Here we are, with the new playstation 3 coming out in a few days, Microsoft is back.

The Elite Xbox 360, with a 120 Gb hard drive, looses 50€ and will now cost 250€, 50€ less than PS3 slim.

What about Nintendo now ?

The Wii is the only console that kept its price from the beginning.

Sony announced a drop price on its PS3.

80GB: 299 USD

160 GB: 399 USD

We can wonder ourselves: do Sony miss something in its marketing mix ?

Sony fame is strong regarding marketing. And yet, they failed.

Promotion: strong advertising campaign

Product: innovative product (with a blue-ray)

Place: an efficient retail

Price: it is the main point. Without any doubt, Sony made market studies but they have not thaken into consideration customers expectations.

What can explain this price policy change ?

First, commercial success for competitors. If we look at July sales figures,252,000 Wii, 203,000Xbox et 122,000 PS3.

Or rather, would it be pressure that Bobby Kottick, Activision Blizzard Ceo, new market leader, is putting on its counterpart: Howard Stringer (Sony CEO) ? Indeed, threaten to boycott platform is strong and Sony should have taken into consideration price policy. Nowadays, who can miss Activision Blizzard portfolio ?

As a way of conlusion, while last years, we still wondered why Microsoft targeted consoles market and how they could do to become successfull. It’s time to Sony to flicker. What could become the situation when new entrants such as Onlive or Zeebo would come to compete ?

Sony just launched its PS3 slim.

It is 32% smaller, 36% lighter, and will use 34% less power than its older sister.

However, Sony didn’t reduce everything, increases the hard drive capacity to 102 Gb.

It is available the 1st of September in Europe, for 300 euros.

We can notice that the original PS3 is also available for 300 euros since now.

More informations and pictures on Engadget

Paris to host a major European videogames event
The 4th edition of Paris Game Festivalwill take place from the 17th to the 20th of September 2009 in the Paris Exhibition Center, Porte de Versailles. After 3 successful editions, the Paris Game Festival becomes one of the biggest videogames consumer show of the world with more than 70 000 visitors.
Developers, publishers, schools, journalists, gamers and enthusiasts will all gather for the Paris Game Festival. The creators of the show announced today a strategic partnership with the SELL (entertainment software association) demonstrating the industry’s commitment in order to make this event a global success. As a result, the Paris Game Festival is now a perfect opportunity for studios and publishers to present exclusive trailers and demos for the 2009 Christmas lineup and after.
Jonathan Dumont, President of the Paris Game Festival said “The success of the past editions and the position of Paris as an international city of culture and arts give us a unique opportunity to celebrate videogames as one of the leading media of the 21 century.
The Festival will be open to the public from the 18 to the 20 of September. Tuesday 17th September will be dedicated to the press and trade visitors.

Paris Games Festival