PS3 Still on Track Despite Rumors to the Contrary (maybe) [Archive]

fitbabits

02-20-2006, 04:53 AM

Thanks to GamesIndustry.biz (http://www.gamesindustry.biz) for the news (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=14821).

Sony Computer Entertainment spokesperson Kei Sakaguchi has officially denied reports from financial analysts at Merrill Lynch that the PS3 could be delayed by several months, reiterating that the console will launch this spring.

Sakaguchi was responding to allegations made by Merrill Lynch analyst Joe Osha in a report published late last week, in which Osha claimed that the PS3 could launch in autumn in Japan, with a US launch possibly being delayed to early 2007.

"There is no change in our original plan to release the console in spring 2006," Sakaguchi told the press in Tokyo, referring to the company's only stated goal for the launch so far - namely that the console will appear in at least one territory, most likely Japan, this spring.

Curiously, Sakaguchi's comments appear to directly contradict statements which appeared on the BBC News website this morning, attributed to an unnamed Sony spokesperson who apparently confirmed that the firm is "aiming for spring", but went on to comment that certain unfinished technical specifications could hold up the system. "We're waiting for them until the last possible minute, but the launch could be pushed back if they're not decided soon," the spokesman is quoted as saying - although in the absence of any source information, it's impossible to say how much weight should be attached to these comments.
Editor's Note - Link to the BBC News story referenced above. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4731128.stm)

Oh, Sony. Why does it appear that your right hand doesn't even know what your left hand is doing these days?

Montolio

02-20-2006, 05:15 AM

Oh, Sony. Why does it appear that your right hand doesn't even know what your left hand is doing these days?
Oh they know, it's called saving face while doing the lying dance.

When you read comments like this as a PS fan, would you even want to purchase those first units that come off the line? We all know what waiting to the last possible minute in hardware manufacturing gets you...DOA and I'm not talking about Team Ninja baby.

On a lighter note - Yea! Day off from work today :-)

fitbabits

02-20-2006, 05:23 AM

On a lighter note - Yea! Day off from work today :-)
You're Bush, aren't you? President's Day does NOT mean you get to take the day off. You have a GWoT to fight. And Cheney will shoot you if you surprise him by being somewhere you're not supposed to be.

bapenguin

02-20-2006, 05:23 AM

Grifter

02-20-2006, 05:25 AM

I could be wrong but I think Sony could launch the PS3 in any condition and the japanese people will buy it. But the other teritory's may not be so forgiving so we get it when more of the issues are workd out. This seems to be how it has worked with Sonys other three launches

fitbabits

02-20-2006, 05:27 AM

The problem comes from the fact that certain standards including HDMI 2.0 and part of the Blu-Ray CP aren't finalized yet.

I read something today that mentioned we could be seeing a launch in mid-june which could technically still be a spring launch.
June? Not that this has any bearing on anything at all really, but has any major console ever launched in June? That's when people are heading out for their summer vacations and money is being spent elsewhere. At least that's the reason that publishers have used for the traditional summer drought.

bapenguin

02-20-2006, 05:32 AM

June? Not that this has any bearing on anything at all really, but has any major console ever launched in June? That's when people are heading out for their summer vacations and money is being spent elsewhere. At least that's the reason that publishers have used for the traditional summer drought.

Which could turn into a plus for Sony because it IS the summer drought. Nothing else coming out, no competition for them to go against.

Montolio

02-20-2006, 05:35 AM

You're Bush, aren't you? President's Day does NOT mean you get to take the day off. You have a GWoT to fight. And Cheney will shoot you if you surprise him by being somewhere you're not supposed to be.
So true fitbabits,

Sam Fisher and I took a moment to check out the site in-between sessions of snapping the necks of terrorists around the globe, so technically I'm still working heh. I guess we should return those uber secret PS3 plans we took from Sony too. That really seems to be slowing them down mmmwwwhhhaaahahaha.

Bush and Cheney are just Unreal Engine 4 AI experiments and we're still working out bugs in the code...sorry about that folks.

North Click FTW!

P.S. Hope the new job (or at least the hunt) is going well.

fitbabits

02-20-2006, 05:35 AM

Which could turn into a plus for Sony because it IS the summer drought. Nothing else coming out, no competition for them to go against.
Very true. Then again, that makes it even less likely that it will launch then. Since when has Sony done anything that makes sense? :rolleyes:

fitbabits

02-20-2006, 05:38 AM

P.S. Hope the new job (or at least the hunt) is going well.
Thanks. I'm living the life of leisure right now. My last job sucked ass like you wouldn't believe and I decided to take a break to shake all the negativity I had accrued up for the last four years. The last thing I want to do is take all the bad shit from my last job and transpose it to a new one.

I'll be back on the employment wagon soon enough, though.

Kelegacy

02-20-2006, 05:53 AM

I hope they launch it in Japan first just so they could work some of the bugs out of it for American consumers. Also, I'd like it to hype me up a bit while it generates craze in Japan, because right now I'm not very excited about this next-gen at all.

Perhaps I'm getting too old, cynical, or bitter in regards to my hobby. Basically I'm the polar opposite of fitbabits, that cheery avatar of positivity.

Kelegacy

02-20-2006, 05:59 AM

Thanks. I'm living the life of leisure right now. My last job sucked ass like you wouldn't believe and I decided to take a break to shake all the negativity I had accrued up for the last four years. The last thing I want to do is take all the bad shit from my last job and transpose it to a new one.

I'll be back on the employment wagon soon enough, though.

I really need to get the resume in order. I like the place I work at, the people, but it's a brain-drain for me. I'm smarter that the job I'm doing. I'd hate to move out of the state because I'd have to start all over in the friend department and my only family is here in Maine.

Every Sunday (and right now, on this holiday) I really dread going back to work the next day. I know most are like this, but it's not the best way to live a life. I even took Friday off so I'd have a 4 day weekend, but I always feel guilty about calling in sick and now I'm a bit depressed that my workload will be out-of-control tomorrow since I'm really the only one who can do my job properly.

And if I play games all day, bed time will come faster than I want it. That means waking up and going back to Hell for another week. Sigh.

fitbabits

02-20-2006, 06:04 AM

I really need to get the resume in order. I like the place I work at, the people, but it's a brain-drain for me. I'm smarter that the job I'm doing. I'd hate to move out of the state because I'd have to start all over in the friend department and my only family is here in Maine.

Every Sunday (and right now, on this holiday) I really dread going back to work the next day. I know most are like this, but it's not the best way to live a life. I even took Friday off so I'd have a 4 day weekend, but I always feel guilty about calling in sick and now I'm a bit depressed that my workload will be out-of-control tomorrow since I'm really the only one who can do my job properly.

And if I play games all day, bed time will come faster than I want it. That means waking up and going back to Hell for another week. Sigh.
Sounds all too familiar to me. Bite the bullet and get your CV sorted. Take an afternoon to do it and you'll feel a million times better - trust me on that one.

Kelegacy

02-20-2006, 06:08 AM

Sounds all too familiar to me. Bite the bullet and get your CV sorted. Take an afternoon to do it and you'll feel a million times better - trust me on that one.
Oh, well results from my blood test came back last week that I was CV negative. Phew. But thanks for caring, fitty.

Okay, no more hijacking this thread, sorry everyone.

WastelandDan

02-20-2006, 06:13 AM

It's getting to the point where I'm just becoming desensitized to the news. First one site says it's going to be coming out this year, then it's next year, then it's going to cost 800 dollars to manufacture, then it's going to cost 450 dollars. Plus all the sites the news comes from are considered to be reliable, but not by the same people. I'm just becoming apathetic about speculation.

That being said, 5:1 odds the Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess gets pushed onto the Revolution and is forsaken from the Cube completely. Taking all bets! I also offer video poker!

Scaryboy

02-20-2006, 06:38 AM

Every Sunday (and right now, on this holiday) I really dread going back to work the next day. I know most are like this, but it's not the best way to live a life. I even took Friday off so I'd have a 4 day weekend, but I always feel guilty about calling in sick and now I'm a bit depressed that my workload will be out-of-control tomorrow since I'm really the only one who can do my job properly.

And if I play games all day, bed time will come faster than I want it. That means waking up and going back to Hell for another week. Sigh.

Yeah, that sounds exactly like me. I wake up in the morning and the only reason - ONLY REASON - for getting up in the morning is that I have to pay my rent. I've been looking for work for a while now but it's all short term contract work and I'm really uneasy about giving up a full time contract in a job I hate for a short term one in a job I might enjoy more. I'm the only person I know that dreams of being made redundant!

Bah, reality sucks ass. That God for videogames and inflatable girlfriends!

Draft

02-20-2006, 06:50 AM

oh good god people having angst over their jobs not being challenging enough. Evil, can we have an E/N forum?

Anyway, this has really gotten entertaining. That ML report forced Sony's hand, and now there are 3 possibilities-

1. Sony does in fact have PS3s ready to manufacture. Software is ready to go and looks great. They are simply waiting for the most oppurtune time to drop the bomb on Microsoft. Very unlikely, imo. Nowadays you can't even keep a damn surprise party secret before someone spills the beans on their blog or through in inadvertantly forwarded email. If Sony really had fucking hot games sitting the the queue waiting for an arbitrary day in spring, we'd have seen something by now.

2. Kutagari is cracking the whip in Tokyo and will have SOMETHING in people's hands by spring, come hell or high water. There may only be 1 game available. You might have to wait for a firmware upgrade to watch Bluray movies. The early power supplies may be more inclined to melt your carpet instead of power the PS3. Shipped numbers will only be in the tens of thousands. But by GOD you will (technically) be able to walk into whatever Japanese EB Games is and buy a PS3. This outcome would not shock me. PS2 had a rather unimpressive launch too, and we all know how that turned out.

3. Sony is lying through their teeth. Again, not a shocking or unlikely outcome.

If scenario 1 is accurate, Sony will have definitely pulled off one of the most impressive gaming coups of all time. But in scenario 2 or 3, MS is going to feel pretty damn smart for pushing the Xbox 360 out as early as they did. Shit, with some of those hot Capcom titles in the pipe, not to mention the JRPGs they have in the works, MS could make some serious headway in Japan.

The next couple months will be interesting, to say the least.

Morratut

02-20-2006, 07:25 AM

Even now I can't see anything siginificant happening for 6 months in the PS3 dept (apart from E3). However I still wouldn't be too suprised if a headline on EvAv tomorrow said...'PS3 £349 Released May 06, Sony HubWorld £39 all games online'.

You see even though I am not a major fan of Sony at the moment I still want them to amaze me like they did in the PS1 days.

Draft

02-20-2006, 07:30 AM

Even now I can't see anything siginificant happening for 6 months in the PS3 dept (apart from E3). However I still wouldn't be too suprised if a headline on EvAv tomorrow said...'PS3 £349 Released May 06, Sony HubWorld £39 all games online'.This is the Sony fan wetdream that I see all over the internet. The brutal knockout blow from Sony where they deliver a system more powerful than X360 for less money, and their very own Live, better in every way and cheaper to boot.

FWIW, I see the same fantasy in the Nintendo camp. Revolution Fall '06, $150 with free online, and oh hey, when you pop Twilight Princess in it unlocks the super high res textures and lets you control Link's sword with the revmote!

It's a fun time before a console launches. If you can dream it, it may be true! Unfortunately, the reality very rarely matches the fantasy.

AspectVoid

02-20-2006, 07:37 AM

Doctor Setebos

02-20-2006, 07:48 AM

Dr Quincy

02-20-2006, 07:55 AM

Since when is June considered spring?

Since Spring ended on the solstice IE always.

bapenguin

02-20-2006, 08:16 AM

Since when is June considered spring?

Spring does end June 20th when Summer starts. :D

Citizen Philip

02-20-2006, 08:19 AM

I wish I could say I care about this whole release thing, but I don't. It will be released whenever it's released, and I'll buy one when there are games for it that I want, just like with every other console I've ever bought.

Bring up stuff like a reason to buy or not buy something based on your level of relative use to the system is way off base.

I don't know where you get your information, but if you arent standing in line for at least 12 hours to be one of the first consumers to purchase something, you are nothing. A loser. You need to get a life.

fitbabits

02-20-2006, 08:20 AM

I don't know where you get your information, but if you arent standing in line for at least 12 hours to be one of the first consumers to purchase something, you are nothing. A loser. You need to get a life.
Steady on...

absolut taco

02-20-2006, 08:22 AM

Maybe Sony means launch of non-rendered game demos.

Reanimated

02-20-2006, 08:22 AM

The King is dead. All hail The King.

Doctor Setebos

02-20-2006, 08:24 AM

Spring does end June 20th when Summer starts. :DStupid calendar. :rolleyes:

Mason

02-20-2006, 08:30 AM

This is the Sony fan wetdream that I see all over the internet. The brutal knockout blow from Sony where they deliver a system more powerful than X360 for less money, and their very own Live, better in every way and cheaper to boot.

FWIW, I see the same fantasy in the Nintendo camp. Revolution Fall '06, $150 with free online, and oh hey, when you pop Twilight Princess in it unlocks the super high res textures and lets you control Link's sword with the revmote!

It's a fun time before a console launches. If you can dream it, it may be true! Unfortunately, the reality very rarely matches the fantasy.
Yeah, I am really having trouble tolerating the fanboy fantasies about these consoles. Write it in your unicorn journal and sigh dreamily, but don't spout it in public and expect to be taken seriously.

It's one thing coming from the really young, but most people around here should know better. I'd consider anyone who thinks a few JRPGs are going to turn around the 360 sales figures in Japan are suffering from a MS version of the affliction. It won't happen.

The 360 will lack system-defining games for most of the year. The PS3 will be late, with cut features, and a price that's low enough that people won't write it off completely but high enough to make everyone wince. The Revolution will be ignored by third parties (Capcom pity titles might even dry up), and it'll receive the same spotty first-party titles as the GC.

Draft

02-20-2006, 08:45 AM

It's one thing coming from the really young, but most people around here should know better. I'd consider anyone who thinks a few JRPGs are going to turn around the 360 sales figures in Japan are suffering from a MS version of the affliction. It won't happen.Well we are getting off topic, but I don't think it's fantasy to expect MS to do better in Japan once some of those Capcom and JRPGs ship. They literally have nowhere to go but up.

AspectVoid

02-20-2006, 08:59 AM

Bring up stuff like a reason to buy or not buy something based on your level of relative use to the system is way off base.

I don't know where you get your information, but if you arent standing in line for at least 12 hours to be one of the first consumers to purchase something, you are nothing. A loser. You need to get a life.

Ah, but I have a life. It revolves around a mix of comics and games that have been released. Like right now, its all about getting involved in the comic discussions and waiting to get off work so I can play Empire at War.

Oh, and donuts. Can't forget the donuts. That alone keeps me out of the looser category. :D

As for the pre-rendered stuff, you know, I'm waiting for the day we get playable pre-rendered like back in the mid-late 90s how playable FMV was the rage for a year or two. That will be funny to see.

Salesmunn

02-20-2006, 09:17 AM

so meaningless....

EternalGamer

02-20-2006, 09:19 AM

The 360 will lack system-defining games for most of the year. The PS3 will be late, with cut features, and a price that's low enough that people won't write it off completely but high enough to make everyone wince. The Revolution will be ignored by third parties (Capcom pity titles might even dry up), and it'll receive the same spotty first-party titles as the GC.

Going by our recent disagreements, I would assume I am being implicated in this statement (especially concerning the Gamecube). Just for the record, I harbor no great fantasies about great 3rd party support for the Revolution. I think it's a possibility if it takes off, but who knows whether or not it will take off? Predicting the market and what will become the next big trend is virtually impossible, especially given what little we know about Nintendo's launch plans. As for that "spotty first-party titles" comment, well that is certainly subjective, but I for one think the Gamecube had more of the "best" games of this generation than any of the other systems.

Dan

Zanzibar

02-20-2006, 09:24 AM

Translation: "I will say anything at all in order to have you believe that the PS3 is right around the corner, so you will not buy an Xbox 360."

This guy is Joe Isuzu.

dotbomb

02-20-2006, 09:34 AM

This guy is Joe Isuzu.

Riiiigggghhhht

Wake me when the PS3 launches and has full BC with PS2.

Reanimated

02-20-2006, 09:47 AM

Translation: "I will say anything at all in order to have you believe that the PS3 is right around the corner, so you will not buy an Xbox 360."

This guy is Joe Isuzu.

Hahaha, I had forgotten all about those commercials. That's so true.

Mason

02-20-2006, 10:08 AM

Draft: I said that nothing we know about will "turn around" 360 sales in Japan, i.e. move them toward a dominant position. Right now the 360 isn't faring well against the GC or PS2 in Japan, so I think that's a pretty safe position.

Dan: Go to GameRankings and look up the GC releases for the past 12 months. Reflect on the fact that the console still has 9 months to go before being replaced, with one remaining major title that might be pushed back a generation. I think calling 21 months like those "spotty" is being pretty charitable.

Lord Dongkey

02-20-2006, 10:19 AM

In my world, "Sony" rhymes with "bullshit".

Hell, "Next-Gen" rhymes with "bullshit" too!

Woohoo!

Everyone falls victim to the #1 rule: The higher the stakes, the dumber the behavior.

This "Next-Gen Battle" is, in fact, 100% bona-fide organic ZERO trans fat GOOD CARB fat burning... BULLSHIT! :)

Kamalot

02-20-2006, 10:31 AM

Sony will keep leading on consumers with the PS3 like a carrot dangled in front of a donkey. The only reason they keep insisting that the PS3 will be released in Spring is to prevent people from buying a 360.

The pulled the same shenanigans with the PS2, effectively killing the Dreamcast. They are trying it again.

Don't be a tool. Don't listen to Sony.

BenN1ce

02-20-2006, 10:36 AM

The problem comes from the fact that certain standards including HDMI 2.0 and part of the Blu-Ray CP aren't finalized yet.

I read something today that mentioned we could be seeing a launch in mid-june which could technically still be a spring launch.

Yep

The word on the street now is that Sony is still hopeful for a Spring launch. But this launch date is dependent on whether specifications for its Blu-ray optical disc technology and audio/video input/output support are finalized. "We're waiting for them until the last possible minute, but the launch could be pushed back if they're not decided soon," said a Sony Computer Entertainment spokeswoman.

And here is more info on specifications

http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6308373.html

Microsoft and Intel were concerned that the operation of BD+, which is not under the jurisdiction of AACS-LA, could interfere with consumers’ ability to view their high-def discs over a home network.

Blu-ray companies have strongly disputed those claims, accusing Microsoft of concocting the issue in order to delay completion of the Blu-ray format specs.

Microsoft has emerged as a strong backer of HD DVD and is locked in a fierce battle with Blu-ray developer Sony for dominance of the next-generation videogame market.

Sony plans to incorporate Blu-ray technology into its PlayStation 3 game consoles, which will be pitted against Microsoft’s Xbox 360 platform. A delay in approving AACS for Blu-ray could upset Sony’s PlayStation launch plans.

Yeti2005

02-20-2006, 10:53 AM

Yep

The word on the street now is that Sony is still hopeful for a Spring launch. But this launch date is dependent on whether specifications for its Blu-ray optical disc technology and audio/video input/output support are finalized. "We're waiting for them until the last possible minute, but the launch could be pushed back if they're not decided soon," said a Sony Computer Entertainment spokeswoman.

And here is more info on specifications

http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6308373.html

Microsoft and Intel were concerned that the operation of BD+, which is not under the jurisdiction of AACS-LA, could interfere with consumers’ ability to view their high-def discs over a home network.

Blu-ray companies have strongly disputed those claims, accusing Microsoft of concocting the issue in order to delay completion of the Blu-ray format specs.

Microsoft has emerged as a strong backer of HD DVD and is locked in a fierce battle with Blu-ray developer Sony for dominance of the next-generation videogame market.

Sony plans to incorporate Blu-ray technology into its PlayStation 3 game consoles, which will be pitted against Microsoft’s Xbox 360 platform. A delay in approving AACS for Blu-ray could upset Sony’s PlayStation launch plans.

Interesting MS conspiracy theory but the AACS bickering was holding up Blu-Ray AND HD-DVD (and MS supports HD-DVD). This however is a moot point since the AACS crap has been resolved.

http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/17/aacs-finalized-blu-ray-and-hd-dvd-game-on/

bapenguin

02-20-2006, 11:00 AM

Interesting MS conspiracy theory but the AACS bickering was holding up Blu-Ray AND HD-DVD (and MS supports HD-DVD). This however is a moot point since the AACS crap has been resolved.

http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/17/aacs-finalized-blu-ray-and-hd-dvd-game-on/

They technically still have the HDMI 2.0 spec as well as the 1080p spec to wait for as well.

ElectricMonk

02-20-2006, 12:08 PM

if sony only launches in japan it better be bad-ass, because if it does turn out to be overly-expensive and nothing special, by the time it reaches us shelves most people will have written it off

thecrazyd

02-20-2006, 12:29 PM

if sony only launches in japan it better be bad-ass, because if it does turn out to be overly-expensive and nothing special, by the time it reaches us shelves most people will have written it off
Just like the PS2?

MasterKwan

02-20-2006, 12:33 PM

Basically HDMI, Blu-Ray and HD-DVD are good news for the content makers, bad news for us. They're not technically required for HD content, they're required to restrict the fair use rights of HD content. It's their content so, more power to them but, I'm not planning on buying in. To me Blu-Ray's a reason NOT to buy the PS3.

Kelegacy

02-20-2006, 12:56 PM

Murmillo

02-20-2006, 01:25 PM

I know, Sony lied and tricked me into buying a PS2 which was a horrible system with awful games.

/sarcasm
The PS2 slowly turned into a good system with good games, but no where near to the graphics power Sony claimed it was going to be, on launch. The PS2 on launch was a very expensive way to play PS1 games.

Don't get me wrong, I'm have no doubt the PS3 is going to be a great system in a few years but I'm sure its launch will be just as sad as the PS2's.

There was a lot of good things that could have come from the Dreamcast, and there are a lot of great things that can come from the 360. Dreamcast to the saddened hearts of many was killed off, I'd hate to see Sony hurt the console market by killing off the 360 by trying to pull of the same crap they did 6(-7) years ago.

MasterKwan

02-20-2006, 01:26 PM

Mason

02-20-2006, 04:21 PM

Companies don't stay on top forever (unless you're Microsoft). Just because the PS2 was great, that doesn't mean the PS3 will be too. Sony's been screwing up alot lately. Lets just hope they don't screw up the PS3.
The PS2 had pretty low value as a chunk of hardware, yet had tons of value to consumers due to its game lineup alone. Sony can pull off the exact same thing with the PS3. As I've said before, the length of development cycles can easily turn perception into reality, as developers target the platform they believe will succeed. Enough developers target that platform, and it succeeds, regardless of its relative merits.

A hypothetical $500 PS3 stripped of lots of features and launching a year after the 360 sounds pretty crappy, but if Sony convinced enough studios that they'd stay on top this generation, it would still dominate due to an abundance of quality titles.

This is the whole reason Sony's been so quiet, even to the point of restating utter fantasy (such as the spring launch), simply to keep expectations and perceptions in order. Sony doesn't have to be the best this generation, they don't even really have to avoid major mess-ups. They just have to delay revealing those mess-ups as long as possible, so that enough titles are too far into development to jump platforms, if/when pricing, launch, and final feature announcements remove a lot of the PS3's luster.