Sony unveils a slimmer, smaller PlayStation
The announcement from the Japanese electronics and entertainment firm came a day ahead of the annual Tokyo Game Show, where gamemakers show their wares.
The timing also coincides with tomorrow’s launch of the iPhone 5, which is drawing long queues at some retailers.
The new PlayStation 3, closer to the size of a laptop, is half the size of the original 2006 model.
It also offers more hard-drive memory at 500GB and 250GB, up from the current 320GB and 160GB options.
European regions have two types of Super Slim confirmed for Sept 28, one slung with the 500GB drive and a copy of game FIFA 13 (€299), and the other containing a minimal 12GB of flash memory (€229), comparable to the most basic Xbox 360 unit at €199.
The global rollout starts in North America on Sept 25.
Tokyo-based Sony is struggling as its other electronics businesses get battered by competition from Apple iPhone models as well as by cheaper Asian rivals.
The maker of Bravia TVs and Walkman portable music players posted its worst loss in its 66-year history for the fiscal year ending in March — its fourth straight year of red ink.
Sony is banking on games to help steer a turnaround. Company president Kazuo Hirai has shaped much of his career by leading the game division.
To woo consumers, Sony is slashing the price on its PlayStation Portable, or PSP, mobile device as it increasingly moves on to focus on its upgraded PlayStation Vita, which went on sale last year.
Sony plans to expand entertainment based on cloud computing, which offers storage and other computer services over the network, after recently acquiring Gaikai, a US game company.
The PlayStation Vita will not be getting any upgrades yet, but it will be available in new colours — blue and red — in addition to white and black, but only in Japan.
Speculation is buzzing about a PlayStation 4, possibly before the end of next year, but officials have not confirmed it.
The PS Vita, which has a touch panel, allows users to live-stream video and works as an electronic book function for colourful comics, according to Sony.
The company has already slashed its PS Vita sales target for this fiscal year through to Mar 2013 to 12m units, down from 16m given three months earlier.
In lowering the target, Sony pointed to the economic slowdown — especially in Europe.
