Will Sony bring new PS3s to Europe?

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 6 July, 2010

"We will consider every possibility."

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe will "consider" bringing higher-capacity PlayStation 3s the company just announced for Japan to our shores.

A spokesperson told Eurogamer: "We will consider every possibility based on the market demands, but have nothing to announce at this point in time."

Overnight Sony announced that it will release new higher-capacity versions of the PlayStation 3 in Japan on 29th July. The new hard disk sizes are 160GB and 320GB and the 160GB version will also be sold in white, with matching DualShock 3 and console stand peripherals.

The 160GB PS3 will retail for 29,980 yen (£225 / €271), while the 320GB version will go for 34,980 yen (£262 / €316).

Sony also announced the Japanese PlayStation Move launch line-up.

Move is released in Japan on 21st October (15th September in Europe) and will be escorted to market by six games and a patch for Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition.

SCEE told Eurogamer that the European Move line-up is yet to be finalised, but details are due "soon".

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (31) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Sunyavadin #1 2 years ago

    I thought that to get a higher capacity PS3 you just shove a 2.5" drive in there?

    That's what everyone keeps touting as one of its features over the 360....

  • sonicyoda #2 2 years ago

    I still don't see the appeal in buying a new console just for the bigger hard drive. Just buy a bigger hard drive and install that. I'm rocking a 500gb phat PS3 and loving it. Sorted out my space issue and saved a load of cash.

  • spiritsnake #3 2 years ago

    so the 320gb is not in white according to the article???

  • FuzzyDuck #4 2 years ago

    Meh, do we really need more variations? If i recall they already had a 160Gb fat console that didn't really sell.

    @Sunyavadin
    True, but in my experience that's been a feature that Sony fanboys tout as opposed to Sony themselves.

    Also, white plastic = cheap looking.

    Edit - Hmm, getting negged a bit here. By fanboy i mean the blind zealot types, not people who enjoy/own the PS3 (it's my only current gen console and i love it. Just browsing EG before an afternoon of Demon's Souls).
    Edited by FuzzyDuck at 06/07/10 @ 15:36

  • Doctor_What #5 2 years ago

    I bunged a 250GB drive in mine and I've never upgraded my 20GB 360 (which has just died for the thrid time this week, two weeks after I last fixed it, the bloody thing). The HDs are really easy to upgrade, and yes, I do think that's a big selling point for the PS3... Which does make you wonder why they keep on releasing new versions. I guess the bigger HDs keep getting cheaper and easier to get hold of so Sony figures 'why not?'.

    As for Sony "considering all the options", what options are those? 'Yes' and 'no'?

  • Mnia786 #6 2 years ago

    The new 360 SKUs feature a bigger HDD so I expect this is Sony combating it. I think they also made some internal HW revisions so less noise and power use so a welcome change tbh. I reckon it may come to PAL territories to try and sway people from the 360 "Slim".

    edit: @voters: LMAO, negged because I said I reckon Sony may bring it here to try and compete with the new 360 slim? Sad c***s -.-
    Edited by Mnia786 at 06/07/10 @ 17:26

  • LHH #7 2 years ago

    would be better if scee bought better support to europe

  • NorUraeus #8 2 years ago

    Don't care to much about the HD size as it is cheap and simple to upgrade the HD, got 320GB myself currently in my original launch day '60GB' PS3, I do wish they released the white version here though.

  • Drpwnage #9 2 years ago

    This is most likely due to Sony changing HDD suppliers, with the replacement HDD offered with a higher capacity as equivalents for the same/less cost than current supplier. Expect the larger capacities to become standard as 120gb/250gb drives are used up.

  • GamesConnoisseur #10 2 years ago

    As other says, easy just to upgrade internal drive yourself, I upgraded my B/C 60 gb FAT PS3 to 250 gb just mere weeks after getting launch era PS3 and never had the spaces issues since!

    Why get new PS3? Unless there are market for people who are too afraid to do a very simple DIY job?

  • jefranklin18 #11 2 years ago

    Anyone with an existing PS3 will be well-advised to follow the (incredibly easy) upgrade approach. I upgraded my 40GB to 320GB, and it really couldn't have been any easier. All saves, downloads, etc come across with no issues whatsoever.

    A white PS3 could look very good in the front room though, although I doubt the Mrs will agree :(

  • Dylbot #12 2 years ago

    White ones please, Sony. I've managed to get the missus interested in the PS3 with LittleBigPlanet, the white console will seal the deal.

  • Der_tolle_Emil #13 2 years ago

    I'm sure most of the upgrades are because the smaller drives don't get produced anymore. The later revisions of the 360 also had double the amount of internal flash memory because getting the higher capacity chips was cheaper than the originally used smaller ones. Mass production = cheaper price.

    Sony saves more money by selling bigger drives.

  • witchdrash #14 2 years ago

    I still think this is just to appear competitive, and possibly because it would be more expensive to fit smaller harddrives, as technology moves on.

    For the average consumer if their PS3 comes with 60gb as standard they wont have any idea how to switch it, and the idea of switching it is probably terrifying. Also if they see the PS3 coming with a 60gb and the 360 coming with a 120gb they will naturally assume Sony are screwing them, not that you can be a 1 tb drive in there for an extra £70

  • KayJay #15 2 years ago

    Just thinking.
    If we get a white console and white Dualshock then I would expect White Move controllers to follow...

    WiiHD anyone :-)

  • chessboxer #16 2 years ago

    Why are (some) people complaining that Sony are offering larger HDD sizes for the same price as existing models? Surely it's better for consumers who are thinking about getting a PS3. Where were the complaints when the new 360 Short was announced that it came with a 250GB HDD for the same price as the 120GB Elite?

    @ witchdrash

    Actually the largest HDD you can put in a PS3 at this point in time is 640GB (~ £62 or less). The 750GB and 1TB 2.5" SATA HDDs are 12.5mm thick, which cannot fit in a PS3.

  • Goodfella #17 2 years ago

    @designerheadache

    In that case they should want/know/care as it's almost as easy to change as a 360 hard drive. So much for getting the best out of your money in this economic 'crysis' we're in.

  • des #18 2 years ago

    [link url=http://i47.tinypic.com/2posf1l.jpg
    ]http://i47.tinypic.com/2posf1l.jpg
    [/link]

    "Vertical Stand sold separately"


    hahahahaha

  • Salty_Wagyu #19 2 years ago

    jefranklin18: How did you transfer everything across to the new drive when only 1 drive can be plugged in to the ps3? Did you have to use a PC and network transfer everything?

  • sonicyoda #20 2 years ago

    @Salty_Wagyu

    In the system settings, there's a feature to backup all your data to a memory stick. I used a 4gb stick to transfer my game saves, trophies and settings. I didn't transfer PSN games or installed game data as I knew I could just download/re-install all this on the new hard drive.

    You also need to go on Sony's official Playstation 3 site and download the latest system update and stick it in a folder on the memory stick called 'UPDATE'. Then swap the drives, bang the memory stick in with your backed up data and let the PS3 do the rest.

  • iWolf #21 2 years ago

    DO EET

  • FlipC #22 2 years ago

    I suppose it depends on whether Sony still have stock of the smaller hard drives they want to off-load to Europe first, otherwise they'd be mad not to offer the higher capacity versions. As mentioned here, big whoop they're swapping the hard-drive something that's been made simple enough for the end-user to do themselves hardly a challenge for those building them from scratch.

    @Salty_Wagyu - If you want to transfer everything you need to do a Backup first to an external storage device and then do a Restore once the new drive is in and formatted. It really is easy, the only trouble I had was accidentally stripping that one screw.

  • KayJay #23 2 years ago

    Sunyavadin Wrote: "I thought that to get a higher capacity PS3 you just shove a 2.5" drive in there?

    That's what everyone keeps touting as one of its features over the 360...."

    Well yeah, if you already have a PS3 you cock end. If you havent got a PS3 then the bigger the drive the less likely you are going to need to replace it.

    Not sure quite why you are getting +10 for that stupid comment.

  • witchdrash #24 2 years ago

    @chessboxer learn something new everyday :) still 640gb isn't exactly bad

  • OwningXylophone #25 2 years ago

    Call me cyinical, but surely the main reason for increasing the HDD (both Sony & MS) is to avoid having to drop the consoles selling price by making it look like a better deal.

    *Example from Novatech* 120gb 2.5" HDD = £30, 320gb 2.5" HDD = £35, so the increase in disk space comes at negligable to no extra cost to the console manufacturer as I'm sure they are purchased at fixed contract pricing, but it allows them to release a new SKU at the old price point without looking tight to the consumer, a plan Sony obviously intend to follow here as there is a £40 price difference between the 160gb & 320gb models!

    So IMO, Sony can keep these new SKU's in Japan and we'll just keep our current selection at their slowly decreasing price points.
    Edited by OwningXylophone at 06/07/10 @ 18:11

  • berryl227 #26 2 years ago

    Not sure the argument "people don't know or care how to change the hard drive" holds any water as it's in written clearly in the bloody manual the ps3 comes with. As others have said it's dead easy to do. I think these larger drive variations are purely to appeal to new customers rather then old.

  • rarehobo #27 2 years ago

    I wish sony would hurry and release some different coloured controllers rather than bigger hdds, especially since hdd space has never been an issue with the ps3. where as distinguishing between my worn out original black controller and newer controller is getting tiresome, and what really grinds my gears is that the different colours are so hard to get imported.
    Edited by rarehobo at 06/07/10 @ 18:42

  • carrotcake #28 2 years ago

    New stuff will trickle down to NA and EU eventually I reckon. Great that they are offering white as a standard option now. They still need to do pink though, lost sales opportunity.

  • trubadman #29 2 years ago

    I want a 500gb white Slim with wireless n capabilities.

  • OnlyMe #30 2 years ago

    berryl227: this may come as a shock to you, but... people generally don't read manuals. But I know what you mean, it's very typical of "hardcore" gamers to assume that average joe is a stupid git. I hate this kind of elitist thinking among gamers.

  • chrisjm #31 2 years ago

    a red one would make me get a ps3.
    remember how many colours of n64 and controllers used to be available!