Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has dismissed rumours suggesting that the company will be releasing a new 40GB PlayStation 3 console in the UK later this year.
Speaking to Gamesindustry.biz, a spokesperson debunked such claims as nothing more than "rumour and speculation".
The statement comes following numerous reports on various Internet sites and blogs suggesting that the firm is preparing a scaled down PS3 console, which is supposedly said to retail for GBP 299 and includes a 40GB hard drive. USB ports and backwards compatibility are said to have been removed in order to keep costs at a minimum.
Unlike North America, Sony has chosen not to cut the price of the console in the UK, instead opting to introduce a GBP 425 Starter Pack deal containing an extra Sixaxis pad and two first-party titles.
Stay tuned for any further developments as they break.