Sign on Options
Theme:
To Dark

250GB PS3 Slim 'Movie bundle' coming with DVR?

Source: British trade mag MCV. What we heard: Last month, federal documents surfaced that revealed Sony had tested a 250GB version of the PlayStation 3 Slim. This month, reports out of Europe have indicated that the supersized console could go on sale as early as October via a variety of game...

Source: British trade mag MCV.

What we heard: Last month, federal documents surfaced that revealed Sony had tested a 250GB version of the PlayStation 3 Slim. This month, reports out of Europe have indicated that the supersized console could go on sale as early as October via a variety of game bundles costing £299.99 ($500) or €350 ($510).

Now, yet another report from across the Atlantic is claiming to known exactly why Sony would put out a PS3 with over twice the memory of the 120GB Slim so close to the latter's launch. Citing sources at a "leading entertainment retailer," MCV claims that the 250GB PS3 will be unveiled at the Tokyo Game Show (Sept. 24-27). Furthermore, one configuration of the 250GB console is reportedly already being referred to as a "movie bundle" internally and will come with a Blu-ray movie and Bluetooth remote control.

The magazine then adds some of its own speculation, saying the bundle might "possibly [have] Sony's PlayTV attachment which turns [the] PS3 into a fully-functional Freeview TV recorder." (Emphasis added.) Available only in the EU, the PlayTV peripheral attaches a tuner to the PS3 and installs software that adds TiVo-like digital video recording (DVR) functionality to the console.

The official story: "We've never announced a 250GB PS3, so there is nothing I can say about this rumour." -- Sony Europe rep.

Bogus or not bogus?: While too thin for a firm call, a 250GB PS3 would have the exact same memory capacity HD TiVos currently come with. Another factor to consider is Sony's proclivity for experimenting with multimedia technology like PlayTV in the UK--while leaving other territories high and dry.

86 Comments

  • lethalfate

    Posted Mar 11, 2010 11:40 pm GMT

    If the prices of both the 360 & the PS3 were the same I'd of gotten the PS3 instead of the 360. But I'm happy, the massive number of games makes up for the graphical edge, the blu-ray player, and the free multiplayer gaming. Well... kinda. I'll get the PS3 eventually, when it hits the $199 mark.

  • Fady117

    Posted Nov 8, 2009 3:03 am GMT

    the never-ending war between the American and Japanese heads.... xD bah, i've never gotten myself a PS3 yet, so we'll see

  • kingNael96

    Posted Sep 29, 2009 2:58 pm GMT

    sony is better than Microsoft even if i have an x360 but that was only for gears and halo.

  • chikahiro94

    Posted Sep 20, 2009 1:12 pm GMT

    @abbnormmal
    Sony claims that BC is not a strong factor in PS3 sales. The PS3 Slim is doing quite well without it (and I'm sure they'd be quick to point that out). Keep in mind they also say they're still losing money per PS3 sold. Adding hardware BC adds to the cost, and software BC is a lot of development time and money that could be spend somewhere else. Unless they specifically do it per-game to be resold on PSN, I don't see how they'd be able to make it worth their while in terms of ROI. And I'm sure their publishing partners might be a little happy that they can re-sell us games, too.

  • abbnormmal

    Posted Sep 20, 2009 11:59 am GMT

    @chikahiro94,

    It is true that they make money on PS2s, But BC in a cheaper PS3 would create strong New sales, which would "Close the Gap" (which is mostly irrelevant) in the "Console Race", which would create Good News Stories/Articles, Which would increase the Stock Price for Sony, which could create a steamroll of increased popularity (More Titles, More Often)...

    It is almost like it would make too much sense to include BC (even if it was software emulation)...

  • jjarvis92

    Posted Sep 18, 2009 8:46 pm GMT

    a 250 gb hdd is nothing to get excited about. upgrade your current one to a 500 gb hdd now for around $100.

  • IC3pod

    Posted Sep 17, 2009 7:12 am GMT

    @poorguy17
    because then the console war would only focus on the gaming aspects of the console and all fanboys would be obsolete....and we all know that will never happen. fanboys are the fuel of console wars and gas is going to run out in 2030 so companies like sony and m$ must milk out as much money as possible. am i making any sense...bah it doesnt matter i dont have to make sense today cause today is my birthday hehehehe a pointless post thank u and goodbye

  • ParisSun

    Posted Sep 17, 2009 5:31 am GMT

    I have DVR through my cable company for free. But the 120 PS3 will be enough for me and it's at a good price. If you like to download demos, tv shows, etc., then you will probably need the space. I put a lot of stuff on my 360, so I could use another 60 gig of space. Having 250 GB would probably be overkill for me but at least they are offering the option.

  • poorguy17

    Posted Sep 16, 2009 11:47 pm GMT

    Why can't we have an HD console which is also focused on gaming instead of dozens of other features I don't use?

  • iandizion713

    Posted Sep 16, 2009 6:48 pm GMT

    i think i will stick to my PC gaming over 360 and Ps3...maybe never year they will have some more RPG's

  • stupid199412

    Posted Sep 16, 2009 5:44 pm GMT

    jeez, and i thought 120GB wasnt enough space. the games are frickin 60$ nowadays! u arent gonna own alot of games unless ur frickin rich

  • AceJakk

    Posted Sep 16, 2009 1:49 pm GMT

    @ Petercairns
    "Bigger hard-drive doesn't make it a better console .. "

    I know, right! I'm so glad someone sees things for what they are - now 360 owners just have to realize that the PS3 is vastly superior for other reasons.

    @ linkspetdragon:
    You call what the 360 has true BC? have you tried to play KOTOR? MvC2? My PS3 has great backwards compatibility, thank you. Also, all (yes, every last one) can still play PSone games. PS2 BC was removed from PS3 models because people were complaining about the initial pricepoint for the PS3. Hardware BC in a PS3 essentially made two entire systems in one. Removal of BC helped Sony lower the pricepoint. Now people are screaming about not having BC. A bunch of spoiled brats I tell you - if it weren't for Sony, people wouldn't expect BC in the first place.

  • SquareRocks

    Posted Sep 16, 2009 12:46 pm GMT

    It wouldn't cost 500 dollars here..it would probably be 350 or so.

  • Petercairns posted Sep 15, 2009 11:20 pm GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Petercairns

    Posted Sep 15, 2009 11:20 pm GMT (hide)

    Bigger hard-drive doesn't make it a better console ..

  • kingsi7e

    Posted Sep 15, 2009 8:30 pm GMT

    @linkspetdragon
    Well man, if you could not afford a proper 60gb ps3 back then, and now cannot afford a $100 ps2 then you probably wanna use an emulator. If, however, I am wrong about you and you actually are that much in love with ps2/ps1 games then you probably would have means to play ps1/ps2 games already. ps 360 has very limited bc. In fact the only game I've seen it run was one of the Halo series (got no clue which one).

  • leandrovidotti

    Posted Sep 15, 2009 7:15 pm GMT

    It's been good times for EU PS3 users. I just love Vidzone! Also, there's more online content for us in PSNetwork.

  • jebinator

    Posted Sep 15, 2009 6:57 pm GMT

    When I heard that Sony was coming out with a smaller, more reasonably priced PS3, I flipped out. I own a Wii, my primary console, and had a Xbox 360, but it broke like 4 times, I was already looking into buying a PS3, but now I may have to save up a little longer...

  • kavadias1981

    Posted Sep 15, 2009 11:05 am GMT

    Well, I already bought the 120 gig slim and have about 60 gig left after installing 12 PS3 games and 16 PSN titles, so I think I'll be ok for now.

  • kavadias1981

    Posted Sep 15, 2009 11:03 am GMT

    @linkspetdragon

    Dude, going on the sales, almost everyone already owns a PS2. Why would any need BC? I play PS3 games on my PS3, I play PS2 games on my PS2. Problem solved.

  • enraged_caveman

    Posted Sep 15, 2009 10:45 am GMT

    You guys do know that a 1TB HDD cost about 80 US dollars. Unless this 250GB ps3 can cook and clean along with the Tivo-function. I'm not paying 500 dollars for it.

  • linkspetdragon

    Posted Sep 15, 2009 6:09 am GMT

    Also there is the fact that the other two current-gen systems have backward compatibility, leaving PS3 as the only one that doesn't.

  • linkspetdragon

    Posted Sep 15, 2009 6:08 am GMT

    It would be nice if people, especially journalists such as this, would stop referring to storage as memory. It creates confusion with people who know very little about computers. Nothing is more fun than having someone come into the store and saying "How come this one only has 2 gigabits o' memory?! Mah cousin's c'mputer has like 250 gigabits init!"

    slevin: Many of us have been gaming for quite a long time and have amassed a collection of our favorite games from past systems. Some of us actually like to go back and play them and would like to be able to do so without having to hook up half a dozen consoles to our TV. The fact that the PS3 was backwards compatible at the beginning is what gets people so fired up about it. It was there, then taken away (without a good solid explanation), so people will continue to "cry" about it and feel jipped.

  • slevin1212

    Posted Sep 15, 2009 1:25 am GMT

    dont know why everyone wants to play ps2 and ps1 on the ps3 just get over it and play ps3 games on a ps3 I didnt buy a ps3 so I could play ps2 games. Honestly, why buy a ps3 if you want to just play ps2 games? so stop crying about it and get over it

  • sonic0491

    Posted Sep 14, 2009 10:25 pm GMT

    why....simply....cant....they ...put ....in....the....ps2....chip....and....add....50....bucks(AUS).....WHY

  • sonic0491

    Posted Sep 14, 2009 10:24 pm GMT

    that sucks. i planned to trade in my ps2 which i dont play for the ps3 slim and get $100 (aus) off. Now I wanna wait and see if i can get a bigger hdd and hd stb. but... $500... in american... cos ... damn.... thats alot here. like $800 AUS itd go for.

  • Ty_KwonDo

    Posted Sep 14, 2009 9:13 pm GMT

    Call me when the PS3 gets netflix
    Btw I'm still gonna get a PS3 I'm just jonesin for a netflix PS3

  • dramadude186

    Posted Sep 14, 2009 8:17 pm GMT

    I think it would be a mistake for Sony to launch another version of the PS3 so close to the unveiling of the PS3 Slim. And if it really costs $500, I don't think it will sell all that well.

  • Decepticon_11

    Posted Sep 14, 2009 7:26 pm GMT

    Sounds good I'll buy it

  • thesand212

    Posted Sep 14, 2009 7:05 pm GMT

    extra 90 I can drop my own 500 gb hard drive

  • Burning_Typhoon

    Posted Sep 14, 2009 5:36 pm GMT

    I don't care if I do have a DVR in my cable box, I bet the PS3 would do everything the DVR does except better... lol, what would be great would be to add a "cut" option so people could cut out the commercials after they recorded it, instead of having to fast forward...

    If the PS3 does do this is the future, it will literally be able to replace every device in the living room... except HDTV, and speakers, and maybe the CD burner.

  • VirtualTofu

    Posted Sep 14, 2009 4:12 pm GMT

    Wow! I even heard the Playstation 3 plays video games too!!! Can you believe it?!!

  • brendanhunt1

    Posted Sep 14, 2009 3:41 pm GMT

    when you say $500 it sound alot. when you say £299 its a bargain

  • keyblade42

    Posted Sep 14, 2009 3:38 pm GMT

    WTF if this thing has backward compatibility too then that makes every other PS3 model worthless.

  • x-2tha-z

    Posted Sep 14, 2009 7:03 am GMT

    I've got freeview built into my HDTV and DVD recorder and I never use them. I've got Sky HD so I don't need freeview or PlayTV. I suppose this might tempt those who don't have Sky or a HDTV.

  • chaisemon

    Posted Sep 14, 2009 6:46 am GMT

    what is the point in having a playtv when all the new hd tv has inbuilt freeview?? but i like the fact where we can pause and rewind live tv with playtv and store the shows into ps3 hdd. but also i heard that it dont support HD content yet as there are no HD channels available in freeview, i think (in UK). inbuilt playtv sounds even better!

  • ZippyDSMLee

    Posted Sep 14, 2009 6:24 am GMT

    Welll........ I think sony is grasping in all the wrong directions it first was lunix/OS(which was dropped like BWC) and now its more integrated video, it would be nice if they offer the service for free and just be compatible with whatever cable/sat you have but I don't think they are capable of such consumer friendly compatibility......... MS might have very short sighted with the locked HDD and lack of media options out of the gate but sony is going overboard.

    If I got a DVR I want it like my VCR I record whatever when ever and dump it to my PC any time I want, locked content I can live without.

    IMO the 60GB PS3 with BWC is the best version of it, the rest are 100$ less knock offs of the real thing sony left behind....

  • kamizuka

    Posted Sep 14, 2009 4:37 am GMT

    @Irve they sell them mostly to stores not ppl

  • Irve

    Posted Sep 14, 2009 4:11 am GMT

    dear sony ... ARE YOU HIGH ???
    you get a massive bump in sales by reducing the size and cost of the PS3 .. and then you go an realease a new configeration at the same price noone wanted to buy a PS3 at !!
    Crazy
    add to that i personally would just buy a 320GB drive and an enclosure for that £50 extra .. boom now got a 320gb PS3 and a spare 120gb external storage device.
    now we get to wait and see how greedy Microsoft get when they anounce their 250/320 gb speced machine !!

  • yttihs

    Posted Sep 14, 2009 2:20 am GMT

    When they talk about memory...i wonder are they refering to RAM or HDD

  • chikahiro94

    Posted Sep 14, 2009 1:50 am GMT

    @ dark-zazo
    Both Nintendo and Microsoft raised the prices of their systems for you guys too, didn't they? Europe gets it rough all around - everything comes out later and more expensive.

  • beekayjay

    Posted Sep 14, 2009 12:49 am GMT

    I'd buy this. Too bad different regions have different restrictions regarding recordable and downloadable media, hence the lack of movie store in Canada, and the reluctance to bring PlayTV out in anywhere but Europe.

  • dark-zazo

    Posted Sep 13, 2009 3:48 pm GMT

    SONY really likes to screw with us Europeans... I bet it will come in US with a $350 price instead of a converted $500 or whatever... Even now the PS3 slim is approximately 430 bucks

  • spotty6

    Posted Sep 13, 2009 2:30 pm GMT

    backwards compatibility is the one and only thing i want my ps3 to do except for it to play games
    sony take heed

  • JOKER677

    Posted Sep 13, 2009 12:04 pm GMT

    I hope they do have something besides an HDD upgrade for the price they're supposedly asking in other countries.

  • prioritymail

    Posted Sep 13, 2009 9:01 am GMT

    A PS3 with a DVR inside!? I WILL buy it if it comes out.

  • Trogeton

    Posted Sep 13, 2009 7:59 am GMT

    This would be the best deal that any developer has EVER brought up in the gaming community.. and the best part is..... IT'S THE ONLY company that has the resources to do it.. MUAH HAHAHAH

  • wiirkokonuts

    Posted Sep 13, 2009 7:03 am GMT

    After awhile, it sounds like the PlayStation is moving away from being a gaming console to a big media center, with a little bonus of being able to play games along the way.

  • chikahiro94

    Posted Sep 13, 2009 3:25 am GMT

    @abbnormmal
    But Sony makes money per PS2 sold, so I doubt that Sony would want them to stop selling. Not that I would mind them do *another* 180 and bringing BC back (originally BC was "part of their DNA" - that changed ).

Subscribe to GameSpot's YouTube Channel

Hot Stories

Newsmakers

Featured Stories

Submit News

Got tips? Send them in!