PS3 bundle-palooza opens with $1,000-plus pack

In the completely unsurprising department, the first PlayStation 3 bundle from an online retailer has hit the Net, and it's expensive. Gamers who thought the initial Xbox 360 bundles were pricey at a minimum of $600 should sit down before reading the next sentence. Play.com is selling the PlayStation 3 with the 60GB hard drive and three games for 549 pounds, roughly $1,016. The three games included are Warhawk, Formula One 06, and SingStar--perfect for gamers who like air combat, driving, and karaoke games.

Of course the PlayStation 3, like most gaming products, will be more expensive across the pond relative to the US market. The 60GB PS3 was announced to launch in Europe for 599 euros or 425 pounds, which is the American equivalent of $758 and $799, respectively.

Assuming the previously reported 425-pound price point is to remain true in the UK, it would mean that Play.com would be selling the three games for 124 pounds ($230), or just over 41 pounds per game (just over $76). The early bird also won't necessarily get the worm--Play.com does not guarantee delivery of the bundles before Christmas.

Sticker shock isn't likely to be done yet. Gamers may remember the ridiculous $4,499 Xbox 360 bundles that were released, which included a 42-inch plasma screen television. Bundles are the perfect way for retailers to make some extra cash with high-demand items, and it's likely that online retailers will have similar ideas for both the PS3 and Nintendo's Wii.

And American shoppers should remember, this is all before tax and shipping charges.