Sony unveils new, slimmer PlayStation 3 console, cuts prices

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Sony Computer Entertainment Inc on Wednesday unveiled a new PlayStation 3 game console that is slimmer and lighter than the current model and will hit the global markets in September at significantly lower prices. The new PS3, available in Japan and other Asian regions from Sept 3, will be priced at 29,980 yen, down 10,000 yen from the current model, and will house a 120-gigabyte hard drive, up from the current 80 GB.

Through the price cuts, Sony Corp hopes to counter rivals with cheaper game consoles such as Nintendo Co’s Wii, priced at 25,000 yen, and Microsoft Corp’s Xbox 360, starting at 19,800 yen, ahead of the crucial holiday season.

The new console will be available in the United States and Europe on Sept 1 for $299 and 299 euros, down $100 and 100 euros, respectively, from the current model.

SCE also cut the prices for the current PS3 model in North America and Europe by $100 and 100 euros, respectively, but kept intact the prices in Japanese and other Asian markets, citing market developments.

The company has already ended production of the current model so it hopes to replace it with the new model as soon as possible.

The updated PS3 is 33 millimeters slimmer at 65 mm and about 1.2 kilograms lighter at 3.2 kg.

In addition to playing games, users of the new PS3 can download more songs, images and moving pictures due to the larger storage room of the hard drive. By connecting the console to Sony liquid crystal display televisions, it can be operated with the TV remote control.