Sony has released Playstation 3 prices.

[Tylers-mum]

 

Sony Announces PlayStation 3 Prices

 

Technology giant Sony has confirmed the worldwide launch dates for its PlayStation3.

 

The next generation console will be priced at €499 (?341.50) for a 20Gb version rising to €599 (?409.95) for the 60Gb model.

 

It will hit stores in Japan on November 11 followed by mainland Europe, Australasia and North America on November 17.

 

Sony postponed the launch date from a planned spring debut due to delays in finalising the PS3's new disc technology.

 

Officials said they would have four million units ready by the end of 2006 and another six million by March 31, 2007.

 

The PS3 uses blu-ray discs - the high-definition replacements for DVDs.

 

It will be 'backwards compatible' with games from the original PlayStation and the PS2.

 

Announcing the launch dates and prices Phil Harrison, president of Sony Computer Entertainment's Worldwide Studios, told a news conference in California: "We're really trying to push what this machine is capable of.''

 

Rival technology giant Nintendo is due to unveil details of its rival next generation console called Wii at the event.

 

The new Nintendo console - which was developed under the code name Revolution - is expected to launch later this year.

Edited May 10, 2006 by Tylers-mum

[jb1964]

Oh dear - with that release date it looks like it's going to be another Xbox fiasco for lots of parents this coming xmas.

 

Jb

[lizzie]

OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!! That is daylight robbery!! Well, my two wont be getting one anytime soon, Im still paying for the XBOX 360 they had at christmas, I'll probably still be paying for it next christmas!!!

[TuX]

It is worth it for the newest technology it gives,if I remember correctly,the playstation 1 and sega saturn cost more than that on release.

As production costs get cheaper,and the demand gets less,it will get cheaper,unless a console addict,there is no real excuse to get at that date+cost because it'll have a limited amount of games on sale,with the best ones quickly selling out--the console itself will probably sell out through pre orders-before it even gets in the shops--the games will be mostly sequels that aren't taking enough advantage of the new hardware.

[Tensing]

Thank god, my kids don't like Computer games.

[DaisyProudfoot]

That's just in time for my 13 year old's 14th birthday!

 

Guess I better order now for Christmas

[TheNeil]

When I read about this on one of the other tech forums it was noted that although the PS3 uses blu-ray disks it doesn't have a connector for high definition TVs so you won't be able to see any difference in picture quality. Whether that's true or not (the connector bit) is another matter but ?340 is a lot of cash for a console regardless of what it can do, and, even with the big price cuts that will no doubt come along, I'm glad I won't be having pressure put on me to get one

 

Note: Just double checked my sources and there is a HDTV connector but only on the high-end model so if you want to watch blu-ray films, best start saving now

Edited May 10, 2006 by TheNeil

[Tylers-mum]

TheNeil - Umm, what is blu-ray???

[TheNeil]

TheNeil - Umm, what is blu-ray???

 

Sorry. Blu-ray is the next generation of DVD technology being pushed by Sony. It offers more storage space than the current DVD technology so movie quality can (supposedly) be improved, more features/extras added, and more actual data can be stored (and in the case of software that typically means more video, music etc.). I won't bother explaining the technology involved but it basically involves using a different type of laser than the ones currently being used in DVD (shorter wavelengths and gibberish like that)

 

There's a lot of debate as to whether blu-ray will actually be used by anyone other than Sony though, as several other manufacturers (Toshiba etc.) are pushing the alternative HD-DVD. This offers the same 'benefits' (i.e. more storage space) but obviously won't work with machines that use the blu-ray standard. Think of it as going back to the old VHS vs Betamax 'war' of the 1980s (so sit back, wait a couple of years and then see who's emerged as the 'winner')