PlayStation 3 delay meme part VIII: Dow Jones reports delays

We can't hand down the official word, but without being able to independently confirm the report, it sounds like Dow Jones has laid claim to Sony's intention to delay the PlayStation 3 until early November on account of "copy protection technology for the Blu-ray Disc has not been finalized" (this by way of noted Japanese paper Nihon Keizai Shimbun). We can't speak to whether or not this is accurate, or what, if anything, seems lost in translation, but if the NKS and Dow Jones report is accurate, then it sounds like Sony's lying right through their teeth regarding the Blu-ray delays -- we know the AACS system is no longer being held up, and they've already claimed to have the first Blu-ray devices and VAIOs out in the first half of the year. Sony, will you just freaking fess up to the delays already and get this over with? You're only digging your own hole deeper, here.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Update: from what we can tell from the Nikkei report tips being sent in, the delay is not necessarily due to AACS specifically, but because "the copy protection technology for the Blu-ray Disc has not been finalized." We're not entirely sure what else this could refer to but AACS since the BD plus and ROM-Mark copy protection schemes seem securely locked into place long before now. Thus, we might have to hold to our postulation that if the PS3 is officially delayed, it may be due to other issues within Sony with greater implications besides something so easy to put PR gloss on as a copy protection delay.

[Ravi @ Mar 14th 2006 2:38PM]

If copy protection isnt finalized, how in the world are they goiing to release Blu-Ray movies in May :|

[raider @ Mar 14th 2006 2:39PM]

Earlier there was a report on the delay of HD DVD movies, that the studios have pushed back their movies. And will not disclose if they are going to be released or not.
Now the PS3 is delayed. Both formats are going thru hell.

[Mack Swift @ Mar 14th 2006 2:45PM]

And November release is for Japan! The states and Europe won't see PS3 until middle 2007 at the earliest.

[Neil @ Mar 14th 2006 2:46PM]

I don't know why everyone says the console launching in November is a "delay". They NEVER put a date on it at least not for Western markets anyway.

[The icollector @ Mar 14th 2006 2:52PM]

"I don't know why everyone says the console launching in November is a "delay". They NEVER put a date on it at least not for Western markets anyway." by Neil .


Its a delay because Sony said the console will launch in the "Spring".

[o rly @ Mar 14th 2006 2:53PM]

@ 4/Neil: "I don't know why everyone says the console launching in November is a "delay". They NEVER put a date on it at least not for Western markets anyway."

uhh Spring 2006. It's still on the website as the launch. Last time I checked, November 2006 isn't Spring 2006, it isn't even Summer 2006; it's Fall 2006, heading into early Winter 2006.
Sony should just say "Spring" and omit the year.

[TonyTK @ Mar 14th 2006 2:54PM]

I could care less about Sony's delays. I hope the PS3 is released in 2007 and no one buys it because it will cost $750. Blah. If PS3 takes this long to come out I think the Xbox 360 will just gobble up the market share.

I'm more interested in seeing the Nintendo Revolution released and at what price will it be? $300? $250? I will probably get the Nintendo because of the new style controller and the ability to download old nintendo games. Plus I'm not a serious gamer.

[ronnie @ Mar 14th 2006 2:54PM]

I think at E3 we'll know whether PS3 is going to be amazing or a commerical disaster.

If it isn't much better than Xbox360 and it comes out a year and half later, Sony has a problem.

[Andy @ Mar 14th 2006 3:00PM]

I hate to make a super obvious point, but besides Bill Gates being so happy right now, I'd bet equal money that the CEO's of every major publishing house is feeling pretty demoralized. The bridge between generations just become even more unstable.

[Rishard Chapoteau @ Mar 14th 2006 3:02PM]

One other thing to note is that this didn't say if it was an american launch in november or in Japan. If it launches in november in japan unless they do a worldwide launch Ala 360 its not going to be here any time soon.

[Rewind @ Mar 14th 2006 3:18PM]

This has its upside and downside to it.

Upside: No fugly controller!

Downside: No Blu-Ray!

Oh, and for #9: Sony is definatelay going for Japan first. It is Sony tradition. They are a Japanese company, so they will release their products their first.

[RevJonathan @ Mar 14th 2006 3:21PM]

Why bother?, the protection will be broken within a year.

[Ryan @ Mar 14th 2006 3:29PM]

Here's my theory: Sony's trying to figure out how they can offer a $500 blu-ray player plus PlayStation without pissing off Samsung, who's offering their player at $1000. Or something like that. I can't see how that'll work. Maybe I'm missing something here, but this has been the #1 question in my mind about the PS3 for some time.

[Razz @ Eurogamer.net @ Mar 14th 2006 3:41PM]

"uhh Spring 2006. It's still on the website as the launch. Last time I checked, November 2006 isn't Spring 2006,"

Well that's not entirely true, afaik November IS Spring in the southern hemisphere.:D

For the record, I'm not a sony fanboy. I don't even have a PS1 let alone a PS2.

[o rly @ Mar 14th 2006 3:43PM]

@ 12/Ryan: "Here's my theory: Sony's trying to figure out how they can offer a $500 blu-ray player plus PlayStation without pissing off Samsung, who's offering their player at $1000. Or something like that. I can't see how that'll work. Maybe I'm missing something here, but this has been the #1 question in my mind about the PS3 for some time."


Ryan, you are missing something, the previous partnership. Why would Sony care about pissing off Samsung, when Samsung was a major partner with Microsoft during the Xbox 360 launch and in their current hardware?

[Eli @ Mar 14th 2006 3:46PM]

Would you guys PLEASE learn the correct usage of the word meme. It's really starting to get REALLY ANNOYING.

[Eli @ Mar 14th 2006 3:48PM]

Too many really's. Now I'm being annoying :(

[Mark Felps @ Mar 14th 2006 3:50PM]

It's not just Samsung, it's any company putting out a Blu-Ray player. Sony is pushing the format while simultaneously threatening to undercut any hardware manufacturer that actually makes the format. Unless manufacturers can put together Blu-Ray machines for less than the PS3, the first round of players are going to get clobbered. And after the UMD collapse, I imagine the studios are getting a little nervous regarding new Sony formats.

[Fredus @ Mar 14th 2006 5:01PM]

7 "I could care less"

If you could care less then why don�t you? Instead of bitching on engadget why don�t you try and improve you english skills. The phrase you are looking for is "I couldn't care less", meaning you could not reach a lower level of caring and thus making it actually relevant.

[Skan @ Mar 14th 2006 5:19PM]

Common sense tells me that Sony will still be showing the same garbage display at this years E3 that they used last year. It will be the same exact non functional and non playable prototype shell that has been on display since last year. If they had a playable and finished PS3 to display at this years E3 then that would help erase all the concerns that they don't even have a working PS3 yet. But I highly doubt they will have a working PS3 by E3 therefore making them look even worse. Can you imagine how dumb Sony will look, a year later and they are still using the same exact nonworking display!! Talk about embarrassing.

[Frankenstein Black @ Mar 14th 2006 5:19PM]

It's Jon Lech Johansen's fault! You know, DVD JON? LoL (He, he, heee ;^)... Why that little Viking punk has turned his evil gaze to next gen formats and Hollywood is quaking! LoL (Ha, ha, haaa ;^)... He is single handedly holding up the deployment of HD-DVD and Blueray! Drat and double Drat! LOL... Woops, I think I tinkled in my bloomers from laughing so hard...

P.S. Hey Sony, guest what? �Content seeks ubiquity�. Now stop the Shenanigans and let�s get going already!

[o rly @ Mar 14th 2006 5:27PM]

Reply to #20
Hey Fredus why don't you correct your Mothers grammer while your at it. She's always screaming, "Spank me Daddy! Spank me Daddy! Give me that there willy in this here fuzz box."
Im no english teacher but that just doesn't sound right you may want to help her out a bit.

[Eric @ Mar 14th 2006 5:45PM]

There are just too many assumptions and not enough specific announcements to predict what will happen. Until Sony states a market-by-market launch schedule (which I don�t expect until E3), all of this is speculation.

So many people, like #11 assume "Sony is [definitely] going for Japan first. It is [a] Sony tradition. They are a Japanese company, so they will release their products [there] first."

They're a global company owned by investors all over the world run by a Brit. There's no reason other than traditional sentimentality to launch the PS3 in Japan first. One of the reason�s Sir Howard is at the helm is to take the tough actions necessary to turn the company around. It used to be a tradition that you didn�t lay off employees in Japan, but Stringer had no problems doing that.

On the other hand, as Next-Gen reported, there are good reasons Sony could launch in the US first. It could help win over the studios� support of Blu-Ray and counter the 360. Japan shows no interest in the 360. On the other hand, US customers will go to the 360 if the PS3 takes too long and the �holiday� season is much larger in the US & Europe than Asia. If the US and Europe are the two places where the PS3/360 fight actually matters � what good business reason justifies not launching there first?

[c.Lake @ Mar 14th 2006 6:06PM]

OMG... Sony is lying about one of their products!!!

[Rikrok @ Mar 14th 2006 7:54PM]

ummm....how come the playstation 3 isn't on the sony website anymore????

[Rick @ Mar 14th 2006 8:24PM]

ok.. like whatever happens it's still not going to be the worlds biggest selling console ever.. they can delay it all they like. it will fly off the shelves and we'll all be drooling over it for months before official launch date and months after when the stocks will be intentionally low to create people lining up on the streets to buy one.

Also.. perhaps they are having a worldwide launch for once.. so to avoid the PSP syndrome of people importing them. Either way, they will sell ship loads and we will all buy one. End of. Stop whining and wait. The delay will not affect anything. The longet it goes on the more Xbox 360 will become old news and people would have lost interest in it.
Sony are brilliant marketeers if nothing else. They always have stock problems, and they always get stock from mystery warehouses flown in by mystery planes.
Relax.. and ... breathe

[Ray @ Mar 14th 2006 9:02PM]

Sony has already lost the console war. All game developers are already making games for 360 and they're dropping their priority towards PS3. This spring 360 numbers and number of games will double. Game developers are already working on next generation 360 titles. Just like browser wars PS3 will lose against 360. Not to forget 360 has giant online advantage. XBOX live is the way of making money and generating revenue. Don't forget upcoming biggest music and video service for 360, IPTV, Windows Vista interaction, Web Cam. 360 is just beginning. What if Microsoft gives license to all electronic makers to product 360 harware just like PC's.

I think Sony should just give up and produce 360 for Microsoft.

[Others. @ Mar 14th 2006 9:58PM]

I guess engadget is too stupid to have thought about the fact that Sony usually has its own copy protection for the games...uhh does the PS1 copy protection ring a bell? or the PS2? Before suggesting that Sony is lying about the reason for the delay, maybe think about how stupid you're being, engadget.

[Alex Newman @ Mar 15th 2006 2:15AM]

This delay has just been confirmed by Sony. The PS3 will be released in November 2006 (at the earliest).

[bignerd @ Mar 15th 2006 3:59AM]

Here are some interesting tidbits from IGN on the PS3:

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/696/696062p1.html

[Rick @ Mar 15th 2006 4:46AM]

15/03/2006

PLAYSTATION�3 Launches Worldwide in Early November 2006

click here to view the page and associated items

Tokyo, March 15, 2006 � Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) announced today that it would launch PLAYSTATION�3 (PS3) in early November 2006 in Japan, North America and Europe simultaneously. With a monthly production capacity of one million units, SCEI will push forward a powerful product launch to spread the platform rapidly throughout the world, together with a strong and attractive lineup of PS3 game titles.

PS3 incorporates the final specifications of BD (Blu-ray Disc), and with the overwhelming computing power of PS3, it enables to playback BD software at a high bit rate. With a maximum storage capacity of 50 GB (dual layer) and robust security, BD is a highly anticipated storage medium that delivers digital entertainment content such as games and movies at an unparalleled level of image quality.

PS3 is compatible with a vast lineup of television sets currently out in the market, from standard-definition TV to full high-definition TV.

Users can also connect PS3 to high-speed broadband network through Gigabit Ethernet and comfortably enjoy a wide-range of rich and exciting content and services over the network.

SCEI, together with the support and cooperation of game content creators around the world, will strongly promote the creation of a new world of computer entertainment available on PS3.

[Finished.Law.School @ Mar 15th 2006 11:48AM]

The PS3 is a hoax.