Tonight's the night - Rest-of-the-world brace for PS3 launch

Mike Bantick
Thursday, 22 March 2007 04:46

Opinion and Analysis

At Midnight tonight many retailers will open their doors to allow expected crowds of cashed up technophiles first access to the Sony PlayStation 3

Being early Autumn here in the Southern hemisphere means that the weather is being kinder to those thronging for a PlayStation 3 tonight, unlike their US and Japanese brethren, who by enlarge faced the icy chill of November for their PS3 launch last year. 

In a recent interview, Australian and New Zealand Sony Entertainment chief Michael Ephraim was buoyant about the consoles success. Ephraim believes that the PS3 package is worth the much focused on and maligned price of the device.

For AU$999.95 purchases will receive a powerful piece of technology capable of providing the lion’s share of a modern households entertainment needs.

The ability to connect other devices such as cameras and non propriety hard drives, load Linux,play Blu-ray movies, access PlayStation Home the PlayStation Network and have a PSP grab files will keep new owners busy before they even fire up a game.

Interesting times ahead for Sony, with no choice between SKU’s, and backlash over software only backwards compatibility with PS2, and PSone games.  Critics point to the newly released compatibility list for the PS3 as being inadequate, and missing some important titles Gran Turismo 4, Ratchet and Clank, some Final Fantasy titles and Okami spring to mind.

But that is not what we are getting a PS3 for, is it?  We want the latest and greatest technology and we want it now.

Italians it seems want it before ‘now’ as a few stores have broken the Sony set launch date.  The rest of us patient folk will need to await the official date.  Those in Australia can start lining up in front of the retailers below.

Dick Smith PowerHouse: all stores except Springwood - 19 stores
Domayne: all stores except WA - 149 stores
EB Games: all stores except WA - 150 stores
Games Wizards: all stores except WA - 21 stores
Harvey Norman: all stores except WA - 149 stores
JB Hi Fi: Westfield stores across Australia - 10 stores
Myer: Sydney city and Melbourne city stores - 2 stores
TRU: assorted stores - 23 Stores