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HMV UK: Want a PS3? Buy a PSP

High street retailer suggests customers preordering a PS3 to buy it in a package with the handheld.

British gamers trying to order a PlayStation 3 from HMV were in for something of a shock today. The high street chain e-mailed customers to let them know it has opened up preorders for its PS3 as part of a bundle that includes a PlayStation Portable and two PSP games: Killzone: Liberation and Gangs of London.

The total price of the HMV bundle comes to £674.99 (approximately $1,328), almost £250 (~$490) more than the console itself. Buying games for the new console is likely to add at least another £50 (~$98) to that sum.

In the US, similar "deals" were offered to consumers in the launch period of the console there, including one from CompUSA that made customers purchase a Sony 40-inch (or larger) HDTV to secure a PS3.

Customers who opt for the HMV bundle will "take precedence" over others who simply order the console on its own. The e-mail states that the company will have only "up to 5,000" units available.

A HMV spokesperson commented, "The reason we went down this route, which has met with a mixed response, is in order to maximise the number of consoles to as many as we can get from Sony. Inevitably, there's a limited number, and we decided to do it this way to ensure we could meet as many of our preorders as possible."

Various Web sites have been offering preorders for the PS3 for some time now, including Littlewoods, where the console has been touted at £579(~$1,139) with one game, making it around £100 (~$196) above Sony's quoted price.

Only the 60GB version will be available during the "initial launch period," meaning that gamers strapped for cash cannot choose the cheaper 20GB console.

363 Comments

  • SapSacPrime

    Posted Feb 7, 2007 3:55 pm GMT

    Owned lol...hey wtf I live in the UK we really do get ripped off, we pay more than most places anyway and this isn't the first forced bundle, while shopping for a pink ds lite for my little girl at xmas gamestation told me they had one in december in stock, the poor sod that got that had to buy a £300 bundle to get it...

  • BradW92

    Posted Feb 7, 2007 1:49 pm GMT

    Just go to game...a shop that SPECIALISES in games!

  • Willdyer10

    Posted Feb 7, 2007 12:54 pm GMT

    ugh. Stupid bundles.

  • AirGuitarist87

    Posted Feb 7, 2007 8:18 am GMT

    Wierd, considering that HMV have the best 360 deal on the highstreet that I've seen. Premium pack and with 2 games for £279.

    Looks like I'm waiting for the price drop/20gb version.

  • gaming247

    Posted Feb 7, 2007 5:58 am GMT

    Looks like im buying Xbox 360...I was gonna wait for a PS3 but this just tells me that im going to get ripped off.

  • xifritx

    Posted Feb 7, 2007 12:59 am GMT

    song why are you doing this to me? SNAKE SAY SOMETHING--SNAKE?? SNAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • osxgp

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 9:54 pm GMT

    Come on Sony, 3rd place isnt so bad....just ask the Gamecube. Letting companies do this just secures your place.

  • KORAK33

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 8:10 pm GMT

    The Sony " trademark"... An Inferior product and price gouging...So What's Changed??? URN OUT!

  • pompomboy

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 7:15 pm GMT

    thats why sony and hmv dont get along with gamers they keep trying to cheat us of every penny

  • Gmacrusher

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 6:52 pm GMT

    Sweet deal but it depends on what kind of person are you!

  • rpgisforme

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 6:21 pm GMT

    I'm glad I'm a Canadian, UK retailers ougtta be arrested. That's not right or fair at all.

  • daveg1

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 3:52 pm GMT

    oh and an extra controller

  • daveg1

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 3:46 pm GMT

    its a joke hmv are doing that..

    ive got to buy a pack but it consists of things i want which are a ps3, a hdmi cable.( component comes standard with eu ps3) but i want hdmi since my 360 is using component.
    a bluray remote and resistence for £499

  • humptygrumpty

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 2:28 pm GMT

    hmv, probably the worst retailer in britain right now! always overpriced, overrated, and now overly cruel to those who want a ps3. shameful retailing, hope they sell none of these bundles!

  • powerslide67

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 1:34 pm GMT

    I hate the uk. We always get the crappy deals. In the rest of europe the ps3 is going to sell at the actual price (the one that sony decided) but in the uk they have to raise the price because hmv, game, gamestation, etc want a really big part of the money......plus the fact that the tax is higher and the cost of living in the uk is a rip off makes the ps3-wii-360-psp a rip off too.

    For example i saved 50$ only by buying my psp in italy......

    Like i said before also the wii, the 360, the ps2 and the psp cost more in the uk so don't be surprised by the price of the ps3

  • Doolum

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 1:01 pm GMT

    Time again to make some big n easy money.PS3 is comin to Europe boys.

  • undox

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 12:16 pm GMT

    What about those that already have a PSP? Damn pirates.

  • wonkisjones

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 12:06 pm GMT

    i wouldn't pay that much for a game console... no way!

  • ahyumifan

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 11:52 am GMT

    come to america. we got plenty of ps3 right now.

  • zintarr

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 11:29 am GMT

    OMG! Lets just screw the customers over everyway possible.

  • super-hyzy

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 11:27 am GMT

    Ive pre-ordered mine at gamestation and so far they haven't given any bundles yet but, by it self its £425 and you only had to put a deposit of £20

  • J-X2731

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 11:18 am GMT

    man, poor europeans....u guys r getting ripped off!!!!!!! 1000 bux 4 a ps3...f that!

  • ShadoweaverCode

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 11:14 am GMT

    darthogre - sounds very believable. thanks for the info

  • darthogre

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 10:34 am GMT

    I work for a blockbuster franchise (purchasing the games) and I can tell you SOE is notorious to dictating what our distrubtor must buy to get their full shipment of orders. For example, a AAA title like Metal Gear 4 comes out, they force our distributor to order 3 other game titles at X amount (which are really crappy games but they are SOE games). Now if you think this only happens with SOE, you are mistaken. Just recently when the Wii was released Nintendo forced my distributor to buy excite truck with every hardware they were alloted. Which means when I had them send me one unit I had to also take the stupid excite truck. Bottom line is either the retailer/distributor gets robbed or the customer does....I think it's pretty rare people do it on their own (unless of course it's crap like TV combos lol)

  • bcolter

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 10:22 am GMT

    Oh for crying out loud... If you think Sony is not directly involved with this bundle you are a FOOL. Sony is most certainly dictating to HMV what this bundle is.... Can someone who works in retail sales please comment.

  • Enigma2K99

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 10:19 am GMT

    If you actually drop green on these kind of bundles, float some csash my way... you obviously have way too much, and need help spending it....

  • Pastehunter

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 10:16 am GMT

    I think its not a really bad deal ... except Gangs of London of course

  • InFaMoUsInTeNsE

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 10:02 am GMT

    Thats why i'm going to GAME for mine....

  • asimplerapper

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 10:00 am GMT

    SHEEEEZ! That money will last me on games for the wii and 360 for more than a year

  • EliteScout

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 9:14 am GMT

    This shows that HMV are expecting small numbers of consoles.

  • AbrahamPenaloza

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 9:04 am GMT

    damn poor europeans................. sucks for them

  • thefjk

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 8:45 am GMT

    I want one, but still aint got the £ to cover one, and the bundle is just crazy too!

  • Intrakitt

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 8:12 am GMT

    Too much $$$...jesus

  • Eagles5

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 8:10 am GMT

    HOW can u say its a Sony Tactic? Sny dosent even run this damn store. I hate how you eople on this thing constantly spin stories to make it seem like sony is screwin u! dont get me wrong sony has dont soe gay ideas but it not sonys idea forthem to include the psp in there. Demend will be high in the UK so retailers r doing what ever they can to maximize their profits. Get a clue before you post...1

  • Agreb91

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 7:55 am GMT

    Just a tactic by Sony to sell both at the same time. I like the PSP, but why try to make the buyer buy both at the same time?

  • nu-animal

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 7:45 am GMT

    Put simply stores do not make much money out of selling consoles. Period.

    The real money (for stores) is in selling games. Like I said in a comment when the UK PS3 price was confirmed - you would find it uncommon to be able to get a lone PS3 for £425. Most (if not then all) stores will be selling bundles.

  • CheddarLimbo

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 7:42 am GMT

    Yikes! That's a pretty hefty premium to be able to play Final Fantasy Tactics on your PSP...

  • DilutedDante

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 7:21 am GMT

    I'd like to point out that 1. this is only on HMV.co.uk, and 2. it works out £30 cheaper than buying that lot separately.

    If you don't have a PSP, and want one as well as a PS3, this is a decent deal.

    This isn't trying to rip people off. More than likely HMV sees it as an opportunity to shift PSP's that have been gathering dust. If I didn't think the price of the PS3 was a rip off, I'd buy this deal.

  • Devils_Joker_22

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 7:20 am GMT

    Ive already pre-ordered from HMV and didnt buy the bundle (Thank god) I was about 3rd in my town, so i should be safe, spesh if i queue about 6 hours before hand with a mate.

  • theKSMM

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 6:59 am GMT

    HMV is doing this simply because they can. Much like the eBay-ers who sold their early PS3s for ridiculous sums of money, HMV has decided that the serious (read rabid, drooling) Sony-loving gamer will pay out the wazoo for his/her system. And if that means getting another PSP (as I suspect many die-hard Sony fans will already have one), then so be it.

    In effect, they're doing an end-run around the eBay crowd..though I suspect some people will still be selling them on the auction site.

  • cjcr_alexandru

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 6:41 am GMT

    Are those bundles a good deal, price wise? Cause they don't sound like one...

  • sasuke55

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 6:24 am GMT

    It sucks that this kinds of stuff happens but having worked in retail its not Sony's fault for once well not totally. See Sony manufactures the product for a certain amnt and says they want it to sell for such and such amnt. Well the retailer has to sell it for that amnt so the retailer ain't making no money. So what do they do?? We will make a bundle. Sell something we make money off of and TV or sell two sytstems and games to make more profit.

  • soldier1993

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 6:04 am GMT

    I have already pre-ordered mine!! yup

  • smidsy85

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 5:57 am GMT

    Anyway if the minimum wage is $5.15 its still less than double that of the UK.

  • smidsy85

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 5:54 am GMT

    Tcc024 "Actually, the lowest minimum wage is $5.15 in the state of Georgia. You probably shouldn't fabricate false facts of things you don't seem to know much about."

    Before you guys all jumped on him for saying minimum wage is $2 something, did anyone stop to think maybe he was referring to the servers minimum wage of $2.65? Just a thought. Thats exactly what I mean and it changes from state to state, I'm talking about minimum wage of say a waiter without itps or anything else.

  • Irve

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 5:32 am GMT

    mad launch bundle .. i could imagine someone being desperate enough to buy this ... and then try and convince themselves that it was worth it. Crazy ..... roll on 2008 the year i get a PS3

  • Masterx1220

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 4:53 am GMT

    again sony i laugh in your face

  • Igiss

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 4:49 am GMT

    If no one will preorder this idiocy, they'll surely change their offer. Why those who get PS3 must get PSP in addition? It's OK to bundle with games, but with another system... next time we'll see PS3 bundled with Wii, or a vacuum cleaner.

  • skullcrusher_ad

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 4:04 am GMT

    Well i walked in to HMV the other day and pre-ordered my PS3 without all this psp bundle rubbish.

  • nevereathim

    Posted Feb 6, 2007 3:31 am GMT

    Funny, I can't believe wat scammeleon said, if it's true I would agree with him

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