60GB PS3 Model to be Discontinued

There has been talk in the market earlier this week about Sony junking its 60GB version of the PS3 once the new 80GB model is launched. Speculation was rife – would it? Won’t it? Finally, it is official. Sony will discontinue the production of the earlier version of the PS3 once the new version hits the market.

There had already been much speculation on the issue, the starting point of which was the statement by the Capcom CFO that Sony would mostly announce a price reduction on the 60GB model of PS3. The company actually went on to propose a $100 cut in the price, bringing it down from the original $599 to $499.

The price cut had set in motion speculation earlier on a relatively tangential topic – would the price cut be temporary, or would it be till the last PS3 60GB piece is sold? Now, it turns out, the latter is what is going to happen – the price cut remains until the last PS3 60 GB model is sold. After that, no price cut; in fact, no PS3 60GB.

The other point being debated was whether this was going to be the fate of the 60GB model all over the world, or only in Europe? What would be the fate of the machine in North America?

About Europe, confirmation came today in the form of a statement by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe president David Reeves. Talking to GamesIndustry.biz, he said that once supplies of the 60GB model run out in Europe, the model would not be marketed again. Till then, it would be marketed at $499 per piece.

Patrick Seybold, Senior Public Relations Manager for Sony Computer Entertainment America, on the other hand, confirmed to IGN that in the case of North America too, the company would not continue the 60GB PS3. He in fact went on to state that the company would not take any decisions on hardware strategy for the PS3 in North America till such time as the 60GB model inventory is not totally sold out.

What this means is that in both Europe and North America, the 60GB PS3 would be marketed at $499 until the last piece is sold, after which it will be discontinued. At the same time, the 80GB model would continue to be marketed at the earlier 60GB model price of $599.