PSP-3000, PlayTV, Keypad but no 160GB PS3 Australia

Mike Bantick
Friday, 22 August 2008 09:27

Your IT - Entertainment

The limited edition 160GB PS3 won’t be touching Australian shores, but Sony promise that all the other GCDC08 goodies will head down under.

With Microsoft and Nintendo pretty much out of the Leipzig Games Convention Developers Conference it was left to Sony Computer Entertainment Europe to role out the future announcements.

iTWire.com’s own Stephen Withers covered the SCEE announcements including the hardware changes to PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 3, as well as the proposed entertainment download services .

Following up with Sony Australia however reveals that though it is its own continent, Australia – and by dint New Zealand are still seen as the poor cousins in relationship to their European peers.

An announcement from Sony Australia has detailed the upcoming line-up changes due for the rest of 2008 and early into 2009.

“News of the upcoming 80GB PS3 has been welcomed by both consumers and retailers,” said Michael Ephraim, Managing Director SCE Aust. and New Zealand. “The games recently announced at the Games Convention in Leipzig only go to strengthen the appeal of the PS3. We expect our current 350,000 install base to continue to grow significantly when the new model launches at the end of August, with consumers keen to not only enjoy some of our exclusive gaming titles, but also step into a world of Blu-ray movies and high definition entertainment.”

They will be doing this on the almost released 80GB PS3 model, not the 160GB limited edition PS3 coming to the European, US, Japan markets.

Still, Australia will enjoy the revamped PSP 3000 offering... “an advanced LCD screen supporting higher image quality and will be available in Australia from 16th October 2008.  In addition to offering the functionality and ergonomics of the Slim and
Lite model, the quality of the screen has been advanced to offer crisper colours with more definition when used outside in natural light, plus a built-in microphone has been incorporated. The PSP-3000 will be sold standalone for a recommended retail price of $299.95.SCE Aust”

The appearance of PlayTV in Australia is confirmed for early 2009, as will the VidZone music streaming channel.

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