FROM THE PRESS RELEASE:

Sony Computer Entertainment America today announced the availability of a new 80GB PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3) at online and brick-and-mortar retailers in the United States and Canada. The system, available immediately for a suggested retailer price of $599, comes with the hit online-enabled off-road racing game MotorStorm packed in the box.

Featuring an expanded hard disk drive, the new 80GB PS3 is designed to appeal to the online gaming and entertainment enthusiast, providing ample storage space to download more games and other entertainment content from PLAYSTATION Network. There are currently more than 60 playable games and game-related downloads available through PLAYSTATION Store, with expanded entertainment content coming soon. The new model features the million-selling game MotorStorm in the box, allowing up to 12 players to play online at one time, hitting the dirt in this visually-arresting, fast-paced racing title.

The 80GB model joins the existing 60GB PS3 that has been available at retail since launch last November. The 60GB PS3 is currently enjoying a surge in sales following a price reduction in the US and Canada on July 9 of $100 to $499. Since that date, unit sales at the company’s top five retailers have jumped 113% when compared to the average sales of four weeks prior to the price drop. SCEA will continue to sell the 60GB in the US and Canada at the new, reduced price until current inventory is depleted, which is predicted to be this fall based on current consumer demand.

Throughout the holidays and this fiscal year, more than 120 new first and third-party software titles will be available for North American PS3 users to enjoy, in addition to the more than 40 software titles currently available. Key upcoming first-party titles include Folklore, Heavenly Sword, LAIR, NBA ’08, Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, SingStar, SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation, THE EYE OF JUDGMENT, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, PAIN and Warhawk.

Both the 80GB and 60GB PS3 models come standard with Cell Broadband Engine (Cell/B.E.), built-in hard disk drive, 1080p high-definition output, Wi-Fi connectivity, SIXAXIS wireless controller and Blu-ray Disc player. According to Nielsen VideoScan, there are currently more than 270 high-definition Blu-ray Disc movies available at retail, including the recently released 300, Shooter and Ghost Rider.