I think there's plenty of confusion even without leaving one continent. Especially with Sony threatening to discontinue the best models as they're doing in Europe.

@NJ5

their not "threatening" anyone

stop using melodramatic words to degrade SONY

their giving people a cheap PS3 with no BC

I know many people who don't give a _ _ _ _ _ for BC

Umm, 2 HDMI ports and 3 Gigabit ports? Unless you plan on running this as a centralised media server, I can't see any point in this (and even then, how are you going to saturate 3 gigabit with a slow hdd anyway).

Thank you for understanding me! I don't bash at Sony in general but for making it so confusing with these models. Its making "me" insane. I want to buy the JP version (I own 60+ JP PS2 games and my PS2 is "dead" and waiting to buy the PS3 "with" BC) and keep on waiting and waiting and waiting. Not knowing what will happen next and "what" rumor to believe. I was also waiting for the 65nm cell with hopefully a cheaper version... and if this turns out to be true... I can get the 65nm Cell PS3 version but then I pay 100 Euro more *eeks*.

The Japanese customers have more to compensate for? =P

Seriously though, I can't figure out a single reason why they'd do this. I'm not an expert on this (and neither are the guys calling the shots at Sony for all I can tell), but for that reason I don't believe this rumour at all. Surely there is no one on the planet who seriously thinks the thing holding back PS3 sales is the lack of bells and whistles?

Darthdevidem - I don't think it will work that way. The casual audience will probably be unaware of all the differences between models, however as it is still a fair wad of cash to put down for a games console many of them do some research and will have a look at game websites and magazines and be confused.

Sure people want the cheapest but they don't want a console which is lacking, they don't want to pay all that money and be missing out and then have to pay more to get the console to the standard they want, as in the case of the 360 core.

I'm sorry but when Sony tells Europeans that the only model they can get in a few months is a gimped one without Backwards Compatibility, that counts as threatening in my book. They basically want to scare gamers into buying the more expensive model now...

Stop using dishonest arguments to defend Sony.

I was just about to post in another thread:

Say Sony... next time when you release a console, put a full manual for each version console in the stores, so people can take a peak in it and understand what they'll get....or not.

The people who're totally not aware of this, will find out about these misfortunes as soon as they have their console for a few months. Believe me, I'm talking from experience.

Maybe they think the PS3 is only selling in Europe for it's new games (thus the cheaper version with no BC) wheras the Japan version might be seeling for it's non-game features, so they put out one with even more.

Ok now I am a little confused. Aren't Europe getting the 40gb model and a more expensive 80gb or something model with the same bc as the 60gb had? Or are we just having the 40gb?

I get that some people just want a PS3 at the cheapest price they can and don't care about bc, fair enough. But surely they will have a model for those that do won't they?