PS3 Release Date and Price

Blitzkrieg

CULVER CITY, Calif. - Sony Corp (NYSE:SNE - news). will launch its new PlayStation 3 console in November, in two versions aimed at keeping the company's dominance in gaming.

The PS3 will launch Nov. 11 in Japan and seven days later in the United States and Europe, Sony officials said Monday night at a news conference.

There will be two versions: one sporting a 20 gigabyte hard drive for $499 and another with a 60 gigabyte drive for $100 more. Officials said they would have 4 million units ready by the end of 2006 and another 6 million by March 31, 2007.

"We're really trying to push what this machine is capable of," said Phil Harrison, president of Sony Computer Entertainment's Worldwide Studios.

Sony also showed off the PS3's new controller, which looks similar to the one for the older PlayStation 2 but adds motion sensors to detect six degrees of movement. In a demonstration, the controller was used to pilot a jet fighter.

Earlier this year, Sony delayed the system's release from the spring until the fall.

Most of the more than two-hour meeting was spent showing off new PS3 games, including a demonstration high-definition version of the racing game "Grand Turismo" and the sword fighting action game "Heavenly Sword."

The starting price of the PS3 is still $100 more than the current top-of-the-line Xbox 360.

But Sony executives touted what they claim are competitive advantages, such as the PS3's speedy "Cell" processor, the console's Blu-ray disk format for high-definition video and an online network that will include video chat and micropayments.

The Xbox 360 got an early start on the next-generation console wars and has sold 3.2 million units worldwide since it was released in November. But until recently, Microsoft Corp. has been unable to meet demand.

The presentation came just two days before the ongoing battle for living room dominance resumes at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, the video game industry's largest annual conference.

Nintendo and Microsoft, with their competing Wii and Xbox 360 systems, plan similar news conferences Tuesday.

Pricing and other details remain sketchy on Nintendo's Wii (pronounced "We"), which uses a unique TV-style remote controller that can be waved around to manipulate action on the screen.

This year's E3 conference comes with the industry in financial turmoil as it transitions from older systems to the new consoles. Much of it has been blamed on consumers' desire to hold out for the PS3 and Wii.

The period has been especially brutal for key game makers like Electronic Arts Inc., which recently lost $16 million in its fiscal fourth quarter. EA predicts video game sales industrywide would be flat to down 5 percent in 2006.

According to market research firm NPD Group, overall video game sales dropped 5 percent to $7 billion in the United States last year.

During last year's E3, Sony executives proudly showed pretty video clips of supposed PS3 games but very little in the way of actual game play. The same was true for the Nintendo Wii and the Xbox 360.

Expect a more hands-on approach this year, with attendees finally getting a chance to play games on the new systems, said Doug Lowenstein, president of the Entertainment Software Association, which organizes E3.

"You'll be able to kick the tires and see what's under the hood," he said. "It's no longer about specs. This is about performance, this is about `What do you have to show me?'"

Necro

wow ps3 can go fuck itself

Joseph T. Cool

WC HOF'er

I would be interested in this but why would I spend $499 on a gaming system when my kid needs new clothes?

It's just way too much money for something like that.

:rock:

Necro

I know this makes xbox seem sane

Randy Orton

WC's Resident Alchoholic

ill be passing on this. i don't even got times for this child stuff anymore anyways.

Mr. Kennedy

Joe, the only reason I would think you would be interested is the fact that it will also be a Blu-ray Disc player. The $500 version won't have HDMI support though.

I really think Sony is making a huge mistake charging $600 for the real PS3, they can go fuck themselves if they think there is even a chance I would pay that much.

Visit and shop for video games at my Amazon-based store, also get discounted HD DVDs while they last.

Joseph T. Cool

WC HOF'er

Yeah for the first time in my life I'm considering Nintendo because my wife wants a game system.

I'll keep on eye on things as they develop that's for sure but this is all so damn pricey.

Mr. Kennedy

Looks like Nintendo are succeding in their goal of getting casual and non-gamers to get their new systems. It also explains why Nintendogs and Brain Age have done so well(Brain Age has sold more than 2 million copies in Japan and about 120K copies in its first 3 weeks.

Visit and shop for video games at my Amazon-based store, also get discounted HD DVDs while they last.