http://www.n4g.com/ClickOut.aspx?ObjID=247764

Roaming the streets of Glasgow (not the wisest thing to do) the other day, I came across a nice, friendly man from Sony’s PR lot in the middle of an anonymous multimedia store. In the midst of discussing Home, upcoming games and how long it was taking for the store’s PS3 to download Life With PlayStation (although we didn’t discuss why it would need the software, since it would be used in the store for gaming), he pipped up a little bit of information about Sony’s plans for the PS3 next year.

It seemed a little odd, but I figured it could be cool enough news to forward to all of you. Hit the jump for what he said!

According to this mysterious, mystical source - I’m trying to hype this up as much as I can - Sony have already started work on a slimline PS3. I know, I know: it’s perhaps just a little bit too early to start talking about such things. The Sony PR man assured me that this came from inside the company and that he was sure of what he was saying. Here’s the ‘facts’:

• The parts are already designed and ready to be manufactured
• The console could be out as early as Easter 2009
• It will retail for £200/$300

Chatting to Rothbart about this, he’d heard rumours of a price cut in spring 2009 and so these two rumours might just coincide with each other; maybe they’re the same thing. The fact that this rumour came from inside Sony is what’s got me pondering.

Still, you can’t escape the fact that it might just be too early for a slimline PS3. Sony only announced and released the slimmed-down PS2 4 years after the console originally launched. To have a console shrunken down, ready for production and prepared for release just 2 and a half years after the original launch (2 years if you live in SCEE territory) sounds a little premature.

All we know is, it’s a roomah. Sony might be making a slimline PS3 now, or they might not. I’ve sent an email off to Sony just in case. The least we can hope for is a ‘no comment’.

UPDATE: Since writing this article, I have indeed received a stern ‘no comment’ from SCEE. ‘We don’t comment on rumour or speculation’ was the exact wording, but I can’t see a denial in there anywhere. I think there could be some meat to this rumour: watch this space…

Well, keeping in mind this rumour is from N4G what do you think the chances are of it being true?

If it is true, could it be Sony's saviour

Discuss

i don't believe it one bit but honestly i hope its true. It could be awesome stuff for sony but for now count me a skeptic

mysterious mystical source = some delusional fanboy from parts unknown

this is a totally ridiculous rumor. absolutely ridiculous.

I think it's too early, but I hope it's true! I'll definitly buy a slim ps3 for my bedroom !

Hopefully... but that means I'll need to rush and buy the "bigass" console, because that's what I always do.

Well, i'l be the odd one out and predict this is going to be true.
Don't ask me why, just a gut feeling


Anyway, if it is true, how would sales of the PS3 be

3rd hand information is hardly a reliable source. This seems dubious at best but it wouldn't surprise me is Sony released a slim PS3 at some point, but I highly doubt Easter '09.

At any rate, with MS and of course Nintendo making further marketshare gains on PS3 this holiday season even if this was true it may end up being too little, too late. Sure as hell couldn't hurt though.

But how is it possible to make a slim ps3? I mean, you have the HD (pretty big), all the processors, the blu ray reader (pretty big too I guess), ...

At least 1/3 more from what they are now.

PS2 Announced 1999 , released in 2000 in Japan.
PS2 Slim released in 2004

PS3 released in Q4 2006
PS3 slim released .....Q1 2009 ?

I guess there's more pressure on Sony to release the PS3 slim but Q1 2009 seems a bit early maybe Q4.