Following weeks of industry speculation, Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) has officially 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 retail price of $599US/$659 CND, comes with the hit online-enabled off-road racing game MotorStorm packed in the box.

Featuring an expanded hard disk drive, Sony says 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.

“The 80GB PS3 offers expanded options in the PS3 family of products for those who want to enjoy more downloadable content,” said Peter Dille, senior vice president of marketing, SCEA.

“The new model will provide ample storage space to meet the appetites of those who wish to download content today, and for many more years to come. With the expanded disk capacity and dynamic system upgrades, we have effectively created a system that is ‘future-proof’, providing consumers an exceptional entertainment value that will stand the test of time.”

According to Sony, 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.

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Related:

Sony: PS3 sales are "surging" in the US and Canada

$50 Xbox 360 price cut is official

Sony cuts 60GB PS3 by $100, introduces 80GB model to US

80GB PS3 launches in Korea

80GB PS3 due next month

Stumble It! Tips N4G

Entry was posted on Monday, August 6th, 2007 at 3:00 pm under PS3, PlayStation 3.

Read more entries by John Pospisil.