European PS3 Launch Details

[xiaNaix]

Official Press Release...

London, 24 January 2007 ? Sony Computer Entertainment Europe today announced that PLAYSTATION®3 will be launched in the PAL territories including the United Kingdom on 23rd March 2007 at a price of £425.

Responding to retail and consumer demand, SCEE confirmed that initially only the 60GB model would be available, with the 20GB model to follow later in the year dependent on demand.

An expected one million PS3 units will be made available during the initial launch period to all SCEE territories.

SCEE also announced a stellar launch line-up of over 30 game titles for PS3, including eagerly awaited titles published by SCEE such as Resistance: Fall of Man?, MotorStorm?, Genji?: Days of the Blade, FORMULA ONE CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION and Ridge Racer? 7. An exceptional range of titles in every genre will also be available at launch from the world?s leading third party publishers, including Electronic Arts, Activision, Namco Bandai, Sega, Take 2, Ubisoft, Vivendi Universal, and Sony Online Entertainment.

In addition to games on disc, an exciting range of fully-featured downloadable games
will debut on the PLAYSTATION®Network. These will include gaming icons such as Tekken®: Dark Resurrection and Gran Turismo® HD Concept; the fully-featured PS3 debut of the best-selling franchise Gran Turismo, realised with full HD (1080p) visual quality. Created by Polyphony Digital Inc and published by Sony Computer Entertainment, Gran Turismo® HD Concept has been downloaded by more than 350,000 users since it was released in December 2006 in North America and Japan.

Also available on the PLAYSTATION®Network will be brainteasers such as Go! Sudoku and Go! Puzzle, and innovative games such as Blast Factor? and flOw?, designed exclusively for PLAYSTATION 3 and delivering on the promise to provide original content created by non-traditional developers and publishers.

Concurrent with the European launch, a new System Update to further enhance the entertainment potential of PS3 will be issued.

Announcing the launch details, Ray Maguire, SVP and MD of SCEUK said, ?Following the hugely successful launches of PS3 in Japan and North America, we are absolutely delighted to be able to bring significant numbers of PS3 to the UK. To be able to launch with over 30 titles including retail versions and great downloadable gaming experiences across every genre shows that this is our strongest launch line-up in the history of PlayStation, and is what PlayStation fans in the UK have been crying out for.?

PLAYSTATION 3 LAUNCH TITLE LINE-UP

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


PLAYSTATION 3 Peripherals Available at Launch

Peripheral - RRP in £ Sterling

SIXAXIS? Wireless Controller - £34.99
Blu-ray Disc Remote Control - £17.99
HDMI Cable - £17.99
AV cable - £17.99
Component AV cable - £17.99
S Video cable - £12.99

[Z-Saber]

Three reasons why it looks better than America's and Japan's launches:

F.E.A.R., Oblivion, and Tekken

[gelato]

Well the European launch is the way it should have gone down but that would mean missing Christmas sales in Japan and America.

[kl1k]

mmm - better start saving!!

[stebo]

35 quid for a SIXAXIS?!? I know its an official controller but that does seem a bit pricy. Oh well, better go find out who's taking pre orders already. Can't wait to play GT HD

[Den Leiw]

well to all those americans who complained it's expensive, the UK people will have to pay a lot more than you do :

425 GBP = 837.515 USD (which is 645 Euros by the way)

[rom_hunter]

Lol, Den Leiw, I wanted to say that . The UK versions are a ripoff at times. Anyways, it is still darn expensive, compared to xbox 360 at about £200 and Wii £180. Looks like there ain't gonna be no special discounts or "exclusives" that some people were shouting to want in return of 2 missed deadlines...

[stebo]

Rumour is its getting bundled with a blueray copy of 007: Casino Royale

[rom_hunter]

Rumour is its getting bundled with a blueray copy of 007: Casino Royale

Sounds good, but still only a rumour - don't get hopes up yet!
If true then... £425 - about £30? = £395 - still expensive...
I remember the ps2 launch in UK and it was £270-£299 (forgotten a bit) at start. That's £125 between two generations...

Looking at the Sixaxis - not worth £35. Take it out and give us back the £20 rumble controller.
I tried a motion controller on my pc's wingman, and you just don't get that control as you would with buttons.