Register Hardware

Original URL: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/02/21/80gb_ps3_us_website/

Missing: 80GB PS3. Last seen: Sony's website

By James Sherwood
Published Thursday 21st February 2008 10:52 GMT

The absence of the 80GB PlayStation 3 from Sony's US website is re-igniting rumours that the electronics giant could be about to replace the model with a larger capacity offering.

Sony_style_PS3

Both Sony US and UK websites offer just the 40GB PS3

Eagle-eyed customers have noticed that Sony’s US website (http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10551&langId=-1&categoryId=6148914691233368166), along with its UK alternative, only offer the 40GB PS3 to gamers, which is currently priced at £300(€345/$600) over here. Although absence of the 80GB model on the US site is not hard evidence of a replacement, its disappearance is nothing less than strange. Has Sony sold out? Is there a glitch in the US website's HTML?

Several online reports have already begun drawing parallels between the 80GB model’s disappearance in the US and recent rumours (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/01/29/ps3_capacity_rumours/) that Sony has etched plans to replace it with either a 120GB or 160GB alternative. Any new capacity model is also thought to include the DualShock 3 controller, which features a dual-rumble facility.

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has already denied (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/01/30/sony_denies_ps3_storage_rumours/) that any such changes will be taking place in the UK. A SCEE spokeswoman told Register Hardware last month that it “has no plans to bring either a 120GB or a 160GB PS3 into the UK”. Although, technically, that doesn’t rule out a possible US unveiling of a larger capacity PS3.

It’s also been suggested that gamers may be treated to the anticipated PS3 TV tuner, dubbed PlayTV, alongside any unveiling of a 120GB or 160GB capacity console. Sony has previously confirmed that PlayTV, which contains two tuners to allow the PS3 to operate as a full digital video recorder, is scheduled for an early 2008 launch.