Apparently comments regarding the PlayStation 3’s “499 to 599 euro price range” were misinterpreted. In a particularly speedy spot of backtracking, Sony has denied that George Fornay’s PS3 pricing comments – which seemed to indicate that the console would cost between £350 and £420 – actually relate to a real price. Sony claims that Fornay was simply suggesting that, if the PS3 did cost that much, it would still be affordable in comparison to dedicated Blu-ray Disc players, which are likely to set you back at least £600 when they turn up. The PS3 will, of course, play Blu-ray movies in addition to its gaming and media functions. Sony’s point seems clear: buy a PS3 and, while it might be pricier than an Xbox 360, you’ll be getting a Blu-ray player and next gen games console for quite a bit less than you’d pay for a standalone Blu-ray player. We wonder how Sony’s partners in the Blu-ray Disc Association, all of whom are hoping to make a mint on the first range of Blu-ray players, feel about this all? There’s also the possibility that Sony could be hinting at a high price point for the PS3, only to later announce that it’ll cost around the same price as the Xbox 360 – a ruse designed to make us all say, “Good old Sony and their cheap(ish) console! It’s not as expensive as I thought it’d be, therefore I must buy one.” We expect to get more details on the PS3 at May’s E3 games show, Obviously, we’ll keep you abreast of all the twists and turns in the coming weeks.

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