Last week, a number of decidedly dodgy looking images of a pre-production “PS3 Slim” broke the surface of the massive tidal pool that is the World Wide Web.

Onlookers were divided, with some people engaging in full on analyses and discussions regarding the new design, while many others adopted a more skeptical position on the matter.

The leaked pictures were apparently taken in a Chinese manufacturing plant, leading to the first and most obvious objection that even if they were not photo shopped, they were most probably photos of yet another generic run of the mill console knock off, similar to previous products launched in China such as “The Vii” and “PolyStation3”.

However upon close inspection, the branding is identical to that of the PS3. Usually these knock-offs resemble the product that they are imitating closely, but never do they directly copy the trademarked branding.  Furthermore, the factory which these photos allegedly came out of has been confirmed as an official PS3 manufacturing plant.

The Factory in question, MainTek Computer Factory also submitted an official request to websites carrying the leaked photographs asking to have them taken down. If the photo’s were not legitimate then we can’t see why the company would go to the trouble of submitting an official take down notice.

Last year, images of the PSP-3000 redesign were leaked early in a similar manner, so if these images turn out to be real it will not be a first for Sony.

The concept of a PS3 Slim is a fairly obvious one, and Sony has certainly shrunk the internal space requirements of the PS3 since its launch in 2006. Considering that both the PS1 and PS2 were miniaturized, it seems like an obvious move for Sony to do the same with the PS3 now that it is able to.

A smaller PS3 would cost less in terms of the materials required, and would also be cheaper to distribute.

Considering all the arguments, there is a good chance that we will see a new PS3 Slim in the next 12 months. Whether or not these images are legitimate is not as certain, but we are sure that all will be revealed at E3 next month.