History
Silver PlayStation 3 prototype (E3
2005 specs).
Sony officially unveiled the PlayStation 3 to
the public on
May 16,
2005, during the
E3 2005 conference. A functional version of the
system was not present there, as a working system
was not readily available due to power failures and
hardware problems, nor at the
Tokyo Game Show in
September
2005, although demonstrations (such as
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots)
were held at both events on
devkits and comparable
PC hardware. Video footage based on the
predicted PlayStation 3 specifications was also
shown (e.g.
Mobile Suit Gundam).[9]
The system was initially planned to have two
HDMI ports and three
Ethernet ports, though this was later reduced to
one of each, presumably to cut costs.[10]
On
September 22,
2006, at the 2006 Tokyo Game Show, Sony
announced that it would be including HDMI on all
versions of the system, and reducing the launch
price on 20 GB models by over 20%;[11]
the 60 GB version of the system has an open
pricing scheme in Japan.[11]
During the show, Sony demonstrated 27 playable PS3
titles running on final hardware.[12]
Launch
The PlayStation 3 was first released in Japan on
November 11,
2006, at 07:00. There were reports that many of
the systems were obtained by businessmen who paid
mainly Chinese nationals to buy the systems without
any problems to resell on
eBay.[13]
According to Media Create, 81,639 PS3 systems were
sold within 24 hours of its introduction in Japan.[14]
Soon after its release in Japan, the PS3 was
released in North America on
November 17,
2006. Reports of violence surrounding the
release of the PS3 include a customer shot,[15]
campers robbed at gunpoint,[16]
customers shot in a
drive-by shooting with
BB guns,[17]
and 60 campers fighting over 10 systems.[18]
The PS3 was launched in Europe, Australia and New
Zealand on
March 23,
2007. After the first two days of sales, the
system had sold approximately 600,000 units.[19]
Retail configurations
As of October 2007, there have been four
PlayStation 3 hardware models announced: a "20 GB"
model, a "60 GB" model, a "80 GB" model, and a
"40 GB" model (the "xx GB" names referring to the
size of the internal hard drive of the system). All
retail packages include one or two
SIXAXIS controllers, one
USB cable, one
composite video/stereo audio output cable, one
ethernet cable and one
power cable.[26]
On
September 6,
2006,
Sony announced that the
PAL region (European
and
Australian) PlayStation 3 launch had been
delayed until March 2007, due to a shortage of
diodes used in the Blu-ray Disc drive.
In November 2006, the 20 GB and 60 GB PlayStation
3 models were launched in
Japan and
North America. In North America the 20 GB model
was priced at $499 and the 60 GB model at $599 with
additional features.
On
January 24,
2007, Sony announced that the PlayStation 3
would go on sale on
March 23,
2007 in
Europe, Australia, the
Middle East,
Africa and
New Zealand.
On
March 7,
2007, the 60 GB PlayStation 3 launched in
Singapore with a price of
S$799.
On
March 23,
2007, the 60 GB PlayStation 3 launched in
Europe, Australia, the Middle East, Africa, and New
Zealand.
On
April 11,
2007, Sony discontinued the 20 GB model in North
America, citing "lack of consumer demand",[27]
Although the 20 GB model is still on sale in Japan.
Many suggest[weasel words]
that the removal of the 20 GB model in North America
was probably made to save with manufacturing costs,
as there is a difference in cost between the two
models of around $30.[citation
needed]
On
April 27,
2007, the 60 GB PlayStation 3 launched in
India and
Pakistan, priced at Rs39,990/$869, however
smuggled components were available as early as
December 2006, and were easily sold around $1,500.
Games cost about US$60.80. In Pakistan, the
PlayStation 3 costs Rp. 30,000 ($500).[28]
On
May 21,
2007, Sony announced that the 80 GB PlayStation
3 would be launched in
South Korea on
June 16,
2007,[29]
in one configuration featuring an 80 GB hard drive.[30]
This was the first time the PlayStation 3 had been
released with a 80 GB hard disk, and it was
speculated that the larger-capacity hard drive may
be to accommodate
IPTV applications,[31]
such as the
set-top box functionality for
Korea Telecom's MegaTV service set for launch in
November 2007.[32]
South Korea is one of four regions with the 80 GB
PlayStation 3 model (North America, Singapore, and
Mexico being the others).
In
2007, the 20 GB and 60 GB PlayStation 3 models
were launched in Mexico. The 80 GB model bundled
with
Formula One Championship Edition is now on
sale in Mexico for
MXN$9,999.[33][34]
Local PS3 game standard price is MXN$8,999.[35]
In June 2007,
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE)
President
David Reeves stated that there were no plans for
the 80 GB system to be released in
PAL regions, and that a 20 GB PS3 model for PAL
regions is "highly unlikely".[36]
On
June 16,
2007, the 80 GB PlayStation 3 model launched in
South Korea.
On
July 9,
2007, Sony announced the 80 GB PlayStation 3
model for
North America, bundled with
MotorStorm,[37]
to be available beginning
August 6,
2007.[38][39][40]
In addition, Sony announced a price drop in which
the 60 GB model would sell for US$499.[37]
Around this time SCEE President David Reeves and
Sony Computer Entertainment, Incorporated
President
Kaz Hirai clarified that the North American
"price drop" was in fact a clearance sale intended
to eliminate stock of the 60 GB unit, the production
of which had actually been halted at the time of the
price drop announcement. After all 60 GB units were
sold, only the 80 GB unit would remain in stores in
North America.[41]
On
August 6,
2007, in North America the 80 GB Playstation 3
model was released, bundled with MotorStorm.
On
August 30,
2007, Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA)
senior director of corporate communications Dave
Karraker stated that it had sold and shipped all of
its remaining North American 60 GB models to
retailers, and that the company no longer has any
inventory in its warehouses.[42]
According to spokeswoman Kimberly Otzman, retailer
supplies for the North American 60 GB model would
probably last through October 2007.[43]
On September 2007, the 80 GB Playstation 3 model
was released in Singapore.
On
October 5,
2007, SCEE announced a 40 GB model of the
PlayStation 3 for release on
October 10,
2007, in the
PAL territories of Europe, the Middle East, and
Africa. In Australia and New Zealand, the 40 GB
model was announced to be released on
October 11,
2007, priced at
AUD$699 for Australia and $799 for New Zealand.
On
October 9,
2007, it was announced that the the 40 GB
Playstation 3 model will be released in Japan on
November 11,
2007, with the new Ceramic White color, in
addition to the original Piano Black. Both models
will retail for a recommended retail price of
JP¥39,980. As with the SCEE announcement, an
accompanying price drop was announced in Japan for
older PlayStation 3 models, with both the 20 GB and
60 GB receiving a JP¥5,000 price reduction in the
suggested retail price to JP¥44,980 and
JP¥54,980, respectively.[44]
On
October 10,
2007, the 40 GB Playstation 3 model was released
in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. In Europe,
the 40 GB had a price of
€399.99. The 60 GB Starter Pack receiving a
reduction in price to €499[21]
except in the
British Isles, where the Starter Pack will be
replaced by a
£349 Value Pack with two first party games (Motorstorm
and
Resistance: Fall of Man) and one SIXAXIS
controller (as opposed to two controllers in the
£425 Starter Pack).[45]).
Once stocks of 60 GB PAL region model are exhausted,
the 40 GB model will be the only one available in
the SCEE territories.[45]
On
October 11,
2007, the 40 GB PlayStation 3 model was released
in Australia and New Zealand.
On
October 18,
2007, SCEA announced that the 80 GB model would
receive an immediate price reduction in North
America to $499 (USD/CAD).
In addition, the 40 GB model would be released on
November 2,
2007 for $399, with
Spiderman 3 on
Blu-ray. (USD/CND).[46]
On
November 2,
2007, the 40 GB Playstation 3 model will be
released in North America, priced for $399, also
comes bundled with Spiderman 3 on Blu-ray.
On
November 11,
2007, the 40 GB Playstation 3 model will be
released in Japan, available in two colors, the new
Ceramic White color, in addition to the original
Piano Black. Both models will retail for a
recommended retail price of
JP¥39,980.
Differences
In addition to all of the features of the
20 GB model, the 60 GB
model has internal
IEEE 802.11
b/g
Wi-Fi, multiple
flash card readers (SD/MultiMedia
Card,
CompactFlash Type I/Type
II,
Microdrive[47],
Memory Stick/PRO/Duo) and a chrome coloured
trim.[20]
In terms of hardware, the 80 GB model released in
South Korea is identical to the 60 GB model
released in
Europe and
Australia (European territories), except for the
difference in hard drive size.[30]
Like the South Korean and Europe models, the
North American 80 GB model also excludes the
PlayStation 2 "Emotion
Engine" chip, instead providing PS2
compatibility via software emulation, thereby
reducing the level of compatibility (see
Removal
of hardware support for more details). The 40 GB
model has two USB ports instead of the four USB
ports on other models, and does not include a multi
memory card port,
SACD support, or any backwards compatibility
with PlayStation 2 titles.[21]
No official Wi-Fi or flash memory card readers
have yet been released by Sony for the 20 GB system,
although plans for such add-ons are in place.[48]
Nevertheless, as the model features four USB 2.0
ports, wireless networking and flash memory card
support can already be obtained through the use of
widely available external USB adapters.
Sales and production
costs
- See also:
PlayStation 3 launch - Release data and pricing
