Sony, UK Retailers Considering £150 PS3 Deposit

UK video game trade magazine MCV has news today that Sony is working with UK retailers to mandate a considerable £150 ($279) down payment in order to pre-order a PlayStation 3. According to the online report, Sony is in talks with senior retail buyers in order to introduce the new plan in time for the console's November 17 launch in order to mitigate the demand for the system's limited quantities. The reason for this action, according to the report, is to make sure allocations of the console are more fairly managed, a problem that many retailers still recall from the 2005 launch of the Xbox 360. Sony is also reportedly looking to sidestep the problem with eBay faced with other similar launches, which saw customers purchasing multiple consoles in order to sell them for tremendous profit on the online auction site. While the report noted that Sony in the UK has confirmed that it is in talks with retailers, the company has not yet issued any sort of formal statement. In addition, no such plans have been announced for the U.S. as of yet.