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Most people try and shed a few pounds after Christmas, but Sony has only gone and cut down the already slim PlayStation 3 in preparation for the festive season.

At 2.1kg the new model weighs less than half of what the original - and now rather chunky-looking - PlayStation 3 did. It's even lighter by a quarter than the current slim model. Part of the reason its able to shed so much weight is because it now has a top-loading sliding disc compartment rather than the current automated slot system.

The announcement was made as the Tokyo Games Show kicked off in Japan, but the good news is we won't have to wait very long for the benefits to reach our shores. The new console will be available in two distinct models and the first, which comes with a hefty 500Gb hard drive, will be on sale in Europe from September 28th. That's next week, for those without a calendar.

A cheaper alternative, with 12Gb of internal storage, will launch a few weeks later on October 12th. For those who buy that model but decide they need more space, a standalone external 250Gb hard drive will also go on sale, as well as a vertical stand for those who like their consoles perpendicular.

Various games will also be bundled with the console, including Assassin's Creed III and the upcoming interactive Move title, Wonderbook: Book of Spells. There'll be a FIFA 13 bundle as well, exclusive to GAME.

Coinciding with the new console is a range of budget PlayStation 3 games under the Essentials banner. Uncharted, Resistance, LittleBigPlanet, God of War III, Assassin's Creed and Far Cry 2 are among the titles you'll be able to pick up for less than twenty quid.

Clearly, Sony is hoping to lure away a few potential Wii U customers. Which will you pick for your winter gaming needs?