[neiltc13]

STRICTLY EMBARGOED UNTIL MIDNIGHT WEDNESDAY 24th JANUARY GMT PS3 to Launch in UK on 23rd March 2007 Over 30 Titles for Launch Period 1 Million units forecast for Initial European Launch Period London, 24 January 2007 – Sony Computer Entertainment Europe today announced that PLAYSTATION®3 will be launched in the PAL territories including the United Kingdom on 23rd March 2007 at a price of £425. 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 to all SCEE territories. 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. In addition to games on disc, an exciting range of fully-featured downloadable games will debut on the PLAYSTATION®Network. These will include gaming icons such as Tekken®: Dark Resurrection and Gran Turismo® HD Concept; the fully-featured PS3 debut of the best-selling franchise Gran Turismo, realised with full HD (1080p) visual quality. Created by Polyphony Digital Inc and published by Sony Computer Entertainment, Gran Turismo® HD Concept has been downloaded by more than 350,000 users since it was released in December 2006 in North America and Japan. Also available on the PLAYSTATION®Network will be brainteasers such as Go! Sudoku and Go! Puzzle, and innovative games such as Blast Factor™ and flOw™, designed exclusively for PLAYSTATION 3 and delivering on the promise to provide original content created by non-traditional developers and publishers. Concurrent with the European launch, a new System Update to further enhance the entertainment potential of PS3 will be issued. Announcing the launch details, Ray Maguire, SVP and MD of SCEUK said, “Following the hugely successful launches of PS3 in Japan and North America, we are absolutely delighted to be able to bring significant numbers of PS3 to the UK. To be able to launch with over 30 titles including retail versions and great downloadable gaming experiences across every genre shows that this is our strongest launch line-up in the history of PlayStation, and is what PlayStation fans in the UK have been crying out for.” PLAYSTATION 3 LAUNCH TITLE LINE-UP Resistance: Fall of Man™ - SCEE - Disc MotorStorm™ - SCEE - Disc Genji™: Days of the Blade - SCEE - Disc FORMULA ONE CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION - SCEE - Disc Ridge Racer™ 7 - SCEE - Disc Tekken®: Dark Resurrection - SCEE - Network Lemmings™ - SCEE - Network Go! Sudoku - SCEE - Network Go! Puzzle - SCEE - Network Blast Factor™ - SCEE - Network flOw™ - SCEE - Network Super Rub’a'Dub - SCEE - Network Call of Duty 3 - Activision UK Ltd - Disc Marvel: Ultimate Alliance - Activision UK Ltd - Disc Tony Hawk’s Project 8 - Activision UK Ltd - Disc Gundam – Target in Sight - Namco Bandai Games - Disc Full Auto™ 2: Battle Lines - Sega®Europe Ltd - Disc Sonic the Hedgehog™ - Sega®Europe Ltd - Disc Virtua Fighter™ 5 - Sega®Europe Ltd - Disc Virtua Tennis™ 3 - Sega®Europe Ltd - Disc World Snooker Championship 2007 - Sega®Europe Ltd - Disc NBA 2K7 - Take 2 International SA - Disc NHL 2K7 - Take 2 International SA - Disc Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWll - Ubisoft Entertainment SA - Disc Enchanted Arms - Ubisoft Entertainment SA - Disc Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Double Agent - Ubisoft Entertainment SA - Disc The Elder Scrolls lV: Oblivion - Ubisoft Entertainment SA - Disc Def Jam: Icon - Electronic Arts Ltd - Disc Fight Night Round 3 - Electronic Arts Ltd - Disc NBA Street 4 Homecourt 2007 - Electronic Arts Ltd - Disc Need for Speed Carbon - Electronic Arts Ltd - Disc The Godfather: The Don’s Edition - Electronic Arts Ltd - Disc Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2007 - Electronic Arts Ltd - Disc Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom - Electronic Arts Ltd - Disc F.E.A.R. Vivendi - Universal Games Intl SA - Disc Gripshift - Sony Online Entertainment - Network PLAYSTATION 3 Peripherals Available at Launch Peripheral - RRP in £ Sterling SIXAXIS™ Wireless Controller - £34.99 Blu-ray Disc Remote Control - £17.99 HDMI Cable - £17.99 AV cable - £17.99 Component AV cable - £17.99 S Video cable - £12.99

Source: Three Speech (I didn't break the embargo, they did)

So guys, what do you think? I for one think this is a pretty big mistake for Sony - entering the market very late and very expensive - it stinks of Xbox 1 (although it is £25 more expensive than that was). That won't stop me buying it - I'll write off the cost as an "educational expense" in my mind (I'm a video games student) and I'll see what it's like. I'm especially eager to try out Formula 1 Championship Edition - that game just looks awesome.

Price wise it's a bit disappointing. Direct comparison to the US $599 price (including UK tax) arrives us at $835 although removing tax brings it close to $700. That's still a $100 premium for... nothing at all. I get the impression that there will be many parents absolutely floored by the price when their kids start asking for them - the industry is still at the point where video games are seen as toys and how many parents spend close to £500 on a new one for their kid?

So, how many of you will be buying?

[Kraetos]

Maybe they will send all those unsold PS3s sitting in GameStops, EB Games, and Best Buys across America across the pond to save on manufacturing costs. I mean, profit = revenue - cost, and the PS3 certainly isn't creating any revenue...

[Windowsrookie]

Hehe. Scratt. Hehe.

There were two people I knew that wanted the PS3 so badly, that one of them sold their Xbox 360 to get the PS3. We told him what would happen, and now both of them have 360's again.

[rasmits]

flOw isn't out in the US PlayStation store yet, will it be released with the Euro launch?

Its pretty steep and they are only distributing 1m across Europe which bizarrely includes Australia, New Zealand, Africa and the Middle East so they are going to be like hens teeth. Still I can't see them being the rage in Iraq or Ethiopia but I would expect the Australians and New Zealanders will buy a few.

The best way I justify the unit to myself [obviously I'm going to get one] is:

1. My birthday is 8th April
2. The Cell processor is so powerful that you are not going to need to upgrade for some time. Some developers have quoted that the current line of games only consume about 20% of its resources.
3. Cheapest Blu-ray drive I have seen.

[trevo]

Originally Posted by thevirginpriest Its pretty steep and they are only distributing 1m across Europe which bizarrely includes Australia, New Zealand, Africa and the Middle East so they are going to be like hens teeth. Still I can't see them being the rage in Iraq or Ethiopia but I would expect the Australians and New Zealanders will buy a few.

Ask for a better price in Aus and NZ, there's money in the console and no REAL reason a salesperson can't give you a better deal.

[Kraetos]

By the time programmers figure out how to get the most out of the cell processor, their will probably be a new Xbox with a new chip that will be more powerful than the cell, but still easier to program for.

The PS3 will not be the marketshare leader this round. It just won't. The Xbox 360 is just a great piece of hardware.

If Microsoft is good at anything, its gaming platforms.

[Is it 1981?]

Originally Posted by thevirginpriest Its pretty steep and they are only distributing 1m across Europe which bizarrely includes Australia, New Zealand, Africa and the Middle East.

Is that true? Jeezy chreezy. Thank the lordy I only just officially upgraded last week from a 15-year-old Mega Drive to a slim PStwo.