Sony announces 160GB PS3

[fisetdavid26]

Leipzig Games Convention, 20th August 2008: Sony Computer Entertainment Europe today announced the 160GB PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) which will launch in the PAL markets on 31st October for a RRP of €449 in a bundle including additional PLAYSTATION®Network content. This new model has more than twice the storage capacity of the current models and can store and deliver more entertainment than ever before – perfect for people with an insatiable thirst for downloading and storing content.

This vast increase in available storage space gives owners the capacity to store large amounts of digital content in the same place, making the 160GB PS3 perfect for people who love to download. It allows for increased video, music, and photo storage as well as room to download even more games, game extras, playable demos, and trailers from PLAYSTATION®Network – making PS3 an even more attractive buy for those looking for an all-in-one entertainment system. With the new 160GB PS3, owners will have all of their media right where they need it.

Downloading content via PLAYSTATION Network is a one of the core experiences of PS3. PLAYSTATION®Store is the online destination for downloading games, extra content for games and more – all of which require hard drive space. In addition, SingStar® allows owners to download track after track from SingStore™, while Buzz!™: Quiz TV is supported by downloadable quiz packs direct from the developers. Little Big Planet™ encourages players to download and share levels that other gamers have created. Meanwhile, the forthcoming PlayTV™ will allow people to record free-to-air digital TV. There’s an impressive amount of content available and multi-media fans require a storage solution for all their needs.

Besides the extra hard drive space, owners can look forward to all of the other features of PS3: the high definition Blu-ray Disc™ player allowing for amazing sound and images, internet access, DUALSHOCK®3 wireless controllers, video chat, online play with other gamers across PLAYSTATION Network – and a stunning and evergrowing range of next-generation games including the forthcoming Resistance™2, LittleBigPlanet, MotorStorm® Pacific Rift, inFamous™ and more.

Original article: Store twice as much on your PS3®:New 160GB PS3™ is unveiled at Games Convention 2008 | PRESS RELEASES ｜ Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

[fisetdavid26]

North America will also get the 160GB PS3:

SCEA ANNOUNCES LIMITED-EDITION UNCHARTED: DRAKE’S FORTUNE™ PLAYSTATION®3 BUNDLE FEATURING NEW 160GB PS3™ SYSTEM | PRESS RELEASES ｜ Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

[The_Canuck]

They're promotional game is Drake's Fortune? Didn't it not sell well?

[fisetdavid26]

They're promotional game is Drake's Fortune? Didn't it not sell well?

From Wiki:

Originally announced at E3 2006, the title was developed for about two years before being released at the end of 2007. Seen as a key title for the PlayStation 3 during the holiday season of 2007, the game was well-received by critics, many of whom cited its technical achievements and its high production values, similar to that of summer blockbuster films. The game went on to sell more than one million copies in ten weeks, and become part of the European best-selling Platinum range of titles.

Not bad I'd say.

[The_Canuck]

Ah must have sold more in europe then here, i didn't hear much about it being a sucess really...

[fisetdavid26]

Ah must have sold more in europe then here, i didn't hear much about it being a sucess really...

Haven't heard about it much either.

Sony might have a winner here, the 160GB will retail for $499.99 (the current price of the 80GB model), which itself will now retail for $399.99, and considering the 40GB is $100 less than the 80GB right now can we expect a $299.99 40GB PS3? It could happen if they intend to discontinue it and sell the remaining stock so the 80GB would be the base model.

That's one hell of a cheap Blu-ray player if so.

[pimento]

Be aware, the new 80GB loses the rest of the backwards compatibility of the old 80GB model. I believe it's just the 40GB one with the bigger HDD. I also heard a rumour that the 160GB one is the same.

[fisetdavid26]

Be aware, the new 80GB loses the rest of the backwards compatibility of the old 80GB model. I believe it's just the 40GB one with the bigger HDD. I also heard a rumour that the 160GB one is the same.

Unfortunately, yes.

PlayStation 3 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Wouter Melissen]

That's ridiculous. Being backwards is rarely a good thing, but in this case it would be very logical. Shame on Sony.

[LeonOfTheDead]

That's ridiculous. Being backwards is rarely a good thing, but in this case it would be very logical. Shame on Sony.

considering it costs more than the Xbox360, at least before of this update, considering the ever-delayed thing connected with both PS3 and its major games, considering I would buy it essentially for a few games which are no more Sony's exclusives neither, and GT4 already disappointed me against titles like Enthusia or SCAR, and considering, IMO, an inferior graphic performance (see MGS4 and GT5P, very "jagged" polygons), Sony lost me a long time ago...

[P3RG4R3C]

Still not much considering you can get 640GB for ~59€...

[NSXType-R]

Haven't heard about it much either.

Sony might have a winner here, the 160GB will retail for $499.99 (the current price of the 80GB model), which itself will now retail for $399.99, and considering the 40GB is $100 less than the 80GB right now can we expect a $299.99 40GB PS3? It could happen if they intend to discontinue it and sell the remaining stock so the 80GB would be the base model.

That's one hell of a cheap Blu-ray player if so.

Sure it's cheap, but I really hate not having backwards compatibility.

Be aware, the new 80GB loses the rest of the backwards compatibility of the old 80GB model. I believe it's just the 40GB one with the bigger HDD. I also heard a rumour that the 160GB one is the same.

I don't think either of the two have backwards compatibility. The 40 and the 80 gig both don't have the emulation stuff.

The 60 gig was the last PS3 to have that feature.

That's ridiculous. Being backwards is rarely a good thing, but in this case it would be very logical. Shame on Sony.

Really is stupid not for Sony to have such a feature. I use my PS2 more than my Wii.

[fisetdavid26]

I don't think either of the two have backwards compatibility. The 40 and the 80 gig both don't have the emulation stuff.

The 60 gig was the last PS3 to have that feature.

False, the now discontinued 80GB PS3 (the one that was introduced in August 2007, and re-introduced in June 2008 with MSG4 before being discontinued this month) retained the Graphics Synthesizer processor from the PS2 (but ditched the Emotion Engine processor, the PS3 emulated it).

Now the current lineup is 80GB and 160GB and both are not backward compatible with the PS2 at all (having ditched the Graphics Synthesizer processor, presumably to cut costs).

[NSXType-R]

False, the now discontinued 80GB PS3 (the one that was introduced in August 2007, and re-introduced in June 2008 with MSG4 before being discontinued this month) retained the Graphics Synthesizer processor from the PS2 (but ditched the Emotion Engine processor, the PS3 emulated it).

Now the current lineup is 80GB and 160GB and both are not backward compatible with the PS2 at all (having ditched the Graphics Synthesizer processor, presumably to cut costs).

Okay, so the 60 gig was the last one to actually have hardware that was able to play the PS2 games, though right?

This is stupid. Sony always prided itself on backwards compatibility with the PS2 and it was a runaway hit. Like others have said, with PS3 games being expensive and being released so far apart, at the very least having PS2 compatibility would be smart. And last time I checked, PS2 still has new games coming out on it.

Making the PS3 powerful was nice, but it makes games harder to develop because the publishers need to get used to the new power that they have.

[fisetdavid26]

Okay, so the 60 gig was the last one to actually have hardware that was able to play the PS2 games, though right?

This is stupid. Sony always prided itself on backwards compatibility with the PS2 and it was a runaway hit. Like others have said, with PS3 games being expensive and being released so far apart, at the very least having PS2 compatibility would be smart. And last time I checked, PS2 still has new games coming out on it.

Making the PS3 powerful was nice, but it makes games harder to develop because the publishers need to get used to the new power that they have.

Yeah the 60GB was the last one to feature both the GS and EE processors from the PS2.

Considering the PS2 has 10,000 games available worldwide it is indeed very stupid not to offer backward compatibility to such an incredibly high amount of games.