Sony sets rest-of-world PS3 launch, drops 20GB model
updated 09:50 am EST, Thu January 25, 2007
PS3 Rest-of-World Launch
Sony early this morning revealed the final launch details for the PlayStation 3 in every region that uses the PAL format for TV. Africa, Australasia, Europe, and the Middle East will all see the Blu-Ray-based console ship on March 23rd. A total of one million of the systems will be available across all these areas, Sony said. The console maker has set Europe-wide pricing at €599 ($776); Britain will offer the PS3 for £425, while Australia and New Zealand will receive the system for $1,000 and $1,200 respectively.
Controversially, Sony has also confirmed that none of these areas will receive the lower-cost 20GB model on launch, noting that the majority of existing sales in North America and Japan were of the higher-end 60GB version. The company also does not plan to ship its less expensive model to these areas in the future, Sony spokesman Satoshi Fukuoka said. The decision raises the minimum price significantly compared to other areas, in some cases almost doubling the $499 price of the 20GB US PlayStation 3.
