No PS3 price drop for Australia

Sony Australia is following SCEE's lead by phasing out the 60GB PlayStation 3 in the region — but it won't be cutting the price to help shift stock.

Instead the current offer of the 60GB unit with two free games and an extra controller will remain in stores until depleted, while the 40GB model will be introduced on October 11 for AUD 699.95.

According to Sony Australia's Michael Ephraim, the 60GB model is already in short supply in the region.

"There are very limited stocks," he told GameSpot. "I would say 20 — 30 per cent of retail stores have them in stock right now."

"That was always part of our plan to transition smoothly to a new SKU," he added.

Ephraim said that he expects the new lower-spec unit to help double the installed base of the PlayStation 3 in Australia, which currently stands at over 80,000 units.

"We think that with the price reduction, we're going to come very close if not exceed doubling that number by the end of the year," he said.

Sony initiated a change in its PAL PS3 business plan late last week by introducing a new 40GB model to market and dropping the price of the 60GB unit.

It then emerged yesterday that the 60GB unit would actually be discontinued as soon as all current stocks were sold, leaving only the lower spec SKU on the market.