No 80GB PS3 for Europe

Koreans pay less for more storage - but it still falls short of the Xbox Elite's 120GB

South Korea is to get the first 80GB Playstation 3 consoles but they will not be coming to Europe.

There have been rumours floating around for a few months about an 80GB PS3 that would replace the 60GB version, thanks largely to Microsoft unveiling the Xbox 360 Elite, which launched in the US last month with a massive 120GB hard disk drive and HDMI connectivity.

The 80GB PS3 appeared on the Sony Korea website yesterday and will be the only version to go on sale in South Korea. Neither the 20GB, which has been largely killed off already, nor the 60GB version will be offered there. The 80GB model will cost £281, a long way from the £400+ UK gamers have to pay for the 60GB model.

A spokesperson for Sony confirmed to GamesIndustry.biz: “At this moment in time, there are no plans to introduce the 80GB version of Playstation 3 in Europe.”

Despite the initial flurry of activity for the PS3, sales have been steady but not spectacular. Many believe it is only a matter of time before Sony has to replace the 60GB version worldwide with an 80GB, or larger, model to compete with the Xbox 360 Elite.