Gamer | 24 Aug 2009 :
Sony has announced that it will release a new Playstation 3, both slimmer and cheaper than before. The rejuvenated console is the company's attempt to jumpstart the gaming industry again.
Hitting the market 1 September, the new PS3 will come with a 120Gb hard drive, up from 80Gb. The new price will be set at €299, which comes from the sleeker design both inside and out, as the system has been completely reworked. Now, the PS3 has twice the disk space, two-thirds the volume and weight, and two-thirds the power consumption as the original 60Gb version.
Other new features will include firmware update 3.0, remote control sync with Sony Bravia televisions and a vertical stand for more conspicuous storage. Users will no longer be able to install other operating systems onto the PS3.
Sony hopes this newer and cheaper model will help expand the Playstation brand, while others hope it will have greater effects. The struggling gaming industry has been calling for price cuts to revive sales, and analysts are optimistic that Sony's new PS3 will be a positive catalyst for Christmas. One prediction is that Sony will have at least a 20% sales increase in September alone, eventually yield more competitive prices in other gaming consoles like Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii.
In addition to the new PS3, Sony is dropping prices on its 80Gb model to €299.