On Monday night, Hong Kong's gaming fans queued up around the block to buy the new PS3 Slim. The new machine was first unveiled a fortnight ago in Cologne, Germany, a day before the opening of the annual GameCon.
Sony Entertainment HK announced that 200 local gamers would be the first in the world to purchase the new slim console at a special midnight sale.
The console's internal volume, thickness and weight have been trimmed down to approximately two thirds of the first PS3, as has power consumption. While inheriting the sleek, curved body of the original, the new PS3 features a textured surface finish for a more casual look.
The new PS3 has the same features, such as the ability to play Blu-Ray movies and games, and downloads from Sony's online gaming network. The new console's storage size has also been increased from 80GB to 120GB, allowing console owners to store more games, music, photos and videos.
The first person in the world to own the PS3 Slim was Andrew Chim Wing-lung, an electronic engineering freshman from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, who had been queueing since 11pm on the Sunday. Chim said: 'I don't plan to play tonight because I have my first day of freshman classes to go to!'
The PS3 Slim is available from electronic stores for HK$2,399.