Classic White 500GB PS3 Instant Game Collection Bundle launching for $299.99

Finally, SCEA is getting around to releasing an official new PS3 color in North America.

As part of a 500GB Instant Game Collection bundle, the Classic White PS3 console will include a full year of PlayStation Plus and access to all of the content associated with a subscription. The bundle is scheduled to be available next week on January 27th and sounds like a rather nice deal. The console looks pretty slick as well.

Classic White PS3 shots:

Read on for the announcement.

Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC (SCEA) today announced that a new color (Classic White) for the PlayStation 3 (PS3) computer entertainment system, bundled with a year-long membership to PlayStation Plus, will become available for the first time in the United States and Canada on January 27, 2013 via the Classic White PS3 Instant Game Collection Bundle ($299.99 MSRP).

The new PS3 bundle offers exceptional value highlighted by the Classic White PS3 system, with its sleek, curved body design and a 500GB hard disk drive (HDD). The large HDD provides consumers more space to store all of their gaming and entertainment content, including games downloaded from the critically acclaimed PlayStation Plus Instant Game Collection. With a one-year membership to PlayStation Plus, the subscription service package from PlayStation Network (PSN), consumers who purchase the new bundle will enjoy unlimited access to a regularly refreshed library of 12 PS3 games along with six games for PlayStation Vita (PS Vita), with new games added each month.

In addition to the 18 games in the Instant Game Collection, PlayStation Plus offers members exclusive discounts on games and downloadable content, early access to betas and automatic updates for both games and the latest system software. PlayStation Plus also provides online storage of up to 2GB for game saves (1GB on PS3 and 1GB on PS Vita).

“PlayStation continues to stand for gamers, and as such, we’re excited to give PlayStation fans in North America what they’ve been asking for – a colored PS3 and access to a library of PS3 games for them to download and play instantly through PlayStation Plus and the Instant Game Collection,” said John Koller, vice president of platforms marketing, SCEA. “Gamers are looking for the best value and the best content, and with PlayStation Plus, they’ll always have something new to play, choosing from a library of hit games such as inFAMOUS 2 and LittleBigPlanet 2.”

Members are already seeing thousands of dollars in value with PlayStation Plus. In 2012, members received more than 50 free and 270 discounted PS3 games, more than 90 add-ons for PS3 and 8 free PS Vita games. Through PS Plus, members also received a combined savings valued at more than $2,472 in 2012. Top free games offered include: BioShock? 2, LittleBigPlanet? 2, Super Street Fighter? IV Arcade Edition, Resident Evil? 5, Saints Row 2, Borderlands?, inFAMOUS? 2, NFL Blitz?, NBA Jam On Fire Edition, The Walking Dead Episode 1 ? A New Day, Uncharted: Golden Abyss?, Gravity Rush? and Gotham City Impostors.

For full details on Classic White PS3 Instant Game Collection Bundle please visit:  http://us.playstation.com/ps3/systems/ps3-classic-white-bundle.html