Sony to Cut Japan PS3 Launch Allocation by 20%

Japan will get 20,000 fewer PlayStation 3 consoles at launch, if a report in local newspaper the Nikkei Keizai Shimbun is to be believed. That’s a reduction of 20 per cent on the original allocation of 100,000 units.

According to the paper, the cut comes as components become harder to find. Which components it’s referring to isn’t yet clear, but the finger has to point to the Cell processor - which manufacturer IBM has already admitted isn’t showing the best of yields, ie. 10-20 per cent - and the PS3’s Blu-ray Disc drive, which may be the victim of the laser diode famine that’s limiting other manufacturers’ ability to ship BD players and peripherals.

Reg Hardware - Sony said to have slashed Japan’s PS3 allocation

The Japanese cut mirrors what Sony is doing for the U.S. market. Sony had promised 500,000 units for the November 17th launch, but recently cut the projection to 400,000. It’s unclear whether the 20,000 cut Japanese units will be added to the U.S. total or if they will disappear completely.

Tom’s Hardware - Japanese PS3 allocation cut 20%