Sony confirms 80GB PS3 for Europe
But video download service won't be reaching the territory just yet
SCEE boss David Reeves has revealed that the 80GB PlayStation 3 SKU, which was confirmed for North America in the E3 Sony press conference on Tuesday, will arrive into Europe on August 27, although the video download service will not make it across the Atlantic.
Speaking at an informal reception for EMEA media in the Viceroy Hotel, Santa Monica, Reeves also gave pricing and release details for the forthcoming Platinum range of PS3 titles.
"Generally, everything that Jack Tretton laid out [in the Sony press conference], with only two exceptions, pertains exactly to the PAL markets," he said. "This is symptomatic of the fact that our company is getting more global, and more consistent - the exceptions are the video download service and some of the specifics of the PSP and PS2 promotions.
"PS3 80GB - we will introduce this in the PAL markets on August 27, it will be a simultaneous release. It will come in at EUR 399, GBP 299, and we will be doing promotional bundles from the middle of September to the end of December at various prices…the 80GB replaces the 40GB.
"We will launch Platinum for PS3 on August 1, so that's the same time frame as North America. The suggested retail price will be EUR 29.99 and GBP 19.99."
He went on to clarify that PlayStation Home will also launch into open beta on the same day and date this Autumn as the US market, and that the precise date would be revealed nearer the time.
He also confirmed that while the video download service wouldn't appear in Europe in 2008, announcements would be made later in the year, and that the corporation's chairman, Sir Howard Stringer, had committed to providing the non-games services in all territories over time.