USA: Sony Ditching 80GB PS3 Due to Poor Sales?

GameDaily BIZ has heard from a corporate retail source - not from Best Buy, but at another major retailer - that something is definitely "afoot" but he "can't really comment (until the 80GBs are gone.)" [parentheses statement added by source, not us - Ed].

Moreover, we spoke with Janco Partners analyst Mike Hickey who told us, "Sony is likely dumping the 80GB version because it has failed to meet internal sales projections."

UPDATE2: Well, this is interesting. We just heard from The NPD Group who told us, "In the last quarter (when both were on the market), the 80GB sold more units than the 40GB." When pressed for a more exact breakdown of the sales data between the two SKUs, NPD said they could not provide that. It's certainly a surprise to us, however, that the more expensive 80GB would have sold more than 40GB, which many have attributed the PS3 sales spike to.

http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/ne...st/19208/?biz=

Rawr, that's gotta be a lie, because everyone knows the 80GB's were harder to find than 40GB's.
I don't think anyone wanted a 40GB cause it came with less, and for 100 more you got space/stuff.

I work at Best buy and asked my Sony rep about the 80gb shortage and he told me some pretty interesting stuff. He can't confirm this 100% but he said they are trying to sell all of the leftover 80gb motorstorm bundles because they want to repackage the system. He's didn't say what the new package will offer, but I heard rumors that it might be the new dual shock 3 with some extra stuff.


Don't hype this because, again, he can't confirm it 100%.

Oh, in other words all their gonna do is change the game from Motorstorm to something like Heavenly Sword.

Lets see, PS3 sales during the holidays were probably the best they have ever been. So lets ASSUME that the 80gb is being "dropped" due to poor sales.

Lets not forget that the reason this is being spread like wildfire is because Best Buys around the nation have RUN OUT OF 80GBs and the SKU was deleted (to run out of a system implies that its selling WELL!).

I hate news sites, I really do. All they do is speculate and make stupid assumptions without ANY thought whatsoever...

Chances are, the 80gb will be coming back with something new inside, or maybe a movie and a game or a DS3 or something. But its not gone for good.

Added:

Actually, I take that back about it not being gone for good. Who really knows whats the deal with its departure. Looking at the facts one can surmise that Sony may not bring it back, because they have said 1 SKU is the best strategy and they have done it in both Asia and Europe.

But I don't believe they are making a wise choice with 1 SKU. Having a premium model is an easy way to earn a profit for adding features that cost next to nothing (for instance, in the case of the 60gb over the 20gb; bigger HDD, chrome plating and card readers...)

60GB also had built-in wifi that the 20GB did not. The 80GB also has the PS2 EE (but not the GS) that the 40GB does not. And I would have to agree with Gene, I work for Best Buy as well and my Sony rep said something similar. The only difference is that my Sony rep led me to believe that the new 80GB PS3 will not have a bundle. It will be more of a direct replacement for the 60GB. Considering the sluggish sales of the 40GB (we currently have 26 in stock) it would suggest that if Sony were to go to a single SKU it may be some combination of 40GB and 80GB features. We know they are working on a PS2 software emulator for the PS3 (much like what they did with the PS1), if they are near finished on that we might very well see a 40GB with the media reader and chrome trim.

But then again, this is all speculation and in the end very useless. I'm just waiting for my PS3 to update ;)