PlayStation 3 to receive serious Gamescom price drop?

by Steven Mostyn - Jun 27 2011, 13:40

With E3 now over and Sony having made considerable waves with its upcoming PlayStation Vita handheld console, the Japanese electronics specialist appears keen to carry that momentum into Germany’s upcoming Gamescom event.

Moreover, current online reports suggest Sony is preparing to use August’s European tradeshow to announce a substantial price drop for its recently slimmed-down PlayStation 3 platform.

Although Sony is sticking to its policy guns with the usual “we don’t comment on rumour and speculation”, where media questions are concerned, industry watchers believe Sony will unveil a 199.99 RRP for the console—and retailer outlets may drop that recommended price to a mere 179.99 GBP.

“199.99 (GBP) makes sense as it keeps Sony’s options open for another drop, but they could be more aggressive,” commented analyst Nick Parker in an MCV report.

With 2011 videogame sales dipping sharply when compared to recent years, a sweeping price slash to the PlayStation 3 could well reinvigorate the market, largely because rival hardware manufacturers Microsoft and Nintendo may then be forced to follow suit.

Online retailer Amazon is currently offering the 160GB PlayStation 3 (Slim) for 235 GBP, while the 320GB model sells for just shy of 260 GBP.

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