PS3 Frozen In Time

Speaking exclusively to GamesIndustry.biz Sony Europe has categorically denied reports that the PS3 hardware has suffered any problems due to overheating.

The rebuttal follows a report by Macquire Securities analyst David Gibson, who wrote that PS3 units at the Tokyo Game Show were overheating, causing concern over the stability of the console, which in turn caused Sony shares to tumble by 2.75 per cent yesterday.

"SCE can categorically deny that there's any problems with PS3 units overheating," said the company in a statement issued to GI.biz.

"As could be seen on the TGS floor by the tens of thousands of media and public attendees, both the hardware and software worked flawlessly," the statement concludes.

Sony has been suffering negative press since the company announced it would be delaying the European launch of the PlayStation 3 until March 2007, due to difficulties in producing a key component of the system.

The overheating rumours have also been fuelled by a recent recall of lithium ion batteries manufactured by Sony, which affected technology partners Dell, Toshiba and Apple.