January 25, 2007 - Sony Computer Entertainment has finally announced the official release date for its Playstation 3 console for PAL territories, the console will launch in Europe and Australia on 23rd March, 2007.

Only the 60GB model will be available initially and will retail for AU$999.95 / £425 / €599. The console will ship with only composite cables (like the US and Japan) a single SIXAXIS controller and the firmware will be the latest 1.5 version. The 20GB version may release in the future pending consumer demand. It is unknown exactly how many consoles will ship to each region, but one million has been allocated to PAL regions as a whole. The Online Playstaion Network will also be live on launch day.

The full list of launch titles is as follows:

Resistance: Fall of Man™
MotorStorm™
Genji™: Days of the Blade
FORMULA ONE CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION
Ridge Racer™ 7
Tekken®: Dark Resurrection
Lemmings™
Go! Sudoku
Go! Puzzle
Blast Factor™
flOw™
Super Rub'a'Dub
Call of Duty 3
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
Tony Hawk's Project 8
Gundam - Target in Sight
Full Auto™ 2: Battle Lines
Sonic the Hedgehog™
Virtua Fighter™ 5
Virtua Tennis™ 3
World Snooker Championship 2007 NBA 2K7
NHL 2K7
Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWll
Enchanted Arms
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent
The Elder Scrolls lV: Oblivion
Def Jam: Icon
Fight Night Round 3
NBA Street 4 Homecourt 2007
Need for Speed Carbon
The Godfather: The Don's Edition
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2007
Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom
F.E.A.R.
Gripshift

Source: IGN , Next-Gen

I think it's a mistake to release the 60gb version compared to the 20gb. Personally I wouldn't have any use for all that space since I wouldn't care about going online with it or backing up my music collection. People want cheaper prices damnit!

If they want the extra HDD space, just buy a 200gb HDD for $100 and swap it with the other one inside (Sony even gives out instructions in their manual on how to do that)

I agree, the 60GB only option seems silly especially for PAL regions, since broadband penetration is less in these regions and therefore downloads and the like would be less, and thus less likely for users to require that much space. Especially at the inflated price, a cheaper version that is essentially the same would have been good.

Costs too much. Screw you Sony, I'm waiting for a price drop, that's if I even bother to get one at all!

I can't see this selling too well in Australia. $1000? They have got to be fucking kidding.

You fool! It's not $1000, it's $999.95! See how much cheaper it seems now with that extra digit taken out? :P

Even with my discount card I'd only save $50. Nothing worth getting at this stage so why even bother thinking about it anyway? I just remembered something, doesn't the 20gb model lack HDMI? That's a pretty big difference if you do have a TV like mine with those features.

I'm really getting annoyed with all these different versions of consoles coming out though, look at the Xbox360, exact same thing. Find a medium and stick with it executives! Only do a redesign when you've established yourself

I'm pretty sure the 20GB model does have HDMI, it only doesnt have WiFi, which makes it even more so attractive, but as it stands its not an issue for PAL regions anyway.

It's funny how imported PS3s are actually selling for cheaper than the retail price for the Aussie launch, I remember when DVDCrave imported 360's, they were more expensive, which would usually be the case you pay more to get it early, but now you can actually pay less to get it now? It really means only one thing, lack of demand.

I think the 20gig model doesn't have card readers either, not that I'd ever need them.

Does anyone know if it's possible to network a PS3 with a Windows PC to drag files to and from the hard drive? I'd probably be happy with a 20 gig version (despite the lack of wifi - but I suppose I could always get a 15m ethernet cable and run it down the hallway if I get desperate) if I could backup stuff over to my PC's hard drive when the PS3 hard drive is full.

no matter what anyone says not including a hdmi cable is a crime, after all the hd hype they dont even include it out of the box

Well at the very least I think a Component cable should have been included, considiring the $650 360 including one, and both machines are HD systems, you'd think for $999.95, you'd be able to take advantage of HD out of the box.

I'm wondering how many stupid people will plug their compostie cables into their SD TV and kid themselves into thinking they're playing in high def.

Idiot: "Look at me ma, I'm watching blu rays!"
Ma: "That looks the same as dvd"
Idiot: "Nah ma, it says high definition on the box! Blu rays!"

:lol: Oh there will be a lot of them. I know people who bought brand new widescreen TVs and watch everything in a 4:3 signal (stretched image included) they think that its normal, cause its a widescreen :argh:

I then explained the concept that is 16:9, more confusion, only understand when I show them the difference :P

:lol: they might say that about there "HD" games but im pretty sure blurays wont even play through composite. it's kid proof!! :P

"Wow, Eddie McGuire sure is looking FAT on this 1vs100 gameshow!"
Oh wait...that's how he always looks :P

I also know a whole bunch of people who are easily confused between High Definition TV and a HD-ready TV. They say to me "There is no difference" :lol: AND then there's the people who think anything they watch on tv is automatically in HD because it's a HDTV :rolleyes:

Isn't that pretty much Sony's whole fanbase. :P


Thanks a lot /backslash, that's all I needed, an image of that charisma-less corpse stretched to cover more screen space. :argh:

It's getting closer and closer and you know what's weird I don't know anyone who's getting one. And I think back to the PS2 launch, man everyone I knew was getting one.

I'm getting one!

when it costs less than my first car did, which FYI was $800