IGN reported yesterday that Sony may now only have 80,000 PS3 units available for the Japanese launch due to component shortages - that's 20,000 down on previous promises. This news comes from Japan's Nikkei Keizai Shimbun agency.

A few days earlier, IGN also mentioned a story from Mainichi Interactive which claims that Sony will be offering Japanese consumers the chance to purchase vouchers guaranteeing them a system early next year. If this is the case, it's a rather desperate measure to stop people purchasing other consoles over the Christmas period.

Imagine opening your presents on Christmas morning and finding an IOU from Sony... Ho ho ho? I think not.