PS3 delayed till November

LookingFor

14-Mar-06 12:28 ET In Play Sony to delay the release of its PlayStation 3 next-generation video game console - DJ (SNE) 47.48 +0.71: Dow Jones reporting that Sony Computer Entertainment will delay the release of its PlayStation 3 next-generation video game console until early November because the copy protection technology for the Blu-ray Disc has not been finalized, The Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported in its Wednesday morning edition.

Sony has a press conference 3pm Tokyo time (6am Irish time) - I guess more detail will be announced there, including what regions this will be in. Hopefully, at the very least, it'll be out in the Japan and the US then.

But unfortunately this would appear to make a Spring 07 launch in Europe very likely

super_furry

Now would be a good time for an Xbox 360 price cut.

Placebo

theyre bringing out a psp2 for xmas time instead.

shortys94

tomorrow they are releasing more information on psp too, maybe new firmware, there have been rumours of a psp with a hd, who knows but hopefully well get a solid release date for the ps3

LookingFor

I think there might well be a solid PS3 date, if early reports like this are mentioning "early November". Suggests the person doing the leaking has specific info.

I'd also hope for more info on PS3, definitely.

CiDeRmAn

Guess Sonys' loss will be Microsofts gain, another Christmas to themselves with plenty of stock this time, plus I would hazard a guess that the publishers of PS3 titles won't be impressed at having to wait another couple of months until they can start clawing back their costs, even Nintendo are going to benefit from this delay, especially if projected high prices for the PS3 turn out to be fact, the cheaper competitors will have a field day, once their software has some sort of school yard cred, I mean who boasts of having a Gamecube? Although on the last point I can be wrong on as its been 17 years since I used a school yard as a student.

projectmayhem

we all knew that. LOVE the excuse though (i know the blu ray thing is actually a truth, but i doubt it's the reason to push back ps3)

LookingFor

CiDeRmAn wrote:

Guess Sonys' loss will be Microsofts gain, another Christmas to themselves with plenty of stock this time

True, if they miss the US this year anyway. But I'm still holding out hope that Nov applies to at least two territories. Could well be wrong, but we'll see very shortly.

CiDeRmAn wrote:

especially if projected high prices for the PS3 turn out to be fact, the cheaper competitors will have a field day

The psychology of consumers is WAY more complicated than that. Sony has maintained a premium over other systems quite successfully before. It's not so much about price, but generating a true desire for a system. If people really want one system more than another, they won't mind paying more for it, and in fact the higher price can make a product oddly more attractive (can make other systems look "cheap"..). It's not like PS3 doesn't have the goods to support that..there's definitely a premium of features there.

honru

Sony will probably be pressured into a worldwide launch like the PS2. The Christmas period is just such a crucial time for the game market and, after last year's decrease in sales, publishers will want the new machine out.

I honestly don't mind waiting. Fortunetly this delay should provide a stellar lineup by its November release and reduce the possibility of countless faulties. I'm just concerned about the price of the thing, although I will be taking a "wait and see" approach with these next-generation consoles.

Skyuser

f®eak s&#169 wrote: »

Sony will probably be pressured into a worldwide launch like the PS2.

The PS2 wasn't a worldwide launch.

Guy:Incognito

CiDeRmAn wrote:

its been 17 years since I used a school yard as a student.

What do you use them for now?


I have a GC and I'm proud. At the end of the day, they'll still shift as many ps3's as they can make in the short- medium term as the fan base will all buy 1.

LookingFor

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/696/696054p1.html

Get your preorders in!

I'll update with more as it comes in. Apparently they're planning to manufacture 1m units per month in the lead up to the launch, in order to ship 6m globally within the year! edit - within the fiscal year, to March 2007.

edit - more bloody awesome news!!

60GB HDD required! Pre-loaded with Linux OS. Can act as a media server:
http://ps3.ign.com/articles/696/696056p1.html

(This means the HDD will be standard? edit - apparently not! It's all very confusing right now. But standard or not, it'll be 60GB, pre-loaded with linux )

Online service - featuring "lobby matching and voice chat, commerce features that includes bootable software via the hard drive.". Basic version will be free!
http://ps3.ign.com/articles/696/696059p1.html

Final Dev Kits in June:
http://ps3.ign.com/articles/696/696058p1.html

All PS3 games will be on Blu-ray to help deter piracy - they expect to ramp disc production to 10m units per month globally:

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/696/696057p1.html

High def backwards compatability - PS2 and PSone games in HD!
http://ps3.ign.com/articles/696/696055p1.html

Also, PSP is to get an official PSone emulator - you'll be able to buy and download games (for a "low" price#) from the net, and run them off memory sticks! Probably an indicator of things to come on PS3..and then some.

Also! A PSP $199/€199 "core" pack will be released. PSP Eyetoy in the autumn, with videophone functionality.

Ciaran500

Hmmm, no price announced yet.

LookingFor

I think that'll come at E3.

There are unconfirmed reports, however, that it will not retail for less than 50,000 Yen (about $425, or €350). Obviously whether the HDD is standard in the box or not will be relevant here too, and it's still not absolutely clear what the story is there.

LookingFor

A little clarification on the HDD - it is mandatory, games can depend on it being there, but it MAY be sold seperately, like a memory card:

Kutaragi also made it clear that the hard drive will be necessary to play games--Sony is telling developers to make games assuming every PS3 has a hard drive installed. "We view the Hard Drive to be mandatory for the PS3," he said. "Rather than have developers create games for the PS3 with or without the HDD, we will be asking them to develop games as though all PS3s have the HDD installed."

However, Kutaragi revealed that Sony had not decided whether or not the PlayStation 3 would come with the hard-drive pre-installed. "We might end up installing it in all PS3s, though that depends on the market," he said. This raises the possibility that the PS3 could be sold without a piece of hardware needed to play PS3 games--in effect forcing consumers to buy a peripheral for basic functionality.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6145972.html

Merrick

I have 2 words: WOO HOO!!

R0ot

360 Ftw! :d

stevenmu

With linux being pre-loaded on the HDs that means a lot of users will be pluggin keyboards and mice into them. Hopefully devs will take that into account designing games.

wayne040576

stevenmu wrote:

With linux being pre-loaded on the HDs that means a lot of users will be pluggin keyboards and mice into them. Hopefully devs will take that into account designing games.

As a linux user, I'm quite interested in how they are going to implement this, for example: what will the interface be like etc.
I did read last year that they were considering putting Linspire on the machine which would give a full desktop. Putting a full desktop os on it will enable them to sell it as a computer rather than a console which I think they tried to do with the ps2 to get around import tax laws.

LookingFor

wayne040576 wrote:

As a linux user, I'm quite interested in how they are going to implement this, for example: what will the interface be like etc.
I did read last year that they were considering putting Linspire on the machine which would give a full desktop. Putting a full desktop os on it will enable them to sell it as a computer rather than a console which I think they tried to do with the ps2 to get around import tax laws.

Yep, they tried this, so I guess it's a more convincing attempt to do that, as it would help their profitability in Europe a lot.

Also, I'd expect it to be a fairly standard Linux distro, like most others. Things like the dual-monitor support start to look more interesting now also, in light of this.

Here's more detail on the online service..still not entirely clear what will be "global" ala XBL and what won't:

Sony made note of some of the major features that all Online titles will be able to access:

Communication/Community:
Voice/Video chat
Messaging
Lobby/Matchmaking
Score/Ranking
Friend list/Avatar
Game data upload/download

Commerce:
Shop (accessible from inside games)
Content Download
Micro Payment
Subscription
Entitlement (user access rights) management

Account:
User Registration
Login ID/Handling of name issues

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/696/696076p1.html

LookingFor

Also, slides from the show!



HDD:





Online:





Dev Tools schedules:

RE*AC*TOR

Looks cool, especially the embedded linux - I like the idea of a potentially v. powerful, low cost machine capable of running linux. This could end up competing in the Mac Mini sector.

As for rushing out and preordering, I think you'd be mad. Look at the Xbox360, are there any titles on the 360 that are must play titles yet? The launch of the PS2 was similar. I think it will probably be 12 months after launch when buying a PS3 will make sense - coupled with any problems like overheating etc that might be present in early hardware revisions.

LookingFor

Well, of course, if you don't want one at launch, you're grand. But if you want one for Xmas, and I think plenty will, preordering would be well advised. There may be as few as 2m spread around the world before Xmas which will = shortages on a large scale.

Chong

I am lost or something but , as far as I know the PS3 will only be released in Japan hopefully in November.

Ciaran500

"Ken Kutaragi, PlayStation Master and keeper of big news has announced at the PS meeting today that the PlayStation 3 will be launching in early November worldwide for the North American, Asian, and European territories."
http://ps3.ign.com/articles/696/696054p1.html

Pretty self explanitory.

Chong

Doubt it mate to be honest.

Goodshape

First thoughts --> 'but I've already got a PC'

I want something relatively cheap and small that I can chuck in front of the telly and play games on, not a behemoth of a media center/pc/game console hybrid.

I doubt they'll be able to make this cheap enough for me to want it.

stevenmu

Willem D wrote:

Doubt it mate to be honest.

It's been well covered by gaming sites, it is official, it was an official announcement by Sony officials at an official Sony event. Whether they pull it off or not is another thing.

Wayne040576 wrote:

As a linux user, I'm quite interested in how they are going to implement this, for example: what will the interface be like etc.
I did read last year that they were considering putting Linspire on the machine which would give a full desktop. Putting a full desktop os on it will enable them to sell it as a computer rather than a console which I think they tried to do with the ps2 to get around import tax laws.

I'd imagine they'll have their own custom front end covering PS3 specific stuff for the masses to use, and hopefully we'll be able to exit out to a regular linux windowing system, kind of like windows media center.

honru

Skyuser wrote:

The PS2 wasn't a worldwide launch.

Yup, my mistake.

iregk

RE*AC*TOR wrote:

Looks cool, especially the embedded linux - I like the idea of a potentially v. powerful, low cost machine capable of running linux.

Be sure you can expect to pay big money for this baby! You sure as s**t aint getting it for 300 yo yo's. A price I heard (by no means concrete) being bandied around a few months back was $750.

Cabelo

The figure in yen being bandied about now translates to 350... with tax and importy shouldn't be more than 450 unless we're ripped off...