Enterbrain's Hirokazu Hamamura has predicted a price cut for PlayStation 3 after new figures revealed that the console is being outsold by both Nintendo Wii and PS2 in Japan.
HMV's online store is now taking pre-orders for PlayStation 3 - providing consumers are also willing to purchase a 4GB PSP pack for a total price of GBP 675.
Takao Yuhara, senior vice president of Sony Corporation, has hinted that a PS3 price cut could be announced by April next year as the company attempts to reduce its losses.
The battle of the next-gen consoles is hotting up, with Sony dismissing the Wii as an "impulse buy" while Nintendo claims its machine is in higher demand than the PlayStation 3.
Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Michael Pachter has predicted that the PS3 will sell out in Europe by May, with a price cut of more than EUR 100 expected inside 12 months.
Following the announcement of the European PS3 launch details earlier this week, big name publishers have been showing strong support for Sony's new console.
SCE Worldwide Studios president Phil Harrison is to give a keynote speech at this year's Game Developers Conference on the new opportunities offered by advancements in connectivity.
Following the finalisation of the PS3's European launch details, those members of the UK development community who haven't been gagged by non-disclosure agreement's have offered <i>GamesIndustry.biz</i> their thoughts on Sony's new console
Sony critics may baulk at the high price, but it's consumers that will ultimately decide whether GBP 425 is too much to ask for the PlayStation 3 come March 23, says the retail sector.
<i>GamesIndustry.biz</i> has learned that Sony Computer Entertainment has chosen HMV as the official retail partner for the UK launch of PlayStation 3.
Senior retail sources have told <i>GamesIndustry.biz</i> that the 60GB PlayStation 3 will go on sale in the UK for GBP 425, as previously stated by SCE UK boss Ray Maguire.
Sony has confirmed to <i>GamesIndustry.biz</i> that the 60GB PlayStation 3 will retail for EUR 629.99 in Ireland - but said the price is still set at EUR 599 for the rest of Europe.
Consumers looking to buy a PlayStation 3 in the US have multiple outlets to choose from, as over 50 per cent of all stores surveyed have units in stock.
TBWA has told <i>GamesIndustry.biz</i> that the UK advertising campaign for PS3 will begin towards the end of March - supporting suggestions from a senior retail source that the console will launch on the 23rd.
IDC analyst Billy Pidgeon has told <i>GamesIndustry.biz</i> that Sony must produce more first-party software for PlayStation 3 or risk seeing more and more units left on shop shelves.