Sony's much-awaited PlayStation II has hit a glitch, less than one week after its launch, according to reports. Sony has recalled the memory cards, which are shipped alongside the console, after conflicts between the console's DVD player and the cards caused the machine to crash.

The memory cards are a vital piece of equipment as they allow players to store information at the end of a playing session.

Meanwhile, Microsoft will unveil a computer game console for home use today to rival the PlayStation II.