The Official PS3 Thread
02-21-06 | 03:52 PM
#101
DVD Talk Godfather
Originally Posted by The Franchise
Anyone else think that Sony leaks these stories to the press intentionally just to keep the PS3 in the public's psyche? I'm convinced there is some guerilla marketing going on here. First the story about the PS3 being delayed to next year, then the story about it costing $900 to make, then the HUB network service. I mean the companmy knows what it's doing. They weren't #1 two generations in a row for no reason (#1 in sales kids, not #1 as in the best... please don't hurt me! 
). Anyone else think that this is their version of origen? Maybe not an ARG per se, but they are making EVERYONE talk about the PS3.
). Anyone else think that this is their version of origen? Maybe not an ARG per se, but they are making EVERYONE talk about the PS3.At some point, this is going to come back and bite them. Sure, PS2 is still selling well, but the public is getting antsy. People are going to stop waiting, or figure that they can save up some money between now and next year. Developers are going to be stuck: do they just delay development on their game until the PS3 launches, or make a decision early on to jump platform? (Granted, I'm not sure there are even PS3 dev kits that are finalized) They sure aren't going to try pumping out new PS2 games at this point, since it's not even certain when the old system is going to die now. And if all the development is geared towards a system that won't even make this Xmas, what kind of Xmas lineup can the PS2 really have?
02-21-06 | 05:40 PM
#102
DVD Talk Godfather
How long did Atari milk the 2600? How well did that serve them? It helped usher in the next market leader, the NES. Sony needs to get the PS3 out BEFORE Christmas or people will be jumping on the Rev. or 360 bandwagons.
02-22-06 | 02:20 PM
#104
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by PixyJunket
I'd be more inclined to believe they've got hired plants running around in forums spinning unyielding and humorously one-sided press on both the PS3 and Blu-Ray.
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/01/25
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/02/10
02-23-06 | 11:58 AM
#105
Guest
A commentary from gamesindustry.biz
Daily Update
23/02/2006
PlayStation 3 remains the mystery console for which far more questions have been posed than answers have ever been offered. Information on the console remains sparse, but to date, Sony hasn't actually broken any of its commitments regarding the platform - largely, it has to be said, because the firm has been incredibly evasive about ever making any such commitments.
All of that may be about to change. Every sign now suggests that Sony is about to break the first of its PS3 promises - specifically, the very tentative "Spring 2006" date which has been attached to the system since the very first official pronouncements were made about the PlayStation's next-generation sibling.
The problem is that the first day of spring on the calendar falls next Wednesday, and from that day Sony has a three-month window in which to launch the console, at least in some form, in order to make good on its commitment. That may not sound unreasonable, but bear in mind that as yet we have no idea what price point is planned for the console, what territory is to be targeted for launch first, what software will be available, what the marketing campaign will look like or even whether the system is being manufactured as yet.
Despite this, Sony is adamant that it will get the machine out the door on schedule. Third parties are less convinced, and we know of few if any in the west who are working on products for a Spring release - although we can't speak for Japanese publishers, who for all we know could be supporting a Spring launch to the hilt, however unlikely that may seem. Retail, meanwhile, is preparing for an autumn / winter launch for the system, and the industry in Europe is hopeful of a pre-Christmas launch, but will express little surprise if we end up seeing the PS3 in March 2007 - despite constant assurances to the contrary which European publishers claim to have received.
Ultimately, the simple problem here is that nobody trusts a word Sony says about its launch schedule. While the paranoid and often overtly negative comments of some analysts and journalists have suggested massive delays to the PS3 for often entirely spurious reasons - and some of the price estimates for the console floating around are downright ridiculous - there's no doubt that Sony's already dubious track record for delivering hardware has taken a serious battering from the botched launch of the PlayStation Portable, and the firm's silence on PS3 isn't helping matters much.
We understand perfectly what a tricky balancing act Sony faces at the moment and over the coming years, with no fewer than three platforms to keep healthy simultaneously in very closely related markets. We understand that Microsoft has forced Sony's hand, and that the Japanese electronics giant would be far happier to just bury the PS3 for many more months and focus on selling more PS2s, more PSPs and more software. However, none of those things change the fact that its current information blackout on PS3 is coming across as sheer arrogance to the rest of the market - and that the industry's implicit assumption is that the firm is lying about the spring date.
After all, if you're going to launch a brand new console platform in three months time, you'd rather if your partners - not just in publishing, but in development, in retail, and even in media - knew about it by now. Secrecy is all very well, but with each passing day the sales of Microsoft's Xbox 360 grow stronger, the software line-up improves, the supply channels become more robust and the company's offering becomes more attractive to consumers. If the spring launch isn't going to happen, or just as importantly, if the spring launch is going to see a dismal trickle of units released into the Japanese market followed by a wait of several before it hits the rest of the world, Sony needs to start telling people now, and letting them know where it goes from here.
Chris
23/02/2006
PlayStation 3 remains the mystery console for which far more questions have been posed than answers have ever been offered. Information on the console remains sparse, but to date, Sony hasn't actually broken any of its commitments regarding the platform - largely, it has to be said, because the firm has been incredibly evasive about ever making any such commitments.
All of that may be about to change. Every sign now suggests that Sony is about to break the first of its PS3 promises - specifically, the very tentative "Spring 2006" date which has been attached to the system since the very first official pronouncements were made about the PlayStation's next-generation sibling.
The problem is that the first day of spring on the calendar falls next Wednesday, and from that day Sony has a three-month window in which to launch the console, at least in some form, in order to make good on its commitment. That may not sound unreasonable, but bear in mind that as yet we have no idea what price point is planned for the console, what territory is to be targeted for launch first, what software will be available, what the marketing campaign will look like or even whether the system is being manufactured as yet.
Despite this, Sony is adamant that it will get the machine out the door on schedule. Third parties are less convinced, and we know of few if any in the west who are working on products for a Spring release - although we can't speak for Japanese publishers, who for all we know could be supporting a Spring launch to the hilt, however unlikely that may seem. Retail, meanwhile, is preparing for an autumn / winter launch for the system, and the industry in Europe is hopeful of a pre-Christmas launch, but will express little surprise if we end up seeing the PS3 in March 2007 - despite constant assurances to the contrary which European publishers claim to have received.
Ultimately, the simple problem here is that nobody trusts a word Sony says about its launch schedule. While the paranoid and often overtly negative comments of some analysts and journalists have suggested massive delays to the PS3 for often entirely spurious reasons - and some of the price estimates for the console floating around are downright ridiculous - there's no doubt that Sony's already dubious track record for delivering hardware has taken a serious battering from the botched launch of the PlayStation Portable, and the firm's silence on PS3 isn't helping matters much.
We understand perfectly what a tricky balancing act Sony faces at the moment and over the coming years, with no fewer than three platforms to keep healthy simultaneously in very closely related markets. We understand that Microsoft has forced Sony's hand, and that the Japanese electronics giant would be far happier to just bury the PS3 for many more months and focus on selling more PS2s, more PSPs and more software. However, none of those things change the fact that its current information blackout on PS3 is coming across as sheer arrogance to the rest of the market - and that the industry's implicit assumption is that the firm is lying about the spring date.
After all, if you're going to launch a brand new console platform in three months time, you'd rather if your partners - not just in publishing, but in development, in retail, and even in media - knew about it by now. Secrecy is all very well, but with each passing day the sales of Microsoft's Xbox 360 grow stronger, the software line-up improves, the supply channels become more robust and the company's offering becomes more attractive to consumers. If the spring launch isn't going to happen, or just as importantly, if the spring launch is going to see a dismal trickle of units released into the Japanese market followed by a wait of several before it hits the rest of the world, Sony needs to start telling people now, and letting them know where it goes from here.
Chris
02-24-06 | 03:01 PM
#106
DVD Talk Hero
Good article payroll 
They are really shooting themselves in the foot here - I know a lot of people waited for the PS2 over the DC because they knew when it was coming. Regardless of what Sony says, all signs seem to point to a later-than-spring launch window.
If it's not going to come out, just be honest and say when it WILL come out - people who are only going to buy one system will wait for it, I promise.
They are really shooting themselves in the foot here - I know a lot of people waited for the PS2 over the DC because they knew when it was coming. Regardless of what Sony says, all signs seem to point to a later-than-spring launch window.
If it's not going to come out, just be honest and say when it WILL come out - people who are only going to buy one system will wait for it, I promise.
02-24-06 | 03:18 PM
#107
Guest
Originally Posted by Draven
If it's not going to come out, just be honest and say when it WILL come out - people who are only going to buy one system will wait for it, I promise.
Chris
03-01-06 | 08:30 PM
#108
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 566
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Blu-ray bowing on May 23
Sony announces next-gen video format will launch in US in just over three months with lineup of familiar titles; first player to retail for $999.
Two weeks ago, Variety reported that many studios were cutting back on production of Universal Media Disc (UMD) home-video releases. According to the article, studios were disappointed with sales of films released on the format, which was created for Sony's PSP handheld. However, most PSP owners will say that they are themselves disappointed with the small selection of UMD movies, much of which is made up of such less-than-stellar offerings as Stealth and Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo.
Today, Sony announced that is launching another all-new video format used by one of its game platforms with an even more limited selection of movies. On May 23, the electronics giant will debut its Blu-ray Disc (BD) format, which will be used by the PlayStation 3, in North America with eight films of varying vintage, popularity, and acclaim: 50 First Dates, The Fifth Element, Hitch, House of Flying Daggers, A Knight's Tale, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, XXX, and the 1978 concert film The Last Waltz. They will be followed by a second wave of releases on June 13: Kung Fu Hustle, Legends of the Fall, RoboCop, Stealth, Species, SWAT, Terminator, and Underworld: Evolution.
Though DVD-specialty sites such as the Digital Bits predict that the aforementioned launch BD movies will go for about $24.99 each, no pricing information was given for the initial octet, which will be released by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. However, the other studio shipping BD films on May 23, Lionsgate, was more forthcoming. It said that two of its initial offerings, Lord of War and the Oscar-nominated Crash will retail for $39.99, while the other three--The Punisher, Saw, and Terminator 2: Judgment Day--will go for $29.99 each. The Canada-based studio will release a second wave that will include Reservoir Dogs, Total Recall, Stargate, and the Frank Herbert's Dune miniseries for $29.99 each, and the Rob Zombie-directed schlock-horror opus The Devil's Rejects for $39.99.
Though neither Sony nor Lionsgate made any mention of what extra features their initial BD movie offerings will have, both make much of the Blu-ray Disc's ability to store up to 50GB on one disc, more than five times that of a DVD. For a full rundown on the format, which will see competition in the form of the Microsoft and Time Warner-backed HD-DVD platform later in the year, check out Sony's official Blu-ray Web site. Microsoft is also planning to release a HD-DVD add-on for the Xbox 360 later this year.
But while the variety of BD films will be limited, consumers will have even less choice when it comes to Blu-ray Disc players. Sony's announcement said that its BDs' debut will "coincide with the launch...of the first commercially available BD player from Samsung Electronics." That would be the BD-P1000, which will play HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) video at resolutions of both 720p and 1080i (720 lines progressive scanning and 1,080 lines interlaced scanning)--and will retail for around $999.
The PS3, which will come with an internal BD-ROM drive, is expected to retail for between $399 and $799. However, most analysts now expect the console won't launch in the US until Q4 2006, even though Sony has not officially changed the "spring 2006" release window it announced at E3 2005. However, Sony says the BD-P1000's release "will be followed shortly by BD players from Pioneer and Sony along with a BD-compatible VAIO PC from Sony."
By Tor Thorsen -- GameSpot
Sony announces next-gen video format will launch in US in just over three months with lineup of familiar titles; first player to retail for $999.
Two weeks ago, Variety reported that many studios were cutting back on production of Universal Media Disc (UMD) home-video releases. According to the article, studios were disappointed with sales of films released on the format, which was created for Sony's PSP handheld. However, most PSP owners will say that they are themselves disappointed with the small selection of UMD movies, much of which is made up of such less-than-stellar offerings as Stealth and Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo.
Today, Sony announced that is launching another all-new video format used by one of its game platforms with an even more limited selection of movies. On May 23, the electronics giant will debut its Blu-ray Disc (BD) format, which will be used by the PlayStation 3, in North America with eight films of varying vintage, popularity, and acclaim: 50 First Dates, The Fifth Element, Hitch, House of Flying Daggers, A Knight's Tale, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, XXX, and the 1978 concert film The Last Waltz. They will be followed by a second wave of releases on June 13: Kung Fu Hustle, Legends of the Fall, RoboCop, Stealth, Species, SWAT, Terminator, and Underworld: Evolution.
Though DVD-specialty sites such as the Digital Bits predict that the aforementioned launch BD movies will go for about $24.99 each, no pricing information was given for the initial octet, which will be released by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. However, the other studio shipping BD films on May 23, Lionsgate, was more forthcoming. It said that two of its initial offerings, Lord of War and the Oscar-nominated Crash will retail for $39.99, while the other three--The Punisher, Saw, and Terminator 2: Judgment Day--will go for $29.99 each. The Canada-based studio will release a second wave that will include Reservoir Dogs, Total Recall, Stargate, and the Frank Herbert's Dune miniseries for $29.99 each, and the Rob Zombie-directed schlock-horror opus The Devil's Rejects for $39.99.
Though neither Sony nor Lionsgate made any mention of what extra features their initial BD movie offerings will have, both make much of the Blu-ray Disc's ability to store up to 50GB on one disc, more than five times that of a DVD. For a full rundown on the format, which will see competition in the form of the Microsoft and Time Warner-backed HD-DVD platform later in the year, check out Sony's official Blu-ray Web site. Microsoft is also planning to release a HD-DVD add-on for the Xbox 360 later this year.
But while the variety of BD films will be limited, consumers will have even less choice when it comes to Blu-ray Disc players. Sony's announcement said that its BDs' debut will "coincide with the launch...of the first commercially available BD player from Samsung Electronics." That would be the BD-P1000, which will play HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) video at resolutions of both 720p and 1080i (720 lines progressive scanning and 1,080 lines interlaced scanning)--and will retail for around $999.
The PS3, which will come with an internal BD-ROM drive, is expected to retail for between $399 and $799. However, most analysts now expect the console won't launch in the US until Q4 2006, even though Sony has not officially changed the "spring 2006" release window it announced at E3 2005. However, Sony says the BD-P1000's release "will be followed shortly by BD players from Pioneer and Sony along with a BD-compatible VAIO PC from Sony."
By Tor Thorsen -- GameSpot
03-02-06 | 08:35 AM
#112
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,227
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From: Ft. Wayne, Indiana
Well at least the best Hardware manufacturer (Samsung) will offer up the players first. WTF is up with the initial launch titles do they have to be the same for every emerging format wasn't "Stargate" one of the very first DVDs released as well. At least Underworld: Evolution gets in there, you'd think they'd want the most visually stunning titles to come out with the new hardware first but instead you get a bunch of fluff. As for 1080p support I'm sure we'll see that in the near future with a wave of players replacing the initial wave at $1k when the first players reach the $400-500 mark exactly the way DVD did it.
My biggest concern is how much bullshit is gonna be on these disks, if they were smart they'd use all the space they needed to get as much visual/Audio quality out of the disk as possible and then put in extras, but we all know that's not how things work.
My biggest concern is how much bullshit is gonna be on these disks, if they were smart they'd use all the space they needed to get as much visual/Audio quality out of the disk as possible and then put in extras, but we all know that's not how things work.
03-02-06 | 09:48 AM
#113
Banned
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 6,677
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From: Blu-Ray: We Don't Need No Stinkin' Petition
Originally Posted by jaeufraser
For some reason I thought all these movies would support 1080p.
03-02-06 | 09:59 AM
#114
DVD Talk Hero
So...the first Blu-ray player is $1000 bucks, but the PS3 (which plays Blu-ray movies) will be less than $400 and come out around the same time? (Spring 2006)?
Yeah right
Yeah right
03-02-06 | 10:26 AM
#115
Banned
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 6,677
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From: Blu-Ray: We Don't Need No Stinkin' Petition
Originally Posted by Draven
So...the first Blu-ray player is $1000 bucks, but the PS3 (which plays Blu-ray movies) will be less than $400 and come out around the same time? (Spring 2006)?
Yeah right
Yeah right
03-02-06 | 10:39 AM
#117
DVD Talk Hero
Originally Posted by joshd2012
Just because it costs $1000 at the retail end, doesn't mean it costs that much to manufacture. You are comparing apples to oranges.
Stand-alone Blu-ray player - plays Blu-ray discs = $1000
PS3 - next-gen gaming machine, media hub, toaster oven, plays Blu-ray discs = $400
Release date = the same time
Why would ANYONE buy a $1000 player with a $400 PS3 sitting on the shelf next to it that does the same thing and MORE. The price and release date for the PS3 are NOT adding up.
03-02-06 | 11:03 AM
#118
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by Draven
What? I'm comparing the price of a Blu-ray player with the price of a Blu-ray player that also plays video games. It's more like comparing apples to apples that are cheaper but do more stuff.
Stand-alone Blu-ray player - plays Blu-ray discs = $1000
PS3 - next-gen gaming machine, media hub, toaster oven, plays Blu-ray discs = $400
Release date = the same time
Why would ANYONE buy a $1000 player with a $400 PS3 sitting on the shelf next to it that does the same thing and MORE. The price and release date for the PS3 are NOT adding up.
Stand-alone Blu-ray player - plays Blu-ray discs = $1000
PS3 - next-gen gaming machine, media hub, toaster oven, plays Blu-ray discs = $400
Release date = the same time
Why would ANYONE buy a $1000 player with a $400 PS3 sitting on the shelf next to it that does the same thing and MORE. The price and release date for the PS3 are NOT adding up.
Anyone think Sony is going to pull Blu-Ray from the PS3?
03-02-06 | 11:48 AM
#119
Video Game Talk Editor
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 4,097
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From: Westchester, Los Angeles
If there isn't a cheaper Blu-Ray player released this year and the PS3 gets pushed to November, Blu-Ray sales will be dismal. Employees at every electronic store in the U.S. will be telling people to wait six months to save several hundred bucks by puchasing a PS3 instead. It's plausible that the PS3 could indirectly end up hurting early adoption of the Blu-Ray format, temporarily anyway.
03-02-06 | 12:28 PM
#121
DVD Talk Hero
This is basically why WB was pushing HD-DVD of Blu-Ray (in addition to the fact that WB gets royalties for DVDs). With HD-DVDs being produced in the same facilities and with the same equipment as regular DVDs, HD-DVD players can be cheaper than Blu-Ray players. Afterall, both DVD and HD-DVD use the same type of laser (or at least that's what I've read).
I'm a proponent of Blu-Ray but I think HD-DVD might win the format war due to early price issues alone.
I'm a proponent of Blu-Ray but I think HD-DVD might win the format war due to early price issues alone.
03-02-06 | 12:30 PM
#122
DVD Talk Special Edition
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,040
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From: McKinney, TX
PS3 was a no-show at Sony's Playstation event.
http://www.joystiq.com/2006/03/02/ps...station-event/
http://www.joystiq.com/2006/03/02/ps...station-event/
With just one day remaining before the end of Sony's invite-only "Destination PlayStation" event in Miami, video game industry insiders at the event remain "very much in the dark" about Sony's launch plans for the PlayStation 3 console, reported Consumer Electronics Daily.
This could be interpreted as another data point supporting the theory that the PS3's launch schedule has slipped. Or it could just be all part of a master plan to catch the world by surprise with a surprise unveiling. Either way, our impatience grows.
This could be interpreted as another data point supporting the theory that the PS3's launch schedule has slipped. Or it could just be all part of a master plan to catch the world by surprise with a surprise unveiling. Either way, our impatience grows.
03-02-06 | 06:16 PM
#123
Banned
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 6,677
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From: Blu-Ray: We Don't Need No Stinkin' Petition
First off, you could not buy a $99 DVD player in 2000. I swear, that price keeps dropping. Next time I wouldn't be surprised if someone made the comment, "PS2 came out 3 years after DVD was released, when they were giving away DVD players with the purchase of a Big Mac".
Second, PS3 is the only budget Blu-Ray player announced - the rest of this stuff is mid to high end. Everyone wants to compare the $500 budget HD-DVD with the high end stuff, and you can't do it. No one compares a Kia with a Porsche and says, "Who is going to buy that car, it is so much more expensive."
Third, I mentioned that $1000 Blu-Ray player doesn't mean it costs that much to produce, because they question was, how can they make the PS3 cost so much less than a stand-alone player. Your comments suggested that it would be impossible; I only pointed out where you were wrong.
Fourth, why the hell is this discussion going on here anyway? We have a whole forum dedicated to this stuff where all your questions would be answered, yet it keeps coming up here.
Second, PS3 is the only budget Blu-Ray player announced - the rest of this stuff is mid to high end. Everyone wants to compare the $500 budget HD-DVD with the high end stuff, and you can't do it. No one compares a Kia with a Porsche and says, "Who is going to buy that car, it is so much more expensive."
Third, I mentioned that $1000 Blu-Ray player doesn't mean it costs that much to produce, because they question was, how can they make the PS3 cost so much less than a stand-alone player. Your comments suggested that it would be impossible; I only pointed out where you were wrong.
Fourth, why the hell is this discussion going on here anyway? We have a whole forum dedicated to this stuff where all your questions would be answered, yet it keeps coming up here.
03-02-06 | 09:24 PM
#125
DVD Talk Godfather
Originally Posted by joshd2012
First off, you could not buy a $99 DVD player in 2000. I swear, that price keeps dropping. Next time I wouldn't be surprised if someone made the comment, "PS2 came out 3 years after DVD was released, when they were giving away DVD players with the purchase of a Big Mac".