The latest PS3 developments, condensed

With next-gen console news being released at such a fast and furious pace these days, it's starting to feel a little bit like Joystiq around here, so instead of reporting and analyzing every little snippet of new information in separate posts, we've rounded up the latest and greatest PS3 revelations into one tight bit of prose. Since pricing is such an important issue to most consumers, we'll start there -- but unfortunately, the news ain't good. You probably already heard that those lucky gamers in Japan will be able to pick up their 20GB boxes for the equivalent of $428, but despite all the hoping and praying you've been doing, Kaz Hirai has reaffirmed that the recent price cuts apply to Japan only -- though he threw the rest of the world something of a bone when he also announced that everyone will be getting an HDMI port on his/her low-end system. Speaking of high prices, Impress is citing "multiple sources" in predicting that most Japanese PS3 games will cost in the neighborhood of ¥8,800 to ¥9,800, which is between $75 and $85 here in America -- ouch, that's like a whole month's allowance for us, and well above the going rate for 360 games. As long as we're dwelling on the negatives, we should also mention that not only will HDMI cables be absent from the box, both Hirai and Ken Kutaragi are leaning away from even including component action with either package. Now on to the good stuff (sorry, there's not much). First of all, it's been confirmed that all PS3 games will indeed ship region-free (though it's up to the developers to code in multilingual support, and Blu-ray movies will remain region-locked) and secondly, the inclusion of Dolby Digital and Dolby TrueHD (7.1 channels) is a done deal. Finally, and perhaps least importantly after all these downers, is the fact that the Wii-inspired, rumble-free controller has officially been dubbed "SIXAXIS" -- though without the shakin' action, we imagine that many of you could care less what they chose to call it. Anyway, that's all for now from the exciting PS3 frontier, but keep your broswer tuned to this channel, as we'll have just a little more Sony-related amusement for you later today.

Read- No price drop [Via Gamesindustry.biz]
Read- Japanese game speculation [Via IGN]
Read- Region-free, no component [Via PS3 Fanboy]
Read- SIXAXIS
Read- Dolby

[Lou @ Sep 25th 2006 4:46PM]

wow Engadget is seriously biast towards the PS3..... Its not as bad as everyone is insisting. I just dont get it.

[Pirateinmymind @ Sep 25th 2006 4:53PM]

Not that bad. The Console is gonna be upwards of $600 and $75-85 for games. I don't know about you but I can't even afford the XBOX360 Games either.

[DeShaun @ Sep 25th 2006 4:56PM]

Actually, missing out on a price drop is a pretty big deal. So is the lack of a component cable. Having the option to use HDMI or not is one thing, but not even including the cheap shit is unacceptable. HDMI cables aren't by any means cheap, but component? Sony can't foot the bill for a component cable? I know it's speculation at this point, but that's lame.

This is no longer geared at the gamer, casual or hardcore. This is geared to the hardcore tech; the people on the bleeding edge of technology. Sony has always been one to make wonderful products and gadgets, and then they entered the gaming business, and did well there (with lots of help). Now they're crossing the streams...and that's a bad idea, in my opinion. Let's not forget that we STILL don't have a compelling launch title list. I just don't know if the third time is a charm for Sony.

[StalkerZERO @ Sep 25th 2006 4:58PM]

I can't believe I'm going to say this because I wanted it to succeed so much but.....

The PS3 is gonna BOMB.....BIG TIME !!!
:(

[lko @ Sep 25th 2006 7:18PM]

This whole ps3 game pricing is still in rumor form. Sony has not announced a price for america so until i think you should lay off the bashing about the price.
P.S. heres what sony style is pricing games at the moment. Seem a little intresting to you?

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_BrowseCatalog-Start?CategoryName=games_ps3&Dept=moviesmusic#

[Jason @ Sep 25th 2006 4:56PM]

$75-85 for games and the $600 console... Pass Its really hard to spin that unless the games are 10-20% better than the 360 counterparts which is unlikly. Man I really hope they drop the components and upset even more gamers... Oh and tack on the $100~ HDMI cable too as it won't be included....Ouch

[S.A. @ Sep 25th 2006 11:33PM]

$100 HDMI cable? Where do you shop. We sell them for $30 at the store I work at. They cant be much more expensive at Best Buy or wherever. Its senseless to get a Monster Cable HDMI or any other HDMI cable claiming to be "high end" as all HDMI cables are the same, theres no way of enhancing the cable. Regardless, Sony is really making some bad moves with the PS3, the games are way too expensive on top of an already expensive console and the controller just doesnt make sense with a probable subpar motion sensing system without rumble.

[Vinny @ Sep 25th 2006 4:56PM]

It's offical. XBox wins. The PS2 and PSP were my final Sony purchases. I'm not paying those prices.

[px @ Sep 25th 2006 4:58PM]

bestbuy.com has a bunch of ps3 games listed for pre-order and it looks like theyre set for $59.99 each. Dunno how true to life it is.

[Bryan @ Sep 25th 2006 5:38PM]

Having Engadget maintain a wikipedia-esqe page for popular devices would be cool. Just an up-to-date editorial overview (like this) and an aggregation of the blog posts would be an awesome feature (that would separate Engadget from the rest of the pack).

[Joe Mama @ Sep 25th 2006 5:00PM]

Sony just doesn't know when to stop fucking themselves over.

[nalgae @ Sep 25th 2006 5:00PM]

Couple points:
1) HDMI cables are only $100 if you buy overpriced monster cables. Get a generic one for around $20. They work just as well.

2) If the prices are that high in Japan and games are region free, I have a feeling US prices must be somewhere in that range. Otherwise, a Japanese person can wait for a cheaper US version to come out. Granted, there is the language barrier, but I'm sure, as a whole, Japan knows more English than the US does Japanese. And I guess Japanese people get games from Japanese developers first. Oh well, we'll see.

3) These prices make mod chips and piracy oh, so so tempting.

[Jason @ Sep 25th 2006 6:04PM]

If Im gonna spend $600 on the PS3, $1200+ on my TV that can actually use it, and $500 on a sound system, why would I cheap out on a $20 HDMI cable? The last one I saw that cheap was less that 3ft long.

[nalgae @ Sep 25th 2006 6:07PM]

Because digital cables, unlike analog, don't suffer from interference that much. Ergo, all that extra padding monster cable uses is a bit superfluous.
And yes, the price I quoted was for a 3 foot cable. Are you planning on putting your PS3 6ft+ away from your TV?

[Joe V @ Sep 25th 2006 5:00PM]

I should have been an easy sell for Sony -- I'm a habitual early-adopter who was very gung-ho for both Blu-ray and the PS3, but now I plan to wait at least a year before making a decision on next-gen formats.

The original format war took place when I was too young to take notice, but for years I've joined in the chorus of lamenting the "inferior" VHS format's victory. Sony has now given us all a better context to understand why exactly they lost back then and are on track to lose again.

[disciple83 @ Sep 25th 2006 5:00PM]

i know it seems like a ridiculous comment, but I really feel more justified in spending that much money on upgrading my PC rather than buying a game console. I honestly haven't upgraded since I built my computer back in...hmm, I got the Asus 9800XT the day it came out. I can still play Oblivion on it with Medium settings and no frame hangup. If memory serves me correctly that wasn't long after the last console generation war. Seems like once again I'll be working on a new PC and waiting for the heavy hitters to port

[Sean Jackson @ Sep 25th 2006 5:02PM]

I feel bad already for the early abopters.

[adg1034 @ Sep 25th 2006 5:46PM]

So... what's the Sony amusement you're preparing? Something news-related, or something funny? Preferably both, please.

[bighitter @ Sep 25th 2006 5:10PM]

Holy Cow!!! 75-85 buck per game. No thanks. HDMI is not worth the price of entry.

[StalkerZERO @ Sep 25th 2006 5:10PM]

This is insane though. When the PS3 was first announced and the initial specs was first revealed it seemed like an easy win for Sony.
But now cost overruns....very bad cost overruns, serious serious problems with the hardware. Incredible delays left and right. Sony execs smiling but not really saying anything at the big expos and meetings with the press. I mean, smiling and saying anything that made sense making the execs look like TOTAL IMBECILES!!
On top of that incredibly high prices for both the hardware AND software both of which mind you barely even exist.

Forget the debate if the killzone 2 cgi video was real time or not....sony will be lucky if they break even...what am I saying? They will be lucky if they don't go out of business cause of this fiasco! Gone are the days of PS1. :(

[CharlieX @ Sep 25th 2006 5:10PM]

The SUCK-AXIS controller. that's fine, i'll just get one of my nephews to hit me with a wiffle bat every time I get hit in a game.

[PJ @ Sep 26th 2006 11:51AM]

haha...thanks for the laugh here at work. :)

[Kyle @ Sep 25th 2006 5:11PM]

With every Engadget post about the PS3, I realize I might saving some money this fall but not buying it. My xbox 360 is looking better everyday

[Storm9 @ Sep 25th 2006 7:33PM]

Omg some people are just RETARTED!!!
First of games have always costed more in Japan!!!!!!!
PS2 games cost 70-80 there too!!


It will NOT COST THAT MUCH IN THE USA.

[Geoff @ Sep 26th 2006 8:07AM]

"Omg some people are just RETARTED!!!"

heh...

[shirizaki @ Sep 25th 2006 5:54PM]

WEAK.

Though I see this console as the Sega Saturn: high release price, then a huge cut a year later. Then I see it coming back to bite some ass.

I mean, come on: it's Sony. They disappoint, but they make up for it with loyal high end japanese 3rd party support.

[Rex @ Sep 25th 2006 7:21PM]

I need the PS3 to come out so this curent generation can die and the multiplatform games dont suck for the new generation!

But I will not buy the PS3 until a couple years down the line. I have no idea why anyone would want to buy one.

[Godai @ Sep 25th 2006 5:17PM]

If its region-free. And you can find a low cost importer. Would it be worth it to just import the JPN console. Excluding the whole availability issue.

[Will @ Sep 25th 2006 5:17PM]

GAMES ARE NOT $75-80!!! that's only in japan! activision has already announced that their games are going to be $60...you cant read a japanese release and assume that it will be so for everywhere else, they're paying less for the console so they're going to pay more for the games

and secondly you can get hdmi cables for less that $20 on newegg.com so there goes everybody's argument that you'll spend $100 on one.

please do research before you make idiotic posts

[Red @ Sep 25th 2006 5:19PM]

One thing that you should know is that in Japan, Xbox 360 titles are in the range of �9000 also. You have to realize that games in general are more expensive in Japan. There's no way that PS3 games in the USA will be more than $60 each.

[TheCash @ Sep 25th 2006 5:22PM]

Wow... HDMI and $85 dollar games... um yay.
Gee I sure am glad I fell in for the hype three years ago and bought one of them new H Dee Tee Vee sets cuz thems com-poh-nent vid-ee-oh connectors were gonna change the world.
Sometimes it feels like my middle finger just isn't big enough to tell Sony and the rest of the hidef world exactly how I feel about them.

[Travi$ @ Sep 25th 2006 5:26PM]

Why?? Why cant sony just make a cheap version without hd and blue tooth? I dont care if I have to use multiple disks to play my games! I dont have a HD Tv and I dont plan on getting one for a very long time.

Sony, you could completly pwn Microsoft if you would just think!

O well, theres always my wii to curl up against when i think about this horribly overpriced machine that Ill never get half its capabilities out of.

[mattie @ Sep 25th 2006 5:26PM]

Cash... you bought an HDtv 3 years ago just to play games on? you do realise that there are wide screen DVD's and HDTV service also right?

[TheCash @ Sep 25th 2006 10:54PM]

Yes I do realise there are DVD's and HD cable, both of which I have. What I was mocking in that post was how I was sold on my purchase being so future proof, and necessary to take advantage of the new hidef mediums like bluray, HD-DVD and hidef games only to be hosed when they eventually came down the pipe.

The people that make new technologies survive long enough to go mainstream are early adopters like myself, and frankly a bunch of us are feeling pretty pissed and would like to tell some of these electronics companies exactly where they can stick their HDMI plugs since they obviously aren't going in our tv's.

[Adam Don @ Sep 25th 2006 5:27PM]

I don't know of anyone who has 7.1 sound...
Oh and BTW: Condensed? "condensed" into what? A Wall Of Text?

[Vladd @ Sep 25th 2006 5:27PM]

Blue Ray, not blue tooth. My bad.

[en @ Sep 25th 2006 5:29PM]

"Sony, you could completly pwn Microsoft if you would just think!"

what a retarded comment.

Play it safe like me and wait til Halo 3 comes out, THEN make your decision.

[sonofnone @ Sep 25th 2006 5:34PM]

I think it bears repeating GAMES ARE NOT PRICED AT $75-$85 IN THE US. So far there has been no confirmation of this for games outside of Japan. See for yourself here:

http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/25/japanese-ps3-games-to-cost-up-to-9-800-85-usd/

Yeah, that's JOYSTIQ, you might have heard of them. Anyway, they did the responsible thing and began their article by saying,

"We'll begin by clearly and emphatically stating that the following information has NO official bearing on the price of PS3 games in the U.S. or other countries."

Might want to research that next time.

[Stephen @ Sep 25th 2006 5:42PM]

Is it just me, or does anyone else feel like a part of their brain dies every time a PS3 blurb is posted?

[Jake @ Sep 25th 2006 5:35PM]

The $600 60GB version will also have a 2nd HDMI output. They've essentially added 1 HDMI out to both versions. And 99% games won't go above $60 in the US. There probably will be a couple that try it though. I remember when GameStop was selling Doom3 for nearly $75 when it came out.

[Aaron Rodriguez @ Sep 25th 2006 5:39PM]

the dual hdmi was in the first version but was taken out for the final version... the ps3 that will actually be in stores

[Paul @ Sep 25th 2006 5:35PM]

Believe it or not, the 360 is also "Region Free". It's just that developers have chosen to region encode their games on the 360. I find it hard to believe that a developer writing a game for the PS3 and 360 would choose to region lock the 360 version and not the PS3 version.

[Raider @ Sep 25th 2006 5:37PM]

This is funny.. there are a lot of people flaming something that hasn't even been launched yet.

They announced the price of the games in Japan, but they haven't for the U.S. So even with the conversion, it doesn't matter. I'm sure they will have games all over the price range, some cheap (the 2D games that just won't die), to expensive (probably Metal Gear Solid 4).

I don't see why people are complaining about HDMI. As it has been said before.. you can get cables for $20-30. Monster cables?, waste of money if you believe what someone who wants your sale tells you.
Anyways, HDMI is better than VGA. HDMI is digital, VGA is not. HDMI transmits pixel for pixel, VGA does not. There are more HDTVs that have HDMI over VGA also. Component cables? Yeah they are nice, but why not go digital? Just a little bit better color definition and like I said, pixel to pixel.

And.. why are people complaining about $600. There is a $500 unit, which is actually a better deal than the $600 unit. The difference isn't as big as say.. Xbox 360 Core to a Premium (can we say... include a hard drive on all systems!).

Lastly.. why rip on a system that is NOT EVEN OUT YET. At the same time, why praise it also. Even after launch.. it will be a year or so to see how well the PS3 handles itself.
Also, don't talk trash about something you have never used or experienced.. because all of it is just opinion, not fact. Fact is you owning the system and having used it for a while.. then saying it is junk.

That is why SOME people can talk trash about the 360... it is out.. people have experienced it.

[Aaron Rodriguez @ Sep 25th 2006 5:43PM]

Also there is an unconfirmed report that demos will cost $1 to download on playstations "free online network". Also looks like they might be doing the game by game charging for online play. Sure makes live look alot better with a set fee.

http://www.worthplaying.com/article.php?sid=37312&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

[Phour ZwanZig @ Sep 25th 2006 5:48PM]

Yeah, Im sure that the Price of games in Japan is Higher only cuz the Lower price point of the box itself.. They know it will be a hit for sure in Japan there-for take more of a loss on the unit and jack up the games..

Id be nice to see a price drop here too but if it means more money for the games, Id rather pay the higher box cost.. But now with the inclusion of HDMI on the low end model, I wont be getting any chrome flashy-ness.. *woop-de-do*

I had my eyes on the 60gig'r but 20 is fine seeing how we can swap the drive.. (take a hint MS.. Im always gunna have a small drive on my 360 grrrrrr)

[EdZ @ Sep 25th 2006 5:50PM]

So the PS3 is the only truly region-free console? Heh, who'd of thought it!
(Game prices for the current generation in the UK are already this much, 360 games even more)

[anzollo @ Sep 25th 2006 5:53PM]

Engadget is not biased against Sony they just speak the truth about their arrogant and poor mmarketing strategies.

[JSM @ Sep 25th 2006 9:38PM]

I was rooting for this too - mostly as I'm a ps1 and 2 user (for GranTurismo if nothing else) and because I really liked the idea of including a hidef driver (with the proc horsepower to run it well) but a) the prices are just nuts and b) keeping in mind the above - I like these guys - that is just one of the ugliest electronic devices I've ever seen (and I don't tend to have strong feelings on design - different people, different customs and all that) The center of my digital home?? I'll be looking for somewhere to hide this in my equipment rack (where the ps2 sits proudly) once I buy one when GT-HD comes out, and not a second sooner.

[Alex Newman @ Sep 25th 2006 5:59PM]

You forgot to mention that in the UK:
1) The 60GB console which is the only one being will released will cost �500 ($950!!)
2) Games will cost �80 ($151!!)
3) Somehow the games will be region encoded for people in Europe
4) The PS3 wont actuall be released until December 2007
5) Sony only intend to make 500 units available in Europe

No I am not a SOny hater, at least I wasn't, but my broken Vaio, my PSP which was released 9 months late and my ever diminishing pocket has not made Sony my favourite company!

[Franssu @ Sep 25th 2006 6:05PM]

The Only Console With The True Definition Of HD (according to Sony's PR department). Complete with el cheapo composite cable.

Yeah.