PS3 Slim is official. $299/EUR299

[JKTrix]

I'm not sure if that was supposed to be a joke, but just to make it clear--the PS3 Slim DOES have an ethernet port.

[Croyles]

AAAAAAAAAANNNNND we're back to doom and gloom again

[Bolivar]

Definitely a misunderstanding somewhere :P

As far as all the 'business' talk surrounding the games industry, frankly I doubt it's going to change. People didn't care about it back in '98 because they didn't have access to it. And the primary source of any video game news and discussion was magazines and face-to-face talking. Now with the overabundance of information on the internet, everyone can see pretty much whatever they want.

The game companies themselves love to reveal business information just because it does get into the 'news' and gets people talking about it. It's like free marketing without having to actually do anything. I think a more annoying byproduct of this are 'countdown' websites and the announcement of announcements.

I'm glad I was mistaken about ethernet, I guess there's no point in getting the phat ones cheap now, unless of course you just like the look better and can live with 40GB's less HD space (i'd say every gig counts though after owning one for 1 and a half years).

I agree the internet gaming blog culture has increased the industry talk, but sales figures we around back in '98, just no magazine paid to get them. There had to have been a conscious decision by one gaming website to subscribe to NPD numbers for all of this to start. Personally, I think it began because of just how lucrative the gaming industry is today, relative to anything it's ever been. I remember in 06/07 I think, that while the movie and music industries were stagnating, gaming was showing incredible growth. I think Halo 3 and GTA IV selling 9-10 million copies kinda solidified it. I don't expect it to go away soon, I'm just doing a little wishful thinking, because it really disgusts me just how many people on the internet sound like they're pretending to be marketing graduates in the way they praise and deride sectors of gaming.

Back on topic I think it's great this is coming with a new firmware update, 3.0. The motion-enabled themes have a lot of potential, especially b/c most themes are free and there's a large custom theme development community on the internet. I also like being able to see unread messages, that's a big thing that's been missing.

[Croyles]

I actually AM a marketing graduate l0l, but I try to avoid talking about console business most of the time. Its not even a course I greatly enjoyed towards the end, probably why I only just passed and am doing something else now

I know what you mean, it does get annoying when people talk about console business, though i might have been guilty of it once or twice.

[Dignified Pauper]

I'm super excited. While they removed a bunch of features, I never cared about BC because I have a working PS2. That said, I want a PS3 for the next gen console aspect. While I hope they come out with a firmware up date for PS2 Emulation, I doubt they will. The whole point is to get people to buy more PS3 games so they can start making better royalties.

[Carl the Llama]

I personally don't see what the big deal is with BC, sure you have an extra box under the TV but the "It has to many wires" excuse doesn't fly with me, its only 1 extra cable seeing as you can plug your PS3 aerial into your PS2 all you need is the plug.

As for the control not being wireless, personally I prefer wired controllers as my PS3 pad frequently gets lost amid my room of mess, the wire (to which I have a fantastic extension cable which only cost me a meer 2.49) is a life saver cause all I have to do is find a bit of the cable and BAM I have my controller, coupled with the fact I like my rumble lol.

[Slothy]

all I have to do is find a bit of the cable and BAM I have my controller, coupled with the fact I like my rumble lol.

You know PS3 controllers have rumble now right? They have for like two years now. And I don't want to even think about how messy a room has to be to lose a controller. I can honestly say that's a problem I've never had.

[Depression Moon]

It's cheaper, but a lot has been cut making it the most inferior version yet. No backwards compatibility at all, got rid of the Install other OS, strictly confined to Wifi which is terrible for me since I can only catch a signal every three weeks and it lasts from about 20min-2hrs only and even my ethernet connection hasn't worked in months, that can't catch a signal either. The only good thing about it is it's hard drive of 120GB. I just won't recommend it to anyone.

I heard the stupidest thing on X-Play a couple of weeks ago Blair Herter said "Who cares that it doesn't have backwards compatibility?"

"People who don't have working PS2s that's who" That would've been my reply to him.

[Croyles]

It's cheaper, but a lot has been cut making it the most inferior version yet. No backwards compatibility at all, got rid of the Install other OS, strictly confined to Wifi which is terrible for me since I can only catch a signal every three weeks and it lasts from about 20min-2hrs only and even my ethernet connection hasn't worked in months, that can't catch a signal either. The only good thing about it is it's hard drive of 120GB. I just won't recommend it to anyone.

I heard the stupidest thing on X-Play a couple of weeks ago Blair Herter said "Who cares that it doesn't have backwards compatibility?"

"People who don't have working PS2s that's who" That would've been my reply to him.

BC has been taken out of the PS3 years ago. Strictly Wi-Fi was something someone misunderstood. It has ethernet. Install other OS was something hardly anyone did.
So yeah, the only thing thats different is that you cant install Linux, lol.

[Slothy]

I can't understand why anyone would want to install Linux on it anyway. You can't choose how much hard drive space to allocate to it and the PS3 firmware locks out the RSX so you can't access the graphics card which essentially killed any chance of a Linux homebrew market really developing.I mean really, if you want Linux that badly install it on a PC. Everyone here obviously has one of those and they don't come with stupid limitations on Linux use.

[Bolivar]

I can't understand why anyone would want to install Linux on it anyway. You can't choose how much hard drive space to allocate to it and the PS3 firmware locks out the RSX so you can't access the graphics card which essentially killed any chance of a Linux homebrew market really developing.I mean really, if you want Linux that badly install it on a PC. Everyone here obviously has one of those and they don't come with stupid limitations on Linux use.

Yeah, I was one of those people holding out hope that Sony would unlock the RSX chip... looks like this is the nail in the coffin.

And from personal experience, YES, linux is pretty much useless on the ps3 except for maybe the web browser and other small stuff like that. Actually, it's pretty nice for that stuff, but other than that forget it.

[Carl the Llama]

all I have to do is find a bit of the cable and BAM I have my controller, coupled with the fact I like my rumble lol.

You know PS3 controllers have rumble now right? They have for like two years now. And I don't want to even think about how messy a room has to be to lose a controller. I can honestly say that's a problem I've never had.

It actually doesn't need to be that messy, the PS3 pad is incredibly easy to lose when you have lots of stuff* in your room, coupled with the fact that I live with my brother who comes in my room regularly to play my PS3/2.

* by stuff I mean over 350 books my PC, TV, PS2/3 AC unit, stereo, warderobe, 2 bedside tables, loads of Dragon ornaments and a double bed lol take into the mix the copius amounts of DVD's and games I have equates into a very very cluttered room.

[Depression Moon]

It's cheaper, but a lot has been cut making it the most inferior version yet. No backwards compatibility at all, got rid of the Install other OS, strictly confined to Wifi which is terrible for me since I can only catch a signal every three weeks and it lasts from about 20min-2hrs only and even my ethernet connection hasn't worked in months, that can't catch a signal either. The only good thing about it is it's hard drive of 120GB. I just won't recommend it to anyone.

I heard the stupidest thing on X-Play a couple of weeks ago Blair Herter said "Who cares that it doesn't have backwards compatibility?"

"People who don't have working PS2s that's who" That would've been my reply to him.

BC has been taken out of the PS3 years ago. Strictly Wi-Fi was something someone misunderstood. It has ethernet. Install other OS was something hardly anyone did.
So yeah, the only thing thats different is that you cant install Linux, lol.

I had just got a new one this year and it has BC just PS1 BC so it wasn't completely taken out years ago.

[Croyles]

It's cheaper, but a lot has been cut making it the most inferior version yet. No backwards compatibility at all, got rid of the Install other OS, strictly confined to Wifi which is terrible for me since I can only catch a signal every three weeks and it lasts from about 20min-2hrs only and even my ethernet connection hasn't worked in months, that can't catch a signal either. The only good thing about it is it's hard drive of 120GB. I just won't recommend it to anyone.

I heard the stupidest thing on X-Play a couple of weeks ago Blair Herter said "Who cares that it doesn't have backwards compatibility?"

"People who don't have working PS2s that's who" That would've been my reply to him.

BC has been taken out of the PS3 years ago. Strictly Wi-Fi was something someone misunderstood. It has ethernet. Install other OS was something hardly anyone did.
So yeah, the only thing thats different is that you cant install Linux, lol.

I had just got a new one this year and it has BC just PS1 BC so it wasn't completely taken out years ago.

Lol ok you misunderstood the thread a little.
PS3 has always had and always will have PS1 compatability.
What everyone has been talking about for years is the PS2 compatability, which was phased out when the first 60gb models were phased out, which was pretty much a couple of months after release.

This is another one of those instances where the media has been flinging out ty information, so its no wonder some people dont know this.
I guess i'll edit the first post

I heard the stupidest thing on X-Play a couple of weeks ago"

.

Ah I think I found the problem l0l. X-Play is entertaining but they know pretty much NOTHING about computer games and their consoles.