All this talk about Heavy Rain got me thinking that maybe I should once again check out what's up with the PS3 market these days. I've since long decided that the only version I'm ever gonna consider buying is the first generation PS3 cause there's just no way I'm not having hardware backwards compatibility (hopefully someday someone will make that region free too, I'm not giving up hope). So yeah, I checking out eBay and since I'm in Sweden my options are kinda limited.

So yeah, what the hell is up with these prices?!?! I mean seriously? It's like higher than the launch prices. I mean, I wanna play Heavy Rain and stuff, but not that much. I've got enough games to play, a backlog with over like 200 titles I own that I haven't finished yet (or even started up). So seems like ebay is not gonna happen. So is there somewhere I should turn then to find a cheaper PS3 with hardware compatibility (no I don't want a 20GB without an ability for me to transfer my saves) or should I just give up on this whole console generation really (I really just bought a Wii for Gamecube compatibility and VC)?

Try amazon, not sure how or if they ship international, depends on who you buy it from I guess. I doubt you'll be able to find a cheap 60gb one... they're expensive because of the thing you want the most in the PS3, that BC hardware.

It's higher than the launch prices because they don't make them anymore. As I assume you know because you're looking on Ebay and not at Sweden's version of Best Buy or Circuit City :)

I had the same opinion as you of this console generation. I was just gonna buy a Wii for BWC and VC. I didn't even do that, because VC disappointed me with the small library and high prices. I did end up buying a 360 in the last year and I'm very happy with the game selection, but I had a lump of disposable income. Obviously if you're scrounging on Ebay, just sucking it up and buying a PS3 or 360 might not be an option.

Well, the PAL version of the PS3 had software BC only, no hardware BC what so ever and that's why I can't go local. And actually, we have EB... Or they might be called Gamestop now, I don't remember. :)

I'm happy with the VC. I mean, they're cheaper than buying actual carts for my SNES and this way I don't really have to bother with getting a N64, a NES or a Mega Drive. 360 just doesn't interest me because there's just nothing on that machine that interests me, atleast when it comes to exclusives. Any console exclusives that I'm even remotely interested in are coming out for the PC too and the rest... Actually, I had to check out Wikipedia right now to even come up with an exclusive I'd bother about (Tales of Vesperia). Well, maybe Star Ocean IV too but something tells me it's a timed exclusive. Problem is just that I can't right now think of a single Microsoft produced game that I care about at all. So yeah, buying a 360 is a pointless exercise.

But in fact this whole console generation is disappointing to me, that's why I don't wanna spend a lot of cash on a console. I mean, I probably could if I really wanted too, if the general quality was as high as the last three generations but since most games seems to be just variations on the same basic action game structure... I don't know... There are these few bright shining lights in the dark though like Heavy Rain or Team ICO's game or maybe LittleBigPlanet and maybe a few more... I'm just not sure a few scattered titles are worth it. Although if Konami were to announce a Suikoden game for either machine then I guess things would get solved very quickly. Heck, I'll be buying a DS just for Suikoden Tierkreis... Who cares if it might seem a bit like Suikoden IV reincarnated, it's a Suikoden game and thus I have to play it... Hmmmmm... I'm really going off topic here...

I'll certainly check out Amazon, if someone has other suggestions, feel free to tell me.

I still do not understand the obsession with PS2 BC.

Well actually, I have a good reason. My chipped PS2 is starting to die and I don't wanna have to buy a new PS2 and then chip that one too just to play like 1/4 of all the games I own. In a perfect world I could just buy a PS3 and then everything would work cause it's all region free and nice but that's not happening cause the BC isn't region free. So I have to make due with what's there and thus buy a hardware BC PS3 for my US PS1 and PS2 games and eventually a new PAL PS2 for the PAL games... My only worry is what to do with the Japanese games that I own (not too many right now but I'm looking towards getting more). But so far my PS2 is still trying its best. It's a fight that it's gonna lose eventually but hey... Anyway, that's why I need a PS3. And the concept of having an unlimited amount of memory cards... I like that a lot.

"I still do not understand the obsession with PS2 BC."

well I suppose you could periodically check at the gamestop you mentioned to see if there are any used ones for sale

Nope, Gamestop don't carry NTSC PS3s. Only PAL, which don't have hardware BC. Like none of them, went straight to software.

Really, just keep doing what you are doing by checking eBay. That is going to be your best bet. And yes those original PS3s will be higher priced because they are BC and the new ones aren't. So if BC is that important to you then you will have to pay a higher price.

Stop crying and play your PS2.

Or buy one, its cheap..CHEAP!

For now yeah... But if it breaks... Then I'm screwed...

"For now yeah... But if it breaks... Then I'm screwed..."

You best bet would be Ebay and Gamestop.