Sony will definitely launch its new PlayStation 3 game console this year, said Tetsuhiko Yasuda, managing director of Sony Computer Entertainment Asia, on February 16 at the Taipei Game Show.

While stressing that the earlier launch of Microsoft?s Xbox 360 did not add pressure on Sony, Yasuda told reporters that the company wants to be completely prepared when it begins marketing the PS3.

Accumulated global shipments for the PS3 are expected to exceed 100 million units, a record that was set by Sony?s earlier games consoles, the PS and PS2, despite the fact that the PS3 will be priced higher than the PS2, Yasuda said.

To the disappointment of attendees at the show, Sony only displayed three mock-up versions of the PS3 and demonstrated some functions of the new console through a video. This raised doubts if Sony can really bring the PS3 to the market in the spring of this year as expected, according to market sources.

Fans and observers' eyes will now turn to the E3 show, to be held in Los Angeles in May, for the debut of working consoles.