word is; the ps3 price cut has just been revealed.

80gb for $299
160gb, back compatable + resistance 2 for $399.

Also, talk of some bundled blu-rays.

As the world has been aware for years, since the sales of the PS3 are not where they were expected to be at this time, back when it was launched, the required profit is now in such high demand that Sony can't drop the price. It's that 'rock-and-a-hard-place' scenario, but I'm not saying anything here that you don't already know.

I'm thankful for their R&D staff. I thank them for the BluRay (which in my opinion, always towered over HD DVD). There's a lot that Sony has done to the good. The quick pay-off has failed. Now they should suck it up and look at the 10 (or 15) year profit level for all this R&D that they spent on the multiprocessor chip and the high-def disc they brought us. They need to glean the entire markets for profits from these developments rather than forcing the PS3 to carry the major load. Yes, you sell the razor at a loss to sell the blades. Yes, you lose on the printers to gain on the ink cartridges. And yes, the PS3 has always done that, but their stockholders are now unsettled and want to turn the tide.

As does the rest of the gaming industry, I believe that Sony must cut prices on the PS3 (possibly increasing the games by $5.00) as well as marketing their R&D discoveries to the world in many other facets of 'tectronics'. How many brands of computers, models of cars, etc. have their CPU inside? Can they increase the licensing fee for companies making BluRay players, now that they own the monopoly?

All Gaming is Good Gaming!

Mark.............................................................................................................................................................

>Sony has also confirmed that the PS2 software library is still going strong, with SCEA and its publishing partners apparently adding some 1,900 new games for the system this year.

No way. Press release's quite clear about that - "vast library of games from all genres for all types of audiences will grow to nearly 1,900 titles this year". That' total number of games released this year and all the years before.

Interesting, not the drop most people were expecting or care about. Maybe they think they'll thwart some potential "the 360 is only 70 dollars more than a PS2" buyers from getting a 360 over a PS2. The PS2 is rather old and 100 bucks isn't an unfair price for a 9 y/o system (it should arguably be less than that).

Well, so much for that PS3 price drop. I guess I missed that prediction. Hopefully one will come by E3.

Or maybe this is just a distraction. Everyone was talking about a PS3 drop, they drop the price of the PS2 while everyone is looking and then when their backs are turned, BAM! a PS3 price drop.

Maybe.

Of course, I believe we are still in 1Q and I predicted Q2. So I may still be right.

Not exactly what I would characterize as a "big" announcement. I think this was the only option Sony had available this quarter so they're trying to make the most of it. They still can't afford to offer a meaningful price cut on PS3, so this is an effort to improve numbers slightly for this division in Q1 (Q1 for Sony, Q2 for the calendar obviously).