Early PS3 buyers may feel cheated, admits Sony

Sony Computer Entertainment boss Ray Maguire has admitted those who shelled out GBP 425 for a PlayStation 3 earlier this year might feel cheated after hearing news of the price drop to GBP 349.

"I think it's natural to feel that way, of course it is," Maguire told our old friends at GamesIndustry.biz.

"The difference between our industry and many other industries is that if you're selling cars or houses the price goes up steadily. Consumer electronics only goes one way and that's downwards."

According to Maguire, the reward for paying premium prices is you get to try out new technology before everybody else.

"One thing is common amongst the entire market for consumer electronics and that is that there are early adopters like myself who will spend GBP 10,000 on a plasma TV that is worth GBP 3000 within three years. That's the way the market goes," he said.

"What do they get for that? They get six months of enjoyment of the product before anybody else gets that ability to play."

The price drop will come into effect this Wednesday, when Sony will also launch a new 40GB PlayStation 3. Maguire said this is the next step for the company as it bids to attract more gamers to PS3. He denied there's any confusion over the different models available in different regions.

"As products evolve the offerings change because they have to adapt to the needs of the consumers but I don't think it's been particularly confusing in six months to go from standalone, to a bundled proposition, into a low price entry level model," he said.

"We also have to remember that consumers don't search around the world for different configurations. We are a global company but we have to act locally as well."

For more from Maguire, read the full interview over on GamesIndustry.biz.