A month after cutting back international launch plans for the PlayStation 3 console, Sony has expanded them again, and will start selling the device in Hong Kong and Taiwan on 17 November – months before Europe.
The PlayStation 3, Sony's first new games console in six years, is scheduled to debut in Japan just over a week from now, on 11 November. Then it will hit stores in North America on November 17. It was originally scheduled to go on sale in Europe and Australasia at the same time but Sony postponed the launch in those regions until March 2007 because of component shortages that meant it wouldn't have enough consoles ready in time.
Typically the launch of games consoles in Asian markets outside of Japan has lagged behind both North America and Europe, but now Sony will put the PlayStation 3 on sale there simultaneously with its North American launch.
Sony was not immediately available to comment because of a public holiday in Japan.
The more expensive version of the PS3, which has a 60GB hard drive, will go on sale in Hong Kong and Taiwan on 17 November and cost HK$3,780 and NT$17,980 (about £255 and £286) respectively. The cheaper version, with a 20GB hard drive, will hit the two countries in December and cost HK$3,180 and NT$14,980 (£214 and £238) respectively.
Comments