Easy enough. Now that you’ve heard that Sony is releasing the PS3 in PAL territories on March 23rd with 60GB PS3’s, what do you think? Is Sony making a mistake by not offering a 20GB SKU?

Last poll’s results:

What’s the best PS3 downloadable game?

* Blast Factor: 37% (41)
* Cash Guns Chaos DLX: 5% (6)
* Lemmings: 22% (24)
* Go Sudoku!: 11% (12)
* GripShift: 25% (28)

Total Votes : 111

I ask this because I’m a little surprised that there will be no option to buy the 20GB PS3 in Europe. Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t the whole point of having the two SKUs, being the choice to choose which one we can afford or which best suits our needs? Sony have effectively removed that choice and they could be punished for their possible error of judgement.

If the 60GB PS3 sells out in most of Europe, then they will feel vindicated in only making the 60GB PS3 initially available. However, if it isn’t a major sell out initially then it can only be blamed on one thing: the price. Having the 20GB PS3 available makes for more pleasant reading (and comparisons) to Joe Public. They can compare the 20GB 360 with the 20GB PS3 and most will see that the latter outperforms and out-functions the former, and with a favourable price point to boot.

The PS3 is selling well in North America and Japan despite scare mongers and misleading headlines, but it possibly isn’t doing aswell as it could be. This is partly being blamed on a lack of AAA titles at the present time. The same can’t be said of the EU launch though, as it’s one of the finest launch lineups that will ever grace these shores.

Causes and effects

So what will be the cause if the PS3 is still not selling out and all units aren’t snapped up at launch? It won’t be the lack of games that’s for sure. It will be the price and the lack of a cheaper system for us to choose if we vote with our wallets and say £425 is just too much. Add on the cost of 2 or 3 games, an HDMI/Component cable (for HDTV owners) and an extra controller, and the price soon hovers towards the £600 mark.

To counter the price argument, I will play the launch card. Launch periods are a special time in a console’s life and most people who do buy at launch will either have been saving money for the purpose to get the console at launch (me), or are hardcore technophiles who just have to have the latest shiny equipment and (possibly) have disposable incomes (not me ).

Ace in the hole

Sony does have a back up card to play if the 60GB PS3 doesn’t sell as well as they are hoping. They can release the 20GB PS3 at a cheaper price of around £350, making it almost like a price drop to would-be owners put off by the psychological barrier of a £400+ console. Or they can drop the price of the 60GB PS3, which isn’t going to happen anytime soon. Heck, they could even throw in a ‘free’ BD like they did with the North American launch to slightly soften the blow, and get BD into people’s homes from the off.

Sony has said that the demand isn’t there for the 20GB PS3 in Europe but I disagree. The ‘core’ PS3 is not like the ‘core’ 360 which was inferior to the ‘premium’ 360, due to the omission of the HDD. The 20GB PS3 is only missing WiFi and the Memory Stick/card readers from the 60GB PS3, and these aren’t massive omissions like a HDD, these won’t affect how the PS3 runs games or affect how it runs out of the box.

Sony has gambled with their decision to delay, possibly permanently, the 20GB PS3’s arrival to these shores but only time will tell whether they have played their Ace from the off, or whether it’s still hidden up their sleeve, ready to be played when the time is right.

Oh, and I’m planning on getting the 60GB PS3 but it’s not as if I have a choice between the two now is it.

It’s handy to be on Sony’s press release list, because you get things like this e-mailed directly to your inbox! Here’s Sony’s press release about the PS3’s European launch:

Over 30 Titles for Launch Period

1 Million units forecast for Initial Launch Period

London, 25 January 2007 - Sony Computer Entertainment Europe today announced that PLAYSTATION®3 will be launched in the PAL territories of Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Australasia on 23rd March 2007 at a price of EURO 599 (GBP 425, AUD 999.95, NZ 1199.95).

Responding to retail and consumer demand, SCEE confirmed that initially only the 60GB model would be available, with the 20GB model to follow later in the year dependent on demand.

An expected one million PS3 units will be made available during the initial launch period.

SCEE also announced a stellar launch line-up of over 30 game titles for PS3, including eagerly awaited titles published by SCEE such as Resistance: Fall of Man™, MotorStorm™, Genji™: Days of the Blade, FORMULA ONE ™ CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION and Ridge Racer™ 7. An exceptional range of titles in every genre will also be available at launch from the world’s leading third party publishers, including Electronic Arts, Activision, Namco Bandai, Sega, Take 2, Ubisoft, Vivendi Universal, and Sony Online Entertainment.

Read the rest of this entry »

Seemingly hours early too!

Threespeech has put up the press release and all seems in order for my eye, so quickly, here are the ‘highlights’. All Euro prices are estimated approximate conversions by myself, but are as yet unconfirmed.

Peripheral prices:

SIXAXIS™ Wireless Controller - £34.99 (€49.99)
Blu-ray Disc Remote Control - £17.99 (€24.99)
HDMI Cable - £17.99 (€24.99)
AV cable - £17.99 (€24.99)
Component AV cable - £17.99 (€24.99)
S Video cable - £12.99 (€17.99)

Read on to find out what the current launch line-up looks like.
Read the rest of this entry »

If you visit Three Speech at midnight tonight, they will reveal all info about the PS3’s EU launch:

Quick one to say check back in on Three Speech at midnight, when we’ll be running all available info on the launch details of the PS3 in the UK/Europe.

That’s midnight GMT time so around about 7pm Henning time. I will be asleep then as I have to get up for work at 4.55am so I’ll have to wait until I get home from work to see just what has been revealed. If anything has been officially announced of course.

Euro PS3 Details Announced at midnight

The main problem that was fixed is the graphical problems when playing PS1 and PS2 games on your PLAYSTATION 3. I tested Final Fantasy 7 when I first got my system and it seemed fine to me. But I haven’t put any PS1/PS2 games into my PS3 since, I’ve been having fun playing ridge racer & fall of man. And playing around with Yellow Dog Linux. But I’m glad to hear they fixed that issue.

Some other issues fixed are:

* User can now set an image/photo (off a mem stick etc) for their user id
* Edy support added (for payment via card reader)
* ‘operation sound’ added to sound settings
* ‘delete backup data’ added to backup utilities subsetting
* WEP128, WPA-PSK (TKIP), WPA-PSK(AES) can now utilize AOSS
* Can now remember your login password without using automatic login
* Korean keyboard setting can be used

*Update* US 1.50 firmware update fixes display annoyances

Rumours have been abounding that the PS3 has been getting some price cuts in order to fuel sales in Japan. Which is just crazy even on the surface of it, because it implies that PS3 sales are lagging. Sales may not be as good as the unstoppable-seeming Wii, but sales are still doing quite well, thank-you.

Either way, the PS3 is not being discounted across Japan to spur sales. What is happening instead is that one chain decided to reduce prices temporarily as a promotion.

So there ya go. Things aren’t so bad. Go back to sleep.

PS3 Prices Slashes Across Japan?

The PlayStation Store will have some more payment options. Currently you can only pay via credit card. Now the PS3 will accept the “Edy” system pre-paid electronic money. You’ll need a IC Reader/Writer connected to your PS3. Sony is also updating the PlayStation 2 backwards backwards compatibility. You’ll also be able to use your own photo as your system user icon. There is no word of a North America release yet.

PS3 firmware version 1.5 (almost) ready for download

Yesterday I talked about how Harmonix was no longer developing the Guitar Hero franchise. Gamasutra talked to them about it, and learned that Harmonix is working on a totally new music-based game. Harmonix producer Daniel Sussman says that “We are instead working on a different music game project, one that is a bigger and more ambitious endeavor than we felt we could pursue within the bounds of the Guitar Hero franchise.”

Cool stuff, I just hope that whatever they’re up to, that it’s released on the PS3.

Gamasutra - Harmonix Talks Guitar Hero , New Music Franchise