PlayStation 3 ZOne

The PlayStation 3 (officially marketed PLAYSTATION 3,[5] commonly abbreviated PS3) is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game systems. A major feature that distinguishes the PlayStation 3 from its predecessors is its unified online gaming service, the PlayStation Network,[6] which contrasts with Sony's former policy of relying on games' developers for online play.[7] Other major features of the console include its robust multimedia capabilities,[8] connectivity with the PlayStation Portable,[9] and its use of a next-gen optical media, Blu-ray Disc, as its primary storage medium.[10] The PlayStation 3 was first released on November 11, 2006, in Japan,[11] November 17, 2006 in North America,[12] and March 23, 2007 in Europe and Oceania,[13][14] with two stock keeping units (SKUs): a basic version with a 20 GB hard disk drive (HDD), and a premium version with a 60 GB HDD and several additional features.[15] (The 20 GB version was not released in Europe or Oceania.)[16] Since then, the console has had several revisions made to its available SKUs and has faced stiff competition from the other seventh generation consoles.[17] As of December 20, 2007, the PS3 is in third place in home console sales for its generation.[18]