| Information about the Sony PS3 release date is | | | | offering pre-orders on eBay and the like reach as |
| difficult to find at the moment. Not because | | | | high as $1,500, while Sony puts the official PS3 |
| there's none out there, but because over the last | | | | release date price at a mere US$500 for the |
| year, the release window has changed three | | | | 20GB version, and $600 for the 60GB version. |
| times. Just before E3 2006, Sony announced the | | | | Sony has allowed for 600,000 pre-order units for |
| PS3 release date would be on November 11th in | | | | the American market, some of which will find |
| Japan, and November 17th 2006 for North | | | | their way from the online auctioneers to Europe |
| America. Demand since then has skyrocketed, | | | | and the other areas whose consumers have been |
| and despite the considerable cost of the PS3 | | | | told that they'll simply have to wait. |
| compared to the two competing next-gen | | | | Others have been equally quick to point out that |
| consoles, Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii, every | | | | similar delays and short supply marked the launch |
| major outlet offering pre-orders in the US has | | | | of Microsoft's Xbox 360 approximately one year |
| sold out. | | | | earlier, with far fewer than Sony's 600,000 units |
| Due to this considerable demand, the release date | | | | being available on release day. Understandably, this |
| for the PS3 had to be pushed back in regions | | | | has lead to speculation that the media buzz |
| where PAL is the television standard, which | | | | created by fans queuing for hours just to be |
| includes the important European, Australasian, | | | | among the first to own one of the new consoles |
| Russian, Middle Eastern, and African markets, until | | | | actually plays into the hands of the |
| March 2007. Sony was quick to clarify that the | | | | manufacturers: The consumer frenzy that results |
| number of units to be shipped had not changed, | | | | from high demand and relatively low supply may |
| after earlier predicting that they would sell a | | | | help to boost the popularity, come PS3 release |
| massive six million units before the end of 2007. | | | | date in November. Nintendo's Wii generated a |
| The delay stems from a lack of supply of | | | | similar effect when attendees at this year's E3 |
| blue-laser diodes, the crucial component for the | | | | Expo were prepared to queue for up to eight |
| read-head of the Blu-ray drives, which will be | | | | hours just to spend a few minutes on one of the |
| standard in every PS3 unit. | | | | prototype consoles. |
| Analysts have been quick to criticise Sony for | | | | While the latest news regarding the Sony PS3 |
| their failure to ensure a steady supply, noting that | | | | release date is disappointing for fans in Europe and |
| this latest delay will give the competing Nintendo | | | | the other smaller markets, the launch will still be |
| Wii which will retail for a considerably lower price a | | | | among the most ambitious in console gaming |
| lead in those markets outside Japan and North | | | | history. The demand for pre-orders may well be |
| America, as well as giving the Xbox 360, which | | | | fetching the highest prices ever recorded for any |
| has already been on shelves for months, an even | | | | console system at release date, and despite |
| longer free run in the market. If any proof of the | | | | fierce competition from the other manufacturers, |
| ravenous demand consumers have for PS3 is | | | | Sony's marketing machine is clearly running at full |
| needed, the prices being charged by profiteers | | | | steam. This will be a launch to remember. |