Original URL: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/10/06/europe_40gb_ps3_confirmed/
Confirming numerous (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/10/03/italian_website_names_ps3_price/) reports (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/10/03/sony_40gb_ps3_console/) of a cheaper Playstation 3 hitting UK shores, Sony announced on Friday it will sell a baseline 40GB version of its console in Europe beginning 19 October for €399.
The reduced price, however, will come at the cost of a few features: the console will not include the multi-memory port and has two USB ports instead of four. Most notably, the system won't sport any backwards compatibility with PlayStation 2 games.
Sony said the latter feature was cut because of "reduced emphasis placed on this feature amongst later purchasers of PS3".
This is a wild guess, but it might have something to do with money too.
The price of existing 60GB PS3s will be reduced to €499 and "remain on sale until stocks run out", according to Nick Sharples of Sony Europe.
The new model and reduced prices will also make their way to Australia, the Middle East and Africa. Still no word on if price drops or new models will make their way to the colonies in time for the holidays.
Sony reaffirms IBM as 45nm Cell partner (19 October 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/10/19/sony_ibm_45nm/
Sony slashes US 80GB PS3 price by $100 (18 October 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/10/18/sony_ps3_changes/
Sony talks up PS3 update (15 October 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/10/15/sony_ps3_bluray_firmware_interactive/
Korea IPTV deal recasts Sony PS3 as set-top box (11 October 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/10/11/sony_ps3_is_settop_box/
Manhunt 2 banned by UK censor - again (9 October 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/10/09/manhunt_2_bbfc_ban/
Sony to cut Japanese PS3 prices (9 October 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/10/09/sony_ps3_japan/
Church slams cathedral gun battle game's Bafta nomination (8 October 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/10/08/rfom_bafta_ps3/
Italian website names 40GB PS3 price (3 October 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/10/03/italian_website_names_ps3_price/
Sony's 40GB PS3 due 28 October? (3 October 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/10/03/sony_40gb_ps3_console/
Hint of next PS3 spied on web (27 September 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/09/27/new_ps3_coming/
Sony poo-poos £299 PS3 claims (25 September 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/09/25/sony_poo-poos_cheap_ps3/