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...

Placebo

Hold On, Forgot The Ps3.
Psp = Psone Emulator ????????????????? thats Amazing

Retr0gamer

I'm pretty skeptical about the worldwide release date and Sony getting anywhere near the production numbers they expect especially given Sony's addiction to bull****. Seems quite an impressive machine but don't like the media centre stuff that is trying to mimick the xbox media centre philosophy. I just feel I'll be paying more for something that I will never use. 60GB HDD is a surprise and a welcome one at that. Now all I need is a genre defining game, or at least a decent game, that will make me go out and buy low build quality first generation Sony equipment again. I'm a sucker but if there's something on it as groundbreaking as Mario 64 I'll be getting it.

WarZoneBrother

Hey when can we pre order them in store?

Retr0gamer

LookingFor wrote:

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.

I hope it isn't ridiculously expensive. I hope they remember why the PS1 was so successful and how they stole the show at E3, Sega hammering on about how great their 400 dollar saturn was and the Sony representative just walks up to the microphone and says '300 dollars'.

Dont be at yourself

Seems quite an impressive machine but don't like the media centre stuff that is trying to mimick the xbox media centre philosophy.

Seems to me that their approach to handling your media is almost the exact opposite of that of the 360. Microsoft want everything played through your XBox 360, in your living room. They'll play from your iPod, from your Media Centre PC, or from your USB harddrive. Sony, on the other hand, are positioning the PS3 as a HUB - stick your MP3s (or ATRAC, probably!) and movies onto your PS3, and play them from your stereo in the bedroom, or stream them onto your PSP when you're downtown at a WiFi hotspot. The huge obstacle with this is what limits are imposed wrt the devices that can stream stuff from the PS3. Knowing Sony, they'll limit it to Sony-only kit, cripple it with DRM and let another great idea die a death. We'll see.

Retr0gamer

Still all these features and I won't bother using them. Not many people use these features, they just seem there to seem atrattive and to sell the console to people who aren't going to use them either.

MontgomeryClift

This machine sounds like it'll be a right mess. And a worldwide launch in November? Don't believe it.

steviec

While these extra features might not sound too appealing, you might be surprised with how useful they are when you get the console.

I know when I got a 360 I didn't care about the Media Centre features or the Xbox Live Marketplace but a few months of owning the console and I really, really appreciate them. I've probably spent nearly as many hours watching videos on it as I have playing games, and I think anyone who's been following reviews will know how valuable the Xbox Live Arcade is. Of course thats partially due to a lack of releases(until this month) but it just goes to show that the console will stay entertaining even during those inevitable droughts of good games that sometimes occur for a few months.

Obviously I'm talking about the 360 now and I don't know if the PS3 will be better or worse, but I'm an optimist

Smellyirishman

Nice to see it's finally got a concrete release date. I doubt you will be looking at <€500 for one of these, 60gb 2.5 drive (OK, so there is confusion over it's inclusion) , Blue-Ray and Cell processor, those alone are going to bump up the cost significantly, I know I heard a $700-900 price tag being thrown around (and no less than $420) . Who knows how much it will be, but my guess would be too much, especially considering the launch drought that all consoles go through (unless Sony have a trick up there sleve... which doesn't start with E and end in A).

Will be interesting to see what, if anything, MS does with it's 1 year headstart.

Slippin Jimmy

The news comes as no suprise to me, infact it is the best news I have heard in a long while. People on an earlier thread said that the PS3 would be delayed, but there you go, you were wrong. Sorry for rubbing your faces in it. When will we be able to preorder it?

Ciaran500

It was delayed

The release that Sony was sticking to was Spring up untill this event.

Wertz

Global release? Nice sentiment...never gonna work though. At least they're trying to stop the import/export/ebay bullsh*t, but I guarantee you europe will get a toe up the hole as usual and not see it till this time next year. I like the legacy SD -> HD though

Slippin Jimmy

Wertz wrote:

Global release? Nice sentiment...never gonna work though. At least they're trying to stop the import/export/ebay bullsh*t, but I guarantee you europe will get a toe up the hole as usual and not see it till this time next year. I like the legacy SD -> HD though

Can you prove this? I would think not. So instead of adding to more rumours, just talk about the facts. The facts being that, sony has said today that there will be a worldwide release in November. And you cannot gurantee anyone anything unless you can back it up, now can you?

LookingFor

I won't hold Sony to the supply numbers given here - lots of companies never meet supply targets - but I think November is solid. It's a commitment they've made now. When they said "Spring 2006" they never even said the territory, they were very vague. You now have everyone from SCEA to SCEE announcing this seperately for each of their territories.

Another element which is encouraging is the fact that the reason for the delay is not hardware related - it's Blu-ray copy protection, which is a software issue. They should be able to start manufacturing it in the Summer, to supply three territories in Nov.

NekkidBibleMan wrote:

Seems to me that their approach to handling your media is almost the exact opposite of that of the 360.

I was going to say. For starters, they've announced it as a media server, not just a renderer as 360 is. The PSP<->PS3 media sharing is something MS can't mimic, beyond sharing PSP's music with 360 - I'm talking using your PSP to browse media on your PS3, and stream it to your PSP, locally or even over the net. Beyond that, the functionality could be very open if Sony makes it UPnP compliant..and with Linux on every HDD, there's obviously room there for very open homebrew developments.

Wertz

I'll dig this thread up in november, when we get shafted. The Asian and US markets are of far more importance and way less hassle to Sony (and other console manafacturers) than Europe. It'll either play out like the 360 global release (ie with not nearly enough machines to meet demand) or else we'll be told a month beforehand that the EU launch is being moved back for quality of service issues. They originally promised a US/EU combo launch for the PSP and look how that went down.

Heck I hope I'm wrong, but I'm sure I'm not. It's not rumour mongering; it's going on past experience.

Smellyirishman

I would rather we got it a little late... keep away any temptations I might have to destroy my savings!

projectmayhem

Wertz wrote:

They originally promised a US/EU combo launch for the PSP and look how that went down.

yes but look at the state of the US psp. they had to re-design the US one because screens were dying left, right and center. europe got a delay but in the end we didn't have all of the horrible screen problems (we had a lot, but not nearly as much as US consumers) and that odd button problem.

this time come april, the ps3 will be finished. e3 will see PLAYABLE consoles (my little birdie confirmed that to me, looks "very likely" that killzone2 will make a very big impression on sony's e3 booths) and sony will have an entire summer to manufacter the console.

360's shipping problem was down to chip yields (they make huge sheets of processors, then cut them all out of this huge sheet... the yield is the % of those chips that work). 360 was rushed out asap so they were trying to develop new ways to manufacter the chip while trying to satisfy consumer demand. sony will have had months of practise before selling to the customer.

as for homebrew on linuxOS for ps3... be wary. sony will have updated firmware a-la psp which could very well block a lot of homebrew. one reason the hdd isn't 100gb+ is so that if people find ways to rip ps3 games, they'll be limited with space. sony already has loads of cool little updates they'll roll out over a number of months to entice you to upgrade your firmware (though sony may also implement a compulsary updater so when you log onto HUB it patches your system for you).

finally, one of the first psp games to come out in the "ps3 generation" will be killzone: liberation. that'll be the first major release to show psp interaction to ps3. though killzone2 wont be out for a few months after ps3's release

LookingFor

projectmayhem wrote:

as for homebrew on linuxOS for ps3... be wary. sony will have updated firmware a-la psp which could very well block a lot of homebrew. one reason the hdd isn't 100gb+ is so that if people find ways to rip ps3 games, they'll be limited with space. sony already has loads of cool little updates they'll roll out over a number of months to entice you to upgrade your firmware (though sony may also implement a compulsary updater so when you log onto HUB it patches your system for you).

"Firmware updates" to the main PS3 OS would not affect the Linux distro.

Kutaragi has talked before about the prospect of including Linux on PS3 hard drives - at the time it was just an idea he was considering - and his motivation for doing so was to encourage open development in the community on Cell. They need to encourage software development on Cell. I'll try and dig up precise quotes for you, but homebrew or bedroom coding should def be on the cards. I would have no interest in that for illegal ends, but the idea of bedroom game coding and the like is really attractive.

Ciaran500

projectmayhem wrote:

yes but look at the state of the US psp. they had to re-design the US one because screens were dying left, right and center. europe got a delay but in the end we didn't have all of the horrible screen problems (we had a lot, but not nearly as much as US consumers) and that odd button problem.

Source? Never heard of this.

projectmayhem

LookingFor wrote:

"Firmware updates" to the main PS3 OS would not affect the Linux distro.

Kutaragi has talked before about the prospect of including Linux on PS3 hard drives - at the time it was just an idea he was considering - and his motivation for doing so was to encourage open development in the community on Cell. They need to encourage software development on Cell. I'll try and dig up precise quotes for you, but homebrew or bedroom coding should def be on the cards. I would have no interest in that for illegal ends, but the idea of bedroom game coding and the like is really attractive.

yes they will want to encourage coding but as soon as someone posts on ps3updates that they've got an ISO loader type jobbie i guarintee you suddenly all the cool codes you were working on will die a horrible death

Ciaran500 wrote:

Source? Never heard of this.

can't find any good links atm but if you look at any psp type forums and have a look back at the launch of the US psp you'll find all these bugs