Apparently the adage “everything old is new again” is especially apt when it comes to Microsoft and Sony’s “newest” consoles. Hot on the heels of the freshly re-launched Xbox 360 that features a new design and a 250GB hard drive (which was itself a response to the release of the PlayStation 3 Slim), Sony will introduce a new 320GB hard drive, a new PS3 bundle with a video recorder and a “classic white” console. Sony has announced that three new PS3 Slim bundles on the way for Japanese gamers on July 29.
The first is the standard 160GB PS3, but this one features a “classic white” shell. It will retail for roughly $340 including tax.
The second bundle will be the 160GB charcoal black PS3 Slim, but it will include the “PlayStation3 Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting Recorder Pack,” also known as the “torne”, a DVR peripheral that is only available in Japan, for around $420.
The third bundle will feature a PS3 Slim with a charcoal case and a 320GB hard drive for $400. All three bundles are currently only planned for a Japanese release, but the larger hard drive and white PS3 are almost certainly headed Stateside.
This is also good news for budget hunters waiting to get their hands on a PS3. The current generation of PS3 Slims currently on store shelves will become “open price”, meaning retailers can sell them at whatever cost they see fit. Again, this is currently only in Japan, but when it hits the States, expect some interesting sales.
