UK boss Neil Thompson has told GamesIndustry.biz that Microsoft is not surprised Sony has "backed away" from its commitment to a global launch for PlayStation 3. "We know how challenging it is to pull off a global launch, so it's not surprising that Sony has backed away from their previously announced launch plan, due to the unproven technology they are trying to pack in to their console," he said.
Microsoft brought Xbox 360 to market in Europe, Japan and North America late last year, pulling off a simultaneous global launch - although hardware shortages did follow. With the PS3 delayed until March, MS now faces one less competitor this Christmas; but according to Thompson, that will make little difference to the success of Xbox 360.
