Sony: Pay More Get Less!

Europeans are first hit with having the long promised simultaneous PS3 launch promises broken, then salt is rubbed in the wound as execs say consumers don't care and will buy it in droves anyway. Oh and it will cost more than in any of the other major territories, even more so in the UK (note that this isn't due to VAT as most electronics companies apply a flat 20% throughout the continent to cover the tax variations). But it's okay, the launch is promised to happen in March (only a year later than previous estimates) and the super duper high end model will be (the only one) available. This last point actually makes sense as the gimped version is really a poor product and consumers have backed this view up with their wallets.

So what happens mere weeks from the launch. This does. That's right, Europe will be receiving a new but not necessarily improved revision of the PS3. Analysts talk of the benefits for the long term and indeed, reducing the manufacturing costs throughout a console's lifecycle is essential to bring costs down and help increase ownership. It's the norm within the industry to use better more efficient chip-fabrication and manufacturing techniques and pass on the savings. But here there is no cost benefit to the consumer, quite the reverse. And a decrease in functionality. But that's okay, Europeans don't care do they.

Update: According to Toms Hardware there is going to be some cut back in motion sensing technology too. What exactly this means I'm not sure as the Sixaxis is stated to be included in the official press release. Perhaps earlier revisions of the PS3 had laptop-like tech used to determine if the console has been moved/dropped and it is this that is being removed. Or Toms just has it's wires crossed.