Business is brisk for Playstation 3

Sales of the new PlayStation 3 will be a “slow burner” but will probably prove successful in the long term, a leading high street retailer predicted today.

The long awaited console hit the shops yesterday months after its scheduled European launch and without the boost of pre Christmas shoppers hunting for gifts.

However, sales of the PS3 were described today as “brisk” by Currys and PC World while a spokesman for HMV said it would take a few weeks to get a full picture of how popular the machines were.

HMV spokesman Gennaro Castaldo said: “Dedicated gamers rushed out to buy it but other people are more comfortable waiting a few days and weeks before buying one. Sales have been holding up very well.

“The launch has been pretty much in line with expectation given it was a post Christmas launch and the price was a little high compared to other consoles.

“We need to see this over the long term and judge sales over the coming weeks.”

Mr Castaldo predicted the new console would eventually prove just as successful as previous machines from Sony.

The PS3 has gone head-to-head with Nintendo’s hugely successful Wii and Microsoft’s Xbox 360.

Before the launch, experts said the PS3’s £425 (€627) price tag – around £120 (€177) more than its US retail price – could limit initial demand.

Die-hard fans attended the console’s official UK launch at midnight yesterday in the Virgin Megastore on London’s Oxford Street.

Since then dozens of PS3s have appeared on eBay with many being offered above the £425 retail price.

A spokesman for Currys and PC World said: “Sales have been brisk. We have been encouraged by the reaction.

“On the day it launched we had anecdotal evidence that there were queues outside many of our stores across the country.

“What we don’t have is a pre Christmas shortage. There’s stock in our stores and sales have been very encouraging.”

Sony spokesman Jonathan Fargher said yesterday 220,000 of the consoles had been shipped to the UK.

He added “This is by far and away the largest stock allocation for any console launch there has ever been in the UK,” he said.

The PS3’s European debut was pushed back by four months due to manufacturing problems with its integrated player for Blu-ray discs – the high-definition replacement for DVDs.

The console is designed to be a complete home entertainment system.

It plays PlayStation games, Blu-ray discs, allows users to go online, and is compatible with digital cameras and MP3 players.