Engadget & Joystiq's live coverage of Sony's PlayStation 3 E3 event
By Ryan Block 
posted May 8th 2006 6:54PM
posted May 8th 2006 6:54PM
4:36 - The line is moving. According to EuroGamer, Hideo Kojima is "stuck in the queue." Should have something for ya soon ...
4:42 - We are sitting down, getting ready to go.
4:49 - Everyone's still filing into Stage 15 on the Sony backlot. Everyone's expectant and the mood is generally upbeat. The house lights are on full, so it'll still be a few minutes before anything official starts. In the background, Sony's been playing some hardcore gangsta rap: we note this because Nintendo would never, ever play that music. The rap song (which we failed to identify) was followed by Michael Jackson's "Billy Jean." The music is eclectic, we're hoping the games line up is similarly so.
4:52 - Sony's only playing the music out of a few front speakers. It fills the cavernous stage, but we know that once the actual presentation starts they'll switch on the hidden speakers and crank the bass to 11 for chest-thumping, hair-raising 5.1 sound that'll move this audience whether they want to be moved or not. Lights have been dimmed! As predicted, the music's been taken from 5 to 7.
4:54 - First up on stage, Kaz Hirai, President & CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America. "Please accept my apologies for the delay in getting started this afternoon. Just one year ago we unveiled plans for PS3. PS3 is not an incremental upgrade. PS3 is a very powerful machine ... In essence the real power rests in the hands of the content consumer. We want freedom. We want choice. We wanted to be entertained in new and unique ways."
4:55 - Kaz looks so darn tiny down there on the stage. We're up here in nosebleed territory. "Seamlessly interacts with the PlayStation family. PS3 is the best of breed of computer entertainment platform ... It requires huge financial investments. But we must take risks to reap rewards. The essence of PS3 is real change and comsumers are ready. The next generation doesn't start until we say it's time."
4:57 - Did Kaz just say that PlayStation 3 is the "best of breed" computer entertainment platform? Will gamers really react to businessy terms? Well, no matter, they're just tossing out buzzwords to see which ones will stick to the wall. "We would not be able to achieve greatness without a strong foundation. PS2 install base continues to grow worldwide ... Global total of 103.69 million units." Kaz's presentation is typical: we're covering all of the PlayStation 2 performance records: 23.3 million hardware shipped in Japan/Asia. North amercia 42m. europe 38.6m units. Total 103.7 units. additional 10m units to be shipped.
4:59 - "We have amassed more than 3 million registered [online] users ... We want to remind everyone that PS2 will continue to make significant contributions. We have an amazing linuep of titles." Lists ATV Offroad Fury 4, Destroy All Human 2, Dirge of Cerberus, Dragon Ball Z, Final Fantasy XII, etc.
5:00 - "Outside of E3 consumers can look forward to 216 new PS2 titles by the year's end ... Why did you wait so long to enter [portable market]? And why now? ... It's about the ability to offer the right product structure and the right time. We delivered on the process." Looking out over the audience, there's a sea of video camera LCDs flickering back at us -- videos of this event should be plentiful on the net afterwards. PSP Hardware shipments: Japan/Asia 4.7m, North America 6.4 m. europe/pal 5.94m. total 17.03m. FY06 forecast 12 million units to ship.
5:01 - "PSP is fastest selling platform in the company's history. That's almost 1 million units for each month of its life. We are closing in on 50 million units of software shipped worldwide. We estimate an additional 155 titles will be added"
5:02 - Trailer: World Soccer 2, Planet PSP: Interactive City Guide (working title), Gangs of London, Ape Academy 2. "Let Planet PSP be your guide." Killzone Liberation, B-Boy (breakdancing game), Loco Roco (of course ...).
5:04 - TalkMan trailer shows multinational folks talking into a PSP -- ti's almost as if it's translating for them. Greatest hits announced for PSP - Ape Escape: On the Loose, ATV, Hot Shots Open Tee, Wipeout. The PSP trailer is impressive, generating some polite applause from the audience, but we get the feeling that we're being set up for some 1080p videos that make the PSP trailer look, like, so last-gen. It's a classic sales setup. Wait for it... wait for it...
5:05 - "More than 670 non-game UMD titles have been produced." So Kaz is still covering the PSP: talking about UMD titles produced, firmware upgrades, the web browser, video, audio, and "improved content protection." "The most recent update 2.7 added 2 great new features. The RSS channel and Macromedia Flash support. Later we plan to add RSS video, GPS, and VoIP." PSP will include "Memory Stick Boot," voice over IP, network support this winter via firmware updates.
5:07 - We're being shown a video now with a bunch of young, cool folks filmed on the streets of New York City, London, Sidney, Cape Town, Tokyo, Mexico City, etc. A british dude in New York City waxes excited about the "hard plastic" and "knobby bits" on the PS2 controller. The Tokyo video includes subtitled shots of Japanese people, one who says, "When I play games, I become a monkey!"
5:10 - Light applause after the man-on-the-street trailer. It wasn't all that hot, but it was a nice touch mean to get across the fact that this is a youth-oriented company. PS3 features and benefits: Powered by Cell. CD, DVD, Blu-Ray disc. Bluetooth, WiFi, ethernet. Dolby Digital Surround Sound. Legacy SD to full HD support (1080p). wireless controller, up to seven player, pre-installed HDD. USB, Memory Stick, SD, Compact Flash. gigabit ethernet cord, removable hard drive
5:12 - PS3 will support HD output at 1080i definition ... a level of sophisticaiton and reality that has never been experienced." PSP interopability with PS3 via network, memory stick, USB. "BluRay is a next generation format supported by major studios. Five of the six major Holywood studios are supporting BluRay."
5:13 - Blu-Ray slide -- obligatory comparison showing how the Blu-Ray disc just destroys other discs in the category of storage. Kaz makes the comparison to the launch of DVD to suggest that Blu-Ray will allow the content creation community the ability to transcent hardware limits and bring their imaginations to life. So, all that other stuff you've done before Blu-Ray? That was totally unimaginative. Creativity starts now! Every PS3 system will ship with a HD drive. THAT'S KEY.
5:15 - As previously announced in March, we're set to launch the PS3 simultaneously around the world in major territories this November. PS3 develpoment systems slide: largest number of systems ever shipped, more than 10,000 to 208 companies in 11 countries, final kits shipping now, 6 months before launch. Some games at e3 are running on those final tools (dev kits). "Today, we will be showcasing playable game tit les, which all will be available for you to play at our booth."Kaz said the magic words: "playable game titles." We're going to get our hands on some PS3 games on the E3 floor.
5:17 - Phil Harrison, President Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios. Phil: "A little under a year ago we shared of vision of hte PS3 format. Our development studioes have been hard at worlk. Today I am proud to share with you the fruits of those labors."
5:18 - Phil's on the stage in a smart suit, shaved head, no tie. he brings onto the stage his "friend and colleague" Kazunori Yamauchi, President, Polyphony Digital Inc. Kaz (trans): "Good afternoon ... it's an honor to be here as a lead off batter. Today we'd like to show a Grand Turismo prototype: Gran Turismo HD" 1920 x 1080p.
5:19 - Gran Turismo is going at 60 frames per second. So this may be an exaggerated statement, we feel that this is the first time for a household television to display a noncropressed baseband signal. The menu has been designed for HD resolution. Ok, these cars and bikes look hot. Simply hot.
5:22 - As we zoom down the Tokyo track demo, it doesn't appear all that much sharper or higher quality than PGR3. A quick side discussion verifies that it's not just me. The foliage doesn't look so hot. Then again, this is just a demo. It doesn't appear that motion blur has been added in yet, or if it'll even be added to the game.
5:23 - The draw distance isn't that hot either. We can see buildings in the distance pop into view here and there. It's a very attractive racing game, but not heads and shoulders above PGR3, which is our basis for comparison. What you are seeing now is 1920x1080i HD. The is 12 times the resoultion of GT4.
5:25 - In GT4 the average loading time was 10-14 seconds. For GT HD its been optimized for the HDD. So players will be able to maneuver from menu screen to starting a race in 2-3 seconds. Now we're being shown another track: Sarthe. The sound quality is suspect here. The engines sound fantastic: it's like we're sitting in a jet fighter skimming just a foot above the racetrack.
5:26 - There are hints of greatness in the demo: glimpses of polish and speed that indicate that this will be a very, very hot game by the time it's on store shelves. For PS3's sake, we're hoping that the extra development time translates into clear visual distinction versus the Xbox 360's premiere race title.
5:27 - One thing we like here are the clouds in the sky. They look fantastic. Another nice touch: foliage reflected on the car bodies as we race by narrow bits of track. "Lastly, we would like to show another track from the Grand Canyon."
5:30 - We're being shown the Grand Canyon demo track now: the motor on the car that we're driving on sounds very, very different from the previous car that we were driving. One thing that immediately sticks out: dust hasn't been added to this dirt-track course yet. We're treated to a high arial shot of the Grand Canyon. It's breathtaking in scale, and beautifully painted ... but up close crowd animations are stiff. Bodies don't move uniquely.
5:32 - "We will be conducting some beta testing for online play in GT4 ... this is only the beginning: we think the Next GT will easily surpass Gran Turismo HD (which was only upscaled assets from current-gen GT). "The world of GT will explode with networking capabilities ... we hope to deliver the next GT not too far from the launch of the PS3."
5:33 - Phil Harrison: "The next demonstartion is actually an interesting combination of three different things. The first is a traditional card based game. Added to that is the power of the PS3." The Eye of Judgment. A card game using the EyeToy. He's sticking his hand under a camera and moving a card from spot to spot -- as he moves the card, the monster hovering over it also moves.
5:34 - This demo is very cool, folks -- this is kind of like the "augmented reality" demo that was circulating around the net over the last year. Phil Harrison has a "boss card" that he places on the screen. The boss is a rubber ducky. Hah hah hah! The game will be on demo on the E3 floor: "Come to booth and try out game."
5:35 - Basic ommunity services slide: "Our goal is to create an environment that is more than just a place to play games. These basic services will be offered to PlayStation users free of charge ... our goal it to create a virtual society -- or a community. These basic services will be offered to PS users free of charge." Bite-size, or big portions, anytime or anywhere for all types of entertainment content
5:39 - What can the users expect? The e-distribution of PLayStation connect playable on the PSP. PSP users will be able to enjot the PS titles through emulation technology." E-distribution slide: content server (PSP), archive server (PS older games). You'll be able to download these older titles to a memory stick and run them on the PSP. We have a PSP running one of the first PlayStation titles that was released... [navigiating to the game] ... [loading] ... let's see if you can guess the title ..."
5:40 - "The game is powered by Namco ... it's Ridge Racer! Ahh! This brings back memories ... Just to show you, since its running on a PSP, you can change the screen size."
5:41 - "Another exciting ability is for consumers to make mircotransactions. We will be selling a pre-paid card in various denomination." This is exciting, but there's a little bit of manufactured excitement in this: Ridge Racer will never hold the emotional attachment for gamers that Mario will, and it appears at this moment that Kaz is trying just a bit too hard to talk about how exciting it is to play a really old version of Ridge Racer. "We will be selling a pre-paid card called 'The PlayStation Card' sold in varying demonimations."
5:43 - Back to Phil Harrison: "Gonna show you a quick look at the PS3 interface. Thsi shop interface allows users to purchase various content. This one is dedicated to WarHawk. You are are able to see what's cool, what's hot." It's the whole e-commerce experience. We see a shopping cart, a "what's new" list, and a "top 10 list."
5:44 - Singstar demo: He fires up an HD video that's been overlaid with Karaoke controls and lyrics. It looks like a ton of fun. "What really powers Sing Star is the network. This is where the game really comes to life. We're gonna show you the ability to browse a catalogue of songs ... I'm gonna take you through the networking purchasing system."
5:45 - Now he's showing us an online catalog of songs. He's browsing through an online store -- but they're not telling us the pricing of these songs just yet. Songs show as $0.00. We can see a few features peaking out here: there's a UI element of a "monthly spending limit."
5:46 - "My Singstar online" -- this is allowing you to develop your own profile, to find out who is online, download new content (skins, graphical effects) to personalize your experience, and to add your performances to the network. YouTube bootycams on the PS3. That's the headline right there, folks. It'll be hot if Sony can actually deliver anything nearly as addictive as a late-night romp through YouTube's most popular videos.
5:48 - We're being shown Genji. This game looks impressive. It's got a lot of nice graphical touches. It makes us immediately think of 99 Nights. The weapons, the armor, the moves. Just fewer onscreen enemies, and more outlandish moves.
5:51 - What's interesting about this demo is that it's showing Bill's hands on a controller via picture-in-picture. This is important: PlayStation 3 needed to combat the negativity that followed last year's E3: "But nothing was playable!" The picture-in-picture serves as a constant reminder that the games are playable. Phil: "Now movinf from legendary Japan to realirt 21st century style. We'd like to show you are Formula 1 game with an interesting twist. I'm gonna give you a very special demonstation of a wing mirror. What I have on the PSP is a real time feed of the wing mirror"
5:54 - Onscreen now: Heavenly Sword sequence. Flashy, red-haired babe with sharp weapons, chains, and so on. It's pretty. The sounds are hot. The kills visceral. Bones crunch, kicks liquify internal organs. This game will also be playable on the show floor, and we'll definitely be playing it. What you can see is that this game delivers the most phenominall animation system.
5:58 - Trailer showing games that are "perhaps a little bit further out." First up: Factor 5's Lair. If the game looks anything like the pre-rendered stuff we just saw, the game will be an incredible experience. The best way to describe what this one felt like: the dragon test in the Harry Potter Goblet of Fire movie. Not a lot of flames, but a whole lot of scary dragons. London Studio's Getaway (Team SoHo).
5:59 - AFRIKA: a grazing rhino, birds chattering noisily in a tree, a giraffe, zebra, wildebeasts, all sorts of other animals we should know, but don't. Concludes with a shot of a cheetah and a lion. We're not sure exactly how the game's meant to be played, but the trailer gives a sense that the designers are striving for realism in the National Geographic style.
6:01 - Phil Harrison: "Round of applause, please." Exclusive appearances coming up. A glimpse of some of the future of PS3. It is my great pleasure to share with you two brand new titles for the first time. The first is from our Studio in London." [running video, title is "Eight Days]
6:04 - Eight Days: Lots of guns, lots of gansters, great cinematical lighting effects, massive destruction via a gas tanker. Nothing in this game to challenge the genre of gansters and guns, but certainly a graphical update to a game type that we're all comfortable with. "Next up is a brand new game from a developer who since their first game in 1996 has shipped over 40 million units of software. I'm gonna let the video speak for itself" Shows untitled Naughty Dog game.
6:05 - "I'd like to welcome Mr. Ted Price the Pres. of Insomniac" Ted: "The Resistance: Fall of Man ... let's check it out." Price says "this game is intense." ORLY? Who wouldn't say that about their next-gen game. Let's see the goods, Price.
6:10 - First Resistance is a WWII style shooter in set in the 1950s, but get this -- World War II never happened! Instead, it's clear that aliens arrived to save us from killing ourselves and and to unite humanity behind against a common enemy. That's kind of neat. The mixture of WWII-era guns going up against otherworldly munitions makes the genre fresh. One nice scene in the demo shows a tiny little alien jmping on the back of a human soldier and popping a spike through the back of the soldier's skull. The skull crunches, blood sprays, and the man crumples. The action is intense, so Price delivered. Nice work. Ted: "Just a small taste of what's to come. Keep in mind the game features multiplayer modes featuring 32 players.
6:11 - Phil: "That sums up our playable selection. You can see we are really starting to push the technology. But that's it for me. Thank you very much for your attention." ... but wait a minute. That wasn't all playable. Some of it was, some of it wasn't. Let's just get that straight right now. Phil has left the stage, Kaz Hirai has taken it.
6:14 - Kaz: "Our first party lineup is looking strong. But what about 3rd parties? Let me share with you a collection of 3rd party titles in development: From Ubisoft: Assassin's Creed. Looked HOT. From Bandai Namco -- two words: bot battle. Ridge Racer 7 ... a seventh Ridge Racer? Gee, we never saw that coming. We never thought that we'd see a seventh in the series.
6:17 - Sonic the Hedgehog. It's fast (as always). Speed isn't new, but what is new is the art style here. It looks more grown up, grittier. It's evolved in a good way. Assassin's Creed; Gundam: Mobile Suit; Coded Arms: Assault; Ridge Racer 7; Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway; Tekken 6; Sonic The Hedgehog; Virtua Tennis 3; Virtua Fighter 5; Stranglehold; Fatal Inertia; Bladestorm; Amored Core 4. Fatal Inertia: available at launch. Cars, without wheels, zooming through canyons and stuff. Feels very Star Wars, but it'll sell, being a launch title and all. Looked shiney and next-gen enough to drop some jaws, but there didn't appear to be anything new in the concept.
6:19 - EA Chairman and CEO Larry Probst takes the stage. Larry: "The special partnership between EA and Sony has never be stronger. This afternoon we want to show you too brief demos. These are works in progress. Let's start with the exec producer of NBA Live ... let me start with a side-by-side comparison of the last and next generation. P@s vs. PS3."
6:22 - "With procedural awareness we give players personality, attitude, confidence and style. WE are making players that move right. That's why foot planting is so important. No matter what the sport footwork plays a huge role. Now we need to give them full freedom of movement. On the PS3 players have full 360-degree movement. They feel alive. But that's a video, let's see how it's running live." Shows Tracy McGrady vs. Dwayne Wade demo. Procedural awareness demo by EA is hot. As crosshairs move zoom around the air around the player, he follows them with his eyes and with his body. That's why next-gen is important: technology makes these pixelated players believable. It brings us closer to what we're seeing on ESPN. "This is not a video. This is running live on PS3. There it is, NBA Live bringing players to life on the PS3."
6:25 - George Borshikof: "What I'm about to show is technology that will change the way you experience interactive entertainment. For the last two years we have beeb creating UCAP. Joining us today is Tiger Woods. As you can tell UCAP improves gameplay because personality has never been so real." A's Borshikoff is talking about emotional involvement with games. The UCAP demo of Tiger Woods looks great -- but it's not about the polygons, it's about the combination of those polygons combined with pre-captured animations and voice. When it all comes together just right, Tiger comes to life. Larry: "Thanks guy. Those are just two of the games in development for PS3. EA intends to support PS3 with more than 10 titles, including Fight Night, Need for Speed, Army of Two, Medal of Honor Airborne, and Madden."
6:29 - It'll be interesting to compare the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of these EA titles. Will there be a common-denominator version of the tech that's either upscaled or downscaled for the PS3/Xbox 360 (depending on capability) or will the company actually invest in two significantly different versions of these games? We're betting that the 360 gets exactly the same game, and we're looking forward to the side-by-side comparisons. Kaz: Now we are excited to give you a sneak peak from Square Enix. Take a look at Final Fantasy XIII for the PS3, which will be available in several versions, including Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy versus XIII.
6:31 - "Now we are proud and honored to be able to share this next title from Hideo Kojima. The video you are about to see is already running on the PS3. The concept of this video is: sense. Metal Gear Solid 4 is coming now.
6:33 - Lots of shaky-cam in the GS4 video. Lots of display of military might. This is about setting mood. To show actual gameplay would cheapen the mood that Kojima and crew are trying to build here. Snake shoves the barrel of a gun into his mouth, and there's a loud bang, but we doubt that the old dude actually pulled the trigger. It's all about building excitement, and that it did. Kaz: And now, it wouldn't be a proper E3 without Ken Kutaragi.
6:34 - Kutaragi asks, "Have you enjoyed our latest progress on the PlayStation 3?" The crowd's response is actually kind of weak -- but this is a long press conference and energy's ebbing. WE're hoping that the big secret (the controller) wakes this room back up. Controller up next!
6:35 - ... It's the PS2 controller. "INSIDE THIS BODY we have added powerful and elegant systems.... "
6:36 - Phil Harrison comes out: "It's not what it looks like, it's what it does. Let's switch to the demo, and, clearly a little secret is waiting to be unveiled..." Phil brings out a PSP. It looks like the PS3 controller does some special stuff: demo shows a crate on screen. A little secret is inside the box, banging and asking to be let out.
6:37 - "Now, I want you to watch this very, very carefully ... I life up the controller and it flies. This controller has 6-degrees of freedin using my hands as the entire input device. This standard controller will be packed in with every PS3"
6:38 - The controller's got X-Y-Z, pitch, roll, yaw, lateral motion detection. The controller uses bluetooth and wireless controls. It's lighter than the PS2 controller. This is interesting, because it suddenly makes Microsoft look like the odd man out on the motion-sensing controller front. How will Microsoft respond to the fact that they're the only one of the three that doesn't have a controller that support user input via natural movement of the controller?
6:42 - The Warhawk 3 demo that we're seeing now shows how the controller is used to control the motion of the on-screen fighter jet. The link between on-screen movement and controller movement is tight. Dylan Jobe says, "It marks an interesting moment for us. It allows us to change from static control mechanics to very kinetic control mechanics. As a developer and a gamer I'm incredibly excited about this..."
6:43 - "Today we're pleased to announce the global PS3 launch details. We will make PS3 available via a two-configuration plan. One with a 60GB HD. And the other with a 20GB hard drive. Japan's date: Nov. 11. In Japan 59,800 Yen. The 60GB PS3 will have an open price which retailers will set. In North America: 20GB for $499, 60GB for $599. Europe has 20GB for 499 Euro, 60GB for 599 Euro. 2 million to ship worldwide during the launch window. 4 million by end of calendar year 2006. By March 31, 2007 they'll have shipped 6 million worldwide.
6:45 - Kaz: "Thank you very much and have a great show"
6:49 - Long list of developers scrolls by. There's no question that this console will be well-supported by first- and third-party developers. What are the big questions leaving here?
1. Will consumers buy it with such a big price tag?
2. How will Microsoft respond to Sony's announcement that the PS3 contorller supports motion-sensing technology?
3. Will Sony be able to deliver on those shipment projections?
4. Will those beautiful demos look nearly that good once they've been made playable? How much of that graphical sex appeal will be lost in translation from trailer to Blu-Ray disc?
And we're done. We'll be cleaning up this post and adding more pictures, but in the meantime thank you for joining us, and be sure to check out our coverage of Nintendo and Microsoft's press conferences tomorrow!
Wow. The controller looks really cool. Neat idea to just add the motion control to the standard Playstation controller. $500 is a hill of beans for it though, and a Blu-ray drive does make it sweeter. Tough call.
My heart just sank. Poor nintendo and MS.. everyone will buy this junk.
@David Gomez
You forgot to add another $500 for you BD/HDDVD player to go along with your Wii - that takes the total price way above the PS3 I believe.
Let's at least compare apples with apples here.
This person is right, but what is the ratio of people in the world that need their mommy to buy them a consol.
"I think the Wii will win out on just the price. If you are a parent and you see the Wii sitting next to the PS3 with a $300-$400 price difference, which would you buy for your kids?"
Also, let the little kids have the Wii. It is and always be "family" oriented. You will never see the big games on Wii like Grand theft Auto and all the other cool ones.
This is a console marketed to the adult gamer, and those who it apeals to will be able to afford it.
On the note of pricing, it's not bad at all. Add the extra $100 for the HD-DVD player on the 360, drop the consol $50, and that turns into only paying $50 for better equipment. And think about the 3.3 million that already spent the $400 on the 360. When they buy the HD-DVD player, it will be the same price. Plus, the HD-DVD player will most likely just support movie formats. Content will be severely restricted on the 360. The 360 will be out of the picture in a couple years and the PS3 will continue to rule.
Granted the card game Eyetoy thing was technically impressive, I can't see that catching on--"Hey guys, lets go play cards with my $600 gaming system." Lame. I'd have to see much more to think that Eyetoy is going to be more that vaporware.
Hearing the audience's laughter after the PS3 controller unveiling was absolutely priceless. Of course the x-y-z response is a cool feature, and it may catch on if implemented properly. But even if it does turn into a big thing, it's not going to differentiate Sony from Microsoft. MS could easily add that functionality to a new "upgraded" Xbox controller no sweat.
The online song download / karaoke / video creation is a good concept, and will definitely find its niche, but it brings up two major concerns?
Since Sony didn?t go into many details about their online community, I?m assuming that they are throwing that raw functionality into the console without the thought that Microsoft has put into Live. Any online community needs a certain amount of restrictions/systems in place to keep that network and enjoyable place that ppl want to be a part of. Microsoft fine-tuned such systems in their 360 implementation of Live. Lets be honest, Live on Xbox was much more out of control than Live on the 360. I feel that Sony?s online community is going to be comparable to Live on Xbox 1. I was hoping to be wowed by Sony?s online strategy in this presentation, but was given the basic bare-bones features of any online community, which doesn?t seem to have a social feel at all.
Has Sony put any significant effort into making the PS3 secure and hack-proof. MS learned with Xbox 1 that online play/community can be ruined by hacks and cracks; so they invested significant resources to preventing such activities on the 360. This is Sony?s first time around with a hard drive and deeply integrated network capabilities.
Overall, I think that Sony is more concerned with throwing technology into their console, and throwing their competitor?s technology into their console, that they are missing the fine-tuned online implementation that Live on the Xbox 360. Because, to me, THAT is next gen, a smarter console, not just a faster, HD one.
360 and Wii for me.
I have to say that I like the games coming out for the system. Especially Eight Days. What really got my attention was the quality of the games. Graphically it looked impressive and stunning. Just one question remains for me "Will the controllers remotely turn on and off the PS3 like the Xbox 360 controllers??. I hope so.
ok am i the only one that noticed the lack of 100gb drive standard that they supposedly were toting because they were so "HD" and how i recall in one interview them dissing microsoft for only doing 20gb and how it wasnt enough blah blah...
500-600$ for games that look the same as xbox and xbox360 ... and wow another video of solid snake and a shaky cam LOL.
GIVE ME GEARS OF WAR AND HALO3 INFO!
What you mean SPIKE the poor BD Player. Like the poor DVD player on the PS2. I want a game console not a BD player.
A good point about the PS3 is that it's targeted at those who already own a HDTV and a 5.1 surround system. But that's where Sony has miscalculated in my opinion. With market penetration low, I don't see many people buying it because without the proper technology, the PS3 is an abysmal value; either you play last gen graphics on standard def for 500-600 dollars or you buy a whole new entertainment system for the PS3. Maybe I'm in the minority but I simply can't imagine buying a home entertainment system just to play a PS3. The PS3 is at the mercy of the consumer's propensity to buy cutting edge technology.
The only thing that broadens the PS3's scope is their new controller which is something people would conceivably pay for regardless of graphics. I'm really happy to see the innovation. (though if the Wii offers it at a better price point which it probably will...)And even though it diversifies the PS3, I still don't see it being executed better than the Wii remote. The shape of the Wii remote is simply more conducive to more types of games (ie FPS, swordplay...). The only thing that the PS3 seems to have an edge in is flight simulation but that traditionally, isn't that popular of a genre.
Moreover, Spyke, I don't think you can add a Blu-ray drive to a Wii and call that a fair calculation. Blu-ray is useless to those who don't possess the technology to utilize it. From what I saw at CES, even at 720p, Blu-ray has little benefits over DVD.
Vman - because, you know, Splinter Cell, Killing Day, and Possession are all kiddie games that I'd want my 8 year-old cousin playing. Oh, and Red Steel? Naaah, it's not about gun and swordplay hacking up the Yakuza; they're kidding. It's really about sunshine, rainbows, and bunnies. The red? That's just the sunset. The steel is really the friendly neighbor Bob the Steel Miner.
Yes, the Nintendo will have games that the entire family can play, and I don't mean just sports and racing games. You got a problem with that?
Spyke - so basically what you're saying is that the PS3 is not just for "real gamers" but also rich people and people who want others to think of them as rich people. I say it without an edge or streak of sarcasm or bitterness. Honestly. Whatever happened to Sony's promises from previous generations to deliver "gaming to the masses"?
Wow, that dualshock 2 and half looks like it was designed in 1992. I am just blown away that they are still using the same design. Since owning a Playstation I've hated the dualshock. It is so incredibly uncomfortable I was surprised to learn that Sony was still using the same plastic molds when the PS2 launched. Now the PS3??? If they don't change the design before launch there's no way I'm even going to bother trying to play the games.
I was impressed with the presentation right up until the point they showed the duck tilting in the bathtub. As a longtime Mario Party player, it reminds me of the first time I saw Crash Bash in action.
Back in 2000, the sight of this pathetic attempt at copying a great Nintendo idea just made me cringe. It's like watching your best friend's garage band play a terrible cover that they are really really proud of. Even though they're trying their hardest, it's just plain awful. The melody is there, but they're singing in out of key and skipping over the solos. They aren't all playing in time, and the amps are buzzing from the cheap components. There's no way you can enjoy it, but you clap anyways and tell them it's good just because at this point, any criticism isn't going to help. The saddest thing is that they don't even know they suck. You are embarrassed for them but you try to hide it.
After seeing that controller, I am embarrassed for the PS3. Good effort Sony. Good effort.
best post on another forum
"OKAY SO I CAN GET A 360 and A WII FOR THE PRICE OF A PS3 with one PS3 game????????? OMG forget PS3 M$ should just bundle 360 and Wii together for the same price!"
"
Hell yeah! Getting to skip school on Thursday (Nov 16) and Friday (Nov 17) to wait in line at BestBuy - only to get the $600 PS3, an extra controller, and 2 games! This is gonna rock hardcore!
Who is the babe? Virtual Fighter? That game will be on my list. (Too bad I don't play video games)
One question, why do they always put ladies with very heavy upper body "set" in vicious fist fighting games?
Won't it be a bit ... inconvenient, eh?
Sydney is spelt S-Y-D-N-E-Y, not Sidney. American hicks.
remember, sony is mpaa+riaa. teh evil!
microsoft is a bastard yes. but they don't sue
their customers.
tilt controller? welcome to 6 years ago
http://www.joystickreview.com/microsoft/sidewinderfreestylepro.asp
the pricing is absurd for a games machine, its too big(original xbox critique). need for new storage? i don't think so, whats the last pc game that required more than one dvd? let alone a dual layer dvd even? and pc games are next generation now running at up to 2560x1600p on 30" lcds. the crippled 500 dollar system that cannot be upgraded is just a sad joke.
Wow... pricey indeed. I can't understand how they decide what the European pricing should be. Makes me want to buy a North American one and get it shipped over here.
I just want to say...I HATE SONY! WHY ARE THEY SO FUCKING FAKE? HOW DARE AFTER TALKING ALL THAT SHIT THEY TRY TO STEAL NINTENDO'S TRUELY ONCE AGIAN TRUELY REVOLUTIONARY CONTROL. BUT THEY COULDN'T EVEN DO THAT RIGHT! INSTEAD THEY HAVE A CHEAP WATERED DOWN VERSION TILT NOT TRUE 3D ALL DIRECTION PINPIONT SENSOR CONTRLLER THAT NINTENDO HAS. IT'S NOTHING MORE THAN THE TECHNOLOGY THAT ONCE AGAIN NINTENDO USED IN A GBA TITLE YOSHI'S TOPSEY TURVEY. SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BY THE WAY SONY PULLED THE BOOMERANG OFF DISPLY AS SOON AS THEY SAW NINTENDO'S CONTROLLER THAT TOOK OVER 8YRS TO CREATE AND PERFECT. YOU CAN'T JUST GRAB THE SAME OLD CONTROLLER YOU'VE USED THE LAST 2 GENEATIONS AND THROW YOSHI'S TOPSY TURVEY IN IT AND TRY TO PASS IT OFF AS REVOLUTIONARY. THANKFULLY DEVELOPERS AND EDITORS NOTICE THIS AND ARE ALREADY CALLING SONY OUT ON CHEAP TRICK COPY CATTING! READ IT HERE FROM THE ARTICLES OR GO TO THE WEBSITES...SONY'S BEING CALLED OUT!
http://ps3.ign.com/articles/705/705934p1.html
by Nix & Pals
May 8, 2006 - The boomerang is out, and the DualShock is back in. Except, of course, that the new PS3 DualShock doesn't shock, and instead lets you shake it around to play. Unexpected? Yes. Disappointing? Perhaps. Plagiarism? We won't comment on that just yet...
The good news first: SCE is "jumping on the bandwagon" with motion control technology. The EyeToy is still going to be a giant accessory for PlayStation 3, but the main form for the "casuals" to get an easier hand on PS3 is the new "six axis of movement" control technology put into PS3. There are six axis of movement (described as "six degrees of movement" at the Sony pre-E3 conference). It understands roll, pitch and yaw, and "3-dimension acceleration information". You can move it around like a steering wheel, or like a Sit & Spin, or like you're shaking an Etch-A-Sketch, and you can even pull it up and down like you're ringing a bell. All of this is accomplished without additional motion sensing, unlike the Wii. Of course, the PS3 controller also won't be capable of as much versatility of motion of Nintendo's new console controller -- it has a wide range of movement, but not as open a sense of movement. The Wii, for example, lets you swing the controller as if it's a tennis racquet -- perhaps the PS3 controller will also work that way if the game is programmed correctly, but judging from previous controllers with similar tilt technology, we wouldn't bet on it. (In the meantime, the EyeToy can take care of that, but you will have to buy the accessory, and it might still not be as accurate as the Wii for most uses.)
Sony made no comment on how its competition had staked all of its console's potential on its unique controller input, other than saying that its own technology was a breakthrough for gaming. Our editorial team is divided on how impressive this addition is -- most comment that the Game Boy had the same types of controls years ago (and WarioWare: Twisted! even had force-feedback), while others say that since they have no interest in a Wii, it's good to have such intuitive gameplay features built into a full HD console. The internet rabble is more heavily divisive, with some planning on storming the gates at SCE to raze it for ripping off Nintendo. As to whether Nintendo has really been robbed from, that's a matter of debate -- Sony had experimentations and partnerships with motion-sensitive controllers (the same as it had plans before Xbox Live to do what Xbox Live does before Microsoft brought its product out), but the question still remains as to whether SCE would have bothered had Nintendo not come up with its gaming "revolution."
The PlayStation 3's controller still features its wireless compatibility promised at E3 2005, and connects up for charging to the PS3 via USB. This is likely the same USB size as is used to plug in your PSP, so while the system is wireless, you'll probably have a wire dangling from the USB plug for most of the system's lifespan. You can play wired, if you wish, via USB. There look to only be four-player compatibility for PS3, judging by the four lights up on top of the system (the PS3 can take up to seven wireless connections, but the other three slots are likely being saved for Bluetooth headsets and other wireless features.) As we have previously mentioned, the PS3 controller will apparently no longer feature rumble capabilities. This apparently interferes with the DualShock's motion sensing capabilities (although we could imagine quite a few games that will not use the motion control and yet would really enjoy good ol' rumble.) No mention was made of the cost of replacement or extra PS3 controllers.
In other small news, the top trigger L2/R2 buttons have been enlarged slightly for better control and more analog sensitivity. The analog sticks have also been broadened for better control, with a technical boost from 8-bit sensitivity to 10-bit sensitivity.
As far as hands-on impressions, it certainly feels like the good ol' old times playing the new PS3 controller. Honestly, there isn't much to say about the PS3 controller that can't be easily demonstrated with your own PS2 dual shock. Just imagine a lighter, silver version of your current PS2 peripheral. The strange thing was that even though the controller wasn't as hefty, it completely avoids feeling cheap. The shoulder buttons and analogue sticks have a bit more spring to them, although that may have been wishful thinking and adrenaline left over from the MGS4 trailer.
As for the brand-new six degrees of freedom via its tilt sensitivity, Warhawk was the only game on display that currently makes use of the technology but it seems to work very well. Granted, being as Warhawk is a flight game and controlling a ship's yaw, pitch and such are never instant, it's difficult to say how the pad's freeform control will work in other titles, but it plays great with Warhawk.
While on the topic of borrowing ideas from other companies we noticed that there is a "guide" button in the center of the controller -- SCEA did not comment on this, and many of the developers at the show still had not been able to make use of the feature on their debug units.
We'll have further hands-on details with the PS3 controller as we get even more impressions with PS3 titles on the show floor.
http://revolution.ign.com/articles/705/705870p1.html
would support tilt sensitivity and showed off the feature with a live demo of Warhawk. While this is a bit of a surprise, it also is to be expected in the grand scheme of gaming. Nintendo has been an innovator from the very beginning, and the best compliment is imitation. Of course, it's a little different when that imitation could put you out of business, right? Although PlayStation 3's and Wii's controllers may share some of the same technology, don't go counting Nintendo out just yet. There are some key differences between the controllers, and between what PS3 and Wii can do with the technology. Let's break it down.
We've known for over a year now that the Wii's input device is what makes it special. The Wiimote (as we've come accustomed to calling it), has the ability to point at any television with pixel-perfect control. In addition, it also can move in three dimensional space, meaning that if a player wants to punch an enemy in the face, they can by simply moving the controller forward. To add to the control, the nunchuck unit can team along with the Wiimote, giving tilt functionality to any game, as well as an analog joystick.
Luckily, Sony's technology isn't quite the same. Here's why:
The technology inside Sony's controller is a basic tilting accelerometer device. In a sense, that's the same style of control as the left hand of the Wii combination. Think of the technology as true 3D movement vs. basic tilt. The Wiimote will sense all pointing, motion and a new dimension of control, while the PS3 controller will expand only on the specific tilt functions. To make this a bit simpler to wrap your heads around, we've put it all in FAQ form below.
Is this technology the same?
No. In fact, the best way to imagine it is to relate the Sony PS3 controller to the left-hand Wii controller; dubbed nunchuck. In short, you would not be able to play a game like Metroid Prime in the same way using the PS3 controller.
What is the difference for developers?
Simply put, it's tilt vs. motion sensing. Monkey Ball for Wii and PS3 would essentially be the same, since it's only using the tilt ability of the controller. On the other hand, a 3D tennis game or sword fighting game with swing control elements is impossible for the PS3 hardware, as it requires full motion sensing technology.
Why doesn't it need a sensor bar?
Since the technology is based solely off the tilt ability, it is self-contained. Keep in mind that the sensor bar is used for the point and click ability of the Wii functions. It doesn't need the bar, since it doesn't use that technology. The same applies to the Wii nunchuck. It can function without a sensor bar.
What type of gameplay styles will work on the PS3 controller?
Here are a few examples: Kirby's Tilt 'n Tumble (which featured tilt control on the Game Boy Color), Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam, racing games (using the tilt to rotate), flight sims, Monkey Ball, fishing (flick the tilt controller).
What type of things won't work on the PS3 controller?
The following actions can't be done on the PS3 controller with the same precision: Throwing/Catching a ball at a specific spot shown on screen, swinging a sword in 3D space and performing stabbing motions, aiming a weapon light-gun-style, swinging a racket, punching, general 3D item interaction, 3D drum simulator, swatting an "on-screen" fly, performing two separate tilt/motion functions at the same time.
In short, Nintendo fans still have a ton to look forward to. Will Wii have what it takes to give the world a true gaming revolution? We'll see you tomorrow morning at Nintendo's E3 conference.
SONY'S LAME AND UNORIGINAL! SOMEBODY GOES HD THEY GO HD, SOMEBODY MAKES GROUNDBREAKING CONTROLLER THEY MAKE A CHEAP WATERED DOWN VERSION CONTROLLER BASED OF A CERTAIN COMPANY GBA TITLE, IN HOPES THEY CAN DECIVE THE WORLD IT'S A REVOLUTION! GOD I'M SO GLAD I DROPPED SONY AND IT'S BANDWAGON SCHEMES, AND OF IT'S BANDWAGON FANS...ONCE AGIAN THEY'RE SOOO FAKE!
OH YEAH THEN THEY CHARGE $600! GIVE ME BREAK!
Guys go to ign.com verdicts in it's not as good as the Wii controller! Sony fans hang your heads shame!
Who's willing to pay a $600.oo bandwangon ticket, built off stolen ideas!
Has anybody heard anything about Internet Browsing capability on the PS3? I'm assuming it will have it being that the PSP does and that it will be extremely easy to implement. It would be great to be able to fully browse the net on my plasma hdtv.
heeeeeeeehhhe
Well verdicts in NINTENDO OWNED E3, OWNED SONY AND THAT'S NOT FANBOY TALK THAT'S THE BUZZ ON LINE. Wii's LINE WAS BROKE RECORDS. WHILE SONY'SWAS QUIET. HELL EVEN MICROSOFT TURNED AGIANST SONY. IT'S SEEMS THAT SONY'S FORMULA FOR SUCCESS (targeting only late teen to 20something yr old males by just uping graphics, making sequels, and stealing ideas) HAS BACK FIRED. ALL OF THE HIT GAMES THEY HAVE AREN'T EVEN MADE BY THEM, NO ORIGINALITY IS **** ISN'T SONY FANBOY, BUT DON'T TAKE IT FROM ME READ THESE 2 ARTICLES YOURSELF. DON'T BE SCARED ARTICLE AS YOU READ ACTUALLY EXPRESS THE THOUGHTS OF THE WHOLE IGN STAFF. READ IT SONY BOY I DARE U!
http://revolution.ign.com/articles/707/707831p1.html
http://revolution.ign.com/articles/708/708558p1.html
EXCEPT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO THAT ARE SO SONY FANBOY THAT THEY ARE WILLING TO PAY THE $600 BANDWAGON FEE.
Between what people are bloging and the actual reporters from ign to gamespot to g4tv. Everyones completely turned agianst Sony for copying and just well....... posing. And for the small amount people out there saying it's still stupid waving some wand around. First off your not a REAL gamer. Your just some poser who's more concerned about what thier wearing and how cool they look over just enjoying the experience, probably the same type that boubght a PSP, why? Because it's sexy....mostly Sony posers! Second if you'd been listen swinging the control is just exgerated show everyone at home gets the idea.
But It's clear all over the net by blogs and actually professinal web reporters, and from all at E3...Sony fell today. In order to stay #1 you have to keep putting out new things....TRUELY NEW... NOT JUST IMPROVED!
Gaming is a disease. People get lazy and do nothing.
It;s quite pathetic being a spokeman for Sony as their product from which they are boasting to sell over a hundred million units by March 2007, has not yet been launched.
The launching was supposed to be last year, but since there are no other capable companies in Sony's competition, sony can still claim it;s share in the market today.
Are people really that gullible, that knowing their hobby is ridiculously over rated and obviously over priced, they still continue to waste their money?
I mean there are people dying of hunder worldwide, namely Africa, India & Pakistan, we don;t spend our time thinking about those people do we?
Instead companies like Sony develop games and poison out minds to forget the real world and their problems.
We all have to die now don;t we?
Lets join hands, and make this a better place for you and for all of us
What do u say? no to gaming and yes to save the planet earth
it says on the gamespot site it starts in 2 hours
http://www.laptopbatteryclub.com/
Hello i m a boy from Romania and i want to buy this summer from America a playstation 3 and i need a transformer and idont know how many (v220)need at that and if is dont good (bumm) and about the region is free to all country if i buy from America? pls contact me at bighappy_2006@yahoo.com Thanks