Component shortages hit PS3 launch in Japan

Sony intended to have 100,000 PS3 units available in Japan for the launch on November 11, but the figure has now dropped to 80,000

Component shortages have caused the number of consoles available at launch to drop by 20-percent in Japan.

According to a report from the Nikkei Keizai Shimbun (Japanese, business-focussed publication), the 20-percent drop has been blamed on component shortages.

Here in Old Blighty we're already great pals with component shortages. You'll recall that Sony 'blamed' the hold up of PS3's release on these shores on a delay in the mass production schedule of the blue laser diode - part of the Blu-ray drive.