PlayStation 3 Launch Date

The Answer?

Merrill Lynch has suggested that the PlayStation 3 won't be hitting store shelves until next year. However, Sony is denying those reports, being quoted in Bloomberg Asia as saying that "there is no change in our original plans to release the console in spring 2006." At the same time, word is that the company is still awaiting approval by industry consortiums regarding the PS3's "final specifications." According to an unnamed spokesman for the electronics giant, as quoted in the BBC News, "the launch could be pushed back if [the specifications are] not decided soon."

Back Then

When the Sony PlayStation hit the market, it was an instant sensation and far outsold its main competitor, the Nintendo 64. Sony kept a good thing going with the current PlayStation 2, achieving great success despite some pretty stiff competition from Microsoft in the form of the Xbox, and from Nintendo in the form of the GameCube.

Ramifications

The Xbox 360 is the only currently available "next-generation" machine right now, but with the Nintendo Revolution not far off, the competition will quickly become quite fierce. If Sony does in fact not release the Sony PlayStation 3 until next year, it could find itself at a significant disadvantage, especially if the Xbox 360 and Revolution establish powerful presences in the marketplace.

More Information

So, we're either looking at a Spring 2006 launch... or not. Industry pundits have long predicted that Sony will not achieve this target, but hey, it's still pretty up in the air. Keep your eyes peeled to this space for more information as the news develops.

UPDATE March 15, 2006 - Delayed Until November

Sony issued a press release earlier today, confirming that the PS3 is being delayed until November 2006. When the system actually does become available, it will launch simultaneously in North America, Europe, and Japan. The company plans on having one million units shipped each month.

Other updates include talks that the PS3 will read dual-layer Blu-Ray discs (50 gigabytes of storage), and will feature a Gigabit Ethernet adapter.