Sony Thursday trimmed $100 from its top model PS3 consoles in the United States, making 80-gigabyte hard drive versions available for $499 each.
The Japanese electronics giant also announced that beginning November 2 it will sell a less-sophisticated 40-gigabyte PS3 console in the United States for $399.
The cheaper model is not expected to be a hit with the PlayStation faithful because unlike the premier model it is not "backward compatible," or capable of playing game software made for the previous generation console.
Word of the price cut was welcomed by many that thronged to the opening day of the video game exposition "E for All" in Los Angeles.
Sony and Xbox 360 maker Microsoft are noticeably absent from the four-day event, a consumer-oriented version of what used to be the world's biggest video game industry show until it split into separate trade and gamer events this year.
Games from Japan-based Nintendo and Konami dominate the show floor.
Gamers paying about $25 for all-day access jockey for turns at games ranging from Dance Dance Revolution to Crysis and Rayman's Raving Rabbids.
Lines snake from Nintendo's expansive Wii console arena and from a Konami pavilion offering the public debut of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.
The latest, and last, installment of the 20-year-old Metal Gear franchise is crafted exclusively for PS3 consoles and is heralded as just what Sony needs - a blockbuster title to drive demand for their hardware.
Metal Gear will "absolutely" boost PS3 sales in the way the Xbox 360 video game Halo 3 is doing for Xbox 360 consoles, predicts Konami assistant producer Ryan Payton.
Metal Gear has sold tens of millions of copies the franchise premiered in 1987.
Payton describes Metal Gear's hero, Snake, as a "James Bond" type character that battles corporate military forces.
"Sony has some great technology in the PS3, but people need a game as an excuse to put down the money," Payton said.
"I think the slow start for PS3 has been blown out of proportion. Once they have killer titles, things will be different."
Famed strategy game maker Sid Meier crafted his newest version of Civilization for all the consoles.
"What PS3 really needs along with the price cut are games," said Dennis Shirk of Meier's company.
"Metal Gear will be a system seller. It will be excellent for the PS3 - a Halo 3 for the PS3."
Sales of exclusive Xbox 360 video game Halo 3 rocketed to $170 million on opening day in September.
Halo 3 is the conclusion of a video game trilogy in which futuristic warrior Master Chief and an artificial intelligence sidekick defend humanity from annihilation by an alien coalition.
Gartner analyst Van Baker predicts Microsoft will sell 500,000 to 1 million more Xbox 360 consoles than it would have in the coming year due to Halo 3.
Nintendo of America vice-president Perrin Kaplan isn't fazed by rival consoles trying to gain ground with powerhouse games.
Wii is targeted at "casual gamers" such as women, senior citizens, and others not included in the typically young male PS3 and Xbox "hard core" player demographic.
"It's really apples and oranges, two different things," Kaplan said.
"People are purchasing the Wii for different reasons than the PS3. Sony is just trying to find its place in the market, where the sweet spot is."
Nintendo sold half-a-million Wii consoles last month, and has sold more than 9 million since making its debut in US stores in November of last year.
Nintendo could be expanding the video game market for rivals by luring people from the sidelines into playing.
"The people who became Metal Gear and Halo fans were casual gamers once," Kaplan said.
© 2007 Agence France-Presse
To add a comment,
Please log in:
Don't have an account?
Register now to comment on stories and stay up to date on important events and issues in the Middle East with our newsletter.