Sony's Kaz Hirai has confused the PS3 manufacture issue as he has claimed that production on Sony's next-gen console has not yet begun. There have been numerous reports suggesting that PS3 production had already begun and that Sony had already, received the first units.
In an interview with Gamespot, Sony Computer Entertainment America President, Kaz Hirai has made it clear that no PS3 production has started yet. We haven't started manufacturing yet. Some of our ops guys were actually just in China, and also in Japan just reviewing the (production) lines and everything else. But they are, again, preparing as we speak to get the manufacturing going. We've not announced and we haven't set really a specific date to say, as of this day we're going to start manufacturing.
As a result, Mr. Hirai made it clear that PS3 shortages are expected during the launch period as the company has promised 2 million units until the end of 2006. This, according to Kaz Hirai, means around 700,000 units per territory at launch, a number which suggests long queues and X360 style shortages.
Whether Sony manages to have enough PS3 units in place for launch or not, it seems that its online network is already set to go as a gamespot review of Full Auto 2 reveals. Apparently, the reviewers tried the multiplayer mode of the game and claim: Sony already has its online gaming infrastructure up and running well ahead of the new system's release.
So that was the good and bad PS3 news for today, stay with MG for more PS3 news.