wraggster
January 7th, 2005, 13:35
Internet retailer Amazon has begun taking pre-orders for UK PSPs, even though Sony itself has yet to confirm a price and release date for the handheld on these shores.[br]On the PSP product page at the UK branch of Amazon the handheld is listed at £179.99 with a release date of March 18. A bundle that includes the system itself and a copy of Konami's Metal Gear Acid is also offered for £211.98.[br][br]The move follows assertions by Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Ken Kutaragi that the PSP would "probably" launch in March in the US and Europe. Kutaragi-san placed particular emphasis on the Easter weekend that starts on Friday March 25.[br][br]The March 18 date and price has not been confirmed by Sony and representatives from SCEE were unavailable for comment at the time of press. [br][br]Amazon itself has placed a disclaimer on its release date, saying "Please note that release dates are subject to change". Internet retailers often make informed guesses at retail launch dates so they can begin to take preorders in advance.[br][br]So it's Amazon's estimated price of £179.99 that is perhaps more interesting. When the PSP went on sale in Japan on December 12 the basic unit sold for 20,790 Yen, which works out to approximately £105, $195 or 150 Euro. It's therefore fair to say that if Amazon's price is close to being correct that us Europeans might get (unsurprisingly) stiffed.[br][br]But it must be remembered that this price is also likely to be a guesstimate on the part of Amazon. Indeed, with Nintendo's DS expected to launch in the UK around the same time at a pricepoint of around £129.99, we won't be surprised if PSP does come in a little cheaper.[br][br]It's interesting to note that the PSP hasn't gone up on Amazon's American branch yet. In fact, if you do a search for it the first thing that comes up is Nintendo's DS. Hmmm...[br][br]Of course, as soon as Sony itself makes the all-important announcement we'll bring you the news first.