E3 2006: PS3 Date and Price Announced

[Minacious]

System to come in two configurations, will cost up to $599.
by Jeff Haynes

May 8, 2006 - In a last minute bombshell, Kaz Hirai announced the specific date and details of the PS3 launch. The PS3 will be arranged in two separate system configurations: a 20 and a 60 gigabyte hard drive system. What's more, Japan will see the PS3 first on November 11th, at a price for 59,800 yen for the 20 gigabyte system setup. The 60 gigabyte system will be open ended and set by retailers. North America, Europe and Australasia will see the system six days later on November 17th. The price? $499 dollars or 499 Euros for the 20 gig version, and $599 dollars or 599 Euros for the 60 gig version. In Canadian dollars, that will come to approximately $549 dollars for the 20 gig and $659 dollars for the 60 gig version.

Hirai also announced that Sony will try to get a grand total of six million units shipped by March 31, 2007, which is Sony's fiscal date: 2 million PS3s will be available during the initial launch window, another 2 million will be shipped before the end of 2006, and finally another 2 before March 31st.