Sony Japan announces PS3 price drop, white 40GB model

Following announcements made in Europe and Australia, island nation will be getting a similar deal, along with new ceramic hue for the next-gen console.

Now in snow camouflage for the holidays!

Sony's holiday strategy plans for Japan have been revealed, and they appear to be similar to those in Europe and Australia. The Japanese will be getting the brand-new 40GB PlayStation 3 model on November 11, the first anniversary of the PS3 in the region. Prices for the 20GB and 60GB models will be reduced on October 17.

The new model, which had been rumoured for several weeks before its official announcement, is two USB ports short of the 60GB premium model. It also lacks a memory card slot and is not backward compatible with PlayStation 2 games.

In Japan, the 40GB model will cost ¥39,980 (approx. $341), and will come in a choice of two different colours: standard black and the new ceramic white. On November 11--the same day the 40GB model goes on sale--the Dual Shock 3 controller will also become available.

The Dual Shock 3 was announced by Kaz Hirai at this year's Tokyo Game Show, and the new controller will feature both motion-sensing controls and a rumble function. The new wireless controller will cost ¥5,500 ($47) and will also be available in black and ceramic white.

The first 200,000 people who buy a PlayStation 3 in Japan after October 17 will receive a free copy of the Spider-Man 3 Blu-ray movie.

Just before the launch of the new SKU, Sony will be dropping the price of the 20GB and 60GB versions of the console, both of which are still on sale in Japan. The new prices will come into effect on October 17 and will be ¥44,980 ($383) for the 20GB version, and ¥54,980 ($469) for the 60GB model--a ¥5,000 ($43) drop for each.

245 Comments

  • billyjunxix

    Posted Feb 3, 2008 5:15 pm PT

    I've just bought a 40Gb PS3 Japan Version. And someone from the store where I buy my PS3 games told me that the ASSASSINS CREED wouldnt play on a Japanese Version of Playstation3?..was this true? PLease help I really need some opinion. Thank you so much in advance.

  • alberto2045

    Posted Nov 17, 2007 2:29 pm PT

    I want the ceramic white PS3!!! why dont we have it in the US we dont get anything for the anyversary

  • ctg867

    Posted Nov 17, 2007 11:32 am PT

    Sales will tell you that US consumers matter then most. Japanese companies attitudes towards us tell you we don't. WTF SONY!!! Where is my white PS3!? Why hold back something to the US market that people will give you money to have. If it's enough to beat the Wii in Japan for a week maybe it'll have some success here. GAH!!!

  • MC_Raptor

    Posted Nov 17, 2007 3:47 am PT

    who said US consumers matter the most? isnt there like well over a couple of billion people in asia? i thought so so i guess thats where the biggest profit would come??? and any way, the british are the most important people in the world

  • coolcat888

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 8:40 pm PT

    @ilbalta
    Just to let you know, it's big because the power supply is inside of the system. It doesn't have a power brick like the 360.

  • sdkingsht

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 2:52 pm PT

    il-balta: those are the words of someone who doesn't have one.

  • il-balta

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 9:09 am PT

    still too expensive and big

  • SHACKR

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 8:25 am PT

    That looks deadly! They must of matched it with the new PSPs. Now a silver one would look awesome.

  • Andy639_basic

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 7:32 am PT

    I hope they bring the white PS3 to the US. I had all black consoles last generation, so it seems appropriate to go with all white ones this generation.

    I'm still not keen on getting a PS3 yet, but assuming the game releases pick up, I probably will eventually.

  • dirty55409

    Posted Nov 16, 2007 7:22 am PT

    No dual shock 3 in the bundle. It shouldn't really surprise people Sony sells well in Japan and the 360 has always sold badly there. Good job sony but US consumers are really who matter. lol plus people probably thought the white PS3 was a wii lol

  • zelon477

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 6:01 pm PT

    they should cut the price in the US

  • RaiKageRyu

    Posted Oct 22, 2007 12:04 pm PT

    Wait, so is the 40 GB bundled with the DualShock 3?

    It would be pretty stupid of Sony, if it wasn't.

  • zapper188

    Posted Oct 12, 2007 3:13 am PT

    Hmmm..No White PS3 with no dualshock Controllers 60GB..
    Dissapointing for me, oh well i can always hope.
    I guess I'll just have to have mixing colours, my black, sexy Ps3 next to my sexy, white 360.
    That would look awesome.
    And to the person who said about copying the 360s colour. Please, come on! It's a colour, that's like saying you had a piece of blue paper and I bought a piece of blue paper too and you screamed your head off. Silly.

  • vass86

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 7:47 pm PT

    i suddenly feel like getting another next gen console but sony have been all over the place recently. i wouldn't pay anymore than about 300 pound for the console with no games. also they should give backwards compatibility seeing as most ps2's brake over time because of the disk read error. i think i'll still wait to see if sony are going to sort their act out

  • kejigoto

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 7:13 pm PT

    @ Quincy0191

    That's not exactly what he said, he said it was last Generation and no longer needed or wanted. He also said that true gamers would be willing to pay the extra money for the PS3 and that it was the target price for their audience, guess they were wrong there too huh?

    The main issue with the price drop is simple, now that the price is lowered, what about the games? With Sony constantly losing exclusives and not producing games like Microsoft and Nintendo, what reason is there to buy this stripped down PS3? There are a few decent games on the way for the PS3, but give it a few months and those games will pop up on another console. This seems more like an act of desperation than anything else.

  • kevy619

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 6:18 pm PT

    I want one.

  • kajtrooper

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 6:12 pm PT

    looks awesome, i hope it comes to the states

  • quincy0191

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 5:07 pm PT

    "the new controller will feature both motion-sensing controls and a rumble function"

    But Kaz, I thought you couldn't have rumble and motion control in the same controller! Isn't that what you said when the PS3 launched?

  • volvaga0

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 3:56 pm PT

    @ LouieV13 coming from a gamer who obviously hasent experienced XBL or PSN. i have a 60gb model from launch and have only got 21gb left! im guna upgrade my ps3 to 120gb after christmas (because i can, maybe even larger... who knows?)

  • younggotti

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 3:11 pm PT

    I for one would like to get a hold of a white PS3. Heck... I would even take a black one. I understand why people making a big fuss about Sony bringing a out a white PS3. If it bothers you that much, you seriously have issues.

  • Hybridos

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 2:57 pm PT

    I have my PS2 to play the duh PS2 GAMES!
    When I get my hands on my brand new PS3, I think I will just plug the old PS2 if I want some more SotC or MGS3, but I really think that I will be very, very busy playing MGS4, DMC4, Ninga Gaiden Zigma and Assasin Creed.
    NO need for backwards compactibility, YES need for cut price!

  • LouieV13

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 2:48 pm PT

    20gb is more than enough for a system

  • wiidominance

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 2:43 pm PT

    I think Sony can totally afford to fool around with the PS3 for a while, this is because PS2 got their back covered .... good strategy from sony, they will just play and mess around with different ideas until they hit a sweet spot, and boom, the next thing you know would be PS3's leadership .... well, thats how they dream about it at least ...

  • Zerosumgame

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 1:18 pm PT

    Another white color? this is getting very ugly. Stick with the black Sony! you are not Mac. "The first 200,000 people who buy a PlayStation 3 in Japan after October 17 will receive a free copy of the Spider-Man 3 Blu-ray movie."
    hahahahahhahahahhaha, thats the same as being offered a copy of "Scary Movie".

  • monk12345

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 1:12 pm PT

    alex20077

    hmm thats funny how they are now copying the white color of the 360 and wii just like they tried to steal the wii's motion sensing controls White coloured colour console already existed back in sega or even SNES dumbass. Both PS1 and PS2 had white coloured alternatives before even the wii and 360 existed.

  • Lord_Artix

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 12:43 pm PT

    Pssh. I'll keep my shiny black one thank you. At least it has backwards compatability, and the black is a nice contrast against the Wii. Now a black Wii...that's something I would buy.

  • KamuiFei

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 11:13 am PT

    I'll keep my black and sexy 60gb thank you very much, but I hope this will help Sony bump up sales. It's kind of weird to think this; but I wouldn't doubt that there all people out there that won't buy a PS3 just because their 360 and Wii are white. Just a random thought. Theres plenty of sick people out there.

  • dragonseer439

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 11:01 am PT

    @ Grimbee - "I don't see Sony chopping and changing their TV sets, Walkmans, Bluray players for the sake of dropping prices. They just DROP THE PRICES" Whew, long post dude. Anyway, When Sony sell Tv sets and Walkmans and stuff, they make a profit, as companies do. But when they sell the PS3, they lose money last time I checked. So they have to take features out to stop the bleeding, and offer a price cut. If people still want the premium model, then get it while you can.

  • mrkame16

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 10:34 am PT

    dual shock late, no U.S. ceramic white PS3, games are either late or 360 eclusive...HUMmmmm, sorry still not getting It? whats Sony's master plan.

  • IceWarrior93

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 10:14 am PT

    Now that looks nice!

  • The_Tricko

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 9:58 am PT

    ALEX hahahahahaa your funny (previous comment he said) says the PS3 is copyin the xbox and wii!?? hahahahah wat collour was PS1?WHITE wat clour was PS2 Black & White now also i find it funny that you dont mention that the 360 elite ahahahahaa black whooow so the 360 should be pink and nothing else

  • eViL_kA

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 9:06 am PT

    alex20077: "hmm thats funny how they are now copying the white color of the 360 and wii just like they tried to steal the wii's motion sensing controls"

    Wow, that is the most retarded thing i read all day! You do realize MS released a BLACK xbox360 after the PS3 was launched, don't you? Either way,the whole "copying"and "ripping off" arguments are pretty invalid and have been for a looooong time. The more color schemes they offer the better. That way everyone gets whatever color they prefer. Besides unless you've been living under a rock you would know that offering different colors of a product was not started by MS.

  • Freestyle_20

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 8:57 am PT

    HAHAH some of ur comments now the ps3 can't have the colour white jeuses ur so pathetic

  • Freestyle_20

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 8:55 am PT

    hope more people buy it like me so ps3 starts getting some derserverd respect

  • lonesn1per

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 8:33 am PT

    ooooooooooh white! but whats up with sony and spiderman?

    free spider man2 umd for psp launch?
    spiderman fonts for playstation 3?
    and now spiderman 3 bluray for new ps3 launch?

  • frenchy2006

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 8:32 am PT

    it'll be the PS4, Xbox 720 and the Nintendo YUU (like you)

  • xgalacticax

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 8:31 am PT

    like the white but i say no to no-backward compatibility. and stop calling the ps3 a next gen console, we entered 'next gen' as soon as xbox 360 entered the market. the title 'next gen' now belongs to the ps4, xbox720 (lol) and whatever nintendo's calling their next offering.

  • frenchy2006

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 8:30 am PT

    no thx. ill stick to my black PS3 and Black Xbox.....just wish they had a black wii. it would be so much cooler. =)

  • alex20077

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 8:25 am PT

    hmm thats funny how they are now copying the white color of the 360 and wii just like they tried to steal the wii's motion sensing controls

  • monty_4256

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 8:03 am PT

    zapper, looks like a no
    if I bought one I would get the 60Gb, but it doesn't have duel shock... stupid sony bundles!

  • zapper188

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 6:54 am PT

    Wait, wait though!

    Does the 60GB version come in White?

  • zapper188

    Posted Oct 11, 2007 6:53 am PT

    Awesome, cheaper price and the promise of Ratchet and Clank plus MGS4
    AND it has an internet browser..I'm never going to need to leave my bedroom again.
    I obviously will...

    But Yeahh it'll look brilliant next to my 360. I was waiting for them to drop the price until I got one.

  • Khoo1992

    Posted Oct 10, 2007 11:59 pm PT

    White!!! My living room will never looked dark... lol

  • Holopaw

    Posted Oct 10, 2007 11:00 pm PT

    Slap a pic of Bea Arthur on there and you got a sale Mr. Sony.

  • mjk_1

    Posted Oct 10, 2007 9:14 pm PT

    I always thought the white one looked the sexiest

  • playstation_wii

    Posted Oct 10, 2007 6:47 pm PT

    I really want the white one. It looks hot.

  • Zacek1000

    Posted Oct 10, 2007 6:13 pm PT

    Looks great, now where are the good games?

  • aygol

    Posted Oct 10, 2007 5:31 pm PT

    Now it doesn't look like George Foreman grill anymore... it looks like a refrigerator! (I'm just joking!). I like the black one better.

  • InfinityMugen

    Posted Oct 10, 2007 4:42 pm PT

    Now all we need are the games...

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