Playstation 3 Launches In New Zealand

Playstation 3 Launches In New Zealand

AUCKLAND, 23rd March 2007 - At midnight last night the first PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3T) consoles went on sale in New Zealand. Over 140 stores throughout the country opened their doors to enthusiastic fans whilst media and invited guests attended the official launch of PS3T in downtown Auckland.

PlayStation enthusiasts waited patiently for the likes of Bond & Bond, Electronics Boutique, Noel Leeming, Harvey Norman and other retailers to open their doors, in response to high levels of demand from consumers. By the time doors opened in excess of $4.75 million of hardware alone had been ordered, prior to launch by customers. Last night's keen midnight shoppers were also keen to experience the full capability of the PS3T, with many picking up HDMI cables, PS3T peripherals, Blu-ray Disc movies and a number of launch game titles, including MotorStormT and Resistance: Fall of ManT.

Warwick Light, General Manager of Sales and Marketing, SCE NZ, commented on the success of the evening "It was a night for gamers and retailers to celebrate a significant milestone in the future of home entertainment. It also marked the beginning of an exciting journey for the PS3T, which we are confident will cement it place as the first piece to technology to truly integrate people's entertainment, online communication, and digital requirements one very powerful and easy to use device.

"There has been so much anticipation about the PS3T. It is exciting that the public now have the opportunity to experience it for themselves. The PS3T is a complete digital entertainment solution for the home and will change the way we share, view, hear and play with the digital content in our lives.

"Our retail partners have always been very supportive of PlayStation and we're delighted that demand from consumers for the PS3T prior to launch has been so strong. I am certain there will be a few tired PlayStation fans around the country this morning. We're hopeful that we have ensured there is enough stock in the country to keep up with ongoing demand from consumers, especially those who have not pre-ordered, but still want to purchase a PS3T as soon as possible," he said.

Consumers that waited patiently at stores until midnight to purchase their PS3T, immediately headed off home, planning a long night of discovering exactly what their PS3T is capable of. Many were also keen to connect their PS3T to the Internet and register on the PLAYSTATION®Network, with SCE NZ offering a free copy of 'Casino Royale' on Blu-ray Disc as a bonus for the first 4,000 Kiwis who registered.

The PLAYSTATION®3 is a fully featured multimedia device, capable of handling not just awe-inspiring games, but your photos, your music, your movies, your downloads, the internet, your entire digital life. In the future it will also provide unique ways to communicate and interact with other PS3T owners via "Home". Packed full of cutting edge technology, the PS3T is the next generation of home entertainment.

Available: Now at leading retailers across New Zealand
Consumer Website: www.playstation.co.nz

Ends

Notes to Editors:
For further information please, images or a list of local retailers that opened at midnight please contact

Paul Gunn Aisha Ahmed
P: 09 3666 266 \ 027 4440 9964 P: 09 3666 266 \ 021 400 576
E: paul.gunn@tbwawhybin.co.nz E:aisha.ahmed@tbwawhybin.co.nz

About Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd.
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE), based in London, is responsible for the distribution, sales and marketing of PS one®, PlayStation®2 and PSPT hardware in 104 territories across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Oceania. SCEE also develops, publishes, markets and distributes games software for the three formats, and manages the third party licensing programmes for these formats in the PAL territories. At the end of December 2005, over 40 million PS one® consoles had been shipped across these PAL territories, over 102 million worldwide. Between its European debut on 24 November 2000 and the end of December 2005, over 37 million PlayStation®2 consoles have been shipped across the PAL territories, over 100 million worldwide, making it one of the most successful consumer electronic products in history. Between the launc h of PSPT in Japan in Dec

About Sony Computer Entertainment New Zealand
SCE New Zealand, based in Auckland, is responsible for the distribution, marketing and sales of PS one®, PlayStation®2 and PlayStation® Portable software and hardware in New Zealand. Over 330,000 consoles have been shipped in New Zealand as of February 2006. With both CD and DVD capabilities, PlayStation®2 offers consumers a diverse range of computer entertainment solutions and is supported with over 800 high quality software titles.

ends

© Scoop Media