According to GamesIndustry.biz, citing credible sources, the price of the PS3 has been driven up by retailers by another £25, almost $50. The console will go on sale this March for £425 (only the 60 GB version will be available), equivalent to a whopping $838 USD. The higher price point wasn’t given by Sony, but by retailers seeking for larger profits.

Let’s see how many actually buy the console at that price. While the rest of Europe will pay slightly less, at €599 (+VAT), or $775 for the PS3, Americans still aren’t buying the PS3 at $500-$600. What makes the retailers think Europeans will pay over $800 for the console? We’re not that stupid.

Here in Scandinavia, where games and consoles are more expensive than anywhere else in the world, I found out that the PS3 will retail at these insane prices:

Denmark: 5500 DKK ($955 USD)
Sweden: 6500 SEK ($926 USD)
Norway: 6000 NKR ($1,009 USD)
Finland: 5000 FIM ($1,086 USD)

If you buy a games console at that price, you’re not only filthy rich, you probably have no idea how much your money is worth in the first place. But it’s not Sony’s fault, the rules and VAT rates in the EU are insane by any standard. Heck, we’re paying $350 for a Wii…

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