Those hoping to catch an extended glimpse of Sony Computer Entertainment's PlayStation 3 at this month's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas are in for a kick in the teeth, as SCE in the US dashes the console's chances of pulling off a show-stopping appearance.

According to various reports cropping up today, SCEA has gone on record to state that the event, oft-used by Microsoft in the past as a showcase for the Xbox project and other product lines, will see no PlayStation 3 presence.

“Although we are participating in many CES activities with Sony," said SCE to a US tech site, "we have no new announcements on PlayStation 3 planned at this time.”

It is likely that this news will fuel further speculation that Sony is struggling with PlayStation 3 development across the board. The information blackout has led to dubious reports surfacing, many of which have been seized upon by press corps eager to see the giant slip.

Publishers and developers have been speaking en masse - off the record of course - about a wide variety of issues with the PlayStation 3. Interestingly, some report that the console is actually easier to program for than first anticipated, with the first generation of development kits coming as a pleasant surprise to most. However, many do fear that Sony is unlikely to meet its slated spring release, with the PlayStation 3 now widely expected to hit Japan in late summer 2006 at the earliest.