Amidst the fiasco that is our MCA EGM today, I went out window shopping for the PS3 slim. I wanted to find out what the current price was for the slim and the prices of games locally. The PS3 slim is currently retailing for RM1399 but those are for import units. Although the Malaysian PS3 has not yet shown its face, that has not stopped the retailers from stocking up and reselling import units. So, I began to wonder if the PS3 units were region locked like the PS2 and the thing is – it is not.
Which bodes well for me because, the games in Malaysia are seriously expensive. They cost between RM129 to RM200++ per game, which is crazy. However, the games are cheaper online and much cheaper used. I browsed through the prices for some games at a popular retailer. Turns out that MGS4 costs only £10 (RM60) pre-owned, which is far more affordable than the exhorbitant prices in Malaysia. I have begun to blame the high prices of media in Malaysia on pirates. The pirates destroy any sort of after-market for games.
I hope that when the PS3 launches, Sony Malaysia would be kind enough to sell it at around RM1099 or RM1199 and not RM1399 for the console and controller. Then, I may actually consider buying the games online. Mirrors Edge is retailing for £7 brand new on Amazon. Then again, a lot depends on what kind of usage I would have for my PS3. It may end up being used more as a HTPC than a gaming console.
Sybreon Ones Nought 