Sony Announces 160GB PS3 & Wireless Keypad

Sony can never seem to settle on one specific SKU of the PS3. Shortly after releasing a new 80GB model that dropped the PS3’s backwards compatibility, the company has decided to let loose a new 160GB model in the form of an Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune bundle, which will also include a PlayStation network voucher for PAIN and a DualShock 3 wireless controller.

Sony also announced the growing availability of the aforementioned 80GB model in retailers, and a new rechargeable wireless keypad accessory that will attach to Sixaxis and DualShock 3. The pad will work with PlayStation Home and offers a trackpad-like functionality that will provide cursor control with the PS3’s web browser.

I’m not a huge fan of Sony’s practice of dropping features and and increasing the hard drive space to make up for missing features like the lack of backwards compatibility, but if the PS3’s market share is increasing, more power to them. I do think that more people are buying PS3s for its media capabilities and downloadable PSN games, so the extra space isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

In an effort to increase sales, Sony has tried several tactics with its PS3 console from slashing prices to offering limited edition PS3 bundles. In July, Sony announced that it would be pricing the 80GB PS3 bundle at $399 and discontinuing the 40GB PS3 that had previously occupied $399 price point.