Page 1 of 7 1235 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 70

Thread: Ready for PlayStation 3?

  1. Ready for PlayStation 3?

    Looks like Sony is ready to get the jump on the competion again.

    Several months ago, rumors surfaced regarding Sony's development plans of the successor to its existing platform. Below is a report from a UK news outlet:

    <hr color="#336699">

    The news will put an icy chill in the heart of every parent with school-age children. Sony, the Japanese entertainment titan striving for total domination of the video games market, is understood to be in advanced stages of developing PlayStation 3.

    It is unlikely to get a warm welcome from Sony's two chief competitors – Nintendo and Microsoft – who have only just brought out machines to compete with PlayStation 2.

    Plans for the third installment in the PlayStation saga were rapidly stepped up when Sony saw the capabilities of Microsoft's Xbox, says sources within its development team.

    Although the company believes it has enough good games in the pipeline and a wide enough global customer base to compete for the moment, PlayStation 3 is being designed specifically to handle online gaming – seen by many analysts as the future of video games.

    Sony has courted alliances with some of the technology industry's biggest hitters in an effort to "soundly beat whatever our rivals produce next''. IBM and Toshiba are jointly designing the central chip that will control the PlayStation 3 at a top-secret technology lab in Austin, Texas. The project, which aims to create the ultimate graphics and sound processor, is believed to cost around $1bn (£650m).

    City analysts estimate that the global games market could reach $40bn within the next decade – riches that no one in the industry wants, or can afford, to miss. Because of the UK's strength in game design, the forthcoming console war will also benefit the many small software houses that have been making hit games since the heady days of the ZX Spectrum and the Commodore 64.

    The British market is experiencing a glut of new launches. Nintendo's hand-held Game Boy Advance hit the shelves before Christmas, Microsoft's Xbox was launched six weeks ago, and this week will see the last piece falling into place: Nintendo's GameCube.

    The three-way struggle for supremacy has seen each company adopt different tactics. Sony got its PlayStation 2 machine on the market before anyone else, and reaped the rewards of being the only player on the block for 18 months. Microsoft's Xbox, meanwhile, has made its appeal to what it sees as more serious gamers. Although the enormous Xbox – much larger than other consoles – is Microsoft's first step into the world of video games, its rivals cannot afford to dismiss the machine. After all, Sega and Nintendo seemed to have the market sewn up in 1993 when Sony arrived and sold 85 million PlayStations.

    The Xbox's software makes full use of the machine's huge graphics and memory capabilities, and the games line-up includes "Halo", one of only a few games to which reviewers have given a "perfect" rating. Unfortunately, the past six weeks have not gone Microsoft's way: sales have been sluggish and, within five weeks of launch, the company decided to drop the price by 38 per cent to drum up custom.

    The Xbox may have the best technology, but the market is only interested in the quality of the games. Nintendo, a past master at producing must-have titles, has not only got a meaty selection of games to accompany the launch of the GameCube, but is also selling the machine at less than half the original cost of the Xbox.

  2. #2
    Oh boy... not again.

    If PS3 is comming soon there better be a nie price drop for PS2, because I doubt PS3 is going to be selling for the same price as an older system. Then again, they might decide to charge of $300 dollars. If that's the case and it still sales well, all I can do is shake my head and watch the standard costs for consoles at launch jump up again. I wonder how devs. will react if this is true. Guess we have to wait and see.

    (Yeah. I know. I copied and pasted. )
    Taking it one day at a time.

  3. I don't expect this anytime soon, like it says they are still designing the graphics chip. I would say it would be released around early 2005 (in Japan) and fall 2005 (in the USA), which is the same distance between PSX and PS2... they might go for a 2004 release if they feel they need it, but I don't see it coming any earlier then that.

  4. #4
    I really hope they don't go trying to create a new architecture again. I think they should keep the architechture similar to the current PS2 architecture, or similar to the PC standards. Who wants to spend extra money making libraries and stuff again.
    Taking it one day at a time.

  5. #5
    I guess Sony isn't satisfied with mere control...only domination will suffice. If this is released stateside anytime sooner than 2006, then I can see I big backlash against SONY. Hell, the mothers already complain about the prospect of this.
    I find it interesting that SONY was so freaked out by the specs of the XBOX though. Is the fact that the XBOX didn't do as well as expected going to change their plans?

  6. Originally posted by amerlop
    I guess Sony isn't satisfied with mere control...only domination will suffice. If this is released stateside anytime sooner than 2006, then I can see I big backlash against SONY. Hell, the mothers already complain about the prospect of this.
    I find it interesting that SONY was so freaked out by the specs of the XBOX though. Is the fact that the XBOX didn't do as well as expected going to change their plans?
    As in accelerating their plans? Definitely.

  7. Originally posted by bahn


    As in accelerating their plans? Definitely.

    I don't know about that. The XBOX is a bad ass system, no doubt but if it takes a giant shit across the boards then I think Sony will take their time.

  8. Originally posted by Nigel-The-Landstalker



    I don't know about that. The XBOX is a bad ass system, no doubt but if it takes a giant shit across the boards then I think Sony will take their time.
    Whoa, simmer down there. I think you totally misunderstood me. I didn't state anything to suggest that the Xbox is anything but an impressive system. Though let's keep in mind...as powerful as it is, the variety of quality titles is much lower compared to that which is available on PS2 (although this shall quickly change over the course of the next several months!)

    Regardless what Sony does, yes, MS will go on. My statement basically is my stand on whatever Sony is currently planning with PS3. It doesn't shock me one bit that they are engaged with development of a new platform.

    Does it make me sad? No?

    Do I appreciate my Xbox any less? Hardly.

    Should Sony take their time? If they expect to contain their existing userbase, yes - that would be wise.

  9. DANM!! I knew I should have waited until the PS3 was out!


    Sony is heading torwards a nasty back-lash with the idea of even getting the system ready for the next 2-4 years because the PS2 userbase is still developing and people are going to be upset hearing that they'll have to buy another system to replace the one that is "still new" to the market. I'll be prepared however, should there be a release date, I'll do the crazy thing and sell my PS2 (at a fuller price if possible) within a 4-6 month time period of the launch date so that money can back up the new system purchase, then I can get it back after it's price takes a sudden dive. I know, I'll be without sony for awhile, but at least I'll get some time with my other games that need to be worked on.
    don't wanna tangle with you, I'd rather tangle with him.
    I think I'm gonna bash his head in...

  10. I have yet to buy a PS2...

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Games.com logo