3DO price drops?

[BillyHW]

The 3DO was released in fall 1993 for $600-700, IIRC.

 

The Saturn was released in spring 1995 for $399, IIRC.

 

The PlayStation was released in fall 1995 for $299, IIRC.

 

(Please correct me on any of the numbers if I'm wrong.)

 

My question is: Does anyone remember what the 3DO price had dropped to by spring and fall 1995? (Also, what was it at Christmas 1994?) Did it go below the Saturn and PlayStation prices as these systems were released?

 

 

[Austin]

The 3DO was the same price as the PlayStation by the time the PlayStation launched, with price drops occurring gradually and as other models hit. There's a thread on this topic on the 3DO Zone forums. If I find it I'll post a link to it.

[Bill Loguidice]

I only have a fuzzy memory of the various price drops the 3DO went through. I worked in Electronics Boutique at the time and I remember them being fairly gradual. With that said, I also remember when it was near the end (late 1995, early 1996 maybe?) that various chains were carrying 3DO's for $99 (if I recall it was the FZ-10, not FZ-1, though, by that point). I don't think it ended up going lower before stocks were depleted.

[+save2600]

$99 for a 3DO BITD? Do not remember them ever getting that low. Then again, I had just moved to WI and that part of my culture was nowhere to be found. Total dead zone for stuff like that. Had I been aware they ever got that low though, would have wanted to track one down. Instead, ended up mail ordering a CD32 for $350 or thereabouts.

[CatPix]

Wanna score lower?

In 1998, some French shops got ride of 3DO inventories (as well as Jaguar stocks too). I think Micromania.

 

150FF for a console, and 10FF for a game.

 

To put things in perspective, at the same time, 150FF would buy you a Playstation game, and 10FF... a newspapers? Something along those lines. PS1 games may have been more expensive. Or Platinum games maybe would sell for this price.

 

If only I knew, at the time...

Edited January 28, 2015 by CatPix

[Bill Loguidice]

$99 for a 3DO BITD? Do no not remember them ever getting that low. Then again, I had just moved to WI and that part of my culture was nowhere to be found. Total dead zone for stuff like that. Had I been aware they ever got that low though, would have wanted to track one down. Instead, ended up mail ordering a CD32 for $350 or thereabouts.

 

I regretted not getting it for that price at the time, but now I have two of the FZ-1's in my collection, so the FZ-10 would have ultimately been redundant anyway.

[Master Phruby]

The 3DO thrift store price in 2015 $20

The Saturn thrift store price in 2015 $25

The PlayStation thrift store price in 2015 $15

[CatPix]

OMG, those prices?

 

Seriously? I'd need to pay 50€ here for a Saturn, and 70€ for a 3DO.

And 5€ for a Playstation.

[BillyHW]

 

The 3DO thrift store price in 2015 $20

The Saturn thrift store price in 2015 $25

The PlayStation thrift store price in 2015 $15

 

 

Saturn wins!

[BillyHW]

I was kind of more interested in how 3DO was positioning itself vs the new competitors, price-wise. Surely they could still not have been charging more when the better machines came out.

[CRV]

I was kind of more interested in how 3DO was positioning itself vs the new competitors, price-wise. Surely they could still not have been charging more when the better machines came out.

 

As Austin said, it was the same price as the PS1 when that came out (relevant article).

[Austin]

$99 for a 3DO BITD? Do no not remember them ever getting that low.

 

Yep, when the system was on its way out they were selling for that price.

[The Dord]

Funny enough, I just sold a guy on Craigslist an FZ-10 3DO with the following games:

 

Starblade

3DO Demo Disc

Blade Force

Shadow: War of Succession

Slayer

Samurai Showdown

Shockwave

All for $80. This guy was so enthusiastic about it! (He was looking for one for a while, I guess.)

Edited January 31, 2015 by The Dord

[dashv]

You gave him a helluva deal.

 

The eBay prices were crazy for a while but they seem to be coming back down to earth now.

[The Dord]

You gave him a helluva deal.

 

The eBay prices were crazy for a while but they seem to be coming back down to earth now.

 

To be honest, I'm saving up for a PS4 and I've gotten all the use out of it a long time ago. Now, if it was a SNES, i'd never sell it!

Edited February 1, 2015 by The Dord

[ls650]

The 3DO thrift store price in 2015 $20

The Saturn thrift store price in 2015 $25

The PlayStation thrift store price in 2015 $15

Where the heck is this magical thrift store? Dang, with prices like that I need to pay it a visit.

[+save2600]

I see Playstations at our local thrift stores for $5 all the time. Usually loose, but sometimes with a controller or two wrapped around it.

 

Saw a loose and yellowed Dreamcast for $8 a little while ago and passed on it. Yet to see a Saturn or a 3DO yet.

[+Rick Dangerous]

 

The 3DO thrift store price in 2015 $20

The Saturn thrift store price in 2015 $25

The PlayStation thrift store price in 2015 $15

 

 

Around these parts you can't find a 3DO

 

Saturns go for about $60 typically

 

PS1's go for $10 with a controller and cables.

 

 

PS1 is an epic gaming bargain really...

[Flojomojo]

I remember being sorta-kinda tempted by a cheap 3DO back when such a thing could tempt me. It was probably around $199, which would be low enough to invoke that feeling in me but not low enough to make me buy one. I see that Cyberia just launched on GOG, which just jerked me back to that mindset. Fortunately, my 2015 eyes are good enough to see that that game is a pile of poo (as is much from that era, IMHO).

 

You might want to flip through some old gaming magazines on Archive.org, where you can probably catch print advertising for the big national deals.

 

I think this is an interesting question, possibly one that will be difficult to answer for modern systems -- or maybe it will be easier, since every blog and re-blog jumps on interesting price drops as they happen?

 

Re: PS1 for cheap -- it's also highly emulatable, on low end PCs but also on handhelds. I wish I had a 3DO emulator on something small. I still think that port of Wing Commander III is something special.