Sony Japan Discontinues the 20GB and 60GB PlayStation 3 Models

[malware]

Sony is making all potentioal PS3 buyers choice easier by discontinuing the 20GB and 60GB PlayStation 3 SKUs from the Japan market, leaving only the new 40GB slimmed down version. Sony's game unit said it would end shipments of PlayStation 3s with 20- and 60-gigabyte hard disk drives by the end of this month. Sony is pinning its hopes on the cheaper PS3 with a 40GB HDD that was introduced in Japan in November last year. Unlike the two original versions, which were launched in November 2006, the newest PS3 model lacks PlayStation 2 support, has two high-speed USB ports instead of four and has no super audio CD system. The company will "vigorously promote the expansion of the PS3 platform by further concentrating on the 40GB hard disk drive model," Sony Computer Entertainment said in a statement. The move comes as rival Nintendo continues to enjoy strong demand for the Wii, known for its motion-sensitive controller, outselling the PS3 three-fold in its domestic market last year.

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[Solaris17]

so you cant play ps2 games? thats rediculous now ill never guy a ps3

 

[Rodster]

so you cant play ps2 games? thats rediculous now ill never guy a ps3

The 80GB model let's you play PS2 games thru software emu. AFAIK Sony has no plans to discontinue that model. I think we'll see a low end and high end model for quite sometime.

 

[xfire]

Well with the lowered cost of both the PS2(the recent 99$ one) and the PS3 i think it works out the same as the 60 GB one. Its just the matter of not being lazy to switch devices.

 

[WarEagleAU]

Or they could just lower the damn price of the 60gb model. (ITs the one I have and I love it.)

 

[newtekie1]

Or they could just lower the damn price of the 60gb model. (ITs the one I have and I love it.)

The problem with that is Sony said they want to start making a profit on the Consoles, so they can't lower the price on the 60GB model because it already costs too much to manufacture.

Software emulation of PS2 and PS1 games isn't a big deal, I wouldn't mind it, but I do have a 60GB model. I still use my PS2 to play my PS2 games, I bought my PS3 to play PS3 games.

I just don't know why the 40GB model can't do the software emulation, that is just stupid IMO.(Edit: Nevermind, I forgot that they still left the PS2 GPU in the 80GB model, but removed it from the 40GB model.)

 

[cjoyce1980]

The problem with that is Sony said they want to start making a profit on the Consoles, so they can't lower the price on the 60GB model because it already costs too much to manufacture.

Software emulation of PS2 and PS1 games isn't a big deal, I wouldn't mind it, but I do have a 60GB model. I still use my PS2 to play my PS2 games, I bought my PS3 to play PS3 games.

I just don't know why the 40GB model can't do the software emulation, that is just stupid IMO.(Edit: Nevermind, I forgot that they still left the PS2 GPU in the 80GB model, but removed it from the 40GB model.)

it cant do software emulation, as its still requires some hardware components to do the emulation. plus the 80GB model is stopping soon as sony no longer has control over the PS3 production. it was sold off to help pay off some of there ever mounting debts.

 

[error_f0rce]

Yes, they still have the 80 gig in production, with all the features except the additional PS2 GPU, which hurts compatibility. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ps3

I understand what Sony is doing, they need to start making profit. That being said, it kills me to see a product produced cheap, just to make money, and it's kills me even more to see a great product reduced in quality, just to make a profit.

I'm glad I grabbed my 60gb when I did.

 

[newtekie1]

I wouldn't say the removal of PS2 support is a reduction in quality. Reductions in functionality are not reductions in quality.

PS2 support is not a major selling point of the PS2. People are not buying $500 consoles to play PS2 games.

 

[error_f0rce]

I wouldn't say the removal of PS2 support is a reduction in quality. Reductions in functionality are not reductions in quality.

You're arguing semantics... they are removing a technologically superior part of the device and replacing it with an inferior substitute in order to save money. The result is reduced quality of end user experience because of lesser compatibility. Technically you are correct, but I think that's missing the point.

PS2 support is not a major selling point of the PS2. People are not buying $500 consoles to play PS2 games.

Again, technically you are correct, however, there are scores of people have PS2 game collections that cost more than their PS3. I would expect that they would really like to see their PS2 games up converted to 1080p (you ever tried playing a PS2 on a 55" 1080p HDTV?... it's isn't pretty), and to use their brand new wireless controllers, and to save their game onto hard drive, etc.

As previously stated, I understand what Sony is doing .... but I don't have to like it.

 

[Solaris17]

Becasue you cant play ps2 games? Flawed logic, since no next gen console will be able to play your ps2 games. When the ps4 and xbox whatever come out, neither of those will play your ps2 games.

So basically stuck in a rut.

i dont quite see were your going ti was a huge deal when ps2 came out that it playes ps1 games and sony was praised for allowing it on the ps3 it was so popular infact that xbox allowed old platform compatability with the 360 i dont find it flawed logic when i dont make alot and i have like 70ps2 games..and with ps3 gameas at like $50 a pop id like the bckwards compatability.

 

[newtekie1]

Again, technically you are correct, however, there are scores of people have PS2 game collections that cost more than their PS3. I would expect that they would really like to see their PS2 games up converted to 1080p (you ever tried playing a PS2 on a 55" 1080p HDTV?... it's isn't pretty), and to use their brand new wireless controllers, and to save their game onto hard drive, etc.

As previously stated, I understand what Sony is doing .... but I don't have to like it.

Trust me, my PS2 collect has cost me more than my PS3, and I do play it on a 60" 1080i TV, and it looks fine. PS3 games aren't even 1080p, they are 720p, and the upconverted PS2 games look identical to the standard ones. The upconversion is just a gimmick, you can't take a crappy looking image and blow it up to a higher resolution and expect it to look any better. The Smoothing is nice, but do I really need that to enjoy the game? No, and I don't care if it is there or not.

Like I said, I own a large library of PS2 game, close to 200 games if I had to guess off hand, and I have yet to actually sit down and play one on my PS3 for any other reason than to test it to see what the PS3 does to PS2 games. All my game saves are on the 8mb memory cards(I have to have 5 to keep all my saves) and it would be a royal pain to transfer them all over to the PS3, not to mention I would have to buy Sony's overpriced transfer device.

If you don't like it, pay more for the more expensive model that still plays PS2 games.

 

[Wile E]

Trust me, my PS2 collect has cost me more than my PS3, and I do play it on a 60" 1080i TV, and it looks fine. PS3 games aren't even 1080p, they are 720p, and the upconverted PS2 games look identical to the standard ones. The upconversion is just a gimmick, you can't take a crappy looking image and blow it up to a higher resolution and expect it to look any better. The Smoothing is nice, but do I really need that to enjoy the game? No, and I don't care if it is there or not.

Like I said, I own a large library of PS2 game, close to 200 games if I had to guess off hand, and I have yet to actually sit down and play one on my PS3 for any other reason than to test it to see what the PS3 does to PS2 games. All my game saves are on the 8mb memory cards(I have to have 5 to keep all my saves) and it would be a royal pain to transfer them all over to the PS3, not to mention I would have to buy Sony's overpriced transfer device.

If you don't like it, pay more for the more expensive model that still plays PS2 games.

I have to disagree with you on the upscaling. I put my ps2 to pasture after I played my ps2 games on the ps3. They look WAY better. Perhaps you need to tweak some settings.

 

[error_f0rce]

PS3 games aren't even 1080p, they are 720p, and the upconverted PS2 games look identical to the standard ones.

OK, first off, do a little research; it's common knowledge that there have been 1080p PS3 games out for some time... google is your friend. Second, you obviously haven't had a PS3 for that long, or you would have experienced the early firmware versions, before the up conversion and smoothing implementations, and you would have seen how horrendous it was for PS2 games.... Resident Evil 4 comes to mind.

 

[ktr]

Yea, last time i checked (about 3 months ago)...the PS3 had 25ish native 1080p titles, while the 360 only had 2.

 

[newtekie1]

OK, first off, do a little research; it's common knowledge that there have been 1080p PS3 games out for some time... google is your friend. Second, you obviously haven't had a PS3 for that long, or you would have experienced the early firmware versions, before the up conversion and smoothing implementations, and you would have seen how horrendous it was for PS2 games.... Resident Evil 4 comes to mind.

I have had a PS3 for some time. I bought one at launch, it did fine for PS2 games, then sold it soon after due to money issues and have since re-purchased. PS2 looked like they did on my PS2. With upscaling, nothing improved, it was the same image at a higher resolution, it still looked like a PS2 and there was no noticeable improvement to image quality. Smoothing helped a great deal, but nothing that I really need or even care about. Though, like I said, I don't use it to play PS2 games, I have a PS2 for that. The only times I have actually played PS2 games in it was when I first bought the console, as a test, and when new firmwares came out that added upscaling and smoothing, and again those were only testing the new features.

I guess you are right, there are a few 1080p titles, turns out I own one(Ninja Gaiden). I guess I have just never noticed.

 

[Solaris17]

You said youd never get a ps3 because you cant play ps2 games. Surely the same logic applies to all other consoles. Hence, you never buy another console.

Ive simply continued the logic you applied in your original post to its eventual conclusion. in reality, if you want to play next gen games, you will buy either the 360 or ps3. So the statement that youd never buy a ps3 isnt true, unless of course you believe in the continuation of the logic ive given.

well ya i did say that i want a ps3 my ps2 is gone all im saying is if im going to shell out 400 or 500 $$ on a system sony said would play my currently unplayabe games id want my console to do just that...no matter what version i buy...i dont care much about the hdd i can mod that but the ps3's were supposed to be able to...now sony is coming out with the next gen ps3's and their taking that ability out? i dont like the idea and the fact i have to drop $400 on a system then $50 a pop for games i want isnt worht it if one of the big selling points for me and millions of other ppl was the fact that it can play older games.......now its just a hassle because i have to go on ebay or something and try to find a first generation ps3 that can play ps2 games and since its such a hassle i seriously dout or rather iv now lost all motivation to buy the system.

 

[Easy Rhino]

well im glad i bought my 80 gig model. i dont own any ps2 games or a ps2 console but like having the option of playing them if i find a cheap ps2 game at the store. so do we know that there never will be a ps3 that will play ps2 games again?

 

[Ravenas]

I play every PS3 game I have at 1080p

 

[Easy Rhino]

I play every PS3 game I have at 1080p

haha me too.

 

[newtekie1]

well im glad i bought my 80 gig model. i dont own any ps2 games or a ps2 console but like having the option of playing them if i find a cheap ps2 game at the store. so do we know that there never will be a ps3 that will play ps2 games again?

The only model Japan has is the 40GB model. So far, there is no news about the 80GB model ending production, it just isn't available in Japan.

I play every PS3 game I have at 1080p

Not unless you only own PS3 games that support 1080p, most only do 720p. There are only 25 that do 1080p.

 

[Ravenas]

Not unless you only own PS3 games that support 1080p, most only do 720p. There are only 25 that do 1080p.

Lol? Only 25? You say that as if it is such a small number . Most can also be upscaled, warhawk for example.

NEWTEKIE, I EXPECTED BETTER OF YOU, I OWN THE 40GB MODEL. And even if it was Japan only, all PS3 models can be updated via 2.5" HD.

EDIT: Sorry, I thought you were saying something else. You should put "The only PS3 model Japan has is the 40gb.".

 

[newtekie1]

Lol? Only 25? You say that as if it is such a small number . Most can also be upscaled, warhawk for example.

NEWTEKIE, I EXPECTED BETTER OF YOU, I OWN THE 40GB MODEL. And even if it was Japan only, all PS3 models can be updated via 2.5" HD.

It doesn't really matter how many of them are 1080p, the majority of them don't. So you don't play every PS3 game in 1080p unless you only play those 25 games.

And hard drive size doesn't really matter, of course you can upgrade them with 2.5" HDDs. But you can't just pop a 60GB hard drive into the 40GB model and it suddenly has the ability to play PS2 games. You can upgrade the storage capacity, but you can't add the PS2 hardware that it is missing.

 

[Ravenas]

It doesn't really matter how many of them are 1080p, the majority of them don't. So you don't play every PS3 game in 1080p unless you only play those 25 games.

And hard drive size doesn't really matter, of course you can upgrade them with 2.5" HDDs. But you can't just pop a 60GB hard drive into the 40GB model and it suddenly has the ability to play PS2 games. You can upgrade the storage capacity, but you can't add the PS2 hardware that it is missing.

Yes, I understand that, but I'm saying the most popular games are mostly 1080p, going out on a limb there. OH, and I'm not as dumb as your assuming in that you think I think hard drives enable PS2 compatibility.

 

[mrw1986]

I'm glad I bought my 60gb on the day of release. Awesome backwards compatibility and I never have a single problem with mine.