PlayStation 3 delayed in Europe and Oz until 2007

PS3 News | PAL launches officially delayed.

The official PlayStation 3 site in the UK has confirmed that the PS3 has been delayed in PAL regions including Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Australasia until March 2007. The system will launch as planned in November in North America and Japan. Sony claims the reason is because there has been a delay in the production of blue laser diodes, part of the PlayStation 3's Blu-ray disk drive.

If you're thinking of importing, then the games will (allegedly) be region-free, but the Blu-ray movies will be region coded. This news comes only weeks after Sony Australia assured us everything was on track. The official date for PAL regions has yet to be determined.

We'll have more information on this as soon as possible. Please feel free to post your comments in our forums - we're sure there's bound to be a lot of disappointed readers. Nintendo will be releasing the date that the Wii will be available in a few weeks. Here's hoping it isn't the same situation with the Wii.

Related Content

LGC 07: PlayTV unveiled for the PlayStation 3
23 Aug, 2007 Making the PlayStation 3 your media centre.

LGC 2007: Hub
22 Aug, 2007 Catch up with everything happening at Leipzig.

PS3 to come without HDMI cables
04 Sep, 2006 Because the console doesn't cost enough already.

PagePrevious 1 2 345 6 Next

125 Comments

Luke

5 years ago

that's what a week and a half away? Plus the DOWNSIDE to that is the fact that there would be no pre release marketing, like the Saturn where one day Sega just said "it's out" though Apple do it rather successfully.

@ Sonic, - KillZONE perhaps?

sonicwired

5 years ago

That wasn't quite what I was implying Luke.

mqphu1

5 years ago

1) I don't care about the delay because i've decided to import one.

I am blaming on the PS2's softwares because they are doing SO WELL in PAL regions.

2) For N fanboys hoping to get the Wii this Xmas, the chances are very thin.
Why would N release the Wii when the DS is still NEW and doing really WELL here?
- Marketing suicide if they do release the Wii world wide (overshadow the DS lite promotions).

IMO, N will release the Wii in mid JANUARY in Australia (2 months after JAPAN/US) .
N is nice but those investors are greedy too. They want to sell more DS lite this Xmas.

Sin Ogaris

5 years ago

Audax wrote

It's just that every time you convince yourself you need this thing, there is one more negetive report. I may be able to wait until TGS before totally giving up but there better not be any more surprises.

I think the problem arose when you went to the trouble of convincing yourself you NEEDED (the key word here being need, not want) a gaming console. Now, i could be wrong but in the grand scheme of things I'm pretty sure that's going to be pretty far down on the list of needs for anyone.

Edit for the above post: I'm pretty sure the DS and the Wii are in no way in competition with one another, just like the PSP and the PS3 (funnily enough much the same timeframe between the release of these two and Nintendo's latest offerings in both markets) don't compete for market share. You already knew this however, and just wanted someone to get antsy with you, well I see through your little tricks and decide to reply in this, relatively civilised manner. Good day to you and a good 'morrow too.

Luke

5 years ago

sonicwired wrote

That wasn't quite what I was implying Luke.

I'm tired

Audax

5 years ago

Sin, I may have overstated by saying "needed", but it doesn't really change the general reasoning for my disappointment. Besides, it get a bit hard to justify to loved ones spending $1000 plus on just "a gaming console" you just "want".

Cro

5 years ago

Audax wrote

. Besides, it get a bit hard to justify to loved ones spending $1000 plus on just "a gaming console" you just "want".

I had always believed you bought things either because you wanted to or needed to.....

David

5 years ago

Luke wrote

True actually. I hadn't realised how soon TGS was, so that theory is probably dead.

Humour me though:

TGS is in two weeks, and in one week there's the Nintendo conference where they'll presumably reveal all. That would give them 1 week notice in Japan, and I'd be working on the assumption that it would still be late November in the US.

The Saturn was a bit different. It was actually already out in Japan, and the announcement at E3 that it was 'out now' was problematic. First, it wasthe US, not Japan, and the Saturn 'out now' for $400 - a full $100 more then Sony had just announced the Playstation would be. Second, there was NO software - a bad port of VF1 and Clockwork Knight. Third, Sega had already created a bad taste with the Mega CD and 32X recently. And Finally, it was only available in a few select stores.

In Japan, the Wii will be riding on the coat-tails of the most successful platform of all time in the reigon, will be affordable, and will have a Dragon Quest game.

Still probably not going to happen now though, oh well.

Jellyfish

5 years ago

David wrote

The theory is that Nintendo will release the Wii in Japan a few days before TGS. It's estimated that 80% of the Japanese market is DS right now, so if that carries to the home console, then no-one will turn up to TGS, they'll all be in line for a Wii instead, not to mention the world's journalists itching t0o leave boring press conferences to get home and play with their new toy. Thus Sony's last chance at thunder muffled.

That would be so awesome if they did that. I would pay money for a video of the Sony Exec's faces when they hear it

Audax

5 years ago

the_cro, you're very philosophical for this hour of the night

obviously not married though? I have to convince the missus that we need stuff like this so I can buy it guilt free..er.

Joseph

5 years ago

I don't know what more funnier, that the PS3 has stock shortages for its launch in the US and Japan or that it won't be released here until March 2007, ONE YEAR after the Xbox 360 launch.

This is Nintendo's chance to really get some $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ ahead of Sony too. I would be surprised if the Wii isn't released in PAL regions this year.

Hmm, by the looks of things, Sony is about to enter the same mistake the GCN and Xbox made in PAL regions... launching at a time when the games market is slow with new releases. Although, now that E3 is bye bye, this could change. Xbox 360 had the same downfall in Australia, but it was still the first next-gen console and had time to recover. I see xbox 360 comps everywhere now. Also Australia is a small market compared to others.

wobbler

5 years ago

Just goes to show once again that brand loyalty is only for the gulible as no brands are loyal to consumers.

NismoR34

5 years ago

News didn't surprise me really. It's unfortunate but then, who was going to be able to afford one of the damn things by November anyway? (unless you had a disposable income that is)

Meh, it will get here when it gets here. To me the PS3 hasn't ever really felt 'real' (for lack of a better term) anyway. All this talk about the CELL and so on, plus the lack of information overall about the thing and of course the weird design the console has - none of it has seemed like a reality. YET.

So yeah, a meh from me. For now.

MrAndyPuppy

5 years ago

Funny how everyone is assuming Nintendo will still hit a date of this year even though they STILL Haven't come out on record to say when and where it will be released.

If they ARE having production problems with the remote like previously rumoured, they now have a nice big 4-5 month gap for Aus/Europe they can use.

Klawrence

5 years ago

sonicwired wrote

Luke wrote

Sony need a killer TGS.. I'm sure they'll deliver.

I'm sure that the word kill will somehow be involved.

Killzone 3?

wat ever happend to that game.

if the "Nintendo theory" David
proposed comes true, i think we will see Nintendo own japan in term of market share for at least the next 2/3 years......we all know the value of a good start in th video game industry, and hopefully Nintendo has learned this too.

EDITEDITEDITEDITEDITEDITEDITEDITEDITEDITEDITEDITEDIT
for the record Nintendo has stated that the production issues are rumour, plus nintendo has even made an official stattement about the PS3 launch right here.

Nintendo wrote

Wii is on track to ship in Q4, Nintendo plans to ship 6 million systems to retailers around the world between its launch in the fourth quarter of 2006 and the end of its fiscal year on March 31, 2007.

http://gonintendo.com/?p=5365

5 years ago

This is probably a good thing. I personally would not like to spend $1000 + $300 in game & some accessories on a console only to find out it has serious problems. Better to wait a full 18 months until the PS3 is in its third or fourth revision.

Considering that only ten days ago the clock speed of the RSX GPU spec was reduced. NVidia GPU design is fairly mature so most people in the technical communities seem to be pointing the finger (again) at the Cell Processor. My biggest concern is Blu-ray drive. I really do not believe they have perfected this properly and cant afford to accept more Sony mistakes or quality issues.

I believe that it is fair that Sony should offer 3 Year factory warranty with next day replacement from a Sony center or authorised service agent. They need to reserve stock for warranty claims.

If Sony say it's ready - I should not have to accept their word for it - Sony needs to guarantee reliability this time.

Gamesta

5 years ago

MrAndyPuppy wrote

The rumours about the production problems is a load of bull.

jameseybuddy

5 years ago

Oh my god!!. Hasn't that given the 360 a huge head start! A whole Chrissy season for peple to splash out on XBox next gen goodies. Is the Wii still making an end of year appearance?

I hope so, then they get to reap the rewards of a head start too. Why does the PS2 have such a huge base?? Because they got a huge head start. The PS3 would haave to be something extremely special to convert this former Sony Fanboy.

ugh the boot

5 years ago

Awesome! Like I said in a post yesterday...I don't think i'd be really guaranteed one even if I preordered it this year aswell as obvious teething issues with new consoles.

I'm glad another country gets to test the units out...so we might get one that's a little more refined.

This is good news for me as I barely have time to play my 360 let alone a Wii and a Ps3 along with it. Also by the March release we might have a few more good launch games.

It's no different to what Microsoft did.

Also March is my birthday...and I love getting a new console for my birthday!

LeonJ

5 years ago

Yeah, I'm with Ugh, I'm actually glad Sony took away the temptation. happy to sit back and enjoy some 360 and Wii goodness till March, and see how the PS3 shapes out.

Plus side, Sony should of sorted out it's online service a bit more then at least.

realitybites

5 years ago

It was bound to happen when only last month Sony were still receiving motherboards from various suppliers.

IMO I think it will help MS more than Nintendo especially in Australia.

Nintendo's name is "mud" in the Australian home console market. There is a reason why it only sold 160,000 GC consoles in Australia.

I'm not convinced the Australian console public will take the Wii controller seriously enough. The PS2 has a bunch of add-on peripherals already which make gaming exciting for them today (Singstar, Guitar Hero, Buzz, Eyetoy, Guncon, Dance Mats). So where is the incentive?

Wii is not Hi Def it will look out of place when the other console display kiosks are nearby. Hmmm let me see Gears of War vs. Zelda?

I could be wrong but I think you will see more Xbox 360s sold in the PS3's place this Xmas. But it won't be enough to dent PS3's dominance over time.

Personally I wasn't planning on buying a PS3 until Xmas 2007 or even 2008. Its too expensive.

Se7en

5 years ago

Now budgets can be altered to include:
PS2 - MGS3S, DMC3SE, Okami, Rule Of Rose, Guitar Hero 2, FFXII
AV - a quality 1080p set (should one be made affordable), 7.1 surround

<insert relevant cliche here e.g. good things are worth waiting for>

Be wary boys Sony IS a thumb tease.

ZeroX

5 years ago

A delayed launch isn't the end of the world, however, once again it signals we PAL gamers don't mean too much to Sony, but whats new? Besides if there are manufacturing problems (admittedly) with the blue ray who here doesn't see the same thing happening as when ps2 launched (class action law suits against DREs). It is a shame that once again we aren't important enough for launch but what can you do (*shudders thinking about psp*). As for the Wii - sure people are excited (I personally can't wait to play Zelda and Metroid), but as people have mentioned PS2 rules here (and I'm speaking about Australia - sorry to those of you in Europe, though it may be the same (?)) There may be some truth in the rumour regarding the Wiimote (hope not!), which may delay Wii's launch. Sony won't loose to much ground over the holidays without PS3, it still has a stranglehold on us (me) with PS2 - I'll be playing FFXII (imported becuase of those crappy 50 Hz conversions (but thats for another whinge)) soon

Besides apart from us in the 18 + age group, can you see any parents buying a $1000 machine for their kids to break?

ugh the boot

5 years ago

Yea it gives us 360 owners a little bit of time to get aquainted with games like Gears of War, Eragon, Viva Pinata & Call of Duty 3 (oh man I really hope this comes out this year).

If Nintendo fail to launch the Wii this year aswell....then the 360 could be off to an awesome start and this isn't much of a problem imo as it's a great system and it seems to sit square in the middle when it comes to this 3 way-war...so it's got a nice balance of what consumers need (price, power etc).

Jim Dash

5 years ago

Plus the quality 360 titles coming out over our Summer.
I agree with the game plan some of youse have written for Nintendo. If they did that, they would gain a huge market share over Sony. And obviously make a lot of cash.

Everybody jumps ship, EVEN THOUGH we all saw this coming. Grow up.

PagePrevious 1 2 345 6 Next

View as forum topic

Add Comment