Since the first PlayStation, Sony has always released a smaller model of the console. The PlayStation 3 got its smaller model back in 2009. It’s now 2012, and Sony is going even smaller.

At the company’s TGS press conference, Sony announced a new, smaller PlayStation 3. The new model is 20 percent smaller and 25 lighter than the current PS3 slim. I thought that they couldn’t cram the PS3’s innards into anything smaller, but the technical wizards at Sony have proven me wrong yet again.

The new smaller PS3 will be launching in two flavors across the next two months. A 250GB PS3 will be launching on September 25. It will pack in Uncharted 3 Game of the Year Edition and a $30 voucher for free-to-play title, Dust 514. The bundle will retail for $269.99.

The smaller PS3 will be getting a second bundle come October 30. It will feature a larger 500GB hard drive and pack in a copy of Assassin’s Creed III. This particular bundle may move units as the PS3 version of Assassin’s Creed III is getting exclusive content not found anywhere else. More details, such as extra goodies, will be revealed as we near launch.

On a different note, it should be pointed out that a third hardware revision is unprecedented for Sony. Pushing new hardware this close to the end of the console cycle can only mean that Sony isn’t quite ready to launch the PlayStation 4. The next Xbox will most assuredly be launching later next year and Sony might not be able to make that timeframe. This new model could be their way of trying to extend the PS3’s life.

With that being said, the new hardware revision looks great. The old slim never looked quite as sexy as the original PS3 did. The new hardware brings back the aggressive look that defined the original hardware.