Sony’s had a lot of problems stirring up excitement with the PS3. Manufacturing problems, launch shortages, high prices, lackluster launch titles (Metal Gear Solid 4 isn’t worthy a $660 investment) are just a few of the issues that have made gamers pretty nervous about getting Sony’s Grey Goose of a console. Fundamentally, none of these are the biggest problems the PS3 has to face. The PS3’s biggest problem hit me earlier today, when I was playing on my PS2.
The Playstation 3’s biggest problem is the Playstation 2.
Look at the release lineup for the PS2. Final Fantasy 12, God of War 2, Godhand, Phantasy Star Universe, and so on. Just this month we got the must-have Okami and the obscure-but-great Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria. These games are fun, they look beautiful, and they are adding more and more life to Sony’s battered workhorse of a platform. They might not look quite as good as Xbox 360 or upcoming PS3 titles, but they’re good enough to make the average gamer consider keeping their old system around for a few more months.
Sony hasn’t yet made a convincing argument that the PS3 is a worthy replacement to the PS2 yet. Yes, it can output to 1080p. Yes, it will have better online and storage abilities. But these are all features Sony has told us, not shown us.
Nintendo demonstrated just how the Virtual Console is going to work, what titles will be available, and what it’s going to cost us. We know we’re going to see some great classics on top of the various ports and exclusives in the Wii’s release lineup. Beyond that, we’ve seen the Wiimote in action, and though it could use some tightening up, there’s a whole lot of potential there. Sure, there’s still the Gamecube, but the Gamecube’s lineup is already dwindling, and it looks like Zelda: Twilight Princess and Super Paper Mario will be the last big names to hit the system.
Microsoft gave Xbox 360 XBLA, a great reason for fanboys to keep their systems on without a bunch of release titles. When Oblivion’s feeling tired, owners can tap into Street Fighter II, Geometry Wars, and loads of other classic and remix games through Live Arcade. The original Xbox did have Live, but the 360 added countless features and an interface that’s exponentially better than the original. The Xbox is still seeing its share of games coming out, but the 360 has already proven itself with a nice selection of exclusives and the unexpected greatness of XBLA.
The Playstation 3 has a lot of promises, Sony hasn’t actually shown us many of them. We know the technical merits. Metal Gear Solid 4 looks great, Assassin’s Creed looks great, White Knight looks freaking amazing. But beyond that… what does the system have to offer? Technically it should be at the top of the heap. Fastest, most graphical bells and whistles, HDMI output, 1080p support, all of those nifty features. But beyond that what do the system have? Sony hastily added a lot of “features” like the SIXAXIS tilt controller and some form of XBLA/VC downloadable game support, but we haven’t really seen them in action. Microsoft has proven the Xbox 360 to be a worthy successor to the Xbox. Nintendo has actually shown us what the Wii is capable of doing. Sony hasn’t done much more but promise technical superiority and demonstrate that the PS3 dwarfs Ken Kutaragi’s head.
Besides pretty graphics, the PS3 doesn’t look like it’s going to be that much better than the PS2. In the long run it might, but for now all Sony is offering is a bunch of lofty promises and a release list for the Playstation 2 will probably have more than one frugal gamer waiting a few months for a PS3 price drop and a few better titles. Unless they have a top-of-the-line high-def TV that can take HDMI and show 1080p, the PS3’s most impressive graphics abilities will probably be lost on most. Without an amazing and obscenely expensive display to go with the obscenely expensive console, the PS3 will be little more than a PS2 with Xbox 360 graphics.
Okami and Valkyrie Profile are out now. God of War 2, Godhand, Final Fantasy 12, and lots of other tasty titles are in the pipe. It’s still a good time to be a PS2 owner, and that makes it a bad time to sell the PS3.
Whilst on my sickbed (damn cold) i thought about whats needed for homebrew on each console from a newcomer/newbie point of view, basically only the minimal amount needed to run homebrew on all the consoles we cover with links to related sites and the products needed.
A new report conducted by research firm Futurelab and supported by Electronic Arts suggests that commercial computer games could act as effective learning tools in the classroom.
The report, which is titled Teaching With Games, argues that games can be used to motivate and engage students, and to improve computer skills, strategic thinking and problem solving.
However, the report also highlights technical obstacles which prevent teachers from using games in their lessons - suggesting that new approaches are needed when it comes to licensing and copy protection so that games can be run on school networks.
"We have long recognised the potential of interactive computer games to stimulate the learning process... [The report] has shown that commercial computer games have the potential to support education, which has raised the bar for ongoing collaboration between the industry and education sectors," commented EA's Gerhard Florin.
The Teaching With Games initiative, which is also supported by Microsoft and Take-Two, was established in August 2005. Two Ipsos MORI polls were published, focusing on students' and teachers' attitudes to games in the classroom, and 12 case studies were conducted using The Sims 2, Knights of Honour and RollerCoaster Tycoon 3.
Who else says we should play games at work or school
The Golden Joysticks are the awards where you select who wins. Not people in suits who don't know their FPSs from their MMOs.
Voting is tight in many of the awards categories but it's gone mental in the Ultimate Game of the Year slot. We can't tell you which one, but there's one game leading the way. You'll be surprised at what it is though.
The only way to even things up is to cast your vote. So head over to the Golden Joysticks website and shout for your fav.
The Golden Joystick Awards will be held on October 27 at the London Hilton Hotel and they'll be streamed LIVE right here on CVG.
UK games magazine PSM3 is claiming that Zone of the Enders 3 will be released on PlayStation 3 in 2007.
Judging by the copy, a full announcement from Konami and Hideo Kojima is due next month, but beyond that all that's known is that "Kojima Studios" (presumably they mean Kojima Productions) is behind it.
We got in touch with Konami UK this morning to ask if they could confirm the game's existence, but we were told no, they cannot. Which is a bit of a shame, isn't it. We'll let you know when they inevitably do confirm it.
As for those of you who have no idea what we're blathering on about - Zone of the Enders, or ZOE, is a mech action game which ran for two instalments on PlayStation 2, and was arguably more convoluted and waffly, plot-wise, than even Metal Gear Solid has managed. Its return could herald the first game ever to fill a Blu-ray disc. With plain-text.
Just how much living-room cabinet space are you going to have to sacrifice when you purchase a PlayStation 3 instead of a Nintendo Wii? Will your 1985 entertainment center fit your Xbox 360 in the same slot as a Nintendo NES?
Sony's wireless PS3 controller has been dubbed SIXAXIS. The Bluetooth supported, USB outfitted controller will be packaged with the PLAYSTATION 3 or can be purchased in Japan for 5,000 yen (US $43) starting November 11th. It is possible to switch the SIXAXIS from wireless to wired controller via USB. According to SCEI, The wireless controller can be operated for up to 30 hours when fully charged.
That same day, Sony is also selling a USB Memory Card Adaptor. It will go for 1,500 (US $13) and can be used to transfer PS2 or PSX game data for the PS3 harddrive. Moreover, Sony announced sales data for the BD remote. Previously, we posted the system's Blu-ray Remote Controller. This will drop on December 7th for 3,600 yen (US $31).
This I personally hadn't previously seen before. At CEATEC JAPAN 2006, Sony showed off the PLAYSTATION 3's remote control. It looks similar to the PS2 remote and guess what? It does pretty much the same thing! It's supposed to be used for toggling and video functions—in this case, watching Blu-ray discs. Looks like any old remote, no?
Folks over at the eponymous PSM3 Magazine were lucky enough to get their hands on a PlayStation 3. Apparently they were lucky enough to get their fingerprints all over it, too. These things are shinier than the black Nintendo DS, and will probably give rise to a slew of third-party, PS3-branded chamois cloths to keep them looking pristine.
These guys define the word bias, seeing as how they publish PlayStation 3 Magazine, but the machine does look powerful and, well ... shiny. The startup video looks impressive, especially the tuning orchestra-ish sound, although so was the one on the PS2. By the fifth time you booted that sucker up, you weren't paying attention to it. Remeber the simple PlayStation One startup? It was simple, to the point, and not too flashy. Everything now has to look like a music video. The XMB interface looks a lot more lackluster than expected, and looks miles behind the Xbox 360 dashboard. Although we're willing to give it the benefit of the doubt and assume it might be not be complete.
PS3 launch game prices range from the unexpectedly low to the slightly higher than expected. At the low end are two mahjong games. Konami will release Mahjong Fight Club National Competition Edition at 5,229 yen. This is slightly higher than Koei's Mahjong Taikai IV, which will sell for 5040 yen. The Koei title is, incidentally, a new entry to the PS3's Japanese launch lineup.
Sega's launch title, Sega Golf Club, has been priced at 7,140 yen, as previously reported. So has Sonic the Hedgehog, which hits Japan on 12/21 at 7,140 yen.
Finally, we come to the high end of the launch lineup. Ridge Racer 7 and Gundam Target in Sight will both carry price points of 7,329 yen. This is actually the price that Konami charges for most of its PS2 games.
From Software will follow launch with the highest priced PS3 game of them all. As previously reported, Armored Core 4 will hit Japanese retail on 12/14 carrying, a price point of 8,190 yen. PS2 Armored Core games have carried this price in the past.
The remote's official name is BD Remote Controller, apparently to indicate the device's convenience for Blu-Ray disk playback. Model number CECHZR1J, the Remote Control will cost 3,600 yen, but it won't be available until 12/7. The device will use Bluetooth to interact with the PS3.
Finally, the memory card reader, which will help you maintain your PS2 save game collection. Officially called the Memory Card Adapter, this device, model CECHZM1J, will retail for 1,500 yen when it sees release on 11/11. It connects to the PS3 via USB and accepts memory cards for both the PS2 and PlayStation. Once you've connected the device, you'll be able to transfer your save games to the PS3 hard disk, so you'll presumably only have to use this once.
FIFA 07 has stormed the number one position in the Chart Track All Formats charts on no less than seven different formats, with the PS2 version responsible for 84 per cent of sales.
Eidos' new IP Just Cause continues to perform well on its second week of release, holding the number two position and stopping Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 from advancing past number three in the charts.
Last week's number one, Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy, drops three places to number four, while Square Enix's RPG Kingdom Hearts II debuts at number five.
Codemasters football sim LMA Manager 2007 drops a couple of spots to number six, just ahead of another new entry, THQ's PC exclusive strategy title Company of Heroes.
The rest of the top ten consists of chart stalwart Cars at number eight, EA's The Godfather at number nine and Dr Kawashima's Brain Training at number ten.
The only other new entries in the top forty are Capcom's special edition of Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening at number 32 and Nintendo's compendium title, 42 All-Time Classics at number 36.
Metal Gear Solid 4 is without doubt one of the biggest games currently in development for PS3, and after being impressed by the latest gameplay footage that sneaked out last month we're more than happy to be thwapped in the face by 20 - yep, that's 20 - new screenshots this afternoon.
Solid Snake fans still have around a year to wait before MGS4 arrives, with it currently expected in Q4 2007. Still, you can ease that wait by checking out this heaping helping of new in-game pics. Enjoy.
Jamie MacDonald, VP of SCE Worldwide Studios Europe, has told GamesIndustry.biz that he believes digital distribution will overtake discs within the next five years.
Speaking after his keynote at GDC London this morning, MacDonald said the industry is currently experiencing a "paradigm shift" as the cost of games production increases and there is a move toward a "network-centric world". This, he argued, will have significant implications for the way developers make games, the revenue streams they are able to exploit and the way products are delivered.
"In five years' time, my belief is that the majority of content won't be delivered on disc. That has many implications for developers and the way we organise our industry," MacDonald said.
"It also brings with it great opportunities because it means you can touch your consumer in many different ways and at different times - it's not just a one-off relationship where a consumer buys a disc from the store.
"In terms of object sales, episodic content, in-game advertising and merchandising, there are many, many opportunities to have a relationship with the consumer - which is a great challenge to us as developers because that's not what we're used to."
This is not the first time a Sony executive has predicted the end of the road for disc formats. Back in August, Worldwide Studios president Phil Harrison said he would be "amazed" if the PlayStation 4 featured a disc drive - causing some observers to question the validity of launching the new Blu-ray format with PlayStation 3.
But according to MacDonald, "The thing about Blu-ray discs - and this is the crucial thing - is that not any time soon will you be able to download the amount of content you need for a big triple-A title down a typical 2, 4 meg broadband connection. That's not going to happen now or in the next year.
"So Blu-ray is absolutely needed for the high definition content in the games that we'll be producing. The network-enabled world, for the initial period, is much more about updated content, object sales, but also titles which are not these blockbuster titles."
The full interview with Jamie MacDonald will be published on GamesIndustry.biz later this week.
Sony's PlayStation 3 is only one month away, with its official release date set to November 11 in Japan and November 17 in the USA.
Virtually place yourself in the waiting line at Japanese videogame shops and let Lik Sang do the dirty work for you. Conditions are quite flexible and there is strictly no money involved. No need to wait for the department store next door to finally get its stock a year later. The price at Lik-Sang.com will remain $0 until we have secured the best possible purchase prices, as many units as possible, and until further details emerge from our suppliers all around the world.
You'll also find a number of official launch titles for the same $0 pre-order price tag in our PlayStation 3 category, but please take into account that some of these games may still be delayed or new ones may get added by Sony to the official launch title list. In any case, you'll always have the final word of what games you want us to ship with your console. By the way, if you have already placed your Special Pre-Order, you can now head over to your my Account page and add them to your list.
Special Pre-Order Terms & Conditions:
1. Your pre-order is not binding and you can cancel at any time.
2. Once release and price details are known, you will receive an email that you need to confirm.
3. As long as you don't cancel, you will keep your position in the pre-order list.
4. Unit price and features are not confirmed and can change at any time.
5. Release date is not confirmed and might change.
6. The product is listed with a dummy price - your credit card is NOT charged.
7. All special pre-orders are limited to a maximum of 1 unit.
8. Depending on release schedule you will be offered choice between US and Japanese systems as Premium or Basic PS3 Pack.
9. Choices and changes are also allowed if several editions/colors are made available.
10. Confirmed launch titles can be added to your order; if a title is delayed, orders can be changed.
11. Again, you will not pay a penny until the minute we ship out your order.
Zip in, zip out, time to make a quick move if you want to catch one of the last remaining spots.
Extra note: Be prepared that the day-1 prices will be much higher than the manufacturers suggested retail price. Experienced and veteran hardcore gamers, who are not importing a system for the first time, know that buying a PS3 at launch or a PSP at launch is not the same thing as simply buying a mere PlayStation 3 or a random PSP off some supermarket shelf. You're paying for the privilege of getting it two months before the massive overflow. Especially with the long forecasted shortages (only 100.000 units for Japan at release date), MasterCard would call that 'priceless'. There is never enough of the good stuff on a launch day, and Lik Sang is required to pay premium pricing to get earlybird stock in sufficient levels for everybody. We can only extend these offers to you during the first couple of months, while waiting for the market to stabilize. But that's the beauty of the No Money Down Special Pre-Order system, you can always ignore day-1 prices and wait for a few more days, a few more weeks, or even several months, until the price goes down to an acceptable level. Without ever losing your pre-order position!
If You Have Already Placed Your Special Pre-Order
If you have already placed your Special Pre-Order Without any games or accessories, you may now head over to your My Account section and add available games to your order. Simply enter the Item Number in the blank field.
• Genji : Kamui Souran (Japanese) (Item No. 9660)
• Mahjong Kakutou Club (Japanese) (Item No. 9661)
• Mobile Suit Gundam : Target In Sight (Japanese) (Item No. 9662)
• Resistance : Jinrui Botsuraku no Hi (Japanese) (Item No. 9663)
• Sega Golf Club (Japanese) (Item No. 9664)
• Ridge Racer 7 (Japanese) (Item No. 9665)
• F.E.A.R (US) (Item No. 9666)
• Madden NFL 07 (US) (Item No. 9667)
• Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 (US) (Item No. 9668)
• Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas (US) (Item No. 9669)
• Call of Duty 3 (US) (Item No. 9670)
• Genji : Days of the Blade (US) (Item No. 9671)
• MotorStorm (US) (Item No. 9672)
• NBA 07 (US) (Item No. 9673)
• Need for Speed Carbon (US) (Item No. 9674)
• NHL 2K7 (US) (Item No. 9675)
• Resistance : Fall Of Man (US) (Item No. 9676)
• The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (US) (Item No. 9677)
• Untold Legends : Dark Kingdom (US) (Item No. 9678)
British developer Ninja Theory has confirmed PlayStation 3-exclusive fighter Heavenly Sword as a "launch window" release during a Game Developer Conference presentation in London, although the game will not make it out in America before the end of the year.
"We've always been a launch window title so it hasn't affected us at all," said Nina Kristensen, Ninja Theory's co-founder, answering a question on how Sony's PlayStation 3 delay in Europe had affected the release of the game.
"No, it's going to be next year," said Guy Midgley lead animator, speaking of the game's American launch, "but we haven't announced a specific date yet."
The presentation generally centred on the development of the game's extensive combat system, showing software used to compile what look to be intricate combat routines.
"We needed to do one-on-one combat, group combat and army combat," said lead programmer SaiTong Man. "Our main inspiration was Virtua Fighter and Soul Calibur... Our hero has three stances, but we decided to make each enemy a different stance. This makes the player think about the stance they need to be in to survive the encounter."
Much was shown of wire-frame combat, the presentation culminating in the most recent trailer made for the game.
Recent concerns about PS3's imminent launch and the stability of the console's hardware have caused Sony shares to drop 2.75 percent, according to a report on The Associated Press.
First up, in a report released yesterday, Macquarie Equities analyst David Gibson stated that PS3 units had to be reset frequently at this year's Tokyo Game Show, pointing the finger at overheating.
Sony, of course, has denied hardware issues with PS3 exist, with company spokesperson Nanako Kato saying the TGS phenomenon was likely caused by one-of-a-kind temperature irregularities, according to The AP.
Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (investment firm), chose to drop Sony's stock rating earlier today from 'buy' to 'neutral'. The reason? 1) confusion over PS3's release and 2) poor PSP sales may have a greater impact on Sony's earnings than expected.
As a result of all this, Sony's shares fell $1.11 on the Tokyo Stock Exchange to $38.98.
What will concern gamers though is the TGS 'overheating' matter. Should we be worried? Clarifying Sony's position on the issue, Nanako Kato said that roughly 200 PS3 units were positioned closely together and situated in kiosks with poor ventilation, which resulted in overheating problems.
"It's not a problem with the PlayStation 3 unit itself," Kato maintained. "For a normal player at home, there shouldn't be any problem."
It looks like we weren't the only ones to notice the Playstation 3's overheating during the Tokyo Game Show. Macquarie Equities analyst David Gibson also saw some PS3s locking up and having to be reset at the big show. And he didn't like what he saw:
"While the reason for this is unknown, we suspect it may be due to overheating as a result of enclosing the units and the high temperatures at the venue," Gibson wrote. "We are concerned that such a problem has occurred so close to full production and is clearly negative news for the company."
News of the glitches caused a 2.75 percent drop in Sony shares, says Business Week.
In Sony's defense, TGS was, by all accounts, a sweltering A/C-free pit and, so far, all next-gen hardware locks up. My Xbox 360 and debug unit both lock-up if I play them for too long without leaving my entertainment center doors open.
I won't know until I get my greedy little hands on one, but I suspect the PS3's overheating issues are about the same as the issues with the 360. I can't wait to heat my house with the PS360s when they're fully installed and running. I'm already heating my lounge with the Xbox 360 and Plamsa TV.
Japan's Impress Watch provided some impressions of browser use. Using the Six Axis controller (that's the PS3 controller's Official name, in case you just woke up), you move a cursor around with the left analogue stick and use the right stick to scroll the screen up and down. Circle is for making selections, with L1 and R1 serving as back and forward buttons. Links can be open in a second window, which lines up next to the current window. The windows can be toggled between using L2 and R2. The site reports that, thanks to the PS3's compatibility with high resolution monitors, webpages are easy to look at when browsing on the PS3.
“Sony knew early on that it was going to be hard to get the very best out of the PS3 early on, so the Japan office commissioned a team in Europe to start devising new technology and tools,” said Cheshire. “What we were able to do is exploit something that Sony was developing internally, which we were the first to see – and since then we’ve worked very closely with Sony. It’s a two-way street.”
Unusually though, the Neon engine is intended to be cross platform, with Cheshire indicating that, “Sony said that was fine. Sony realises that the only way to make next-gen viable for everyone was to allow everyone to exploit technology”. The first game to use the engine will be rally game Colin McRae DIRT, expected on both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
The PAL delay of the PlayStation 3 could hurt revenues for publishers hoping to have taken advantage of a worldwide pre-Christmas launch of the console, with a potential 500,000 European gamers no longer viable consumers.
That's the opinion of UBS Investment Research analyst Michael Wallace, who also noted that the situation may prompt some publishers to delay the launch of their titles to take advantage of a larger market when the PS3 launches in March.
Wallace had expected Europe to receive 500,000 console units by Christmas, and noted that large publishers such as Activision may suffer from building their Q4 targets around the launch of the PlayStation 3.
Publishers that have hedged their bets with titles across multiple formats, including Nintendo's Wii, had a better chance of making up losses, said Wallace.
Shares in Sony fell yesterday by 2.75 per cent after another analyst, from Macquire Equities, issued a statement of concern about the PlayStation 3 units at this years' Tokyo Game Show which suffered from overheating problems.
"We are concerned that such a problem has occurred so close to full production and is clearly negative news for the company," said the firm.
Sony spokesperson Nanako Kato has since clarified the company's position to the Associated Press, stating that 200 units grouped closely together with little ventilation had caused the problems, and not any manufacturing fault.
"It's not a problem with the PlayStation 3 unit itself. For a normal player at home, there shouldn't be any problem," he said.
Yesterday investment firm Goldman Sachs lowered Sony's stock rating from 'buy' to 'neutral', amid concerns of disappointing PSP sales and confusion over the launch of the PlayStation 3.
Speaking exclusively to GamesIndustry.biz Sony Europe has categorically denied reports that the PS3 hardware has suffered any problems due to overheating.
The rebuttal follows a report by Macquire Securities analyst David Gibson, who wrote that PS3 units at the Tokyo Game Show were overheating, causing concern over the stability of the console, which in turn caused Sony shares to tumble by 2.75 per cent yesterday.
"SCE can categorically deny that there's any problems with PS3 units overheating," said the company in a statement issued to GI.biz.
"As could be seen on the TGS floor by the tens of thousands of media and public attendees, both the hardware and software worked flawlessly," the statement concludes.
Sony has been suffering negative press since the company announced it would be delaying the European launch of the PlayStation 3 until March 2007, due to difficulties in producing a key component of the system.
The overheating rumours have also been fuelled by a recent recall of lithium ion batteries manufactured by Sony, which affected technology partners Dell, Toshiba and Apple.
Sony Worldwide Studios exec Michael Denny has warned that the games industry must be prepared to make huge changes as the digital era gets underway.
Speaking at the London Games Summit this afternoon, Denny described the industry as being "at a crossroads", with many people "undecided, perhaps even divided" over what the future holds.
He argued that the current console transition is taking place in a world very different from that of five or six years ago, before the arrival of the iPod and websites such as YouTube and My Space.
"Consumers have more choice, want better things and have louder voices," Denny said.
He went on to discuss the importance of user-created content and to observe that niche products will become more popular as distribution models change, stating, "The hit driven market will continue, but hits must compete with niche products... The era of one size fits all is ending."
According to Denny, the move into a new era will require "the most fundamental shift in planning, content creation and management that our industry has ever seen".
He described downloadable content as one of the "biggest weapons" developers and publishers have at their disposal, arguing that it can and should be used to "complement retail launches, encourage consumer loyalty and extend products' life cycle, helping to prevent trade-ins".
Sony's e-distribution initiative, which was first announced at this year's Develop conference, has been met with an "overwhelming" response from developers, according to Denny. He added that many studios are also highly enthusiastic about the possibilities opened up by the PS3's tilt controller and built-in hard drive.
Sony chose not to include force feedback in its PlayStation 3 controller because it was worried how much it would have to charge for the resultant product.
That's according to SCEA boss Kaz Hirai, who told UK games website Kikizo that the decision not to include rumble features in addition to motion-sensing was a strategic, not a technical one.
"The issue is trying to isolate the vibration feature from the motion sensors," he said. "Is it technically feasible? Absolutely. But the balancing act that you need to do, is to be able to present the controller to the consumer at an affordable price."
Despite facing a backlash at E3, Hirai reckons that the extra cost involved in putting both in the same pad would have been "doing the consumer a huge disservice". You can make your own jokes about PlayStation 3 pricing here if you like.
Individual PS3 controllers, named "Sixaxis", will be sold for 5,000 yen in Japan, which is about 22 Hermajestycoins or 33 Euran-out-of-funny-ones-yesterdays.
UBS Investment Research analyst Michael Wallace assessed the PlayStation 3 and Wii launch plans of a number of US publishers in a note to investors today, and not all of the news was positive. While Wallace noted that software sales were already up about 3 percent for the year so far (matching his original prediction for the full year), he warned that the delay of the European release of Sony's system may have a negative impact on some companies' bottom lines this year.
Wallace had expected Sony to ship about 500,000 PS3 systems to Europe by the end of the year, but with the system not expected to release there until March of 2007, he worries about the impact it will have on US publishers. Aside from having 500,000 less consumers to sell their games to, publishers may decide to delay games that had been expected this year into 2007 to take advantage of what will be a larger user base. However, Wallace doesn't specify any particular titles that would be in danger of this and notes that if Sony can ship 1.5 million PS3s to the US by year's end, it would make up for the shortfall of systems caused by the European delay.
As for which publishers face the biggest downside as a result of the delay, Wallace said that Activision has built its quarter around the PS3 launch more than other publishers and could suffer the largest downside as a result. While he expects Electronic Arts to have four or five PS3 games at launch compared to Activision's three, Wallace also said that EA has a more balanced portfolio for the quarter.
Even the caution about Activision is tempered with a note that the publisher could make up any losses in other areas of its business. Wallace said that Nintendo's expected 2 million Wii units available for the US by the end of the year is more than he expected. As a result, Activision and THQ are best positioned to take advantage of that, with five games and four games expected for the Wii launch, respectively. (Wallace does not issue reports on foreign publishers like France-based Ubisoft, which has announced a lineup of eight Wii titles and is expected to offer PS3 launch titles as well, including Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII.)
Wallace's list of expected Wii and PS3 launch titles from the publishers he covers is included below.
Activision
Call of Duty 3 (PS3, Wii)
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance (PS3, Wii)
Tony Hawk's Project 8 (PS3)
Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam (Wii)
World Series of Poker (Wii)
Rapala Tournament Fishing (Wii)
Atari
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 (Wii)
Electronic Arts
Madden NFL 07 (PS3, Wii)
Need for Speed Carbon (PS3, Wii)
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 (PS3)
Fight Night Round 3 (PS3)
NBA Live 07 (PS3)
Midway
Ant Bully (Wii)
Happy Feet (Wii)
Rampage: Total Destruction (Wii)
The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy (Wii)
Take-Two
NBA 2K7 (PS3)
NHL 2K7 (PS3)
College Hoops 2K7 (PS3)
THQ
Cars (Wii)
SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature From the Krusty Krab (Wii)
Avatar: The Last Airbender (Wii)
Barnyard (Wii)
Yesterday evening, Sony announced that they're holding a contest for 10 all-expenses-paid trips to the PlayStation 3 premiere party on November 8 in Los Angeles. This party, they claim, will be so rad that attendees will brag to their grandchildren about attending it.
Hyper-hyperbole aside, the contest rules do provide Sony fans with a unique opportunity to express their love for the PlayStation 3 in video, essay, poem, PowerPoint or any other creative format. The best entries will win prizes worth approximately $2,200, including a PlayStation 3.
Don't think that this is your ticket to securing one of the 400,000 PS3s allocated to North America for launch, however. Sony's fine print notes that winners should "please allow up to 20 weeks for delivery" of their consoles.
Japanese gaming site Famitsu.com, the online branch of the popular game magazine Weekly Famitsu, has published pricing details for Japan on nine PlayStation 3 games. The games, four of which are due to be released as launch titles, range in price from 5,040 yen (approximately $43) for Mahjong Taikai IV to 8,190 yen (approximately $69) for Armored Core 4. A list of titles with Japanese prices and approximate dollar equivalents follows.
November 11, 2006:
Mah-Jong Fight Club (Konami, 5,229 yen / approx $44)
Sega Golfclub (Sega, 7140 yen / approx. $60)
Genji (Sony Computer Entertainment Japan, 5,980 yen / approx. $51)
Resistance: Fall of Man (Sony Computer Entertainment Japan, 5,980 yen / approx. $51)
Mobile Suit Gundam: Target in Sight (Namco Bandai Games, 7,329 yen / approx. $62)
Ridge Racer 7 (Namco Bandai Games, 7,329 yen / approx. $62)
November 22, 2006:
Mah-Jong Taikai IV (Koei, 5,040 yen / approx. $43)
December 14, 2006:
Armored Core 4 (From Software, 8,190 yen / approx. $69)
December 21, 2006:
Sonic the Hedgehog (Sega, 7,140 yen / approx. $60)
Today's news comes just over a week after the Sony Style online store revealed the US prices of PS3 games. Unlike Japan, games for the platform were listed at a standard $59.99 price point for both first- and third-party titles. European and Australasian prices for PS3 games have not yet been revealed.
The Intercooler, first released to keep the oven-hot Xbox 360 from baking your VCR, is coming to the equally hot Playstation 3.
Nyko says the PS3 Intercooler, which will sell for $20 to $30, will connect to the console's power port and vent system and then suck the hot air out of the system and blow it into your already hot bedroom or den. I'm telling ya, Microsoft and Sony need to start marketing their consoles as space heaters.
Every time I mention the PS3 preorder situation, I hypothesize that getting a console at launch (even if you preorder) will require cracking open another man's sternum with your bare hands, leaning back as a hiss of bloody steam spurts through the air, and then conquering his luckily purchased console as if it were a Hyperbornean woman. I was only half-kidding. But from an anonymous tipster comes this disquieting news, from a Gamestop manager:
Each gamestop store will receive an average of 6 systems (more for higher volume stores, less for dead stores). 1-2 systems can be given to employees at the store manager's discretion. The rest are given out to the store's "regulars". If a manager feels he has a customer who is very loyal (shops there often, reserves many things), they call them and ask them if they want to guarantee one of the remaining 4 consoles...and aparently all 4 of the remining consoles are handed out in this fashion.
Nepotism for the win! Looks like journalists won't be the only ones waiting 20 weeks for a PS3.
Free rag thelondonpaper labels male gamers 'hairy-palmed wank-monkeys'
Think of a computer gamer and what comes to mind? Probably a lot of things but not necessarily, according to Stuart McGurk of thelondonpaper on October 4, "A zit-crusted, Olay-avoiding, hairy-palmed wank-monkey living with his mother". For a start, we don't live with our mothers (well Andy does but he's only 20, bless him).
The abuse doesn't end there friends. According to the article (on girl gaming), a rise in technology has now widened the market to "slightly older hairy-palmed wank monkeys". Cheers!
McGurk then goes on to say developers assumed gamers only wanted to kick someone in the groin and shoot them in face (hey, we like driving games too!), but gaming objectives "have now expanded beyond causing death and pain". Yeah, because that's all we've been able to do in the millions of games released over the last few decades...
Next time you see one of those purple paperboys handing out thelondonpaper near a Tube station, we strongly recommend you take it, thrown it on the ground and stamp on it. We always preferred London Lite anyway...
The Media Arts Plaza, a project of the Japanese government's Agency for Cultural Affairs, has announced a list of "100 examples of media that represents Japan."
The list was compiled based on questionnaire results to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Japan Media Arts Festival, a yearly event that recognizes creative and technically excellent media. List candidates were selected based on both Web-based polls--some 33,884 people responded--and mailed-in surveys from artists, editors and critics.
The list is broken into four categories--art, entertainment, animation, and manga--of 25 items each. Over half the entertainment category was comprised of game hardware and software: Nintendo's Game Boy, DS, and Famicom (aka the NES), were chosen, along with Sony's PlayStation and PlayStation 2. The games selected were Super Mario Bros., Space Invaders, Final Fantasy VII, Puyo Puyo, Pokemon, Metal Gear Solid, and Dragon Quest(s) I, III, and V.
From January 21, 2007 a special exhibition at the National Art Center Tokyo will showcase the chosen works.
The debate about how to get women more involved in gaming is a perennial one and one on which there is pretty wide agreement that not enough is being done.
There is, the argument goes, a failing at the heart of the gaming industry to engage women. But, as women increasingly make up the numbers in gaming statistics, there is also a growing realisation that there is a lot of money to be made from this burgeoning market.
Women now account for around a third of UK gamers, so it is time to stop talking about women in gaming as if they lived in a separate universe?
"I wish it no longer had to be talked about as a separate entity but unfortunately it is the case that games still aren't designed or marketed towards women and that has to be dealt with," said Kirsten Kearney.
Ms Kearney knows what she is talking about. As well as being a games industry journalist she is also a Frag Doll - a small group of women selected by video games firm Ubisoft specifically to promote women gamers.
There is still a perception, she said, that women who play male-dominated games are going to be ignored, shouted down or chatted up by men they will be playing against.
"There is a preconceived notion that you will feel out of place but that isn't borne out by women who are actually playing games," she said.
Pink PlayStation
As well as appearing at events such as this weekend's World Series of Video Games at London's Trocadero, The Frag Dolls run a website aimed at being a friendly first-stop for women wanting to get more involved in games.
Women can play games, chat in the forums or take part in Frag Doll Friday, a increasingly popular event where women are invited to play a certain game together.
Thirty-something women are the first generation of women to have grown up with video games.
"I started off playing Pong 25 years ago, then I had a GamesBoy and played SuperMario. There are plenty of girls who did this but when you ask if they are gamers they say no," said Ms Kearney.
If that generation was somehow lost along the way, there is plenty of evidence that young girls today are keen gamers.
Princess Fashion Boutique, a game designed by Buena Vista Games and aimed at girls aged six to 11, has held the number one position in the Children's PC chart from May 2004 until July 2006.
Sony has cottoned on to this new market and is due to bring out pink PlayStations to appeal specifically to young girls.
"Some adult women gamers are offended by that but I would say it is just one attempt to bring girls into gaming," said Ms Kearney.
"But pink is not enough. There needs to be changes across the board. So, for example, if I go to choose a character to play as and they are all male then I am going to think this isn't aimed at me," she said.
Role-playing
Playing a desperate housewife could entice women gamers
There is evidence to suggest that, despite the obstacles, young girls carry on playing games.
Research done by gaming firm Electronic Arts' found that 40% of teenage girls played video games but, crucially, they seem to lose interest within a year.
For teenage girls, at a complex stage of development, it may simply be that real life takes over.
Games such as The Sims and Second Life are increasingly offering a bridge between the virtual and real worlds which could be enough to hold girls' interest.
The emphasis on community and building things rather than traditional shoot-em-ups is appealing to females, as is the sense of creating a character who can live out real-life fantasies.
"My sister loves Second Life. She bought herself the biggest wedding dress and wears it all the time she is playing," said Ms Kearney.
Women are beginning to carve out their own niche in the gaming industry. Nintendo's Nintendogs and Brain Training games for the Nintendo DS have been hugely popular with women.
Social aspect
Buena Vista Games is trying to find ways of uniting the gaming world and the daily life of women by turning to TV shows for inspiration.
Its Desperate Housewives game is aimed, if not exactly at desperate housewives, then certainly at women of a particular age who were fans of the US TV drama.
It will hit the stores next month, just in time to make it into women's Christmas stockings.
"Players will be able to move into Wisteria Lane and uncover secrets about other housewives as well as solving mysteries about themselves," explained Shan Savage, Buena Vista Games senior marketing manager.
"There has been a lot of stigma attached to gaming. It has been the preserve of geeky types sitting in their bedrooms but now there is more of a social aspect to gaming and women respond to that," she said.
EA's chief executive, David Gartner admitted at a recent gaming conference that his company could increase sales by a billion dollars if it cracked the problem of how to get women more involved in games.
That should be incentive enough for video games makers - and if they build it, then surely women will come.
"I asked the regional manager about PS3 preorders," one told me "and he paused and then said he can't answer the question. He said there is a plan, but they can't talk about it; we should know in a week to two weeks." He started to sound tired, "Sony just didn't seem like they had a plan with the show. No plan at all. Barely a mention of the PS3, and almost nothing playable. On the other hand, I waited two hours for Gears of War. There is a feeling that Nintendo and Microsoft really set out to wow us, and Sony didn't have much to show. There was a PS3 under glass you could look at, and that's about it."
The difference between HD-DVD and Blu Ray was striking as well. "Blu-ray had a tiny presence in the very back of the show floor, while Microsoft had large displays and surround sound systems in their hospitality suite so you can take a look at what their HD-DVD drives would look like. It was impressive, and gave the feeling that HD-DVD was real and Blu-ray wasn't ready for the show."
I asked him his feelings going into the PS3 launch with no word on allocations or preorders, and no news on what will happen towards the holidays. "It's going to be ugly, there is no way this launch is going to go well."
Victor Viegas (right), CEO of haptic technology specialist Immersion Corporation, has told GameDaily BIZ that rumble could be included with motion sensing in the PS3 controller without cost rising significantly, which is contrary to comments made by Kaz Hirai.
In response to SCEA president Kaz Hirai's recent comments regarding Sony's decision to include motion sensing but not force feedback in its PlayStation 3 controllers because it would not be affordable for the consumer, Immersion Corporation CEO Vic Viegas got in touch with GameDaily BIZ to give us his opinion on these technologies and if cost would really be a problem.
"I was really surprised when they initially said it wasn't technically possible and I'm probably even more surprised now... [Kaz Hirai's] really saying two things. One is that it's technically possible but that the cost is prohibitive—which again I find astounding—and the second thing he's saying is that they're making a decision to go with this tilt control in place of rumble because they think that's what consumers will appreciate in their gameplay. So, on those two issues again I'm very surprised and shocked because I don't believe either to be the case," Viegas said.
[ "[Sony's] making a decision on behalf of their customer... and to blame the cost of vibration does not seem to be a genuine statement." ]
He continued, "If you remember, the day after they announced they were going to take vibration out of their controller I said that we'd be happy to work with them to solve the technical problem, and our engineers in less than a day had come up with three solutions; one is filtering and the other is processing and neither one is incrementally an increase in the cost. Both are using software to filter out the different commands—tilt vs. vibration—so that both can work side by side, and neither solution will add an increase to the cost of the system... We knew how to technically solve their problems and now we know how to do it without adding any incremental cost."
Viegas then pointed out that a third-party peripheral maker called eDimensional has already created a PS2 controller, the G-Pad Pro, that incorporates both motion sensing and vibration and goes for the retail price of just $29.95, so he doesn't understand Sony's cost argument.
Viegas also cited the results of an Immersion-sponsored survey from Ipsos that indicated most gamers seem to prefer rumble over motion sensing. Sony doesn't believe rumble is as important as motion, however. "It runs completely contradictory to the Ipsos studies and every other study we've conducted... In reality, holding the controller and using the tilt technology to control the game, I have a hard time believing it's going to enhance any game; at a minimum it probably could be used in a driving or flying game, but I just don't see how it plays in any of these other games," Viegas said. "[Sony's] making a decision on behalf of their customer that they're going to decide which features they're going to include and to blame the cost of vibration does not seem to be a genuine statement and I don't think it's in favor of the gamers who obviously like this technology."
While many gamers would love to see Immersion and Sony just settle their differences and work to include vibration into the PS3 pad, it doesn't appear as if the two parties are even talking with one another currently. "The litigation is not our primary focus but if Sony wanted to talk about how to implement rumble technology, paying a license, figure out ways to reduce cost or even enhance the capability with our next-generation technology I would for the most part be available at a day's notice. I'm ready to meet with them and try to work out this issue because at the end of the day it's the gamer that really seems to be suffering," Viegas said. "So I'm happy to try to resolve it but it's hard to have a one-way discussion if the other party is not willing acknowledge the rights that we have under our patent portfolio and all of the brilliance that our engineers have developed over the years."
Some have brought up the idea of a third-party company, like the aforementioned eDimensional, possibly offering a PS3 controller that does actually include both motion and rumble features, but the problem, Viegas explained, is that the PS3 may not support it. "It appears that Sony has not yet ruled out a third-party solution... but if [developers] don't support vibration in the game, that's going to cause a problem," he said. "The controller would have no commands to receive from the gameplay. Sony's in some control there and Sony's also in control of the console, so they can filter out vibration commands; essentially if they don't want vibration they can shut it down and it appears that's what they're doing and as a result companies like eDimensional who are licensed to provide vibration controllers and could otherwise do this, if they don't obtain the support from Sony it just isn't going to happen."
Finally, Viegas also gave us an update on the status of the lawsuit and Sony's appeal, which is still pending. "The appeal was fully briefed, so all the parties wrote up a document that described their position and yesterday in Washington, D.C. the federal court of appeals had a hearing where Sony, Immersion and another party ISLLC came together and presented roughly one hour, answered questions and presented to this panel of three judges... And they would take the information that was discussed yesterday and would then theoretically write an opinion. They could choose to just decide whether this is affirmed over overturned, but most likely they'll write an opinion and we hope that a decision is made around the first quarter of next year," he said.
"In theory, if the appeal concludes and they reaffirm what occurred in front of the judge and jury then we would be aggressively working for this injunction and at the same time willing to try to settle and resolve it. I think [Sony] would have to either stop selling their [DualShock] products or disable the capability because otherwise they'd be infringing," Viegas concluded.
Today officially sees another great emulation project join the DCEmu Network, that project is PSX4ALL the rather excellent Playstation Emulator for the GP2X, Zaurus, Gizmondo, IStation and PalmOS.
Having played the GP2X Port you can tell this is one quality emulator.
Just a reminder for anyone who doesnt know about our coding competition for the homebrew scene.
Introduction
The DCEmu Dream Coding Grand Prix 2006 is the first Multi Console Homebrew and Emulation Coding Competition to take in all the Consoles below at one time. We are taking submissions for all the following consoles.
PSP
Nintendo DS
GBA
PS2
Xbox
Gamecube
GP2X
GP32
Tapwave Zodiac
Gizmondo
Dreamcast
Sega Saturn
Nokia N-Gage
Those prolific peripheral purveyors over at Logitech are putting that exclusive AirFlow tech of theirs to good use. They've just announced their new ChillStream controller for the PlayStation 3, which along with adding some always welcome fan-based cooling to the controller, might add some much-needed heft to the gamepad as well. Logitech is also announcing PS3 compatibility for a good swath of their PS2 peripherals, such as their Driving Force Pro wheel and USB headset. The new ChillStream controller will be out when the PS3 launches in November, and will run you $40 -- the same as the Xbox 360 version which dropped in September.
Electronics retailer Divineo has been slapped with a fine of more than USD $9 million (EUR 7.1 million) for selling and distributing mod chips and HDLoader software.
The HDLoader allows full games to be downloaded and stored on a PS2 hard drive, and is considered key software used for console piracy.
"Mod chips and HDLoaders are key elements in facilitating video game piracy because they allow people to play illegally copied games on illegally modified video game consoles," said Ric Hirsch, senior VP of intellectual property enforcement for America's Entertainment Software Association.
"This court order is very important because it recognises the significant damage that mod chips and HDLoaders cause the entertainment software industry and delivers the clear message that trafficking in circumvention devices that enable game piracy will result in heavy penalties," he added.
The ruling took place on September 11th in the US District Court of California.
After its teasing reveal last week, Rockstar and Team Bondi have released the first proper trailer of L.A. Noire.
L.A. Noire takes place in a "perfectly-recreated" Los Angeles with a "post-war backdrop of corruption, drugs and jazz", and this latest trailer shows that the game certainly has a moody atmosphere to fit.
L.A. Noire was originally revealed in 2004 for the PS3, and originally published by Sony. With this in mind, we think its safe to assume that at least one of the platform's the game is heading for will be Sony's.
If the bevy of PMP / gaming hybrid devices hasn't exactly met your expectations (or came to fruition at all), KNC is throwing down an impressive do-it-all handheld that puts similar alternatives to shame. The HR-2800 may resemble a jazzed-up Sega Nomad at first glance, but beneath the 3.6-inch LCD is some serious potential. Housing a 400MHz CPU and a homebrew GUI to boot, the handheld plays back AVI, MPEG4, DivX, and XviD, while supporting MP3 and FLAC (audiophiles rejoice) on the musical side. Boasting a built-in file manager, portable version of "Winamp," a full-fledged picture / text viewer, and 1.3 megapixel camera, this jack-of-all-trades can even export full-motion video to your television via its video output. In case you're looking to get your retro game on, the unit apparently sports an NES / GBA emulator, and just in case the (admittedly skimpy) 1GB of internal storage isn't roomy enough, you can add the space you need via its SD slot. While the amount of goodies crammed into the HR-2800 may garner praise, the real applause goes to the price -- at just CNY999 ($127), we've got to wonder if these KNC folks aren't just skimming the market.
Screenshots Via Comments
Could this be a future contender for a homebrew scene ?
It's time again for one of our favorite segments, CE-Oh no he didn't! For this week's episode, we're going to talk a little bit about the PS3. Now, we all know that the new PS3 isn't going bring the rumble to our favorite upcoming Sony gaming console. But what we didn't know was why -- yes, yes there were claims that it had to do with interference of motion sensing, or lawsuits from Immersion, but we hadn't gotten a clear reason straight from the horse's mouth, particularly when surveys suggest fans would be willing to pay for it. However, a recent interview by GameDaily Biz with SCEA prez Kaz Hirai says that it's yet another reason altogether:
"Is it technically feasible? Absolutely. But the balancing act that you need to do, is to be able to present the controller to the consumer at an affordable price."
Affordable? Please. Joystiq points out that a G-Pad Pro for the PS2, which has motion sensing and vibration, costs $30, a whole Lincoln higher than the Dual Shock. C'mon Kaz, can't you at least be straight with us? Now of course, this is from the same folks who said that just a few months ago said that the $500 PS3 was "too cheap," and is well worth the markup compared to the Wii, but backtracked when the company recently dropped the price in Japan. Maybe that means the prices of the controllers are going to come down too?
SCE Worldwide Europe VP Jamie MacDonald reckons that Europe will quickly get over the delay between the US and Japanese launches of PlayStation 3 next month and its European debut next March.
When asked by our sister site GamesIndustry.biz what he'd say to European consumers who feel they're always last in line for new consoles, MacDonald said, "European consumers have shown that historically they don't mind [the delays], because they end up buying as many PlayStations, if not more, than the US and Japan."
"In Europe, it doesn't seem that the release of our platforms after the US and Japan - in the long run - affects how consumers feel."
"If we were sitting here in five years' time, I don't think we'd really think about or notice that PlayStation 3 was four or five months later in Europe. I think in the long run, PlayStation 3 will succeed because of the great product it is and the great software we make for it," he added, when asked how he felt the delay would affect Sony's chances in the next-gen battle.
MacDonald's frank assessment of the situation is likely to raise hackles with, well, you (you're already sharpening your keyboard, aren't you?), but generally speaking he certainly shared Sony UK boss Ray Maguire's perspective on the announcement, around a month ago, that the console's European release would be delayed until March.
At the time, Maguire admitted that Sony UK was "extremely disappointed" by the delay. "We can truly empathise with everyone who was looking forward to PS3's imminent release. We will however be working tirelessly to ensure that the March 2007 launch is the biggest and best in the company's history," he added.
Microsoft's 'Major Nelson' and executive Peter Moore have been visible representatives of the 360 console for well over a year now. 'Grandfather of Gaming' Shigeru Miyamoto and asskicking Reggie Fils-Aime have have preached the Wii concept through good writeups and bad name jokes. Sony ... well, Sony has Ken Kutaragi, Phil Harrison, and Kaz Hirai. They say helpful things like 'we don't care', and 'disks won't matter', and (my personal favorite) 'the PS3 is a computer'. RPG Site has a compelling argument stating that Sony needs a Major Nelson to cut through this crazy executive talk, and reconnect the company with real gamers. From the article:
"While it's not something that appeals to every group of people that play games - the casual market and kids, for example, the existence of these people allows the part of the market that is most opinionated - the core gamers, those who have a very clear opinion on what they want and what is good and bad - to interact with somebody who can actually bring about change. Hell, on a lesser note, it even gives the fanboys someone to worship."
Crytek's lead artist, Michael Khaimzon, has revealed that the developer could confidently port highly-anticipated PC title Crysis to PS3 and Xbox 360 - although there are no current plans to do so.
Speaking to our sister site GamesIndustry.biz, Khaimzon said, "I don’t think there would be any problem to convert anything we work on to the next-gen consoles if we decided to.
"We have enough power here, with programmers and artists, to be able to do such a thing. It's just a matter of making the decision."
Khaimzon's comments will only fan the flames of rumour which surround Crysis - a first-person shooter already wowing consumers and critics alike - that publisher Electronic Arts may bring the game to home consoles after release on PC early next year.
Discussing whether the team at Crytek would be interested in working on the next-generation of home consoles, Khaimzon added: "I'm pretty sure it would be interesting for us to do stuff on the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360.
"We would just have to see how much of a sacrifice to the game we'd have to make. Or whether there would be a sacrifice at all, maybe we could find a way to make the game look exactly the same as it does on PC on the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3."
When asked directly whether there was a possibility that Crysis would appear on home consoles, Khaimzon replied: "There might be, the decision isn't mine to make. I don’t know of any official plans to do so, but I know there are rumours and talk, but I couldn't say anything concrete."
Any day now, Gamestop and EB Games will start accepting preorders on the Sony PlayStation 3 and the Nintendo Wii, both of which are due to hit just before Thanksgiving. Supplies of both systems will be limited, with the PS3 being in particularly short supply, as Sony currently plans to ship only 400,000 units to North America. There will be plenty of press along with the usual midnight launch events that feature a couple of guys at the front of the line who've camped out for two days on the street to secure their spots. And CNET will probably have to fight to get review units in time to have reviews posted on the day each system hits stores.
That's all a given. But so, too, is the ugly fact there's a reasonable chance that some of the early units may not be glitch-free or, more probably, could end up with shorter life expectancy rates than, well, expected.
Early Xbox 360 models had a high failure rate. Take the Xbox 360. Just in the last couple of months, I've spoken to several people who were among the first to purchase the 360 and have now had to send their units back to Microsoft for repair. Because it was outside the warranty, and they hadn't bothered to purchase an extended service agreement, the cost for the fix was $150--until Microsoft recently agreed to make repairs for free on any units manufactured before January 1, 2006. (If you shelled out money for a fix, you can, in theory, get a refund.) As Tor Thorsen writes in his news piece for Gamespot, "Microsoft has now apparently admitted that the initial shipments of Xbox 360s were failing at a greater than normal rate."
No one's releasing any hard numbers, but in my little informal poll, three out of the six people I know who got an early Xbox 360 have had their systems fail. That's not good. Sony, too, faced some negative publicity when it had problems with dead pixels on the screens of its early PSP units. And there was also an issue with the button response on some systems. On a personal level, my early PSP unit, while it does have three dead pixels, is still working fine. But I use it only a few hours a week.
These type of first-gen kinks are de rigueur across the electronics industry. Toshiba's first-gen HD-DVD players are notoriously slow and have gone through multiple firmware upgrades to rid them of certain bugs. Samsung's BD-P1000 Blu-ray player is still awaiting a promised firmware upgrade to correct a chip flaw that delivers overly soft image quality. Sony, meanwhile, offered a service solution for owners of early KDS-60A2000 HDTVs that shipped with settings that didn't maximize the set's native 1080p resolution. And Apple began bundling its first-generation iPod Nanos with a cheap but effective slip case, but only after several weeks of mounting complaints that the player was overly prone to scratching.
Ideally, companies should try to isolate software issues from the hardware. It's hard to expect a major manufacturer such as Toshiba or Sony to say, essentially, "hey, you're buying a beta product today, but we're going to be regularly improving it with software upgrades." While Philips doesn't advertise it, the internal firmware of its new generation of flat-panels TVs can be upgraded with a USB thumbdrive. And we've seen manufacturers such as Slingbox, TiVo, and Sonos offer subtle to dramatic improvements over time with software updates.
One problem, of course, is that the average consumer isn't necessarily prepared--or is intimidated by the idea of having to upgrade a product with a file he or she needs to find on the Internet and either burn to a DVD or CD or download to some sort of flash memory. The best possible scenario is for products to have more transparent Internet connections and update themselves without any assistance from their owners. This is essentially what happens with devices that are always online. Cable and satellite companies, for instance, are always pushing new software updates to their set-top boxes and DVRs. The same is true for the Xbox 360, via its Xbox Live service. It's also what will happen with the PS3 and the Wii, both of which are touting more robust online connectivity than previous Sony and Nintendo consoles. And that's yet
