According to the Herald Tribune Sony's U.S. and Japan PlayStation 3 launch will be a modest affair with a total of 500,000 units for both territories.
The newspaper reports that although Sony has vowed to deliver the 6 million units it promised by March 2007, it will have to reduce the launch quantities dramatically. The U.S. is likely to see 400,000 units by 17 November, 2006 while Japan will have to make do with 100,000 on 11 November. If he story is correct, Sony is taking a risk and may alienate its home fans who will have to queue for hours and against the odds in order to get their hands on a PS3 console.
The shortages are a result of a production problem involving the Blu-Ray component of the PS3. Sony's Ken Kutaragi said, We decided to focus on the Japanese and U.S. markets, I am so sorry not to be able to answer to all the expectations.
Mr. Kutaragi also made it clear that Sony will not make its initial 4 million units by the end of 2006 target. Instead, he commented, the number of units shipped in 2006 is likely to fall to 2 million.
Mr. Kutaragi refused to reveal the exact European launch date for PS3, stating that it is likely to be in early March.
