HMV has been forced to scrap plans that forced people to buy the PS3 as part of a £625 bundle after a number of complaints from potential customers.

The store was forced to rethink its plans to give online customers that bought a 4GB PSP first dibs on the PS3 when it is released in March. This would add £200 to the price of a Playstation 3.

In its original email, sent to a “lucky few”, HMV claimed: "We've been working with Sony to offer up to 5,000 customers an incredible deal when [they] buy the new Sony 4GB PSP.

"Anyone who takes advantage of this offer will get priority over other HMV.co.uk customers for the Playstation 3."

However, the company has now changed its plans, and will offer the PS3 on a “first come, first served basis, with priority going to those customers who registered an initial interest to receive PS3 pre-order details once they were confirmed”.

In a statement prepared for Computeractive, HMV said: “Now that we've been able to confirm our level of PS3 stock with Sony, we're in a position to revise our original online offer.

“We will therefore be writing imminently to all the customers who have indicated that they wish to make the dual purchase to advise them that they can now pre-order the PS3 console by itself, if they prefer.”

The company has also promised to inform all its other online customers via email that they will be making a limited quantity of PS3 consoles available to pre-order online with the majority of consoles being made available to pre-order through the chain of stores.

Complaints have surrounded the UK price of the much-delayed PS3 since its announcement. Sony was forced to defend its cost after it said the Playstation 3 would cost £425 in the UK, despite it costing the equivalent of £305 in the US and £252 in Japan.

See also:
Sony defends UK Playstation 3 price
HMV Profiteering On PS3 Customers