Chris Kohler
Culture

Sony Discontinues $500 PlayStation 3 Model

Not six months after the PlayStation 3 launched in $500 and $600 models, the lower-priced unit has officially been discontinued in North America. The only PlayStation 3 model available from here on out will be the $600 one, which includes a 60GB hard drive, built-in wireless, and more slots for memory peripherals. Here’s the official […]

Ps3_largeNot six months after the PlayStation 3 launched in $500 and $600 models, the lower-priced unit has officially been discontinued in North America. The only PlayStation 3 model available from here on out will be the $600 one, which includes a 60GB hard drive, built-in wireless, and more slots for memory peripherals.

Here's the official word from Sony's Dave Karraker:

At launch, we offered two separate models of PlayStation 3 to meet the diverse needs and interests of our PlayStation fan base. Initial retail demand in North America was upwards of ninety percent in favor of the 60GB sku, so we manufactured and shipped-in accordingly. Due to the overwhelming demand for the 60GB model from both retailers and consumers, we have ceased offering the 20GB model here in North America.

Karraker also notes that owners of the 20GB model will be fully supported with software and services going forward.

My thoughts? The industry buzz had always been that Sony was offering retailers better margins on the 60GB unit, hence the reason for the wildly disproportionate retail orders. As far as consumers went, if you were dropping $500 on a PS3, you might as well drop $600 and get more hard drive space and wireless networking all built in.

All the same, if the $500 model was meant to serve as a public-relations move and make PlayStation 3 seem like it cost less than it really did, it worked. Recall that the New York Times' article at E3 was "Sony To Sell PlayStation 3 For $499."