Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA), the US arm of the Japanese giant, has begun shipping an 80GB PlayStation 3 at online and bricks-and-mortar retailers in the US and Canada.

The system, available immediately for a suggested retailer price of US$599/C$659, comes with the online playable off-road racing game, MotorStorm.

Featuring an expanded hard disk drive, the 80GB PS3 is designed to appeal to the PlayStation hardcore, providing ample storage space to download more games and other entertainment content.

There are currently more than 60 playable games and game-related downloads available through the PlayStation online store, with expanded entertainment content coming soon.

"The 80GB PS3 offers expanded options in the PS3 family of products for those who want to enjoy more downloadable content," said Peter Dille, senior vice president of marketing, SCEA. "The new model will provide ample storage space to meet the appetites of those who wish to download content today, and for many more years to come. With the expanded disk capacity and dynamic system upgrades, we have effectively created a system that is 'future-proof', providing consumers an exceptional entertainment value that will stand the test of time."

The 80GB model joins the existing 60GB PS3 that has been available at retail since its launch last November. Sony claims the 60GB PS3 is currently enjoying a surge in sales following a price reduction in the US and Canada of $100 to US$499/C$549.