PS3 to debut outside Japan?

Speaking in an interview with the US network CNBC, Kaz Hirai, head honcho at Sony Computer Entertainment America said that they “haven’t determined which territory we will go with first this time around just yet. We will have to look at development and how things are coming along in terms of manufacture and all the other logistical things to determine which territory or multiple territories go first.”

This has sparked rumours that Sony are aiming for a simultaneous worldwide release, which would do wonders to appease the European market, who have traditionally drawn the short straw when it comes to technology launch dates (most recently Sony’s other big piece of gaming kit, the PSP, which has seen a release in all major territories, except Europe, where we won’t see it until this September), aswell as going some way to steal Microsoft’s thunder, who are also planning a worldwide release of their upcoming Xbox 360 in time for the 2005 Christmas rush.

Hirai was keen to point out that Microsoft’s head-start in the console war will not be a problem for Sony, who have dominated the last two generations of console sales, and clearly hope to continue this trend with the PS3. “It is not being first in marketing, it is being able to provide a content palette that is going to grow the business,” he said. “We have had a leadership position in the past 10 years and come up against a different variety of companies. With the content support that we are getting from all of our third-party publishing partners, and the technology we pack into PlayStation 3, I’m confident we will keep that position another 10 years.”

As always, keep reading Pro-G for more news on the PS3, as and when it emerges.