Yesterday, Game Console reported that popular technology blog Engadget has published images of a prototype version of the long-rumoured PlayStation Phone. The legitimacy of these images has since been called into question by a number of gaming news sites.

Earlier today, NowGamer published comments from a Sony spokesperson who claimed the images are "definitely fake". The comments have since been removed at Sony's request, and replaced instead with the familiar line: "We do not comment on rumour and speculation."

However, Engadget has hit back, claiming that the photos are "most definitely real". "We're not saying that because we want to believe or because we're gingerly trying to nab page views: we're saying it because we know it to be true," reads the blog.

Engadget claims that its unnamed sources are people "closely connected to the project". The blog also claims that comments to the contrary of the PlayStation Phone's existence from Sony representatives most likely come from sources that are not even aware of the project.

Engadget then goes on to detail the additional information its received since it first broke the story. Firstly, the device has been codenamed "Zeus", and it was last seen running Android 2.X (although Engadget understands it will ship with 3.0, a.k.a. Froyo.

The tech blog also responded to doubters in the following, amusing manner: "We don't like to boast, but as the guys and girls who brought you the first pictures and reviews of the Nexus One, the first details and images of the Dell Venue Pro (aka Lightning), the first pictures of the new MacBook Air, the first photos of the iPad, and the first photos of the iPhone 4, we feel pretty confident in our abilities to deliver the goods."