European PlayStation 3 launch details to be revealed tonight

It looks like our European friends are finally going to get an official word on when they'll be able to get their fingerprints on a PlayStation 3 of their own, with Sony promising to spill all the launch details at midnight tonight (we assume that's U.K. time). Unless Sir Stringer has a surprise up his sleeve, however, most seem to already have a pretty good idea of what'll be said, with GamesIdustry.biz previously reporting that 60GB PS3 is expected to launch March 23rd for £425 in the U.K. and €599 across the rest of Europe, with the sole exception of Ireland, who'll apparently have to shell out an extra €30 due to higher VAT rates. The 20GB model isn't expected to be available at launch. Given the the delay, the launch will no doubt be a bit more subdued than the one we experienced on this side of the pond, but please, take it easy.

[oom @ Jan 24th 2007 7:07PM]

UK time? Are GMT or UTC too obscure?

If americaland peoples are that unworldly, why don't you just go ahead and call it Far, Far Away Time (FFAT).

[nigel @ Jan 24th 2007 7:12PM]

Yay! now Europe gets to share in the suckiness!
btw GTC? UMC? huh? foreigners and your wacky words :D

[KineticOnline @ Jan 24th 2007 7:14PM]

Launch date: March 23rd
Price: £425
Units: 1 million (forecast for Initial European Launch Period), 60GB model only with the 20GB model to follow later
Line-up: 30 games, including disc-based and network titles

PLAYSTATION 3 LAUNCH TITLE LINE-UP

Resistance: Fall of Man™ - SCEE - Disc
MotorStorm™ - SCEE - Disc
Genji™: Days of the Blade - SCEE - Disc
FORMULA ONE CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION - SCEE - Disc
Ridge Racer™ 7 - SCEE - Disc
Tekken®: Dark Resurrection - SCEE - Network
Lemmings™ - SCEE - Network
Go! Sudoku - SCEE - Network
Go! Puzzle - SCEE - Network
Blast Factor™ - SCEE - Network
flOw™ - SCEE - Network
Super Rub'a'Dub - SCEE - Network
Call of Duty 3 - Activision UK Ltd - Disc
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance - Activision UK Ltd - Disc
Tony Hawk's Project 8 - Activision UK Ltd - Disc
Gundam - Target in Sight - Namco Bandai Games - Disc
Full Auto™ 2: Battle Lines - Sega®Europe Ltd - Disc
Sonic the Hedgehog™ - Sega®Europe Ltd - Disc
Virtua Fighter™ 5 - Sega®Europe Ltd - Disc
Virtua Tennis™ 3 - Sega®Europe Ltd - Disc
World Snooker Championship 2007 - Sega®Europe Ltd - Disc
NBA 2K7 - Take 2 International SA - Disc
NHL 2K7 - Take 2 International SA - Disc
Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWll - Ubisoft Entertainment SA - Disc
Enchanted Arms - Ubisoft Entertainment SA - Disc
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent - Ubisoft Entertainment SA - Disc
The Elder Scrolls lV: Oblivion - Ubisoft Entertainment SA - Disc
Def Jam: Icon - Electronic Arts Ltd - Disc
Fight Night Round 3 - Electronic Arts Ltd - Disc
NBA Street 4 Homecourt 2007 - Electronic Arts Ltd - Disc
Need for Speed Carbon - Electronic Arts Ltd - Disc
The Godfather: The Don's Edition - Electronic Arts Ltd - Disc
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2007 - Electronic Arts Ltd - Disc
Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom - Electronic Arts Ltd - Disc
F.E.A.R. Vivendi - Universal Games Intl SA - Disc
Gripshift - Sony Online Entertainment - Network


PLAYSTATION 3 Peripherals Available at Launch

Peripheral - RRP in £ Sterling

SIXAXIS™ Wireless Controller - £34.99
Blu-ray Disc Remote Control - £17.99
HDMI Cable - £17.99
AV cable - £17.99
Component AV cable - £17.99
S Video cable - £12.99

£425 is $842 (USD) which is a hell of a premium even after the 17% vat (Bringing the total to $700) thats still an extra $140 over the US price

[Joshua @ Jan 24th 2007 7:14PM]

That's about $800 in either currency...

[G Scott @ Jan 24th 2007 7:16PM]

Does anyone really care any at this point? :-/

[G Scott @ Jan 24th 2007 7:18PM]

If I am not mistaken, the PS3 ships with a bunch of ports. a number of the games in the listing are downloadable games too.

That leaves the PS3 with 3 full exclusive titles.

That's crummy. And it is a tonne more than the 360. :(

[Karl @ Jan 24th 2007 8:05PM]

I won't buy a PS3 (at least straight away). I have bought both a PS1, PSOne, and PS2, and was set to continue it with the PS3, but a few things are swaying me:

- exoribitant price (convert the US price to pounds - £302! Better to import if you can get the BD issue sorted!)
- no VGA cable (I mean serously, what's up with that?)
- no upscaling for regular games, no 1080i, and no promise of a fix

Seriously, it'll either be a 360 or an import console. The games are region-free, so all I need is somebody (Datel, I'm looking at you...) to open up the BD drive.

Or maybe there's a way to flash the drive using linux. We'll have to see at launch.

Karl

[Castle @ Jan 24th 2007 8:29PM]

Too many Microsoft/Nintendo trolls here.

[kamandriat @ Jan 24th 2007 8:53PM]

ps3 sucks :) keke

[David @ Jan 24th 2007 9:59PM]

Plenty of European countries have the same (21%) VAT rate as Ireland or near enough, I'm tired of this bull coming from Sony.

[GoonieGooGoo @ Jan 25th 2007 5:19PM]

As an owner of all systems in the US.......My PS3 is officially the 2007 version of my PSP.....a pretty black paperweight.

All the good games that had promise have turned out to be broken or delayed (see MOTORSTORM/WARHAWK)......The Online store has no content and is slow and clunky......the Online Play Modes are PS2 Online all over again.

So why pick one up in the spring??....There's no reason to until MGS or FFXIII even have confirmed street dates.....and those will probably be pushed to 2008....if we're lucky.

[solano @ Jan 26th 2007 11:01PM]

As usual Europeans are subsidizing the more "competitive" American market with this overpricing.

I mean it's not only the PS3. Look at all world market products. We usually pay €=$, but the € has 30% more value. Subtract the average 20% VAT in Europe and you get the picture. 10% extra profit in Europe...

But on the other hand, why shouldn't good old Europe help our American friends a little :/