Sony cuts PS2 allocation

Sony have admittedthat it would not be able to meet its pre-ChristmasPlayStation 2 allocation of 200,000, with UK retailers instead battling fora share of 165,000.

Although Sony could not give an exact figure of how many PS2s it has soldthrough its pre-order campaign, it is thought that there are still “pockets”of retailers that have not sold their allocation yet. Sony confirmed thatall remaining pre-order forms in circulation will be recalled, but if morethan 165,000 pre orders have been made, Sony faces the embarrassment oftelling some consumers to wait until the new year.

The news comes as a blow not just to expectant retailers and consumers,but the many publishers that have invested heavily in producing titles inthe expectation of there being a much higher installed base.

However, Sony Computer Entertainment’s UK spokesman David Wilson urged theindustry to get the news into perspective: “165,000 sales of PlayStation 2in the UK before Christmas will still stand as a fantastic achievement”, andsaid today that despite the shortfall, Sony is still confident of deliveringthree million PAL units by the end of its financial year, March 31st 2001.

News page content input by Dominic Robinson, 2000.