Let the cost-cutting begin

In news destined to disappoint almost nobody, GamesIndustry.biz is reporting that the PlayStation 3's home-network router functionality, a minor if extant cog in Sony's next-generation hype machine, has been dropped. This is a cost-cutting decision, of course, to say nothing of the fact that most gamers already own perfectly functional routers. But Sony's effort to cut an extravagant, useless feature from its forthcoming console doesn't quite mesh with its stated PS3 sales strategy; namely, Sony Computer Entertainment chief Ken Kutaragi's hope that "consumers [will] think to themselves, 'I will work more hours to buy one'."

So where does Kutaragi get off, promising us a hideously expensive console the week before he starts removing pricey and unnecessary features from it? See, I've already started scheduling overtime hours for the eight months leading up to the PS3's launch, and by jove, I want to spend my $3,250 on a console whose onboard pencil sharpener and real-world missile defense system lie hidden beneath an inch-thick layer of 24-karat gold and Swarovski crystals. Honestly, it wouldn't even need to play games.