197w ago - Today PS3Center.net (linked above) reports that UK retailer ASDA has cut the price of the 80GB PlayStation 3, offering the console and 2 selected games for just £250.

Choice of games included are either LittleBigPlanet and Ghostbusters, Killzone 2 and Resistance 2 or Terminator and InFamous.

Swedish site DiscShop.se is now listing the PS3 Slim... noting that it's expected this fall and potential buyers should keep an eye out for updates on when pre-orders for the console will be available.

Finally, KokuGamer.com is reporting that an image (below) posted on Sony's European PlayStation boards shows a picture of a plastic case with a PS3 flyer in it saying "Pre Order Now. New PS3 Available September 2009. Limited Stock. $50 Despoit Require."

They speculate this is likely a new PS3 SKU, a brand new console altogether or even the rumored PS3 slim. We'll all know for certain this week as GamesCom commences.

209w ago - The CEO of GameStop Dan DeMatteo is expecting price cuts for both Sony's PS3 and the Nintendo Wii.

He noted that right now the price of hardware is just too high in the economic market, and manufacturers will need to reduce the RRP of console if they are to meet sales forecasts similar to what another analyst recently stated.

To quote: "That assumes that there will be price cuts on the PS3 and potentially one on the Wii," offered DeMatteo, although he admitted that "it's hard to tell if we actually need a price cut on the Wii to get to our numbers. There are some price cuts built into that assumption, but not until the third quarter."

DeMatteo said the price of hardware was too high in the current economic market, and format-holders will need to reduce the RRP of consoles in order to meet their current sales forecasts.

"The hardware price points, given this economic environment are potentially too high, and if the platform holders are going to make the numbers that they forecasted for the year, those prices would have to change."

216w ago - After confirmation earlier today of the PS2 price drop to under $100 in North America, the price of the PlayStation 2 is being lowered across European regions.

However, Sony has today confirmed that the price of the PS2 will remain the same in the UK... so no price cut there.

To quote: Sony has confirmed that despite the PS2 price cuts announced for both Europe and North America, the UK price of the machine is set to remain unchanged.

An SCE UK spokesperson told MCV that "neither [the European or North American price cuts] effect the UK - the price will remain the same here".

The move is perhaps not surprising seeing as the machine is already available for under £100 in the UK - the current RRP is £94.99.

219w ago - Sony Computer Entertainment of America marketing boss Peter Dille has suggested that recent developers calling for PS3 price cuts are being unrealistic.

Chatting with Bloomberg, Dille joked everyone in the dev community would love for the PS3 to be free so that they could just sell razor blades.

To quote: "Everybody in the development community would love for the PS3 to be free, so they could just sell razor blades," Dille joked, explaining that Sony have to make the console profitable, as well as growing the userbase.

Dille was responding to increasing pressure on the platform holder to cut costs, after EA Sports boss Peter Moore became the latest industry figure to hint that further price cuts were needed.

Despite these clamours, the Sony big wig said that no PS3 price cut can be expected soon. Nintendo, meanwhile, are planning to raise The Price of the Wii in the UK next month.

237w ago - The latest research from Frank N. Magid Associates takes a look at how receptive gamers are to in-game ads. It seems that price drops or free games makes advertising very worthwhile for most.

Advertising in console games (as well as PC and other games) has become increasingly common in the industry today. Even presidential candidates are advertising in games these days.

We wondered, though, how consumers would feel if this trend grew and significantly more advertising was placed in console games but the price of the game was also cut in half or, was even free.

As it turns out, most gamers were quite receptive to this idea. Very few were negative about having major price reductions or even free games in return for considerable amounts of advertising in the games.

In fact, less than 20 percent of gamers said they were less likely to purchase a game, at half the price, but with more advertising. The plurality, 31 percent, said it would make no difference. About 15 percent of the gamers said they were much more likely to purchase a game at half price with more advertising and 28 percent said they were somewhat more likely.

When we indicated that the game would be free, but the advertising would be increased significantly in the game, naturally, even more players...