Sony's game division said today it still aimed to launch its next-generation PlayStation 3 (PS3) video game console this spring.
"We're aiming for spring, but we haven't announced specific regions," a spokeswoman for Sony Computer Entertainment said, adding that some of the detailed specifications of the PlayStation 3 have not yet been finalised, such as those related to the Blu-ray drive and the input and output of video and sound.
"We're waiting for them until the last possible minute, but the launch could be pushed back if they're not decided soon," she said.
The company's shares fell as much as 4.4 per cent today after Merrill Lynch said in a research note that the launch of the PS3 might be delayed by six to 12 months and the costs for materials could approach $900 per unit.
Shares of Sony ended the morning session down 2.2 per cent at 5,380 yen ($45.50), underperforming the Tokyo stock market's electrical machinery index, which was down 0.6 per cent.
The console will be competing with Microsoft's Xbox 360, which went on sale last November, and Nintendo's Revolution, which is expected to come out later this year.