Console wars III: Sony sets launch date for next-generation PlayStation

COMPUTER game console giants Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo are on the verge of a consumer war as bloodthirsty as any of their all-action games.

Sony yesterday unveiled the latest version of its best-selling PlayStation console — and the wonder machine is due to hit Ireland’s computer games-mad market in November.

Sony’s PlayStation 3 is set to go head-to-head this Christmas with rival consoles such as Microsoft’s Xbox 360, which has been out for six months, and Nintendo’s forthcoming Wii games machine.