# PS3 European launch Date set?



## Lenny (Jan 16, 2007)

First of all, I'm posting this because it's the best news I've heard, and probably many other PS3 fans will hear, about the mythical console's release date in Europe.

I'm not posting this to have arguments over the PS3, 360 or Wii.
I'm not posting this so fanboys can jump in and starting touting their preferred console over the other.

I'm simply posting this as a matter of interest.

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The news of a European launch date in March for the PS3 has been floating around the internet for a while.

Analysts have predicted a number of dates.

These dates range from the 3rd or 7th of March, right through to the end of March and the end of Sony's fiscal year ( a point by which they hope to have shipped, not sold, shipped, 6 million consoles).

After news that Sony have reached their target of 2 million consoles shipped by the end of 2006 (they were two weeks out), rumours have been spreading about the supposed release date of the PS3. And there's evidence that it has finally been set.

IGN ad GamesIndustry.biz both have sources that claim it's the same date, and a European advertising agency has also given the date as the same date that Sony's advertising campaign finally begins.

Three sources:

IGN: Insiders Tout March 23 UK PS3 Launch
March 23 launch date likely for PS3 // GamesIndustry.biz
http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news/news.phtml/6246/7270/sony-ps3-launch-maybe-23March.phtml

Make your own mind up as to whether the date is the correct one.

I'm goign to wait for at least a fortnight before I decide for sure - Sony are said to be making an announcement within a fortnight in regards to the release date.

In any case, when March 23rd rolls around, my bank account is going to be empty.


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## Winters_Sorrow (Jan 16, 2007)

It was originally supposed to be early March (7th sounds about right) but _another_ delay wouldn't surprise me.


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## Lenny (Jan 16, 2007)

I don't think they actually did set a date for early March, just March.

If they did, then I must've missed a few days of life or something. It's not like me to not pick up on PS3 news.

Apparently Sony've overcome their Blu-Ray Diode problems, too. I don't suppose anyone actually has news confirming that?


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## sanityassassin (Jan 16, 2007)

The sad thing is that I would not hold my breath for it I would not be surprised if another delay creeps in


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## Lenny (Jan 16, 2007)

If another delay creeps in then Sony are screwed. They'll lose millions of fans. They'll never get their predicted 6million shipped. Their stocks will start to fall, people will lose faith in them, and they'll fail as a company.

Which is why it's in their best interest to bring it out on time in Europe, with the games we've been waiting for. Or so help them God.


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## Rane Longfox (Jan 16, 2007)

Aha, I've got two whole months to find something incredably valuable to patent or sell so I can afford one


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## Lenny (Jan 16, 2007)

Got any brothers or sisters? Or a bit of your student loan left?


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## Winters_Sorrow (Jan 17, 2007)

Lenny said:


> If another delay creeps in then Sony are screwed. They'll lose millions of fans. They'll never get their predicted 6million shipped. Their stocks will start to fall, people will lose faith in them, and they'll fail as a company.


 
I'd love to believe you but the Sony brand is still pretty damn big. As with anything else, the PS3 will prosper or fail on it's games. It needs lots of them & it needs lots of good ones. Either way it won't dominate the way the PS2 did, but that's not necessarily a bad thing for gamers.
The Xbox360's main selling point appears to be multiplayer online gaming, which is nice and all that, but give me a decent single-player game with a decent story any day of the week.


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## Rane Longfox (Jan 17, 2007)

I still owe my sister a car, unfortunately. Though I suppose I culd sell her on eBay anyway...


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## Lenny (Jan 19, 2007)

A few of you will probably have read "Sir" Howard Stringer's _*horrific*_ mistake in a recent interview. The fool said that Sony was looking forward to its European launch of the PS3 in... *April*?!

You wouldn't believe the blistering speed with which a Sony spokesperson debunked this, saying that Stringer actually meant to say "this Spring". I was ready to turn into a feral killing-machine, until I read the second report.

And then I read a Gamespot report on the whole incident. And this really did have me jumping up out of my computer chair, and running around my room whooping and waving my hands in the air. Gave my cats a fright and a half, I can tell you.

Anyway, this Gamespot report... 

_In response blah blah blah Stringers claims of April blah blah blah "this spring" blah blah blah_

...then, right at the end of the report, came this absolute gem of a sentence. A beauty. A testament to the existence of a God (which, sadly, still didn't turn me that way):



> The spokesperson added that a specific date and pricing would be announced at the beginning of next week.


 
BAYBEY!

Sony: Europe PS3 still set for March - News at GameSpot

Buy the car, sell both car and sister, sell the parents, rent the shed to some shifty looking people, who cares what you have to do. Come the end of next week Amazon, Play.com, Gameplay, Game, GameShack or whatever they're all called, will probably be taking pre-orders (for only the 60gber, too. The 20gb won't be making an appearance until some time after launch... apparently).


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## Jason_Taverner (Jan 20, 2007)

I was going to get one in Nov at the first date of release, now my big problem is do I wait to march and see if the 360 drops to a even better price and join the darkside, or do I hold out for PS3


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## Rane Longfox (Jan 20, 2007)

The problem with the 360 (which I do have, to my eternal shame) is that it's really REALLY noisy. Annoyingly so


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## Lenny (Jan 20, 2007)

It's not too shameful to own a 360. If someone told me I could have one for free or if, say, I had a loyalty card with enough points, I'd get one. But unless that chance came up, I wouldn't spend money on one.

And I won't ever get one - any 360 game that I might play is slated to be coming to the PS3; Lost Planet, Bioshock, Two Worlds.


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## Rane Longfox (Jan 20, 2007)

*puts sister up for sale on eBay*


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## Lucien21 (Jan 20, 2007)

Choice between PS3 and 360.

I'd choose the 360 any day. It's fantastic.

All the best games are on it.

PS3 soesn't look that exciting a launch with only Resistance standing out and it is nothing but a bog standard FPS.


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## Lenny (Jan 20, 2007)

At least you've pointed out that the PS3 IS at launch stage... not like every single critic online saying "Oh the PS3, it's come out... overhyped... awful graphics... you call those games?... more like offline... where is this power they speak of?"

The European launch is getting to be a whole lot better than the American and Japanese ones were, gamewise.

We've got all the games the Americans had, and then some. Things like Motorstorm, Oblivion (with the extra content), Splinter Cell: Double Agent (with an exclusive female character, Sam Fisher gets some female help | PlayStation Universe (PSU)), I think Lair, too.

And then later on in the year there's MGS4 (which Kojima has announced WILL be released this year, Kojima reveals more MGS4 | PlayStation Universe (PSU)) FFXIII (maybe Versus as well), Assassin's Creed, Warhawk, Heavenly Sword, Enchanted Arms.


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