Sony offers new PlayStation 3 bundle as it readies Move launch

Sony is offering new models of the PlayStation 3 as it gets ready to launch its Move motion-sensing system on Sept. 19.

The Japanese company announced at the Gamescom conference in Cologne, Germany, that it will offer a larger 320-gigabyte hard disk drive in a PS 3 Sports Champions Move bundle and a 160-gigabyte hard disk in a core PS 3 model. That’s approximately 33 percent more storage capacity than current models.

The 160-gigabyte model will sell for $299.99 and is shipping now. On Sept. 19, Sony will launch the 320-gigabyte model bundled with one PlayStation Move motion controller in the PS 3 Sports Champions bundle. That bundle will include a PlayStation Eye camera, which is necessary to use Move, a copy of the Sports Champions game, and a Blu-ray game demo disc. The bundle will sell for $399. The bundle includes everything that new fans need to get into motion-control gaming with the wand-like Sony Move, said Scott Steinberg, vice president of product marketing at Sony’s U.S. game division.

Sony also noted that more than 1 billion pieces of content have been downloaded from its PlayStation Network as of the end of July, 2010. Sony says there are more than 52 million registered PSN users among PS 3 and PlayStation Portable users.

The new models show the game console business remains competitive as each console maker is trying to offer gamers a better deal for the same amount of money. Microsoft is also bundling its Kinect motion-sensing system with the Xbox 360.