In an interview with Japanese newspaper NikkeiBP, Sony president Ken Kutaragi displayed a certain amount of arrogance (or is that confidence?) whilst enthusing over his beloved Playstation 3.

“In the 20 years I’ve worked in the gaming industry, I have never seen so many titles in the playable phase,” he said. “The world has obviously underestimated our progress in software development. It’s likely that many shook their heads in disbelief at seeing the large number of titles actually working before their eyes.”

The only thing we shook our heads at was the cost of the next-gen console, which will retail in the U.K for approximately £425. But Kutaragi is sure that the PS3, which he compares to a PC, will be a huge hit.

"Computers are a prime example of 'Too Large' and 'Too Serious.' Yet the software industry is by no means growing smaller. Some titles with dozens of thousands of people working on them do end up with delayed releases, but on the other hand, there are plenty of examples of small teams successfully developing new software. The industry as a whole is growing. The PlayStation 3 is a computer, so the same rules should apply,”enthused the president.

“As the PlayStation 3 is a computer, we might even offer it on a built-to-order basis, customized to the needs of each and every user. The hardware components have been designed in a modularized format with this possibility in mind.”

When asked about potential PS3 shortages, Katuragi appears over-excited at the prospect, “I’m looking forward to facing that dilemma, but now that we’re in the era of networking, and now that the world of PlayStation has widened, I believe it is no longer acceptable for us to limit our initial launch to a certain area. It is important that we launch quasi-simultaneously.”

Kutargi also talks about the 20Gb and 60Gb harddrives, saying that some users are certain to run out of space. Sony plan to release a 120GB drive within the next two years.

Whilst Sony continue to play the PC trumpet, Microsoft believe that Sony are relying on brand loyalty when it comes to the PS3 and call the console a next-generation DVD player.

The PS3 will boast plenty of features, including backwards compatiblity, an online gaming service called 'The Playstation Network Platform' which will feature content download and micro payments, similar to Microsoft points. Other features include the ability to explore photos, play music and movie trailers from the hard drive, compatibility for a USB Keyboard and Mouse, a full Internet browser and a Friends menu.

It has also been confirmed that Linux will be pre-installed on the PS3 hard drive to encourage homebrew development.