Analyst Predicts $499 PlayStation 3

Sony may not want to play the numbers game yet, but that isn't stopping the educated guessing.

So, you've been hearing the hype about Sony's PlayStation 3, but now you want to know how much you should set aside to buy one. Join the queue. While Sony has been skimpy with specifics, it has said that the new console is going to be expensive. But what does "expensive" mean? Certain analysts are starting to give it a go.

"[Sony] could now consider launching its PlayStation 3 at a price range of $399 to $499 [£225 to £285], with the $499 price point more likely," said American Technology Research's P.J. McNealy, as reported by CNN.

There are many high-tech reasons why the PlayStation 3 should come in at more than the Xbox 360, which retails for $399 (for the Premium pack) in the US. The most obvious is that Sony's next-gen machine uses the new high-definition DVD format Blu-ray for both games and movies.

Developers contacted by CNN were equally pessimistic about the PlayStation 3's price, with guesstimates ranging from $450 to $600.

It was Microsoft's decision to launch the Xbox 360 at $399 in the US that has opened the door for even higher console prices. And as the average age of gamers grow, so does their expendable income, making higher priced consoles a more solid bet for hardware makers.

Sony has naturally offered a no-comment on the price for the moment. No surprise when there are still so many other question marks that surround the console, not least of which is what the final controller design will look like.

Sony recently reminded everyone that the PlayStation 3 is still coming this spring, no doubt to dissuade those hovering over an Xbox 360 purchase this Christmas. The company is expected to lay out its PlayStation 3 gameplan by this year's E3, which takes place in Los Angeles in May.

Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games