Despite imminent PlayStation 4 launch, now is a great time to buy the PlayStation 3

Gamers around the world are
excited for the holidays following
Sony's (SNE) recent PlayStation 4
unveiling, but not everyone will
want to shell out an estimated
$500-$600 on the company's new
console. As such, budget-minded
gamers who aren't afraid to adopt a
current-generation system on the
eve of a new launch will be happy to
know that PlayStation 3 pricing is
likely about to plummet.
"The PS3 was officially announced
by Sony at E3 in May of 2005. Prior
to its announcement, deals for the
PlayStation 2 had been averaging
$160," Louis Ramirez of deal
aggregation site Dealnews wrote in
a recent post on the company's
blog. "After the PS3′s
announcement, the PS2 dropped to
an all-time low of $129, or 56% off
its full retail price. At the time, that
price was unheard of for the PS2."
And if you can wait a little longer to
pick up a new PlayStation 3 console,
you're in for even more savings.
"Fast forward to the PS3′s actual
release to customers in November
of 2006, and the PS2 dropped in
price again; this time it fell to a new
all-time low of $116, or 61% off the
full retail price," Ramirez continued.
Dealnews expects sale pricing on
the 160GB PlayStation 3 to fall to as
low as $144 in the coming months,
or 64% off the current retail price.
Finally, those looking to purchase a
brand new PS4 once it launches
later this year might want to fight
the urge to be an early adopter.
According to Dealnews, gamers who
wait just two months to purchase
the PlayStation 4 once it launches
could save as much as 14%