PS3 'bundled with free HDTV'
The release of the PlayStation 3 completes the roster of next generation consoles in Europe
Also In The News
|
Sweden's Henrik Stenson started his bid for a second successive World Golf Championship win in spectacular style with a round of 67 at Florida's Doral Golf course. |  |
Friday, 23, Mar 2007 09:42
A hundred diehard Sony fans were rewarded for their determination in buying a PlayStation 3 at the official London launch by receiving a free 46-inch HD television.
The Japanese gaming giant also provided a free taxi ride so the lucky few could return home with their £425 PS3 and £2,500 TV safely intact.
Ritatsu Thomas, 17, the first person to get his hands on a PS3 in the UK, said: "I feel fantastic. I'm delighted that everyone here also gets a television."
More than 200,000 of the hi-tech consoles have been shipped to retailers in Britain, with about a million going now on sale in Europe, four months after its launch in Japan and the US.
But despite last night's midnight launch appearing devoid of the acute shortages that hampered the debut of Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii consoles, gaming experts have speculated that the £425 price tag of the PS3 may prove restrictive.
Speaking to Radio 4's PM programme, Jess Hawley of technology website Gadget Candy said: "I think that the PlayStation 3 is an 'aspirational' console. Everybody would like one but not everybody can afford to splash out that much money."
Appearing on the same programme, Sony Computer Entertainment UK's managing director Ray Maguire defended the price of the PS3; insisting that the console would "stay the best for years to come".
As with its predecessor the PlayStation 2, Sony will record a loss on every technology-packed PS3 sold, partly due to its Blu-ray DVD player and wi-fi compatibility.
The Japanese group has also been criticised for the high retail price of the console in Europe, with the 60GB version selling at $599 (£305) stateside.
In addition, delays to the PS3's launch have played into the hands of archrivals Microsoft and Nintendo, with the £279 Xbox 360 and £180 Wii having proved a hit with gamers.
But the phenomenal success of the PlayStation consoles that have come before it means that Sony has a massive existing fan base to market the PS3 to.