I am amazed at how many times Sony has screwed themselves over with seemingly simple decisions in regards to the PlayStation 3 platform. Sony discontinued the sale and production of all backwards-compatible, albeit via software and 85% of the PS2 library PlayStation 3s in the beginning of the year, leaving the $399 40GB version as the only available option. Soon after this decision, the price of used and new backwards-compatible PlayStation 3s skyrocketed on eBay with buyers paying a premium just for that feature. Then leading up to the release of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Sony appears to have had learned their lesson as a 80GB PlayStation 3 with Metal Gear Solid 4, and software backwards-compatibility was announced. Nope.
As of June 19th, 2008, you cannot find the 80GB MGS4 bundle anywhere. You may find one online, but you will be forced to buy a bundle with accessories that you may not want. I ordered through CircuitCity.com, and to secure my pre-order I had to buy a bundle with a Blu-ray remote (the dual shock 3 works just fine with Blu-rays). In the case of Amazon.com, they sold out in FIVE MINUTES, I had no chance to even add the bundle to my cart.
Metal Gear Solid 4 is the PS3’s biggest title to date, and many potential PS3 buyers were waiting for this game before dropping $400-500 on a piece of hardware with only a small handful of great games. How could Sony not know that there was going to be a huge demand for this bundle, if not just because of MGS4, but because it had the PS2 backwards-compatibility that a vast majority of gamers want? How could Sony not plan ahead and manufactured more of the 80GB PS3s leading up to the launch of MGS4? Why don’t they ask gamers these things? It boggles my mind; seriously, this was their chance.
Lets look at some data while we are on the subject of console sales. Even with the one-year head start, the PS3 still had 2/3 amount of time as the 360, but again, they have only sold half as many pieces of hardware. This was their chance to catch up.
(Consoles sold in America in Millions)
They could have sold close to 400,000 of those bundles as almost 209,000 consoles were sold in the month of May (NPD Group via Joystiq.com) and there were no MGS4 or 80GB bundles.
(MGS4 Units Sold by Territory)
Alexander Sliwinski from Joystiq.com did some investigative reporting on the issue. It turns out that Sony planned for this bundle to be a “limited-edition” and that they are, “working to ensure that additional shipments are provided to retailers” (Joystiq.com). Limited Edition? Is there someone in the upper ranks of Sony being paid by Microsoft to sabotage the PS3? No? Well it sure seems that way sometimes when shit like this happens. Gamers want this bundle, and are willing to wait if any of the discussions at popular sites such as NeoGaf.com and CheapAssGamer.com are to be considered.
This issue doesn’t just hurt gamers looking for the MGS4 bundle, but also all of the current PS3 owners. Sony needs to sell more consoles if they want more exclusive AAA titles from third-party publishers that are going to the 360 instead because of their install base. I wish Sony would simply have some common sense in the future. Holiday 08 is fast approaching; Sony must take advantage of MGS4, a backwards-compatible console and their upcoming exclusives (Resistance 2, Little Big Planet) to have a shot at beating Microsoft in America this generation.
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2 Comments
there’s one just sitting there at my walmart?
went to Sony store (I live in Montreal, Canada) and I asked them if there are any MGS4 bundle left. He said “Don’t waste your time, we don’t have anymore all over the country and the next shipment is July 24″.
There you have it. From Sony store salesman