Pachter: 200,000 is the 'Acid Test' for PS3 Sales

The PS3 Slim and the console's new $299 price is all the buzz right now, but what effect the price cut will actually have on consumers in this tough economy remains to be seen. It'll surely stimulate the PS3 market, but to what extent? We already heard from several analysts on the matter, and now Wedbush Morgan Securities' Michael Pachter has weighed in as well.  

"The real question is do we get a year-over-year lift or not?  We'll clearly get a sales boost over the last few months, but the acid test is whether monthly sales go back to 200,000 plus," Pachter told IndustryGamers. "I think that they will, and I think that this is good for the industry.  The next question is whether the sales increase from PS3 is purely additive or whether it comes at Microsoft's expense.  If Microsoft sees sales go down year-over-year, they may have to cut themselves (likely by $50) before too long.  I think that they stay at $299 for a while, perhaps till November, and only cut if they see Sony's sales at 2x the 360 sales level."

We'll certainly be watching the situation closely. It could be a very interesting Fall/Holiday season, especially if Microsoft and Nintendo introduce price cuts of their own.