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The Real PlayStation 3 Launch Lineup
Where'd all the launch games go?
by Luke Smith, 11/10/2006

Games that we once expected to see on the PlayStation 3 at launch have started to disappear. One has been canceled (so long NBA Live 07), some delayed, but just a week away from the PlayStation 3's launch the software lineup continues to shuffle. Here's what's left and what's been shelved.

Resistance: Fall of Man
Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom
Genji: Days of the Blade
NBA 07
Sonic the Hedgehog -- Delayed off of launch list.
Call of Duty 3
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion -- Delayed to Q1 2007.
F.E.A.R. -- Delayed off of launch list.
Ridge Racer 7
Fight Night Round 3
Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WW II -- Delayed until December.
Full Auto 2: Battlelines -- Delayed until early December.
Madden NFL 2007
Marvel Ultimate Alliance
Mobile Suit Gundam: Crossfire
NBA 2k7
Need for Speed: Carbon
NHL 2k7
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas -- Delayed until December.
Tony Hawk's Project 8

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Well, when Sony tells Gamestop "You're getting X amount of systems" and then the week of the launch they say "You're actually getting 40% less than that," whose fault do you think it is? I wouldn't say Gamestop's.

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then one of the guys said if that doesn't work he's going to pretend he's handicapped to try to cut in line or whatever. I guess he secured some crutches or a wheelchair or something. he said he should be able to walk right up to the front because who's going to want to fight a handicapped person.

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PlayStation 3 Has Compatibility Problems with PS2 Games

05:48 PM, November 14th 2006
by News Staff

Shortly after the Japanese launch of its next-generation console, Sony already faces the first problems. Fortunately enough, these are not hardware deficiencies. They are compatibility problems with the games created for PlayStation 2. The Japanese company admitted today that there are indeed games that do not function properly on PlayStation 3.

Sony officials have not specified the number of games that do not work nor have they specified which games are incompatible, but according to information published by Sankei, Final Fantasy and Gran Turismo are among them. Sankei also estimates the number of affected games at about 200.

The compatibility issue affects graphics in some of the games and causes audio difficulties in others.

Sony has stated that it will try to remedy these problems by posting upgrades online, but company officials have refused to specify the number or titles of the problem-games, BBC News informs.

Problems surfacing immediately after a launch are not something new in the world of consoles. Last year, after Microsoft launched Xbox 360, there were numerous complaints from customers relating to the overheating of the source, which led to dysfunctions.

Sony has always said that PlayStation 3 will be perfectly compatible with PS 2 titles, PS 2 being the market leader right now. As a matter of fact, compatibility was one of the aces Sony hoped to win the console war with, which has reached a new level with this latest launch in Japan.

PlayStation 3, which at this moment has already claimed the title of most technically advanced console, should have been launched in March 2006. Sony was forced to postpone the event to November 2006, promising a simultaneous launch in Japan, the US and Europe as a compensation. Technical problems regarding the Blu-Ray units unfortunately caused another change of plan and Sony had to limit itself to Japan and the US, rescheduling the European launch for March 2007.

Sony also had to reduce the number of units it intended to deliver along with the introduction of PS 3, cutting down the number to 100,000 units for Japan and 400,000 for the US.

And all these incidents would be acceptable had Sony not entangled itself in a life and death battle with Microsoft and Nintendo. Microsoft launched Xbox 360 last year and has had reasonable results so far. Nevertheless, it hasn’t had significant sales in Japan, a market considered to be loyal to PlayStation, customers choosing to wait for PlayStation 3.

One reason the Japanese are interested in PS 3 is precisely its compatibility with PS 2 games.

In fact, Sony should speed up the process of solving the compatibility problems as US citizens will be introduced to PlayStation 3 very soon, on the 17th of November.

Nintendo will launch its Nintendo Wii console in the United States on November 19th, and the company hopes to deliver as many as 4 million units by the end of the year.

Unlike Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii is the least advanced as far as technology is concerned, but also the cheapest. The price announced for a Nintendo Wii is $250. Besides its price, the other argument Nintendo hopes to seduce customers with is the new controller, designed to resemble a remote-control.

The pre-order campaign that GameStop started last month for Nintendo and PlayStation 3 ended the very day it had begun. Therefore Sony has no reasons to worry yet, because the 400,000 consoles that it will deliver to the US have certainly been bought already. What will happen until the end of the year remains to be seen.

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Analyst: 'Battle Royale' To See 150-200k PS3s For Launch?

In his latest interactive entertainment notes, Lazard Capital Markets' Colin Sebastian has made his predictions on the 'battle royale' set to take place this week as the Wii and PS3 see their official US lanches.

Says Sebastian, "This week represents a significant milestone in the interactive entertainment universe," though, he hastens to add, "the significance of the launches for the software publishers is largely symbolic, as the new consoles will not likely be meaningful drivers of software sales until later next year when we expect the installed bases of the PS3 and Wii to reach more critical mass."

Still, "excitement surrounding the hardware launches backed by significant marketing budgets from Microsoft (Xbox 360), Sony (PS3 and PSP) and Nintendo (Wii and DS) – should benefit overall industry trends through the holiday."

On retailers' struggles to secure and supply a continuous flow of hardware, Sebastian adds that Lazard continues to expect shortages for most stores: "Our channel checks with retailers indicate that there is strong interest in both the PS3 and Wii; most stores sold out of pre-orders quickly."

"We expect Sony to deliver 150-200k units to stores in the United States for the launch; consumers without pre-orders may find it difficult to locate an available system. We estimate sales of approximately 750k PS3s domestically by year-end. We expect a more robust launch from Nintendo, with at least 1.2 million units sold in the U.S. and up to four million units shipped worldwide by year-end."

"Due to the limited initial installed base of the platforms, we believe the financial impact over the holiday period will be more significant for hardware manufacturers and video game retailers (such as GameStop) than for software publishers."

In addition to predicting a strong push for Xbox 360 products due to a shortage in PS3 supply, Sebastian also says the newly launched consoles may not have as significant an impact on holiday sales.

He adds: "We expect less than 15% of software sales to come from the PS3 and Wii this holiday; the more numerous Xbox 360, PS2 and handheld platforms (DS and PSP) remain key drivers of growth," though, he predicts, "this fifth major platform transition is likely to be the largest product launch in the industry’s history."

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"We expect Sony to deliver 150-200k units to stores in the United States for the launch;

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Less than one PS3 game per console sold at launch
Matt Martin 11:05 14/11/2006

Poor tie-in ratio lends more weight to 'grey market' sales theory

Enterbrain, publisher of Famitsu, has revealed the the tie-in ratio of software to PlayStation 3 sales is 0.98 – less than one game per console.

The figure suggests that a portion of the 88,400 units sold were bought with the intention of selling on as part of the 'grey market', the unofficial channel for second hand machines via internet auctions and retail stores, which label the stock as 'used'.

As previously reported, Namco Bandai's Mobile Suit Gundam and Ridge Racer 7 were the top-selling titles, clocking up sales of around 30,000 units each.

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Shock in store for gamers over price of PS3 - report

Ellie Gibson 09:07 14/11/2006
Survey says PS2 fans are more loyal than GameCube owners

A new report by analyst Compete has revealed that almost half of US consumers considering the purchase of a PS3 are in for a surprise when it comes to the console's price.

The report, which surveyed active current gen console gamers during the month of October, found that 48 per cent of those thinking about buying a PS3 thought it would cost under US $300.

Almost 60 per cent of respondents in the same category said they thought the cost was too high on being told the real price (US $499 / $599 for the 20GB / 60GB versions). Of all those surveyed, 73 per cent said they think the price is too expensive.

Around 63 per cent of PlayStation 2 owners say they may pick up a PS3 - but the figure is lower for Nintendo's new console, with just 39 per cent of GameCube owners considering a Wii purchase. Almost the same number - 40 per cent - of those who bought a GameCube may buy a PS3 this time around.

Compete calculated the demand for consoles amongst US consumers

using data from online retailers, and found that an average of around 418,000 people show an interest in the Xbox 360 each month. Demand for PS3 exceeded that for Xbox 360 for the first time in September, with the Wii repeating the feat in October. At present, with the North American launch of the console just days away, demand is highest for the PlayStation 3.

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