No stock means PS3 price cut

Rumours and speculation have been rife for many weeks now, but MCV can reveal that Sony is clearing PS3 hardware stock from the channel ahead of what is expected to be a new price point introduced from early September.

A press conference at the Gamescom event in Cologne next Tuesday (August 18th) is expected to provide details of the price cut – and possibly the launch of the rumoured redesigned PS3 Slim.

But ahead of that, UK retail has already begun to comment on the current lack of hardware stock on the market.

Two of the UK’s leading national retailers have confirmed to MCV that they have been told not to expect any further supplies of the console until later this month or early September.

Sourcing PS3 stock has been a challenge for the last two to three weeks,” an anonymous spokesperson for one of the UK’s largest national retailers confided.

There are obviously lots of rumours flying about as to why that might be. I don’t think it’s to do with demand, though. Sales are low at the moment and have been for a while. We’ve been told not to expect any further hardware deliveries until September.”

A major UK entertainment chain also confirmed to MCV that supplies have dried up and that it had been told not to expect any new stock until the end of the month.

Sony is remaining tight-lipped until its conference next week, but the situation with UK channel stock surely provides compelling evidence of a price move at the very least.

MCV will be providing comprehensive live coverage of the Sony press conference next Tuesday from 18:00, along with all the news and annoucements elsewhere from the Gamescom event.