40GB PlayStation 3 stock in short supply
Channel clearout in anticipation of 80GB unit due next month
Entertainment retailer HMV has told GamesIndustry.biz that supplies of the 40GB PlayStation 3 are already thinning out as retail awaits the delivery of the 80GB SKU, due to go on sale August 27.
The 80GB unit was announced at E3 last week, and will retail for the same price as the outgoing 40GB unit – GBP 299 / EUR 399.
Sony will also be offering the console with bundled software from September until December.
"40GB stock has been in very short supply over the last few weeks," offered Jonathan Hayes, commercial manager for games at HMV.
"Although we expect demand to fall due to the 80GB announcement we would not expect to have stock issues if availability remains restricted."
"PlayStation 3 will now boast a monopoly on Blu-ray, increased storage space and Play TV in the near future," he added. "All this points to a stronger proposition for Sony going into Christmas. The only disappointment was the lack of backward compatibility compared to the US version."
Sony is also due to roll-out a range of Platinum budget titles for the PS2 at the beginning of August, with titles such as Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, MotorStorm and Assassin's Creed included in the first batch of titles.
"We are pleased that PS3 is getting a platinum range," said Hayes. "With the format being over a year old it is great to have a strong budget proposition.
"We see this range as adding sales to the format rather than taking them away."