Euro PS3 deal staying put

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has told GamesIndustry.biz that there are no plans to phase out the current PlayStation 3 Starter Pack bundle in the region, despite its Australian counterpart ending the offer later this month.

Sony of Australia has confirmed that the bundle - consisting of the console, two Sixaxis controllers and two first-party games - will no longer be available from August 31, only four weeks after it was first introduced in the region.

But SCEE has moved quickly to assure European consumers that the move does not affect other PAL regions, with a spokesperson confirming "there is absolutely no time limit on that offer in Europe."

Sony introduced the offer in the UK July 18 and in the rest of Europe August 1, maintaining the original GBP 425 / EUR 599 asking price but adding value with two new games and an extra Sixaxis controller.