There's nothing like news of a hardware shortage to encourage panic buys by those consumers who are possibly in the market for a new console, but maybe not yet decided.

Well, Senior Director of Corporate Communications & Social Media at Sony Computer Entertainment, Patrick Seybold, has uttered the words that would-be PS3 purchasers in the U.S. didn't want to hear. "We expect tight inventory in the coming months," he said during the company's NPD financial results.

But what exactly does this mean?

Well, according to Seybold demand of PS3s is set to outstrip supply, so if you want one -- perhaps take advantage of the likes of PS3 exclusive titles such as LittleBigPlanet, Killzone 2 and Heavy Rain -- you better get a move on says the Sony director.

It's unconfirmed whether the quote by Seybold refers to just the U.S market or European shores as well. HEXUS.gaming has contacted to Sony to clarify the situation.