With one million Playstation 3 consoles being released on March 23rd, looks like you should start lining up now in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Australasia.

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe today announced that PLAYSTATION 3 will be launched in the PAL territories of Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Australasia on 23rd March 2007 at a price of EURO 599 (GBP 425, AUD 999.95, NZ 1199.95).

Responding to retail and consumer demand, SCEE confirmed that initially only the 60GB model would be available, with the 20GB model to follow later in the year dependent on demand.

An expected one million PS3 units will be made available during the initial launch period.

SCEE also announced a stellar launch line-up of over 30 game titles for PS3, including eagerly awaited titles published by SCEE such as Resistance: Fall of Man™, MotorStorm™, Genji™: Days of the Blade, FORMULA ONE ™ CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION and Ridge Racer™ 7. An exceptional range of titles in every genre will also be available at launch from the world’s leading third party publishers, including Electronic Arts, Activision, Namco Bandai, Sega, Take 2, Ubisoft, Vivendi Universal, and Sony Online Entertainment.

In addition to games on disc, an exciting range of fully-featured downloadable games will debut on the PLAYSTATION Network. These will include gaming icons such as Tekken : Dark Resurrection and Gran Turismo  HD Concept; the fully-featured PS3 debut of the best-selling franchise Gran Turismo, realised with full HD (1080p) visual quality. Created by Polyphony Digital Inc and published by Sony Computer Entertainment, Gran Turismo  HD Concept has been downloaded by more than 350,000 users since it was released in December 2006 in North America and Japan.

Also available on the PLAYSTATION Network will be brainteasers such as Go! Sudoku and Go! Puzzle, and innovative games such as Blast Factor™ and flOw™, designed exclusively for PLAYSTATION 3 and delivering on the promise to provide original content created by non-traditional developers and publishers.

Concurrent with the European launch, a new System Update to further enhance the entertainment potential of PS3 will be issued.

Announcing the launch details, David Reeves, President of SCEE said, "Following the hugely successful launches of PS3 in Japan and North America, we are absolutely delighted to be able to bring significant numbers of PS3 to the SCEE territories. To be able to launch with over 30 titles across every genre shows that this is our strongest launch line-up in the history of PlayStation, and is what PlayStation fans in Europe have been crying out for."

PLAYSTATION 3 LAUNCH TITLE LINE-UP

PS3 Launch Title – Publisher – Network or Disc based

Resistance: Fall of Man™ – SCEE – Disc

MotorStorm™ – SCEE – Disc

Genji™: Days of the Blade – SCEE – Disc

FORMULA ONE™ CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION – SCEE – Disc

Ridge Racer™ 7 – SCEE – Disc

Tekken : Dark Resurrection – SCEE – Network

Lemmings™ – SCEE – Network

Go! Sudoku – SCEE – Network

Go! Puzzle – SCEE – Network

Blast Factor™ – SCEE – Network

flOw™ – SCEE – Network

Super Rub’a’Dub – SCEE – Network

Call of Duty 3 – Activision UK Ltd – Disc

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance – Activision UK Ltd – Disc

Tony Hawks Project 8 – Activision UK Ltd – Disc

Gundam – Target in Sight – Namco Bandai Games – Disc

Full Auto™ 2: Battle Lines – Sega Europe Ltd – Disc

Sonic the Hedgehog™ – Sega Europe Ltd – Disc

Virtua Fighter™ 5 – Sega Europe Ltd – Disc

Virtua Tennis™ 3 – Sega Europe Ltd – Disc

World Snooker Championship 2007 – Sega Europe Ltd – Disc

NBA 2K7 – Take 2 International SA – Disc

NHL 2K7 – Take 2 International SA – Disc

Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWll – Ubisoft Entertainment SA – Disc

Enchanted Arms – Ubisoft Entertainment SA – Disc

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Double Agent – Ubisoft Entertainment SA – Disc

The Elder Scrolls lV: Oblivion – Ubisoft Entertainment SA – Disc

Def Jam: Icon – Electronic Arts Ltd – Disc

Fight Night Round 3 – Electronic Arts Ltd – Disc

NBA Street 4 Homecourt 2007 – Electronic Arts Ltd – Disc

Need for Speed Carbon – Electronic Arts Ltd – Disc

The Godfather: The Don’s Edition – Electronic Arts Ltd – Disc

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2007 – Electronic Arts Ltd – Disc

Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom – Electronic Arts Ltd – Disc

F.E.A.R. – Vivendi Universal Games Intl SA – Disc

Gripshift – Sony Online Entertainment – Network

PLAYSTATION 3 Peripherals Available at Launch Peripheral

RRP in Euros

SIXAXIS™ Wireless Controller – EURO 49.99

Blu-ray Disc Remote Control – EURO 24.99

HDMI Cable – EURO 24.99

AV cable – EURO 16.99

Component AV cable – EURO 24.99

S Video cable – EURO 16.99