Sony: "PS3 is a computer, we don't need the PC"

[Orz]

Anyone considering buying new PC hardware should be very appreciative of the glimpse of the future offered by the president of Sony Computer Entertainment's Worldwide Studios, Phil Harrison. Once the PS3 launches, PC gaming will be dead.

"We believe that the PS3 will be the place where our users play games, watch films, browse the Web, and use other [home] computer functions," said Harrison. "The PlayStation 3 is a computer. We do not need the PC."
Also, Sony came up with the motion-sensing controller at the same time as Nintendo, they didn't 'steal' it, and anyone who thinks so is apparently "stupid".

Thanks Phil! Truly another great public relations service from Sony. Check out the details in this Gamespot news item (http://www.gamespot.com/news/6152133.html).

[Dragos]

Okay seriously, what the hell is wrong with there PR department? I mean... shit.

[RMan]

Hehe, that's what I thought their plan was all along, didn't think they'd throw it out there like that though. At least seems a bad idea to do it now, perhaps after they've proven they can get something else right. Comming off of their relatively weak E3 showing this just sounds overly arrogant, they don't have the momentum to push this concept right now.

[Heretic Machine]

Well, why do you think they have Linux running on the thing out of the box? They aren't selling a console anymore, they are selling a Sony-brand PC. Which is cool with me, really it is.

But I already own a couple of PC's.

[see colon]

i think a few million WOW players might hang on to their PCs after the PS3 comes out, cause, you know, they play WOW.

seriously, people i used to know i no longer know because they play WOW. sony could only dream of having that type of pull.

-edit- where does a statement like this leave all of the EQ/2, SWG, PS, and M:O players?

[RMan]

Well, why do you think they have Linux running on the thing out of the box?
I completely agree, I was saying that on another thread here just the other day.

[Grifter]

I would get rid of my PC for a PS3 but I prefer to play good games.

[antoniogaud]

Well, since plan A (E3) didn't work out the way Sony wanted it to, they've now switched to plan B > insult anyone who doesn't want to buy a PS3 and attempt to shame and intimidate them into a purchase.

I bet this strategy will work well for them. It did wonders for... what was their name again?

[see colon]

Well, since plan A (E3) didn't work out the way Sony wanted it to, they've now switched to plan B > insult anyone who doesn't want to buy a PS3 and attempt to shame and intimidate them into a purchase.

I bet this strategy will work well for them. It did wonders for... what was their name again?
it was Sega. they are still around, you know.

[Predation]

the fact of the matter is, what are they going to say. "oh yeah, we did steal it from nintendo, and we are the horrible money-grubbing giant everybody seems to think we are."? Whether or not they did develop it at the same time, the public face of it is that they announce the withdrawment of the "boomerang" controller shortly after the Revolution controller was announced, and now they have a similarly designed controller. Though there really isn't much they can do besides deny it.

And in regards to pc gaming dying, they really must be on crack. if anything, PC gaming will overtake console gaming thanks to the versatility in PC design, the integration of the keyboard, the added resolution of monitors (though admittedly console gaming is starting to be produced in high quality resolution) and the limit of graphical engineering being reached within the next decade (it has almost reached cinematic quality as it is). MMORPGS, probably the fastest growing genre currently, is extremely hard to design for a console thanks to the lack of keyboard support (the two largest console MMOs, FFXI and EQ:OA, both almost require a keyboard to use properly). Console gaming has many, many limitations and high quality PCs are only getting cheaper

[Draft]

Harrison says a lot of stupid shit in this interview (love the, "Nintendo stole 3D from us" thing), but he does not say PC gaming is dead.

The title should probably be changed.

[Hieremias]

I would get rid of my PC for a PS3 but I prefer to play good games.

I second that!

[trip1eX]

This is why I'm interested in the PS3. One thing Sony can do that MS can't (read: won't) is offer pc-like functionality in their console. MS won't because of course they have to protect Windows. MS wants you to buy both a pc and a 360.

Sony has the freedom to say here's an internet browser. Here's mouse and keyboard. With that you've got a basic pc. Add in Linux and homebrew and who knows where this will go. Sony could also offer up some basic pc-like apps.

Mouse/keyboard too might mean other the PS3 sees the kinds of games normally found on the pc. The rts games. The Civilization type of game. The mmorpgs. etc.

[MillerWakka]

Man, laughing at Sony is so easy these days! We don't even have to dig deep into what they say or do; they just lay themselves on the line and do all the work for us!

I can totally imagine a 9-5 office with desks lined with ps3 units, though! Yeah that makes perfect sence.

[bapenguin]

Harrison says a lot of stupid shit in this interview (love the, "Nintendo stole 3D from us" thing), but he does not say PC gaming is dead.

The title should probably be changed.

Changed it to the exact quote. He's basically saying PC's are dead because they aren't needed. YOu have a PS3 for it now.

[Abash Alarmist]

I second that!

Yeah, since we have played PS3 games already and they are alllll bad. Grow up.

[Mike Jones]

Harrison says a lot of stupid shit in this interview (love the, "Nintendo stole 3D from us" thing), but he does not say PC gaming is dead.

The title should probably be changed.

Of course he didn't but Evil Avatar is turning into the new Joystiq.


But off subject

Assassin's Creed guys (Nicholas Cantin and Alex Drouin). It's in Dutch, so translation mine:

OPM: How's your experience with the storage media of the PS3, the HDD and the BluRay disc? And do you have any comparable experience with HD-DVD technology?

M.M.: Our focus is 100% BluRay, so I cannot compare with HD-DVD. I can only say that the new BluRay disc format is truly awesome. The capacity is immense, and the Data Transfer Rate is way beyond what we are used to. And that's really important, because Data Streaming (OPMED: where the console constantly loads new data from disc) is truly the only way to push next-gen games to the limit. The Playstation 3 HDD is something that we have so far given less attention to, because it hasn't been certain all that long yet that it will be standard on every console. Decreasing load-times by copying a part of the game to the HDD is one possibility, though it doesn't matter all that much for a streaming game like ours. But there are tons of other applications, such as the possibility to as it were record your whole game, to be able to watch a replay of it later on. We intend to use the HD optimally, but how, I can't tell yet currently.

Also interesting is this question:

OPM: What do you think about the performance of the graphics chip, the Nvidea RSX?

M.M.: The RSX-chip is also a beast. Not only is it incredibly fast, but just like in the PS2 you can have each Cell-core cooperate with the RSX independently. Other graphics chips also have decent Noraml Mapping- and Shader-capabilities, but RSX adds a lot of additional specialised filters and possibilities, leading to fabulous results in the graphics department. And what is really convenient is that Nvidia has been a market-leader for years, and everyone knows the technology and way of thinking through-and-through. This decreases the learning process considerably.

[Heretic Machine]

Changed it to the exact quote. He's basically saying PC's are dead because they aren't needed. YOu have a PS3 for it now.

Ya, what he doesn't understand is that it is the other way around. Almost everyone has a PC now, but no one has a PS3.

[drakkarim]

they must think they're still living in fuedal japan and they're the emperor's advisors. bunch of arrogant fu*ks. just for that i will never buy the ps3, even when its priced at $99 6 years from now.

[KarmaGhost]

It's important to note (as bap did by changing the headline) that he said that they don't need PCs because they "'believe that the PS3 will be the place where...users play games, watch films, browse the Web, and use other [home] computer functions,' said Harrison. 'The PlayStation 3 is a computer.'"

He did not say that PC gaming is dead; instead, he is saying that PCs as a whole are dead.

[Draft]

Of course he didn't but Evil Avatar is turning into the new Joystiq.


But off subject

Assassin's Creed guys (Nicholas Cantin and Alex Drouin). It's in Dutch, so translation mine:

OPM: How's your experience with the storage media of the PS3, the HDD and the BluRay disc? And do you have any comparable experience with HD-DVD technology?

M.M.: Our focus is 100% BluRay, so I cannot compare with HD-DVD. I can only say that the new BluRay disc format is truly awesome. The capacity is immense, and the Data Transfer Rate is way beyond what we are used to. And that's really important, because Data Streaming (OPMED: where the console constantly loads new data from disc) is truly the only way to push next-gen games to the limit. The Playstation 3 HDD is something that we have so far given less attention to, because it hasn't been certain all that long yet that it will be standard on every console. Decreasing load-times by copying a part of the game to the HDD is one possibility, though it doesn't matter all that much for a streaming game like ours. But there are tons of other applications, such as the possibility to as it were record your whole game, to be able to watch a replay of it later on. We intend to use the HD optimally, but how, I can't tell yet currently.

Also interesting is this question:

OPM: What do you think about the performance of the graphics chip, the Nvidea RSX?

M.M.: The RSX-chip is also a beast. Not only is it incredibly fast, but just like in the PS2 you can have each Cell-core cooperate with the RSX independently. Other graphics chips also have decent Noraml Mapping- and Shader-capabilities, but RSX adds a lot of additional specialised filters and possibilities, leading to fabulous results in the graphics department. And what is really convenient is that Nvidia has been a market-leader for years, and everyone knows the technology and way of thinking through-and-through. This decreases the learning process considerably.
How about you fucking start attributing the shit you steal from other forums? If I were a mod your ass would be on a week long vacation.

[kickmybum]

MMORPGS, probably the fastest growing genre currently, is extremely hard to design for a console thanks to the lack of keyboard support (the two largest console MMOs, FFXI and EQ:OA, both almost require a keyboard to use properly). Console gaming has many, many limitations and high quality PCs are only getting cheaper

Actually, FFXI plays best with a controller. Even PC users admit that.

[EternalGamer]

He reiterated that the PS2's Dual Shock controller is the "de facto-industry standard for video games. ... We define the standard for the man-machine interface for playing games."

They define the standard for man-machine interface? That has to be the most ridiculiously generalized and arrogant thing I've read from this PR team yet. It's not even true in the videogame world, and it sure as hell isn't true in the "man-machine" world at large.

Last time I used my ATM, Telephone, Remote Control, PC, Stereo, Microwave, or Washing Machine, I don't recall the interface on ANY of those devices looking anything damn near like a Dual Shock controller.

EDIT: Whoops. Too much reading for me to day. How did that last qualifier ("for videogames) sneak in on me. How embarassing. Regardless, just think of how great a hyperbole it would have been if he had said what I just accused him of. :)

[xcalibur]

Sony continues to confirm their severe disconnect with reality.

News flash for Sony execs: All we want is a GOD D**N game console!


-X

[Bushido]

At least when I tell Lies I lie BIG. Sony PR is bad very bad. I would have released a press like this...>Ahem


We Invented Motion Sensing Technology.

The PS3 is better than any Home PC.

You can Trust Sony.

[Guy Mariano]

Pretty Funny that This whole thread is "we don't need PC" when he was answering a question that had to do with Xbox Live and PC

Spiegel Online asked Harrison if he was concerned about the PS3 competing with the Microsoft's Xbox 360's ability to seamlessly network with PCs via Live Anywhere Harrison said

"No, this doesn't concern me and I don't think that it concerns the consumer. When you buy a game console, a primarily entertainment device, then you only want that. We believe that the PS3 will be the place where the users will play, watch movies, surf the web, and use other computer entertainment functionality. The PS3 is a computer. We don't need the PC."

Too Funny :D

[Heretic Machine]

Actually, FFXI plays best with a controller. Even PC users admit that.

FFXI plays best with a sledgehammer. I'm sure that even the developers would agree with that, if they haven't thrown theirselves on their swords already.

[EternalGamer]

The comment still irks me, though. How the hell can Sony take complete credit for "defining the interface"? All they did was glue some analogue sticks onto their controller (which someone else came out with first). Not to mention PC gaming which doesn't have an interface anything like the Dual Shock.

[Steele Johnson]

Based on the features, price point, and PR, this machine is becoming a device for a tech geek which means the average gamer probably won't buy it. Good luck to them.

"People will still buy the PS3 even if it doesn't have any games."

[rein]

Pretty Funny that This whole thread is "we don't need PC" when he was answering a question that had to do with Xbox Live and PC

Spiegel Online asked Harrison if he was concerned about the PS3 competing with the Microsoft's Xbox 360's ability to seamlessly network with PCs via Live Anywhere Harrison said

"No, this doesn't concern me and I don't think that it concerns the consumer. When you buy a game console, a primarily entertainment device, then you only want that. We believe that the PS3 will be the place where the users will play, watch movies, surf the web, and use other computer entertainment functionality. The PS3 is a computer. We don't need the PC."

Too Funny :D

Exactly! It is getting to a point that you have to ignore Sony news threads. Mostly the trolls come out and play but you also have to validate everyone of them. I know the site admins can't validate every post (or maybe they do?), but when it includes an off topic fanyboy statement like "Also, Sony came up with the motion-sensing controller at the same time as Nintendo, they didn't 'steal' it, and anyone who thinks so is apparently "stupid"." I think it should be a little suspect.

Speaking of the PS3 and it being a pc, is it confirmed that they will include Linux with every console? I think if that is the case, it goes a long way in explaining why they are making the PS3 a little more community friendly. If they release it that way, you can bet the community will have drivers and stuff to start running Linux games and stuff on the PS3.

[Orz]

Changed it to the exact quote. He's basically saying PC's are dead because they aren't needed. YOu have a PS3 for it now.

Boo, I liked my overstated inaccurate but mildly comedic headline. You'd never censor Jon Stewart!

Well, maybe you would. I just like to overreact.

[Paranoia]

I heard the same thing about PS2 replacing PC. Look how that turn out.

[atariv8]

The day I can use a word processor on my game console is the day I only buy Nintendo game consoles. Every word that comes out of Sony's mouth makes my wallet feel better and better. I have the 360, so Wii, here I come. I'll get the PS3 when it's in the electronics corner at Big Lots for $99 and catch up on the games I missed at the end of 2008.

[Guy Mariano]

Speaking of the PS3 and it being a pc, is it confirmed that they will include Linux with every console? I think if that is the case, it goes a long way in explaining why they are making the PS3 a little more community friendly. If they release it that way, you can bet the community will have drivers and stuff to start running Linux games and stuff on the PS3.

I'm more interested to see if they have a web browser to surf the internet although I don't know what you could do if your PS3 got hit with a virus. That would be a huge selling point because alot of people only use their computers to play games, download music and videos, and surf the net. You would be talking a $600 "computer", gaming, blu-ray machine.

[TrackZero]

Oh Phil you wacky hamster. At least this gives further insight into their mentality on the PS3 and it's "value". I do understand their position, however I really don't believe it's at all what the market wants right now, or at least they seem to be going about it the wrong way. Ah well.

[Frogleg Special]

This is what's wrong with Sony. They don't understand that what they're selling is a video gaming console foremost and the competing products are Xbox 360 and Wii.

Sony, you need to learn your priority.

[ProfPuppet]

Do they have 13 year olds working in their PR department? "You're going to buy it and like it, and if not your epeen will SUFFER. *insert homophobic slur*"

They could be giving away cures for cancer for free and still make themselves look like arrogant dicks.

[Orz]

I know the site admins can't validate every post (or maybe they do?), but when it includes an off topic fanyboy statement like "Also, Sony came up with the motion-sensing controller at the same time as Nintendo, they didn't 'steal' it, and anyone who thinks so is apparently "stupid"." I think it should be a little suspect.

I'm not a fanboy of anything... except comedy.

I'm more of a gourmand of gaming. I don't care who sells x million systems or y SKUs per unit. I imagine at some point I'll own all three 'next gen' systems, though I never buy any consoles till two or three hardware revisions and a couple of killer apps come out.

Anyone who stresses over negative things said about a company needs to examine their heads. It's not like you built the console.

However, when blowhard execs blather on about how unrealistically awesome their product is, it's usually funny enough to point out.

[dimsumx]

-edit- where does a statement like this leave all of the EQ/2, SWG, PS, and M:O players?

It leaves them where they've always been....in crap. :D

[Jack B]

I would like to see a functioning web browser on my console. I already have a wireless KB with the 360. If Sony pulls that off with mouse support and Microsoft doesn't match, then that would be a plus in my book for Sony.

Especially, if you're trying to attract the non-gamer. Having them boot the PS3 to surf the web, puts them one step closer to using the PS3 for games.

Whether Sony can do a fair job is a question of course. Microsoft has the World's dominant browser in Internet Explorer, so they could steal from the IE team if needed.

The question will be can Sony do it and will Microsoft match?

[Schnoogs]

So I can program on the PS3? I can use 3D Studio on it?

I can play old PC games on it?

[Zeal]

MY CPU IS A NEURAL-NET PROCESSAH, A LURNING COMPUTAH.

[Schnoogs]

MY CPU IS A NEURAL-NET PROCESSAH, A LURNING COMPUTAH.

HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!

[rein]

I'm not a fanboy of anything... except comedy.

Oh, sorry I missed the comedic part of the post. :rolleyes:


I'm more of a gourmand of gaming. I don't care who sells x million systems or y SKUs per unit. I imagine at some point I'll own all three 'next gen' systems, though I never buy any consoles till two or three hardware revisions and a couple of killer apps come out.


Kudos on the big word, but can you explain to me why your excessive eating has anything to do with game consoles? :) <--implies I am joking. See how that works?

Anyone who stresses over negative things said about a company needs to examine their heads. It's not like you built the console.

The same can be said for anyone who feels the need to manipulate a news story to make fun of a company.

However, when blowhard execs blather on about how unrealistically awesome their product is, it's usually funny enough to point out.

I agree, as long as the context of what the blowhard said isn't manipulated in a way to change the context of what was said.

[bone_matrix]

I would like to see a functioning web browser on my console. I already have a wireless KB with the 360. If Sony pulls that off with mouse support and Microsoft doesn't match, then that would be a plus in my book for Sony.

Especially, if you're trying to attract the non-gamer. Having them boot the PS3 to surf the web, puts them one step closer to using the PS3 for games.

Whether Sony can do a fair job is a question of course. Microsoft has the World's dominant browser in Internet Explorer, so they could steal from the IE team if needed.

The question will be can Sony do it and will Microsoft match?

If a person can buy a PS3 for $500 (or $600), or can go to Walmart of Best buy and get a computer, monitor, etc. for $300, which will they get though? Even if it has a web browser, its not for a casual consumer, just people with money to burn, who then, most likely, already have a pc to surf the web on.

[Zurik]

I suppose Sony will let me choose the brand and parts of everything in the PS3 like I did with my pc?

Let's just say that this PR fluff is retarded and leave it at that.

[Zechs01]

I wonder if Blizzard will make it to where you could play WoW on the PS3 doubtful but would be cool

[Last of the Red Hot Mamas]

It's a minor point, but the "we didn't copy the Wiimote" claim isn't that improbable -- Sony took out a patent on a motion-sensing version of the Dual Shock back in 1999 (http://v3.espacenet.com/textdoc?DB=EPODOC&IDX=JP11099284&F=0&QPN=JP11099284). It may well be the Wiimote spurred them to finally bring it to market after seven years, but it's obviously something they've been kicking around for awhile now.

[xcalibur]

It's a minor point, but the "we didn't copy the Wiimote" claim isn't that improbable -- Sony took out a patent on a motion-sensing version of the Dual Shock back in 1999 (http://v3.espacenet.com/textdoc?DB=EPODOC&IDX=JP11099284&F=0&QPN=JP11099284). It may well be the Wiimote spurred them to finally bring it to market after seven years, but it's obviously something they've been kicking around for awhile now.

Is that why the developers of the only game that used it at E3, Warhawk, only found out about the new controller 10 days before E3?


-X

[Phanto]

The PC gaming will not die just because its not that popular or more easy to pick like consoles is. And like Predation said console gaming have many limitations, wether their like or not PC gaming its not dead and it will not die.


I wonder if Blizzard will make it to where you could play WoW on the PS3 doubtful but would be cool

Hardly, we rather see first Starcraft:Ghost coming out than a MMORPG of Blizzard for console.
But who knows.. I remember that they did release Diablo I and Warcraft I or II for the PlayStation.

[tombofsoldier]

Kutaragi is sharing his crack horde with harrison apparently. How are they plaaning on overcoming having no keyboard or mouse, running on linux, and having no other apparent softwaret or hardware that people use a pc for?

[Rook34]

I'm a litle late from the thread, but I noticed a few things..
From the article..:
Harrison went on to say that the PS3's motion-sensitive controller had been in the works for some time. "We have already worked on it a long time, and Nintendo almost certainly has done likewise with something similar," he said. "It is perfectly naturally for two companies to work on [nearly] identical devices."

Heh, yet later he says Nintendo copied them with the whole vibration feature. If I recall, the N64 had it as an expandable item you could buy for the controller for it to insert into. I could be wrong on the dates, but I thought it was out before Sony came out with their dual shock... So, it's perfectly natural for Sony to take an idea from Nintendo and claim it as their own concept, but otherwise is madness! I just thought it was a funny idea. On the otherhand though, who -hasn't- thought of the idea of a motion sensitive controller - it's a no-brainer. It is fairly obvious though, especially given that certain dev's weren't even aware of it being in their kits, that Sony's controller was a last minute thing.
And then this little jewel..:

" It's like that with technology." He reiterated that the PS2's Dual Shock controller is the "de facto-industry standard for video games. ... We define the standard for the man-machine interface for playing games."

Umm...okay...so why isn't it in your new controller then? There are other points, but others have already posted them.

[DirtyChimp]

MY CPU IS A NEURAL-NET PROCESSAH, A LURNING COMPUTAH.

end of discussion.

[gawaintheblind]

OH NOES!


I guess I shouldn't have spent too much money on this alienware system then. I wish somebody would tell me this shit before I do things like that. There needs to be some kind of feed directly into sony hq so I can get my retarded news as soon as it happens! I phear the PS3!

[Last of the Red Hot Mamas]

Is that why the developers of the only game that used it at E3, Warhawk, only found out about the new controller 10 days before E3?

Uh, no. How would it? I'm not sure how this is a response, unless you're hinting that the patent application is fake (in which case I'm going to have to ask for some elaboration). I already conceded that the inclusion of a motion-sensing controller with the PS3 may well have been influenced by the Wiimote, but they were obviously working along those lines much earlier.

Heh, yet later he says Nintendo copied them with the whole vibration feature. If I recall, the N64 had it as an expandable item you could buy for the controller for it to insert into. I could be wrong on the dates, but I thought it was out before Sony came out with their dual shock...

Before the Dual Shock, yeah. But the original Japanese version of the Dual Analog Controller also had a rumble feature (via a single motor instead of two) and it came out on April 25th, 1997; the N64 device you're referring to (the Rumble Pak) was released on April 27th. A more relevant question would be which was announced first -- the Dual Analog was unveiled in November '96, but I don't know when the Rumble Pak was announced.

[Evil Avatar]

We Invented Motion Sensing Technology.

The PS3 is better than any Home PC.

You can Trust Sony.

You forgot:

The Truth is Out There.

[Evil Avatar]

So I can program on the PS3? I can use 3D Studio on it?

I can play old PC games on it?

You can if they run under Linux. :)

I'm actually very interested in seeing Quake 3 Arena running on the Playstation 3 under Linux. That seems cool.

[Siraris]

Heh, yet later he says Nintendo copied them with the whole vibration feature. If I recall, the N64 had it as an expandable item you could buy for the controller for it to insert into. I could be wrong on the dates, but I thought it was out before Sony came out with their dual shock... So, it's perfectly natural for Sony to take an idea from Nintendo and claim it as their own concept, but otherwise is madness! I just thought it was a funny idea. On the otherhand though, who -hasn't- thought of the idea of a motion sensitive controller - it's a no-brainer. It is fairly obvious though, especially given that certain dev's weren't even aware of it being in their kits, that Sony's controller was a last minute thing.
And then this little jewel..:

" It's like that with technology." He reiterated that the PS2's Dual Shock controller is the "de facto-industry standard for video games. ... We define the standard for the man-machine interface for playing games."

Umm...okay...so why isn't it in your new controller then? There are other points, but others have already posted them.

The PS1 had rumble in it, and came out before the N64 did.

And what Harrison was saying is that they have 400 million dual shock controllers out there (he's talking about between PS1 and PS2 which sounds totally reasonable 2 per person, 200 million consoles) so they have the majority of the market. Since the GC only sold around 15-20 million and the X-Box only sold around 30 million, there isn't nearly as many X-Box or gamecube controllers. Since the 360 uses a slightly different controller, and obviously the Wii does, and the N64 did before the GC, the only thing that has stayed constant in controller design is Sony's. And when he said the dual-shock controller is the de-facto controller and the standard for the man-machine interface, he wasn't referring to the rumble feature, he meant the actual design of the controller, which has always stayed constant sans the analog sticks back when PS1 came out.

As for the PC statement, the PS3 is a computer and a powerful one at that. It just happens to also be a dedicated gaming machine. There are most likely very few things that you can do on your home PC that you won't be able to do on your PS3. On the PS3 you can play games, surf the web, write emails, watch movies, listen to music, look at images, use a mouse and keyboard, develop applications, and they probably will have a word processor and other Linux apps as time goes on. Obviously you can't run every application that you can on Windows or on Mac's on the PS3, but you can't use every application from Mac on Windows and vice versa. Just because Windows doesn't run Final Cut Pro doesn't make it not a PC anymore, in fact, just because a computer runs ANY program doesn't make it any more of a computer than anything else. Hell, my cell phone is a computer, it just doesn't have the same functionality my PC does, although it's getting damn close.

[Morratut]

Below will be my standard message to the bullshit and lies Sony says from now on. It's what Sony deserves...

LOL LOL LOL LOL LMAO LOL ROFL LOL!!!

[RandomViolence]

As for the PC statement, the PS3 is a computer and a powerful one at that. It just happens to also be a dedicated gaming machine. There are most likely very few things that you can do on your home PC that you won't be able to do on your PS3.

Quoted for contradiction.

I hate to rag on the PS3, as it definitely gets enough negativity on here, but the lack of focus in it has really bothered me of late. I realize this is a somewhat irrational complaint, as extra functionality is really something that should be lauded, rather than criticized, but all I'm really looking for is an idiot-proof gaming experience (I need that sometimes). I need to hear more about the games, Sony. Please tell us more about titles like Eight Days, Assassin's Creed, Naughty Dog's project and Heavy Rain (besides that creepy video). Talk about KillZone 2 and MotorStorm, dammit, what's going on there? I want to buy a game console, I have two computers already! Please tell us what you're giving us to enhance the gaming experience! How is on-line gaming is going to work? Will there be digital distribution of games? Are you going to offer downloadable demos? What about your 'Arcade'/indie service? Are game prices going to be $60? Tell us why consumers should be envisioning this as a computer instead of a console. Why the fuck do I want to have a Linux OS on my fucking console, Sony? What will that do for the games you're going to give me?

Looking back this devolved into a bizarre rant that doesn't make a whole ton of sense. Feel free to ignore and move along.

[pomeroy]

...weirdly enough, I followed along and knew exactly what you were saying.

[RandomViolence]

...weirdly enough, I followed along and knew exactly what you were saying.

Ah, but did you agree with it?

[Heretic Machine]

You know, I'm starting to get mixed feelings here. I'm kind of confused. On the one hand, my PC has Linux installed on it, I dual boot with Windows XP. As far as I can tell, the PS3 doesn't offer me anything that my PC doesn't already do, and thus it isn't worth $600. Nothing is going to change that. But, why can't my 360 run Linux?

Because Microsoft designed it to be very properietary, which in a way justifies it's purchase. At the same time though, it's value is being drawn from it being intentionally crippled. The same goes for the Wii. So really, if a console is worth buying then it has to be crippled in such a way that it can't function on the same level as my PC, which it -should- be able to do. But when a console isn't crippled in this way, and CAN function on the same level as my PC, it's value is diminished, because I already own a PC. But I spent $800 building my PC, and that is just what I put into the box itself, not including my monitor, keyboard, speakers... etc. The PS3 will only cost $600, and can do comparable things.

I think this guy might actually have a point... Maybe it won't actually kill PC's this generation, but somewhere down the line PC's are going to stop being useful, and start being nothing but a hobby. I think I'll still be using a PC even then, but I wonder if I'll actually be spending more of my time on a future console?

[rainbowblack]

i dont care how much crap sony throw into thier consoles

when i think internet i think PC. i will always use the PC for internet-related activites, regardless of the PS3 potential. with stuff like viruses and troajans, at last with PCs theres a boatload of ways to combat it

with PS3 who knows, your gaming machine could be kaput

[Varsity]

This might have been posted before, but even if it has it deserves posting again.

http://www.evilavatarcomics.com/comics/2006/25.jpg

[lost]

If you remove the admitedly considerable ammount of bullshit in that article what he is saying isnt improbably.

Linux has shit loads of apps, it matches XP well. The contents of the PS3 are equal or better to what I could chuck in a PC at the moment.

So yeah, maybe it could replace PCs. One unfortunate problem with that is that if the marketing department continues as it does, trying to make Sony execs into figureheads for gamings future then nobody is going to know enough of the good stuff to think about taking advantage of it. They will see it as the Playstation 3, the game console that you can still run Crash Bandicoot on.

TGS is a couple of months before PS3 launch. Perhaps E3 was a misfire, thinking that the 360 would come out with an excellant showing rather than a good one. That and the Wii stomped all over everything in news terms, perhaps this was anticipated. Maybe they know what they are doing, maybe.

[H.Bogard]

There were about a 100 PC exclusives at E3 this year, how many did the PS3 have?

[Orz]

Oh, sorry I missed the comedic part of the post. :rolleyes:

Pretty much everything buddy said.

Kudos on the big word, but can you explain to me why your excessive eating has anything to do with game consoles? :) <--implies I am joking. See how that works?

It should be blatantly obvious, video game systems are delicious when properly grilled and marinated.

The same can be said for anyone who feels the need to manipulate a news story to make fun of a company.

Who's manipulatin'? Dude said we don't need PCs any more for gamin'. Dude ripped on people criticizing their spiffy new controller by callin' em "stupid". Even if you're married to Sony ya gotta see the humour in such overexaggerated statements.

[absolut taco]

This is why I'm interested in the PS3. One thing Sony can do that MS can't (read: won't) is offer pc-like functionality in their console. MS won't because of course they have to protect Windows. MS wants you to buy both a pc and a 360.

Sony has the freedom to say here's an internet browser. Here's mouse and keyboard. With that you've got a basic pc. Add in Linux and homebrew and who knows where this will go. Sony could also offer up some basic pc-like apps.

Mouse/keyboard too might mean other the PS3 sees the kinds of games normally found on the pc. The rts games. The Civilization type of game. The mmorpgs. etc.
I think my wife might be a tad mad if I were to start Photoshop on the big screen during American Idol. Oh, wait, I mean The Gimp (most appropriately named software ever). I really think it would be a giant pain to use a PC in the living room, on a TV. Yeah, 1920x1080 is a nice res but how sharp is it at 55" from 10 feet away?

[GunnyMo]

I just can't rip on Sony anymore. They just make it too easy.

And in regards to pc gaming dying, they really must be on crack. if anything, PC gaming will overtake console gaming thanks to the versatility in PC design, the integration of the keyboard, the added resolution of monitors (though admittedly console gaming is starting to be produced in high quality resolution) and the limit of graphical engineering being reached within the next decade (it has almost reached cinematic quality as it is). MMORPGS, probably the fastest growing genre currently, is extremely hard to design for a console thanks to the lack of keyboard support (the two largest console MMOs, FFXI and EQ:OA, both almost require a keyboard to use properly). Console gaming has many, many limitations and high quality PCs are only getting cheaper

Sorry I just had...had to comment on that. Ummmm, the 360 has keyboard support as I'm sure the PS3 will. It's only a matter of time before they add mouse support. Versatility of PC design equals = hours spent debugging trying to get the damn game to work on your system. With the proliferation of LCD and HD TVs, resolution is an advantage PC is slowly losing. CoD2 and Oblivion both look better on my HD TV than on my computer (albeit not as "shiney" as my LCD monitor). Graphics is another area PC games are slowly losing. MMOs are the last bastion holding PC gaming at the level it is now and those are slowly being made available on console. I don't say PC gaming is dead but it certainly is not at the level it was even six years ago and it certainly will not overtake conosle gaming at any time. Console gaming is accessible to the general public; PC gaming is the domain of those like us who are willing to put up with all the hassles of said PC gaming and, now that games are mainstream, the general public advantage is huge.

I love PC games and always will but I'm also awake enough to realize they are not what they once were.

[absolut taco]

There were about a 100 PC exclusives at E3 this year, how many did the PS3 have?
Here are some PS3 exclusives that no other console will have:
Open Office!
The Gimp!
Firefox!
Acrobat Reader!
Grep!
Emacs!
Vi!

[peeweejd]

I don't generally play PC games. I prefer to play games on my couch and with a big tv. the games I do play on PC are generally casual style games that are being made available on xbox live arcade.

That being said, I sure as hell wouldnt mind having a web browser on my 360. It would be cool to be able to post a thread on a message board to try to get players for a multilplayer game.

For those of us that do not have a computer sitting next to our consoles, some PC functionality on consoles would be a good thing.

That being said, I would never think of replacing my PC (actually a Mac :p) with a PS3. That is absurd on so many levels.

[Vandenh]

PS3 sucks as a CPU for PC-like stuff anyway.. somebody tell him.

[Schnoogs]

PS3 sucks as a CPU for PC-like stuff anyway.. somebody tell him.


I just called him up...

[pomeroy]

Ah, but did you agree with it?

For the most part, yes. I agree that I'd like Sony to actually focus on some games for the PS3. The bigger problem for me, though, is that the games they have announced don't really interest me. I'm really over Metal Gear Solid (haven't played 3...but then...I just can't after fucking 2) and the new Final Fantasy? Shrug.

[Siraris]

PS3 sucks as a CPU for PC-like stuff anyway.. somebody tell him.

http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~samw/projects/cell/CF06.pdf

I think these people would beg to disagree.

[Ghost_Saint]

This is why I'm interested in the PS3. One thing Sony can do that MS can't (read: won't) is offer pc-like functionality in their console. MS won't because of course they have to protect Windows. MS wants you to buy both a pc and a 360.

Sony has the freedom to say here's an internet browser. Here's mouse and keyboard. With that you've got a basic pc. Add in Linux and homebrew and who knows where this will go. Sony could also offer up some basic pc-like apps.


1) Sony said they would do this for the PS2. Look what happened.

2) Microsoft can make a gaming platform and just have it run a windows variant, protects windows. The fact is that the Xbox guys want to make a product that does games extremely well first and foremost, and then after that if you want to you can do things like watch HDVDs (evidence: external HDVD device). Sony has been trying with pretty much every product to make a device that "also" runs games in addition to playing music and watching movies, ect.(ex:PSP) They want to make the device marketable to people who HATE video games.

[Zechs01]

Hardly, we rather see first Starcraft:Ghost coming out than a MMORPG of Blizzard for console.
But who knows.. I remember that they did release Diablo I and Warcraft I or II for the PlayStation.
well i dont mean playing wow on a controller i just mean playing wow with keyboard and mouse on the ps3 on like a 62" HDTV would be awsome

[Jack B]

http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~samw/projects/cell/CF06.pdf

I think these people would beg to disagree.


This is from the above hyperlinked document

10. CONCLUSIONS AND FUTUREWORK

...is especially important given the relatively immature software
environment makes Cell time-consuming to program
currently...

We all know the cell is advanced and powerful, but it's achilles' heel is the above issue mentioned in the conclusion section of the Berkeley document.

The second issue is not what the Cell "could do", but what will Sony allow it to do on the PS3.

We can dream all day long. What actually ships for software will be the important thing.

[Jack B]

I don't generally play PC games. I prefer to play games on my couch and with a big tv. the games I do play on PC are generally casual style games that are being made available on xbox live arcade.

That being said, I sure as hell wouldnt mind having a web browser on my 360. It would be cool to be able to post a thread on a message board to try to get players for a multilplayer game.

For those of us that do not have a computer sitting next to our consoles, some PC functionality on consoles would be a good thing.

That being said, I would never think of replacing my PC (actually a Mac :p) with a PS3. That is absurd on so many levels.

Peeweejd,

I agree with you sentiments. I prefer playing on the couch as well. I'd love to see the PS3 do emails, surf the web etc. It wouldn't replace the PC, but it would have some use in the living room.

Someone earlier mentioned a price of $300 or certainly less than $600 for a PC in the living room and I do believe we'll see sexy PC's designed for the living room and HD-TV's, so $600 is still a bit pricey for that functionality.

However, it's still a value for some people who won't think to bring a PC into the living room and who will have a console. I like added functionality of web browsing and email on my console.

I hope Microsoft follows suit, as they have Internet Explorer already, so it shouldn't be difficult if it works for Sony. I applaud Sony for going this route. I don't applaud their arrogance. Although, the PS3 "could" do "some" of the functions of a PC, it's NOT a PC. A PC will do so much more.

A good example will be VPN. I seriously doubt I'll be connecting to my work email via VPN with my PS3. My home email accounts for about 1% of my emails and 99% of my spam... :mad:

Anyway, what kind of a browser will they have? How fast will it be? What apps will it support? How will Sony support compatibilty issues etc, for these living room users. Will it be so expensive to support, they decide to cripple the PS3's functionality as a result...?

These are all unknowns. I like the idea in principle, it's the execution by Sony that I'll reserve judgement on.

[mightbe]

I'll tell you right now that if this thing can run a full featured version of Windows XP/Vista and/or Linux, I'll but two at the crazy price they're asking.

I'm pretty sure that's not what they meant though. ;D

[Siraris]

I'll tell you right now that if this thing can run a full featured version of Windows XP/Vista and/or Linux, I'll but two at the crazy price they're asking.

I'm pretty sure that's not what they meant though. ;D

Almost anything could run a full featured version of Linux, as long as there are libraries. The PS3 is running Linux, it will just be a matter of how much access they give. I assume it will have every feature a normal user will need; just look at the PSP.

[Jack B]

Almost anything could run a full featured version of Linux, as long as there are libraries. The PS3 is running Linux, it will just be a matter of how much access they give. I assume it will have every feature a normal user will need; just look at the PSP.

The PS3 will have every feature a normal user will need????? :confused: Huh?? According to whom? You? Phil? Kaz? Ken?

I don't think Phil Harrison was boasting about the PS3 being another PSP...

He was pretty clear, "PS3 is a computer, we don't need the PC". It will absolutely matter, what features of Linux they open up and are willing to support.

This isn't an IBM Server. This is a gaming console. Someone has to support it. Sony may very likely lock it down.

[GoblinToe]

Hahaha. Sony is so retarded, I swear. They lost my support years ago when they bought Verant and slowly destroyed Everquest. The seed of dislike was planted. Then the rootkit fiasco, and a rusty wheelbarrel full of other stupid decisions on their part,
all originating from their greed, and ambivalence toward the customer.

Then revenge came so, so sweet when they released Everquest 2, and it failed a gazillion times harder than I had ever imagined under the shadow of WoW. To this day it is a miserable failure from even Sony's most conservative estimates on what it's performace would be. Oh...I smile every time I think about it. Now Sony is positioning themselves for another blunder in the marketplace with the PS3 priced into the stratosphere. Here I sit, smiling once again. I am ready to be entertained once more by Sony's failure.

I once almost hated them, but now they are such a source of entertainment, I would be sad to see them go.

[Vanthar]

I don't really see what the big deal is. He was responding to a few issues brought up regarding live anywhere. Seems to me like he's just saying they don't need Sony's online on PC's because he sees their usefulness declining, and I tend to agree. I don't really think he's attempting to say that the PS3 is going to make everyone go sell their PC because they're pointless now, or that the PS3 is going to take over office space. He was referring to home computers.

[Thenetcase]

There's no way a console is going to replace my computer... not happening.
I own the XBox360, and while it's fun, there are definitely things I can't do on there that I can do on my PC (like ... Quickbooks, Trillian, Team Speak2, AND play two games at once via my dual monitor SLI set up).

Good game Sony. Please spew more bullshit in response to this.

-TNC-

[pacman]

1. Sony already makes computers, why compete against yourself?
2. Sony really needs some better PR people, because the guys on the business end are killing them

[Zechs01]

There's no way a console is going to replace my computer... not happening.
I own the XBox360, and while it's fun, there are definitely things I can't do on there that I can do on my PC (like ... Quickbooks, Trillian, Team Speak2, AND play two games at once via my dual monitor SLI set up).

Good game Sony. Please spew more bullshit in response to this.

-TNC-
one question: how can you play 2 games at once it seems like your attenion would be fixed on only 1 and you couldnt do 2 at the same time so it would be kinda pointless to be doing it but thats just the way it seems to me.

[Siraris]

1. Sony already makes computers, why compete against yourself?
2. Sony really needs some better PR people, because the guys on the business end are killing them

The Cell is a viable solution for desktop computing, and from the tests run so far, with a few revisions, it could easily trounce AMD and Intels offerings right now. The Cell was developed for numerous projects, not just the PS3. Sony has said many times before that they would like to bring The Cell into the consumer PC market, and it is already receiving a lot of interest from private institutions as well.

More importantly, most people are not going to make the connection between PS3 and PC. The vast vast vast majority of the public does not read these sort of articles, so they will see a Vaio as a PC and a PS3 as a game machine.

I can't say what Harrison meant in what he said, but most people should realize that game company executives make wild remarks to get people on the internet fired up (this thread as evidence). It keeps interest going in the industry, especially at a time when things are abysmally slow due to it being summer and the transition to the next generation. If Phil Harrison wasn't making remarks, or Peter Moore, or Bill Gates, or Satoru Iwata, there'd be no gaming news to report on.

Jackb: The PS3 version of Linux, which is what I was referring too, will most likely have all the features a normal PC user will need. As I clearly stated, gaming, a web browser, word processor, image editor/viewer, music player, email, instant messaging, videos, downloadable content and more (DVR functionality?). A minute fraction of the public use their PC's for anything else.

[RandomViolence]

one question: how can you play 2 games at once it seems like your attenion would be fixed on only 1 and you couldnt do 2 at the same time so it would be kinda pointless to be doing it but thats just the way it seems to me.

I know there are separate sentences in there somewhere, but... where?!?!

[Lunar Blue]

Uh, just because PS3 has a linux doesn't mean you can run every god damn program a pc linux can. Every last gen console had somekind of OS in it, hell, even dreamcast had linux if i recall right. So hold back on the wankfest, most likely it doesn't have anything more than a clock and a calendar.

[Schnoogs]

Uh, just because PS3 has a linux doesn't mean you can run every god damn program a pc linux can. Every last gen console had somekind of OS in it, hell, even dreamcast had linux if i recall right. So hold back on the wankfest, most likely it doesn't have anything more than a clock and a calendar.

Dreamcast was Windows CE ;)

[Vanthar]

Clock and a calendar included? WOW! ps3 > 360 > wii