Sony launches its PlayStation 3 (PS3) console in Europe on Friday, attempting to reclaim its title as the powerhouse of video gaming.
The company trails Microsoft and Nintendo in sales of next generation consoles and the launch has been beset with problems in the last year.
But the PlayStation brand remains strong with gamers and one million PS3s will hit shops on day one.
Some gamers have been queuing in London since Wednesday afternoon.
Sony has declared its launch of PlayStation 3 to date as a success, saying early sales are faster than those of its predecessor PS2.
It believes that the combination of a high-definition Blu-ray DVD player, online capabilities and gaming powered by the Cell processor will convince gamers to spend £425 (599 Euros) on the machine.
"High definition is very important to people," said Ray Maguire, head of Sony Computer Entertainment in the UK.
"A lot of people have bought flat panel TVs and they want content to go on it and PlayStation 3 is one of the few places they can get that kind of experience."
Sales figures from the United States, where the console launched last November, suggest that PS3 is being outsold by rivals. Recent figures from sales trackers NPD show that the Nintendo Wii is outselling the PS3 by more than two to one.
But the NPD figures also show that the PS3 is selling slightly faster in the US than the Xbox 360 did at the same stage in its release.
More than 200,000 consoles will be available on launch day in the UK, four month's later than originally planned.
Phil Harrison, Sony's head of worldwide studios, said the delay was "regrettable".
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