Sony has said that 220,000 PlayStation 3s will be available in the UK when the games console is launched on Friday.

The company said that 30 games will be available for the PS3 on launch day. While the European version of the console will not play as many older games as the US edition, it will play more than 1,200 PlayStation 2 titles, according to Sony. The full list of games is here.

The Virgin Megastore on Oxford Street, London, site of the official British launch, will keep open its doors on Thursday night to fans waiting for the console to go on sale at midnight.

Rival games machines, such as the Microsoft Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii, and Sony’s own handheld console, the PlayStation Portable, have sold out within hours, but gaming fans will have a good chance of getting their hands on a PS3.

“It is well documented that our initial stock of Nintendo Wii’s sold out in just seven minutes, but our initial allocation of PlayStation 3 has been considerably higher,” James Schall, consoles and videogames manager for Amazon.co.uk.

Many commentators have suggested that the price tag of £425 for the basic model would put off many prospective buyers, but Mr Schall said that customer demand for pre-orders had been high.

Jim Batchelor, head of entertainment at Woolworths, was also bullish. “The launch of PlayStation 3 will be biggest video games console launch of all time,” he said. “It will be bigger than the launch of the Nintendo Wii, the Xbox 360 and the previous PlayStation.”

Mr Batchelor said that he expected every branch of the store to have PlayStation 3s in stock on launch day.

Those who are prepared to wait may be able to get the console at a reduced price, according to Michael Brook, editor of gadget magazine T3.

“The real techies are going to love it and I think will bear the cost straight from the offset,” he said. “For it to go really mass market I think it will be Christmas when the price drops.”

A spokesman for Sony denied that the console was overpriced, arguing that it allowed users to do much more than play games.

“We believe it offers excellent value for money,” he said. “Consumers are getting a long-term return on their investment and a machine that will be at the centre of their living room, for many years to come.”

The PS3 comes with a Blu-ray disc player, allowing users to watch high-definition DVDs, and the facility to download games, videos and music from the internet.