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July 10, 2012

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Referred to as a “Super Slim” version of the PlayStation 3, documents filed with the FCC suggest that Sony (NYSE: SNE) plans to revise its six-year-old console.

According to Eurogamer, the remodeled console will fall under the new 4000 series label (current PS3s belong to the 3000 series).

No specifics have been revealed, but with the “Super Slim” codename, Sony is expected to release a console that is thinner and lighter than the current model.

Originally released in 2006, PlayStation 3 is Sony’s fourth gaming device after PSone, PS2, and PlayStation Portable (PSP). The console launched in 2006 with a price of $599 — $200 more than Microsoft’s (NASDAQ: MSFT) console, Xbox 360, which carried an MSRP of $399 when it was released in 2005. PlayStation 3 was also more expensive than Nintendo Wii (NTDOY), which sold for $249 when it debuted in 2006.

In addition to the standard PlayStation 3 unit, which included a 60GB hard drive, flash card readers, and Wi-Fi connectivity, Sony released a $499 model in limited quantities in 2006. The cheaper model lacked Wi-Fi support and did not include any flash card readers. It also shipped with a smaller (20GB) hard drive.

Microsoft implemented a similar strategy when it launched the Xbox 360. The aforementioned $399 model included a 20GB hard drive and a wireless controller. Another model, referred to as the Xbox 360 Core, shipped with a wired controller and did not include a hard drive.

The first PlayStation 3 revision, referred to as PS3 Slim, became available in September 2009. Sony has released both the original PlayStation 3 and PS3 Slim with a variety of storage options; the current model comes with a 160GB hard drive and retails for $249. Sony also offers a handful of $299 bundles that include a 320GB hard drive and one game — Uncharted 3 or Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 from Activision (NASDAQ: ATVI). Additional bundles that include the PS Move controller are also available.

Earlier this week, Sony announced that it had acquired Gaikai, a company that is attempting to become the Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) of gaming. Gaikai streams games to Macs and PCs without the need for powerful hardware. Some critics argue that this could allow Sony to terminate its plans for PlayStation 4 and replace its console business with a new, cloud-based service.