Speaking at the Edinburgh Interactive Festival, former Sony Europe boss, Chris Deering made the kind of price comparison we can all identify with (if we're of age of course).

Deering who is now consultant to various publishers including Codemasters, as well as being chairman of both Jalipo (an Internet TV company) and the EIF itself, said:



According to the UK's National Statistics Online site, the price of a pint of lager in 1996 (it doesn't actually show 1995, was £1.73. However, according to the Treasury Archive, the price of beer was frozen in the 1995 budget and only raised in November 1996. Okay? Right, so beer was £1.73 per pint. Our own research tells us that a pint of Stella in Wakefield costs around £2.50.

The PSOne launch price was £299. The current retail price for a PS3 is £425... so, as far as we can see, Deering's not too far off the mark with this one. Back in 1995 £299 divided by £1.73 would have added up to a mighty 172.8 (Beers on the Deering scale). A PS3 at today's prices will cost you B170.

Therefore on the DBS, a PS3 is less expensive than a PSOne at a similar stage in their respective histories.

Blimey. Time for more 'research we reckon'. Don't forget to check back later for the full SPOnG interview with 'the father of the European PlayStation'.