
A senior UK source has told VG247 that a slim version of PS3 is “100% real”.
The comment was just backed up by another very senior UK industry figure.
The machine will release in “Q4,” we were told today.
On the question of when we’re going to see the new SKU for the first time, the source simply said, “Pass”.
ArsTechnica rumoured earlier this afternoon that the machine was a reality, but that no announcement would be made at E3 next week.
The timings for Sony’s E3 press conference, as well as all the others, can be found here.






Hunam said:
The patphone is ringing off the hook today!
Quiiick said:
I never doubted that these leaked pics from china were real.
Psychotext said:
There was simply too much information out there for it to be fake.
Razor said:
They should just bite the bullet and announce it at E3.
There can’t be *that* many PS3 systems just lying on the shelves.
Er, oh hang on…
Blerk said:
So, announcement and PS3 fatty price cut in September/October, Slimline in October/November at the original fatty price, Slimline price cut for Easter 2010. Ish.
/slaps a pound coin onto the table
Johnny Cullen said:
Slimline PS3 at GameCon.
JonFE said:
Pat, the ArsTechnica article mentions the new PSP as well. Could your source comment on that too?
Patrick Garratt said:
JonFE – I’m almost certain it’ll be announced next week and I’m 1,000% percent positive it’s real.
Mike said:
Hmmm. This’ll hurt sales for the next few months, but I’m sure a price drop and the new “slim” will most likely make up for it.
tenthousandgothsonacid said:
@Blerk I’d take that bet but I agree with you entirely.
Bleak Harvest said:
Hopefully it will have a nicer look in person. That Chinese one is HIDEOUS.
DoucheVader said:
Why don’t you link ArsTechnica?
freedoms_stain said:
I wonder if they’re having to drop anything from the specs to get it slimmer.
Blerk said:
Moving to an external power supply would help tremendously.
MasterChiefFenix said:
this is cool and all but I wonder if there wil ever be fullly, functional BC on a ps3. by that I mean, every single PS/PS2 game and they all look and run like they should.
Quiiick said:
@ Johnny Cullen
Agreed! PS3-slim will probably see the light of day @ GameCon cause Europe is the most price-sensitive region.
And I doubt that the old PS3 will officially get any cheaper by then.
The PS3-slim will have a €299.99 price-point from the start and will eventually be lowered to €249.99 at christmas and to €199.99 sometime in 2010.
freedoms_stain said:
I wonder if they’ve gone with a solid state drive to save space – that could mean a smaller hard drive capacity cus those things be expensive.
Psychotext said:
SSD wouldn’t save them any space, unless they have some sort of bespoke thing that doesn’t come in laptop HDD sizes.
…which would cost them even more money.
Prof Power Glove said:
Yeah, i’d say this new model looked approximately 77% shit in those rancid scanned images that did the rounds.
It better be lots better then that. It better be a bit cheaper and I hope Ico 2 is out this year. Then for me, a PS3 just might make sense.
The_Deleted said:
I reckon this’ll be bare bones. The absolute minimal specs and only game / BR playback. If they were going to go full BC I reckon they’d re-issue a new 80GB model. Feels too early in it’s life-cycle for a smaller machine to do all a fatty does. They just want to get the PS3 in peoples homes to boost sales and interest. They’ll be a catch.