[Lucien21]

If you live in Europe, Russia, the Middle East, Africa and Australasia that is.

Bastards

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=67341

Sony are shooting themselves in the foot. Christmas is a big deal for console sales and Microsoft will clean up with the 360 and if Nintendo can release the Wii it could do loads as well.

[insane_cobra]

[Solid Snake]

Nice one.

[kuze]

[Toefur]

It doesn't matter. It's still going to be a raging success when it comes out.

[Tanukitsune]

Do we even have an official release date for the Wii? Will it be worldwide? Europe might get the Wii tomorrow, or we might get in 2009!

I remember we got the normal DS and the DS Lite a few months after the rest of the world, so why is everybody thinking that Europe will have the Wii they same day Japan and US? They do have to translate the games and software into several languages you know...

[insane_cobra]

Well even if Wii doesn't come to Europe until 2009, you can't blame Nintendo for promising it would come earlier.

[Lucien21]

They have previously stated a worldwide launch on the same day.

Wii will find out on 14th september as they have some big announcment.

[ATMachine]

Ah, dear old Haddock. The panels are from Objectif Lune, unless I miss my guess.

[insane_cobra]

Originally Posted by Lucien21

They have previously stated a worldwide launch on the same day.

No they haven't. They said they don't think they would have to do a worldwide launch just because everyone else is doing it, they said that they'll try to launch in different territories as close as possible and some other stuff like that. What they didn't say (as far as I know, but feel free to prove me wrong) is that they would do a worldwide launch.

[Melanie68]

You couldn't really import one from the North America if you're elsewhere because the games are coded differently aren't they?

Bummer.

[insane_cobra]

Theoretically, they will be region free, but the decision whether to make their games region free or not will be left to publishers' discretion. Also, PS2 and PS games will probably remain region locked.

But that's not the biggest problem, I suspect there will be very few consoles available for importing because of expected shortages.

[RLacey]

I've seen the number two million rather than four million being bandied about. That's quite a shortfall compared to expectations.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

For some weird reason this Europe delay didn't surprise me. News of problems with production and design of the PS3 have been in my peripheral vision for a long time now and I suspected that Sony may be hiding more than they would like us to to know. Thus it was only a matter of time before they'd have to tell us the truth.

Oh, and...

European sales of Sony's PlayStation 3 delayed until March | International Herald Tribune, 9/6/06

James Hong, Head of Equity Derivatives Trading at Dresdner Kleinwort in Tokyo, said the news may put another dent in Sony's stock, which fell 50 yen, or about 1 percent, to 5,050 yen on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The market closed before the announcement.

"This seems to be the continuation of a series of bad news. People were prepared to wait for the PS3, but delaying its European launch so they miss the Christmas season is just so not good," he said.

"This is a crucial product given its Blu-ray features, and they need to get it out fast. I doubt this is going to help their stock price," he said.

The set-back is the latest to hit Sony, which is has been overhauling its electronics operations to catch up in key electronics products such as MP3 digital music players.

Last month, its shares tumbled after Dell Inc. and Apple Computer Inc. issued huge recalls of defective laptop batteries made by one of Sony's subsidiaries, Sony Energy Devices Corp.

Kutaragi said other preparation work on the machine was going smoothly, including the "cell" next-generation computer chip. Mass production of the machine is set to start end of September, he said.

Although Sony had initially counted on shipping 4 million PlayStation 3 machines worldwide by the end of the year, that will likely fall to 2 million, he said.

The exact European sales date will be announced later, but it will likely be in the early part of March, he said.

Blu-ray disc is the next-generation video format for the latest DVD recorders and players, but also an essential part of the PlayStation 3.

[insane_cobra]

He he, UK:Resistance outdid themselves.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

LMAO!!! Hoodwinks. Heh heh.

[Crunchy in milk]

I'm sure I read in a couple of places the number of first round release units is around 500,000. World wide. Thats awfully low even for just a North America and Japan release.

Truly this is upsetting news since it means its that much longer before the first price drop on the 360.

[insane_cobra]

Not if you live in Japan.

[SoccerDude28]

Sony are really screwing themselves over. I can't defend them anymore, because they have only themselves to blame for the total screw up of the PS3 release.

[Spiwak]

Whoah. Soccerdude28 discrediting Sony. You heard it here first, guys!

Can't argue though; Sony is truly screwing up more and more, PR-wise.