it’s still only $349.99!

Now when you purchase a 250GB PS3, you’ll be getting double the hard drive capacity over the 120GB SKU, which is still difficult to find in stores mind you, along with a PlayStation branded HDMI cable as well as a copy of LBP GOTY. The game and HDMI cable alone are worth the extra $50 a 250GB SKU will cost you.
Don’t believe this amazing value? We didn’t either, but a PSLS faithful tipster with retail experience sent us the pictures below for confirmation!

SCEA hasn’t announced this bundle yet, but there is at least one retailer we know of that has the bundle ready to sell. Now they’re just waiting for the official announcement to be subsequently scooped up by the masses wanting a PS3. Check out the pics below:

Source: PlayStation LifeStyle

 

[its phillip]

It's cool that it comes with a free game, but I honestly never cared about it not coming with an hdmi cable - they're dirt cheap

If I needed to buy another ps3, I'd probably get the cheapest console and just change the drive out myself. A 500GB 2.5" drive doesn't cost all that much. I hope on the newer consoles the drive cage screws aren't as lame as the ones on the fat ps3s.

 

[Gaigebacca]

I saw the Fry's in Dallas on Hwy. 75 putting these out on the floor yesterday.

 

[j_garcia]

There was talk of a new SKU for a while, not necessarily a new model, so I guess this is it. The inclusion of a cable that probably costs about $3-5 isn't really adding much value IMO, but it is a gesture in the right direction.

My 120G included 2 games, one of which was also LBP GOTY and it was only $299

Yes, I paid $650 for my launch 60G and I too was a little ticked back then that it didn't at least include a cheap HDMI cable. I got one from Bluejeans

 

[Ares]

Sony should add something else to the mix, how about a 2nd controller for starters. What would you guys like to see added?

 

[j_garcia]

IR to Bluetooth adapter

 

[GlocksRock]

They should always include some type of game or blu ray, nothing sucks more than getting a new system and having nothing to use in it.

 

[j_garcia]

They should always include some type of game or blu ray, nothing sucks more than getting a new system and having nothing to use in it.

Yep. They should, at the very least, give you a code to download a game off PSN.

 

[Ares]

They should have something like a starter bundle, here is what should come in the box

1 PS3 console

2 controllers

1 Game choice of UC2, GOWIII, or LBP

1 Blu-Ray Movie from Sony Studios

1 HDMI cable

Price to be set at $299-$350

 

[j_garcia]

Many retailers already offer bundles, like Walmart has a movie bundle that includes the BD remote and various gaming bundles. I don't think Sony did too much of that because they left it up to the retailers to do, though they occasionally do offer bundled games or movies obviously.

 

[Ares]

The problem with retailer bundles is you get a choice to get a movie bundle or a game bundle never both.

 

[its phillip]

They should have something like a starter bundle, here is what should come in the box

1 PS3 console

2 controllers

1 Game choice of UC2, GOWIII, or LBP

1 Blu-Ray Movie from Sony Studios

1 HDMI cable

Price to be set at $299-$350

Yeah but then they'd be losing even more money - consoles are not profitable, games and peripherals are.

 

[Ares]

Yeah but then they'd be losing even more money - consoles are not profitable, games and peripherals are.

They will not lose any more money then they already have by doing this, here is a few points to that effect:

1) The PS3 Slim makes a profit for each console sold will it offset the initial losses time will tell.

2) The majority of games don't make a profit once you factor in all the costs of making a game: salaries, advertising, etc.... where game developers will make money is DLC COD:MW2 prove that, gamers payed $15 for 3 maps 1 million or more Xbox owners and 1 million or more PS3 owners bought this. So that means on the DLC alone Activison earned more than $300 Million just on the Stimulus Package DLC and this formula has and will be followed by console exclusive games as well. We won't know the numbers on every game with DLC since no one is tracking it at the moment, but they'll make a killing just on DLC alone.

3) The cost of making a PS3 controller is not high, the only people making money on them is the retailers since the they charge $50 for a controller and $20-$25 for the BD remote, Sony could give a second controller with the console and still make money along with the retailers.

4) Offering a free HDMI Cable that costs like $5 to make won't hurt Sony since they make their own, and it won't hurt retailers since the average consumer needs more than one anyway and most of them don't know about MonoPrice or BJC so the retailers can still make that 150%-1000% markup that they have on cables.

 

[its phillip]

You don't make any sense. A PS3 costs $299, and comes with just a ps3. If you want them to sell a bundle for the same price, how are they not losing money? They will be including more things for the same amount of money. If they charged $350, they'd STILL lose money because all of the items sold separately would cost more than $50.

edit: i know dlc is a major cash cow for lots of developers or publishers or whatever, but there are tons of games that don't have any pay-for dlc, so they games have to be profitable somehow, unless everybody loves losing money. i can probably count on one hand how many times i've paid for dlc, because i hate it - especially launch day pay-for dlc. that's an insult. free stuff is another story of course

 

[Ares]

It would cost more than $50 retail price for 1 movie, 1 game, 1 controller but the price of these items at cost is not much.

 

[its phillip]

I understand that but including them in a bundle at the same cost or only slightly higher would be not as profitable as selling them separately. Don't get me wrong, I think it would be great for consumers if they offered bundles like that, but from a company standpoint I doubt it'll become the standard.

 

[Ares]

J made a point about wal-mart offering a bundle , so I checked out their site, they offer a bundle that gives you a choice of 3 BD movies, 1 game and the BD remote for about $20 more than the highest price I suggested which is pretty good. They are sold out of course there should be a standard bundle like there use be because if you check out some places the bundles they offer are not good values because they are still charging you full retail price for each item, A bundle should be about savings not spending the same amount as if you bought the items separately.

I understand that this a business and their purpose is to maximize profits, but I'm old enough to remember that consoles came with two controllers and a game or two, then they took away one controller and then took away the game. So now all you get is a console and one controller so now if you are buying this for your two kids you will have to shell out $50 for an extra controller and $30-$60 for a game so they can play at the very least they should offer the 2nd controller with the console. JMO

 

[Nugu]

The Wal-Fart bundle (actual packed-in-box bundle) is the 250gb model with LBP-GOTY and Uncharted packed in the box. No mention of HDMI cable on the box I could see.

I'd upload a pic but I loaned out my card reader and never got it back -.-