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PlayStation (Games) Entertainment Games

PlayStation 3 To Debut at E3 2005 327

Posted by Hemos from the showing-the-world dept.
Yorrike writes "According to the BBC, Sony are planning to officially reveal the PlayStation 3 at the E3 Expo in May 2005. They're obviously not wanting to be outdone by Nintendo, who announced the same plans for the GameCube successor, as well as Xbox 2's rumored debut around that time. Looks like E3 2005 is going to be a biggy." Worth noting that's not the ship date, but when people will see it.
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PlayStation 3 To Debut at E3 2005 More

PlayStation 3 To Debut at E3 2005

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  • I'm beginning to have my doubts... (Score:4, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 12, 2004 @12:41PM (#9676016)
    ...after they renamed the project Playstation Forever.

  • yay.. more linux porting (Score:4, Funny)

    by TheAtomicElec ( 784987 ) on Monday July 12, 2004 @12:42PM (#9676026)
    haha... time to port linux to the next generation Xbox :b

  • Too late (Score:2, Interesting)

    by 110010001000 ( 697113 )
    Microsoft is going to win these wars. Their smooth integration of online technologies and their ability to give the developer a single API to develop to (Xbox AND desktop windows via DirectX) is going to win out eventually. Its only a matter of time.

    • Re:Too late (Score:5, Insightful)

      by LWATCDR ( 28044 ) on Monday July 12, 2004 @01:01PM (#9676270) Homepage Journal
      The best technology does not always win. OS/2, The Amiga , The Atari ST, and the Mac would have killed Microsoft back at MS-DOS 4.
      What matter for consoles is Games. Are they fun. From what I hear from my game nut friends. The PS/2 has the best games followed by the Gamecube. XBox has Halo.
      The Single API might also not be an Advantage for the XBox. If every game that I can get on the XBox. To make such a bold claim sight unseen is foolish at best.

      • It's all a matter of opinion. I feel the GCN has the best games, followed by Xbox, then PS2. I seriously don't see many games on PS2 that warrant a purchase of the system.
      • ...how will you have lots of good games without good developer technology and APIs? The grandparent post was right (even if anti-"M$" mods have knocked him down for absolutely no reason other than praising Microsoft).
        • "Good API" is pretty relative, if you use Microsoft's DirectX, then you end up doing more work when you port to the PS2 and GC. A lot of games use frameworks [ndl.com] so that the makers can focus on the HUGE task of art and gameplay. OpenAL [openal.org] is available for just about every platform/console now and seems like a logical choice for any game audio now.

          Besides, for the REALLLY huge games(i.e. GTA3, Halo) money seems to be the most important factor.

        • I have actually written programs under windows. As to there APIs... I do not find them at all useful. Under MFC I sware you have to type cast between about 20 different flavors of strings. VC++ 6 was so far from the Ansi C++ standard that it was not funny. Now Visual Studio dot net is much closer to the standard. In fact it has moved so far from V6 that it took a month to get our flagship product to recompile under it and work. Several changes where made to MFC strings I would say that all of them where for
        • While DirectX may be a decent API, the fact that it takes somewhere along the lines of 3x as much code to do the same things that OpenGL does makes it bloated.

          Besides, DirectX is tied to Windows. Other methods of doing the same things exist, at the same level or maybe even superior levels, for a lot less bloat. Unreal Tournament 2004 looks and runs fantastic on a PowerMac G5, and not a hint of DirectX to be seen; it's all OpenGL.

          The reason more and more PC developers use DirectX over OpenGL and others

      • Re:Too late (Score:2, Insightful)

        by Anonymous Coward
        PS2 has the MOST games, including many of the best.

        GameCube has less games than PS2, but the ratio of good games to bad ones (particularly regarding exclusives, but applicable across the entire line as well) is the highest of all current consoles. Many GameCube exclusives are cream of the crop, and stay exclusive to the GameCube. Of course, third-party exclusives are an occasional exception, as with the other consoles.

        Microsoft's (*) Xbox has less games than PS2, and a noticeably lower ratio of good gam
      • The argument of xbox not having any good games is trite and untrue. Due to the fact that the platform is easy to develop for, there have been many excellent games ported to the system. It is now rivalling PS2 in its extent of quality games.

        We've got Ninja Gaiden, Morrowind, Splinter Cell:PT, Panzer Dragoon, Neverwinter Nights, KOTOR, Rainbow Six, Prince of Persia:ST, Project Gotham Racing, and unnumerable other big games. The days of XBOX only having Halo and Mechassault to its name are long gone. Now any

    • Re:Too late (Score:3, Interesting)

      by BorgDrone ( 64343 )
      Lots of games nowadays are based on off-the-shelf game engines, this won't be that much of a problem, you'll write the engine once for every platform and the game developers only have to program against the API the game engine exposes.

      Look at games like Quake and Unreal, they are no more than tech-demo's to sell the engine, that's where the real money is to be made.

    • Re:Too late (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Incoherent07 ( 695470 ) on Monday July 12, 2004 @01:07PM (#9676344)
      There are two rather large assumptions here.
      1) The console gaming market wants to be like the PC gaming market, or vice versa.
      2) Someone will actually develop for the Xbox.

      The former is only obvious if you've actually followed the two realms. What makes a good PC game does not necessarily make a good console game, and what makes a popular PC game does not necessarily make a popular console game. It's not just the difference in how you control them, but also a difference in what sorts of games you tend to see. Console RPGs and PC RPGs have diverged quite a bit, for example. So the idea of having a single API for PC and console isn't as huge of an advantage as you'd think, simply because the two groups aren't all that alike, and I daresay won't be all that alike for awhile.

      The second is probably a non-issue. Even if Microsoft can't get a dead monkey to develop for Xbox, they have enough cash to keep cranking out new generations for quite some time, or to buy out developers as exclusives (see: Rare).

      • Re:Too late (Score:2, Flamebait)

        by cybrthng ( 22291 )
        This got modded up as insightfull?

        What do you mean no developers? The only hold out i'm aware of are Sony owned or Nintendo own companies.

        Even EA has seen the light of day and will offer broad support of Xbox Live.

        i think the PS2 has dead monkeys developing for it with all the crap that comes out. Goes for any console for that matter.

        As for Console vs PC, there will not be a distinction in the near future. DRM will enforce console like licensing & features on your PC and now that PC/Gaming "convers

        • Re:Too late (Score:3, Insightful)

          by Incoherent07 ( 695470 )
          Allow me to correct what I said: very few people are developing exclusives for the Xbox. Those that exist tend to be ported to PC. And Microsoft encourages it... after all, they own most of the PC market. End result: why should I get an Xbox, when there's little advantage over the PC and other consoles which I already have?

          In other words: if there are three consoles of comparable power, I'll buy the one with the best games that I can't get on any of the others. (Example: a number of RPGs on Playstation
    • so they should just stop and roll over, even if they can make a buck selling consoles for good few years still? what business sense would there be in that, declaring yourself the loser even before the fight started?

      how about 10 years? or 15? because microsoft hasn't already won the next console fight and the one after that is so far away that you can't _really_ say anything other than 'sensible' sounding guesses about what happens to ms, ibm, sony, nintendo, sharp, and dozens of other companies that might

    • Re:Too late (Score:3, Insightful)

      by rspress ( 623984 )
      The only way Microsoft can win the war is that they have yet to make a profit from the xbox. They fact that they can absorb those losses is what is keeping the xbox alive.

      Since the new xbox will not run the old xbox games that had better make sure to have new, killer titles ready to go when they launch. If not they are going to crash and burn hard. If they blow it they will have fewer sales than Ballmer has hair.

      Hey, since both the xbox and playstation will be running PowerPC chips from IBM maybe this wil

  • Oh fun (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Turn-X Alphonse ( 789240 ) on Monday July 12, 2004 @12:44PM (#9676055) Journal
    So we're what two years away from another FF game, another DDR series with erm.. better graphics?

    Nah, I don't think I'll bother with the PS3, it won't be hugely different to the PS2 and well I'd rather support someone like Nintendo who can make a console which doesn't die after a year (I'm sure everyone has seen or heard of a bad PS2 like that).

    Sony can make fine TVs, DVDs, VHS and whatever else you wish to name. But the PS systems after the first just need alot of work.. we're on what the 10th model now and they still don't run right...

    • Re:Oh fun (Score:5, Insightful)

      by th1ckasabr1ck ( 752151 ) on Monday July 12, 2004 @12:54PM (#9676204)
      So we're what two years away from another FF game, another DDR series with erm.. better graphics? I understand if you have a problem with PS2s breaking down, but if you buy the next Nintendo console and don't expect the big games to be MarioX, ZeldaX, and MetroidX you're fooling yourself.
      • I think you forgot to mention that those games 90% of the time ARE the best games of their time. Of course, this is only opinion. But, if you go to gamestats [gamestats.com] and check Highest Rated top 10 list, three of them are ZeldaX and MarioX, and two are in the top three. This has to show for something. Oh and also look at Most Wanted top 10.. Is it that hard to believe that Zelda (as of reading it now) is #1?
      • Well, if you listened to Iwata's whining you'd know they're trying to add innovative features to the next device (code named "revolution", lamest codename ever) so at least Mario X won't be that much like Mario X-1 and Zelda X might differ strongly from Zelda X-1. There's no gurantee, but hey, it's better than just adding graphics, right?

    • Re:Oh fun (Score:5, Insightful)

      by PainKilleR-CE ( 597083 ) on Monday July 12, 2004 @01:00PM (#9676265)
      I'll just do the same thing I did with this generation of consoles:

      1) Buy games for previous generation console dirt cheap when new console is released.

      2) Wait for new console to have 3 or more games that I must have.

      3) Buy the new console and the 3 or more games.

      4) Repeat.

      Gee, I wonder why I have 4 consoles and am considering buying a PSOne for the PS1 games I own that won't play on the PS2. This is what taught me:

      5) Don't sell the old system until I've tested every single game I already have on the new system (if the new system makes any claims of backwards compatability).

      I can buy switches to handle as many consoles as I could possibly collect. I can buy ports (or sequels that manage to replace the games they follow) to reduce my need for older consoles. When I don't play a console very much I can even box it up and store it in a closet until I just need to play that game. I can't get my old games and systems back if I sell them, though, and I see no reason not to preserve these old games for my daughter should she ever show any interest in retro gaming later in her life (though by then she may just be able to zap them all into some VR rig for pennies a ROM).
      • am considering buying a PSOne for the PS1 games I own that won't play on the PS2

        I'm a bit curious, so far I haven't seen any PS1 games that don't work on the PS2. I am curious to know which games heve given you problems so far (I'm not arguing, I'm just wondering).

    • I have one of the latest model PS2's (SCPH-5000x, not at home atm so i can't look at it), bought new, and i've had absolutely no problems with it so far.

      Also have a orignal Playstation bought in 2000 that still runs fine after being through the 4 years of use, 3 moves, falling off dressers, etc.

      So....You might want to try one. Also, as I recall, Sony is legally required by a class-action lawsuit to replace any (non-modchipped/user-damagaed) PS2's getting Disc Read Errors for free.
    • That's Intersting? whatever...

      I can't stand it when people such as yourself have a bad experience and you think the company is wholly flawed. Maybe you just got a bad unit, did you think about that. I've had my PS2 since after a year it came out, even with my sister pushing the tray in and putting drinks and VHS tapes ontop of it, it still works fine.

      You can't expect anyone that produces 50 million of anything to not have imperfections here and there. I'm sure you'll find out that you're the exception
    • Nah, I don't think I'll bother with the PS3, it won't be hugely different to the PS2 and well I'd rather support someone like Nintendo who can make a console which doesn't die after a year (I'm sure everyone has seen or heard of a bad PS2 like that).

      Yeah, but remember the old squeeky wheel adage? My PS2 died after about a year (power supply was overheating), so I did a little Google research and was able to call their internal tech support line... Got to speak to their chief QA/QC tech, who Fedexed me a b

    • Maybe I would have agreed with you, seeing as how my PS2 died. But I managed to fix my PS2 myself (found a guide on adjusting the laser distance) while my dead Gamecube would cost more to be fixed than the thing is worth.

  • Ars Technica (Score:5, Interesting)

    by strictnein ( 318940 ) * <{strictfoo-slashdot} {at} {yahoo.com}> on Monday July 12, 2004 @12:44PM (#9676058) Homepage Journal
    claims that Nintendo will not be showcasing its nextgen unit next E3. It will just be discussing its "vision" for its nextgen unit.

    I couldn't find links showing official info either way. Who's right?

    • Re:Ars Technica (Score:5, Interesting)

      by SilentChris ( 452960 ) on Monday July 12, 2004 @12:59PM (#9676247) Homepage
      "I couldn't find links showing official info either way."

      You must be new to E3. Companies often don't have a set plan until a few weeks before the show. Even price changes are often laid down spur of the moment (although people at the company generally have some idea what price they will go to, they often wait for a competitor to ante up first). Considering demos are often burned the night before the show, and hardware that arrives with a curtain sometimes stays that way (Google both), I'm not surprised there's no official info.

      • Re:Ars Technica (Score:3, Interesting)

        by strictnein ( 318940 ) *
        No, I'm not new to E3. It's just that I've now seen pretty official news from Sony and Microsoft about their next-gen stuff, but not Nintendo.

  • New Gamecube? (Score:2, Interesting)

    by artlu ( 265391 )
    I thought Nintendo was going the same route as Sega which was not to release any more consols? What is the status on Nintendo's next gen as well. Anyone have any good rumor sites?

    GroupShares Inc. [groupshares.com] - A Free and Interactive Stock Market Community

    • Re:New Gamecube? (Score:5, Interesting)

      by Grey Ninja ( 739021 ) on Monday July 12, 2004 @12:51PM (#9676150) Homepage Journal
      Nintendo is alive and well. They are keeping the specs of the Revolution close to their heart for the time being. (although there are rumors to the effect of a dual processor G5, or something like that... but I personally think those are bogus). Reports of Nintendo's death were greatly exaggerated.

      Nintendo seems to have something up their sleeve though. They are talking about it like they were before they announced the DS. I am expecting something very strange that will have people going WTF.

      I am also curious how the next Gameboy is going to factor into this. It seems to me that the DS is the perfect complement to a console, connectivity-wise but I am sure Nintendo will try to leverage the Gameboy more... Not sure how that will pan out.

      For Nintendo console news, check out these sites:
      www.planetgamecube.com
      www.gcadvanced.com
      www.gametabs.com

    • Re:New Gamecube? (Score:5, Informative)

      by Wild Bill TX ( 787533 ) on Monday July 12, 2004 @12:54PM (#9676199) Homepage
      I thought Nintendo was going the same route as Sega which was not to release any more consols?

      A while back, Nintendo's Satoru Iwata declared, "When we withdraw from the home game console, that's when we withdraw from the video game business." [slashdot.org]

    • Re:New Gamecube? (Score:2, Informative)

      by ArekRashan ( 527011 )
      Looking at Nintendo's fundamental financial position, I can with almost complete certainty guarantee _another_ console after the next. The next console, codenamed 'Revolution', will probably ship in 2006. While little is known about this machine, I have heard that you will be able to display its video output on a computer monitor. Nintendo is currently involved with IBM and ATI, and while no-one has explicitly confirmed anything about the hardware for the next console, it is safe to assume that Big Blue
    • From the same article mentioned above [bbc.co.uk] 'The new console from Nintendo is codenamed "Revolution"'

      Although no official statement has been given, this codename does give credence to runors that all games on this console will carry the Revolution moniker and be manipulated via dancepad controllers. As expressed by the promotional video for the Nintendo DS at the 2004 E3, Nintendo wants to improve the quality of life of it's consumers. The "Revolutiion" console will do so by ensuring the physical fitness of

    • Re:New Gamecube? (Score:4, Interesting)

      by NanoGator ( 522640 ) on Monday July 12, 2004 @01:35PM (#9676643) Homepage Journal
      "I thought Nintendo was going the same route as Sega which was not to release any more consols?"

      Somehow I doubt you heard that from a news site. Ever since the Playstation came out, everybody's tried to be the first to pass off a prediction of Nintendo's death as a sign of intelligence.

      Sega scrapped the DC when they scraped broke. Nintendo has several billion cold hard cash in the bank. This fall/winter/next spring they're releasing the Nintendo DS, which sounds pretty darned cool so far. Nintendo's 'Revolution' system is another year or two away. It's supposed to be really snazzy. Not so much in terms of processor specs, but something's supposed to be revolutionary about it. After seeing the DS, I think Nintendo will pull it off.

      • Hmmm. This argument sounds so...familiar. I wonder why. Oh, well. Back to using my Macintosh.
        • "Hmmm. This argument sounds so...familiar. I wonder why. Oh, well. Back to using my Macintosh."

          The difference is that a significant portion of Playstation users would be able to comfortably afford to also get Nintendo's system. Apple would enjoy more success if it could find a way to do that.

  • Also the Jaguar 2 (Score:5, Funny)

    by sjonke ( 457707 ) * on Monday July 12, 2004 @12:47PM (#9676091) Journal
    Atari will also return to form with their new 128-bit Jaguar 2 & Jaguar 2 CD, now more toilet-like [vidgame.net] than ever!

  • Development? (Score:4, Funny)

    by gr8_phk ( 621180 ) on Monday July 12, 2004 @12:49PM (#9676117)
    I was wondering how to contact them about doing some development for it. I've got this really neat ray tracer that should be fantastic on all those processors....

    • Re:Development? (Score:2, Interesting)

      by nkh ( 750837 )
      The official SDKs for gaming consoles have always been overpriced (like a multiple of $1000) and don't count on buying your own CD burner (more like $10,000). You'll have to wait for some kind of GNU cross compiling tools...

  • Well, they're on track... (Score:5, Interesting)

    by ajservo ( 708572 ) on Monday July 12, 2004 @12:49PM (#9676123)
    They said it was going to be like 2064 before the PS9 was coming out right? That's what the TV ads from 3 years ago told me. That and the (PS9) console was an implant... Seriously, I'm disappointed that no console outside of the portables has tried an innovation pushing on how we play games. All these consoles for the last 20 years have been tied to a TV. Only the GB/A/SP, The Nomad, and Virtual Boy have tried to innovate in these areas. I'd seriously consider buying a console that made some intelligent use of the 3D computer montior technology that's out on PC. Console manufacturers are too reticent to try something like this, but that'd be a true innovation over the current generation, without a loss on graphic capabilities.
    • Well, when you're a billionaire, and can afford to finance the R&D required to bring innovative technology to console gaming, you'll be able to solve that problem. Until then, the order of the marketplace dictates that we'll be sticking with what is profitable, not possible.
    • "...and Virtual Boy..."

      We all remember what a huge success that was! :)

      "Console manufacturers are too reticent to try something like this, but that'd be a true innovation over the current generation, without a loss on graphic capabilities."

      To be fair, what you're suggesting (with the 3D monitor) while intriguing, would probably be as successful as the Virtual Boy was. For a couple of reasons.

      1. Not everyone is a 3D gamer.
      2. Very very few people own a 3D monitor, or they won't own one for a very long tim
    • You could spend all the money you want developing a revolutionary console, and it can come with a zillion features. But if you have no good games for your console, no one is going to buy into it. As you increase the complexity of your console, you also make it harder and more expensive to develop games for your console.

      Now, if somebody could come up with a revolutionary console AND a new way for developing to the console that is significantly easier than other platforms, you would have a winner.
    • All these consoles for the last 20 years have been tied to a TV. Only the GB/A/SP, The Nomad, and Virtual Boy have tried to innovate in these areas.

      If you're going to have the Sega Nomad on there, you ought to have the Lynx, the Game Gear, the TurboXpress, the NeoGeo Pocket, and hell, even the Game.Com and N-Gage on that list...

  • Does it still run on love? (Score:5, Funny)

    by FleaPlus ( 6935 ) on Monday July 12, 2004 @12:50PM (#9676127) Journal
    I remember seeing a preview interview [66.102.7.104] of the Playstation 3 a few years ago.

    Sony: Dreamcast? Ha ha, funny stupid yankee! You dishonor me with your mention of this Dreamcast. The Praystation 3 does not connect to internet, Praystation 3 CONTAIN the internet. You prugga in the computer to the port, the internet isa all there. We copy it inside machine for fast access.

    mis: Wait, so you're saying that you copied every single file on the internet into this box? That doesn't even make any sense! The internet is a constantly changing network of millions of individual machines. How does the PS3 update its so called "internet" if it has no connections to the real network?

    Sony: Thasa right. No connections. Praystation 3 get internet from outerspace.

    mis: And its power?

    Sony: It run on love.
    • Sony: The PS3 controller also have egg of Sirry Putty and a Rubber Ducky built in.

      mis: Are they meant to specially interact with a certain game, like the Samba De Amigo maracas or something?

      Sony: No. They just fun. Rubber Ducky, it goes squeek!
    • Friend of mine lived in Japan for two years teaching and brought back many fascinating and hilarious stories about the cultural differences between Japan and North America.

      I recall that he mentioned that at any trade show or convention they will have an assortment of lovely ladies that when asked questions about the products will give ridiculous answers. It's part of the show, he said.

      Some of the weirdest shit comes out of Japan, I swear.

  • Rambus scuttlebutt? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Exmet Paff Daxx ( 535601 ) on Monday July 12, 2004 @12:53PM (#9676182) Homepage Journal
    I never bought a Playstation 2 because I didn't want to support the thieves at Rambus by buying their memory. Any word on whether they've replaced that vendor for PS3? I think I've beaten "Gauntlet Legends Dreamcast" one time too many by now...

  • The Gamecube successor... (Score:4, Funny)

    by Unnngh! ( 731758 ) on Monday July 12, 2004 @12:54PM (#9676198)
    ...the Ninentendo GameHyperCube? For all your 4D tesseract gameplaying needs?
    • No, it's gonna be the Nintendo GameTimeCube.

      The PS3 is a lie of evil pendants and dumb students.

      It is dumb, stupid, evil and unworthy of
      life on Earth to claim that this GameTimeCube has 6 sides - or no top and bottom.
      Academia equates to a deadly plague.

      Creation of 4 simultaneous
      24 hour days, within a single rotation of Earth, empowers
      GameTimeCube above all XBoxes and
      educated stupid scientists.
    • Actually, the higher-ups at nintendo are currently arguing about what shape the next console should be. From what I heard, it's a tossup between the klein bottle and a triple-twist mobius strip.

      I'm sure they don't even wanna hear your tesseract suggestion, I mean, that'll drive the shape engineers CRAZY!

    • Yep. They could show you what it looks like, but your puny mortal brain wouldn't possibly be able to comprehend.

      I imagine it'd be hard to box up.

      "Hey Frank, where'd you put that last one?"

      "Damnit, slipped into the fucking fourth dimension again. That's the tenth one today!"

      "42."

      "Who said that?"
      (sound of laughing mice)

  • I would use a different term... (Score:4, Insightful)

    by oofoe ( 709282 ) on Monday July 12, 2004 @12:54PM (#9676203) Journal

    ...Sony are planning to officially reveal the PlayStation 3 at the E3 Expo in May 2005. They're obviously not wanting to be outdone by Nintendo, who announced the same plans for the GameCube successor, as well as Xbox 2's rumored debut around that time. Looks like E3 2005 is going to be a biggy.

    Hmmm... All that new hardware. I suspect that it's more likely that E3 2005 is going to be a buggy...

    • Seriously.

      I want Sony to take their damn time and make PS3 absolutely rock-solid and expandable without any bugs. I don't care if I have to wait an extra year, I don't feel like plopping down another $300 because Xbox, Nintendo, and PS are getting into a pissing contest of "who can beat the other guy to market."

      *shakes fist at the world*

  • Could be a crapfest (Score:4, Interesting)

    by grunt107 ( 739510 ) on Monday July 12, 2004 @12:56PM (#9676224)
    Seems to be a rush to be the first and the big question is what features and quality reviews will be skipped to accomplish this feat? Plus, depending on the offering, one of those 3 seems doomed (from current momentum it seems to be Nintendo). PS3 seems to be the world fave, but the 'X' is huge in the USA, so only the backward-compatible question would cripple the successor's debut. ... Still slobberin' for Halo2

  • Misleading, it's sooner than that (Score:3, Informative)

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 12, 2004 @12:59PM (#9676258)
    News from Dengeki including a powerpoint slide from the actual presentation:
    link [dengekionline.com]

    Sony is planning on announcing its new system before the end of (FY) 2004, and unveiling a playable prototype at E3. Looking forward to it!

  • I was a wee lad when the early console wars happened (8-bit, handheld, and 16-bit), and didn't give a toss about anything but the NES system. After a time I grew older and missed the most recent wars. However, now that I have some time to indulge in gameplay, it's become increasingly irrtating to keep up. Is this massive turnover killing the industry? I realize that it has been quite a while since the PS2, GC, and XBox came out, but they only recently seem to have acquired widespread acceptance. Perhaps I am wrong, but it seems that unless each company plans on making their new consoles backwards compatible they are setting themselves up for a huge fall in this mad race to get the latest greatest technology out the door. To mee it seems that gameplay is the greatest draw, and technology is secondary. As far as gameplay goes, no one can touch Nintendo (although they tend to lean far to heavily on their franchises), but perhaps I am biased. There is something to be said for developer apis as companies are more inclined to develop for a platform that allows them to create and distribute games with the least amount of overhead... and it seems that M$ wins in that arena.
    -m

    • Re:Good for the marketplace? (Score:4, Interesting)

      by chrismcdirty ( 677039 ) on Monday July 12, 2004 @01:33PM (#9676620) Homepage
      I would like to believe that gameplay is the #1 draw, but the sad fact is graphics are pushed over gameplay. Look at a lot of Xbox games. So many of them have terrific graphics with bad gameplay. Sony has even gone as far as to not give the greenlight to 2D games because they "aren't as pretty" as 3D games. Nintendo seems to be the only one to push gameplay over graphics, but their gameplay idea is for everyone to be able to pick up and play it, which sometimes draws the more hardcore gamers away from them.

    • I realize that it has been quite a while since the PS2, GC, and XBox came out, but they only recently seem to have acquired widespread acceptance.

      In terms of the PS2 you don't get 12 Million + units sold if they have just recently acquired widespread acceptance.

      Showing a unit at E3 2005 is no where near being the same as shipping production units. The PS2 was first shown at an E3 at least nine months to a year before it debuted in Japan. It was a big silver pyramid with a displaying running early code o


  • I'll be preordering or whatever a PS3 as soon as EB starts allowing it.

    Logically, I know a Final Fantasy game will come out for the PS3, and I will buy the PS3 then, so why deny myself 6-20 months of extra enjoyment? ;)

  • As the article blurb pointed out, the real question is more "when will they ship?"

    I'm in the market for a new console, since my bastard apartment mate took the common DVD player when he left for the summer. That, and I'm getting married in the near future, and neither my fiance nor I own a stand-alone DVD player.

    We're planning on buying an HDTV of some sort, but we're unsure what console we should get. We're DDR fans, but that doesn't really separate the pack, since both consoles have DDR. I _am_ a big RP

    • Re:Real question... (Score:3, Insightful)

      by cybrthng ( 22291 )
      The XBOX has better HDTV support but both are on par for DVD playback.

      DVD players are a dime a dozen these days.. may as well make your selection on games and what you want.

      Obviously if you have HDTV i would suggest that you get the appropriate equipment to really enjoy HDTV content - like a Bravo D1 upconverting DVD player or similar product or wait a few months until the HD DVD standards are finished.

      A console works best as a console :)
    • I own a ps2 and a gamecube, Ive had friends bring over their xbox on several occasions.

      I run a 42inch widescreen hdtv.

      Maybe it was just me, but I just didnt feel that the increased resolution in "THUG" made the xbox worthwhile.

      Skip the technical aspects and go for game quality. I say, buy a used ps2. Its got the games, and plenty of ps2 games look great on hdtv. (heck high-res soul calibur 2 on xbox doesnt support widescreen! bleh!)

      that and rez.

    • Obviously, GC is off the table since it doesn't play DVDs.

      A gamecube and a dvd player can be had for roughly the same price as a PS2 or XBox, and the standalone DVD player will probably do a better job of it than the consoles. Besides, if you can afford to buy an HDTV, you're not hurting for cash so much that you couldn't afford to buy an extra DVD player.

      Look at what games you'd like, and buy based on that. But counting the GC out just because it doesn't double as a DVD player is a bit silly.

  • News Update? March 2005 release date (Score:5, Interesting)

    by WebGangsta ( 717475 ) on Monday July 12, 2004 @01:38PM (#9676680)
    Well, now the news is that the timeline has been accelerated [yahoo.com].

    They're saying that the PS3 is coming out in March 2005.

    If confirmed, that timeline would mean Sony's new game console will be out before the E3 convention in Los Angeles, scheduled for May. Sony and other video game makers have used E3, which draws game developers, fans and industry officials, for major product launches.

    If this isn't accurate, I'm sure it will be corrected here shortly.

    • Check your article again, PSP not PS3. They will have their new handheld out by March 2005, but I would be very suprised if we saw PS3 before mid-2006, especially in the US.
      • Double-checked the article just to be sure, and I can see where you think it's misleading, but I still think that they're talking PS3.

        The picture accompanying the article is of a PSP, but the text refers to "the next generation Playstation" along with a later sentence that says "Kutaragi also said Sony would start selling PlayStation Portable, dubbed PSP...". Why would they include this statement at the end of the article if the PSP is what they were referring to at the beginning of the piece regarding t

        • I agree, I was about to ream you out because I thought it was talking about the PSP, too, but in fact, they seem to be talking about the PS3... the last paragraph says it all:

          Kutaragi also said Sony would start selling PlayStation Portable, dubbed PSP ... in Japan by the end of December, Kyodo reported

          where, earlier it states:

          ...plans to unveil its next-generation PlayStation video game console before the end of March 2005...

          Now, the article IS very poorly written, so they could be saying anything...

    • XBox Response (Score:5, Interesting)

      by WebGangsta ( 717475 ) on Monday July 12, 2004 @02:40PM (#9677407)
      And in related news, rumors are that Microsoft may introduce XBox2 at the X04 trade show in September 2004 [eurogamer.net], with their launch in October 2005.

  • We need better games, not better consoles (Score:5, Insightful)

    by c0d3h4x0r ( 604141 ) on Monday July 12, 2004 @01:57PM (#9676873) Homepage Journal
    The current consoles are more than powerful enough already. We need better games, not better consoles. All this focus on newer fancier (and more expensive) hardware is misplaced effort. It's just going to turn the video game industry into the same mess that the PC industry has been for years: perpetual upgrade cycle with no time for developers to make software that truly utilizes the current generation of capabilities well.

    • You've ignored the widespread deployment of HDTV in the USA over the next five years. That will create a market for game consoles with enough graphics horsepower to drive 720p and 1080i displays. It's going to be increasingly difficult to sell 480i games and consoles.

      • Re:HDTV (Score:4, Insightful)

        by c0d3h4x0r ( 604141 ) on Monday July 12, 2004 @03:33PM (#9678167) Homepage Journal
        But most people aren't going to upgrade to HDTV sets over the next five years. Well-off home theater geeks will, but not most others.

        Even if HDTV set prices drop to the same price as today's non-HDTV sets, there's not enough incentive (in most people's minds) to purchase one. Okay, the picture is a little sharper. To tech heads this may be a big deal, but to most people it's a minor improvement. Certainly not enough of an improvement to justify throwing $500 or more at a new TV when your current one still works fine. Plus you have to then sign up for something more (expensive) than analog cable service to actually see anything in HDTV.

        I predict HDTV won't really take hold for about 15 years, because that's probably about how long, on average, today's non-HDTV sets will last before dying and needing replacement. Replacing a dead TV is the biggest incentive most people have for buying something better at similar prices.

  • Nintendo Nintendo Revolution (Score:4, Funny)

    by drwiii ( 434 ) on Monday July 12, 2004 @02:53PM (#9677571) Homepage
    It'll probably play DVD Video and come with a universal cartridge adapter. Nintendo will claim universal compatibility with all Nintendo console titles.

    Then Nintendo will fuck it up, right on schedule:

    Nintendo hardware design team will somehow manage to make the console look like yet another cheap toy. Packaging team, eager to leave GCN handle debacle behind them, will suggest shipping the console to retailers in a commemorative bookbag with Pokemon all over it.

    Some designer on his lunch break will manage to relocate the Z button directly on the left circular edge of the analog stick and shrink the d-pad by another 50%. The d-pad is laid out such that you have to flip the controller over and rotate it at a 45 degree angle even have access to the d-pad. Since Nintendo invented the d-pad, his co-workers do not question him.

    Console shipping color will be purple, pink, or bright orange, and it will not have any Certified-Badass blue status LEDs. Don't worry: true to Nintendo form, the only accessories available in your local EB will be colored differently than your console.

    System's flash memory cards/drives will be 16 times too small. Nintendo will bitch about how developers are getting too lazy, and how they should strive to fit 20 encyclopedias worth of data in 3 memory blocks. (will not be remedied until 4 years after console launch.) Sony takes note and evolves PS3's units of storage from "kilobytes" to "encyclopedias".

    Sony will outbid Nintendo for exclusive "GTA4" to be released at PS3 launch, and no Mario game will be ready at 'Revolution' launch. To make up for it, Nintendo releases four games that are only 25% fun.

    Console will have 8+ ports on the bottom that will never be used for anything, just so you know it's a Nintendo system. Will be left unlabeled, since "SP" acronym was already taken for something other than "Speculation Ports". Fucking idiots will lose port covers, causing console to sit unbalanced. Nintendo, sensing a new market for mismatched-colored accessories, starts selling replacement port covers.

    Network adapter not integrated and no wireless connectivity except to the portable Dual Boy (which was released two years ago at Christmas). Simplicity-oriented Nintendo will hand the plug-and-play Internet gaming market to Sony and Microsoft on a silver platter.

    Third parties, already scared away during the N64 and GCN iterations, go with Sony.

    Nintendo will ship Ultra Mario Bros. a whole 8 months after system launch, which just happens to be in May, a nice safe 6 to 7 months away from the lucrative Christmas shopping season.

    Ultra Mario Bros. will have some stupid goddamned gimmick, like Mario wearing (oh, I don't know..) toasters instead of shoes. He won't punch blocks or collect coins, though. God forbid he should punch blocks or collect fucking coins. Nobody born prior to 1993 will like the game, and everyone will bitch.

    Similar bullshit happens with the next Zelda pre-post-post-pre-post-prequel. Oh, by the way, Link's a kid in this one again. And get this, he's got a musical instrument. There's an option available to turn off cel-shading, but only if you beat the game twice on the same save.

    Miyamoto will surface from his underground bunker 3 weeks later to insist that the players are wrong and that Nintendo's new batch of artists and programmers are innovators and that toaster shoes improve gameplay and that Link was always a kid. Suddenly, noticing the Mushroom Signal in the skies high over Kyoto, he hurriedly leaves in order to urgently not-supervise the next Mario game.

    Dual Boy SP will be released 3 years and 1 month (December 26th) after complaints surface about the screens on the original Dual Boy acting as a black hole. Upon finding that shining light from both screens cancels out any external light, thereby darkening the space around it and making it impossible to see much less play, Nintendo proudly proclaims that, hey, it worked in R&D!

    Jak

  • A Biggy? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by superultra ( 670002 ) on Monday July 12, 2004 @03:03PM (#9677716) Homepage
    Looks like E3 2005 is going to be a biggy.

    Not really. Can you name one title from any of this generation's launch titles that was great, save perhaps Halo? There aren't any, or they're few in number, because the end of a hardware cycle is a thin time for software. If anything, E3 2003/2004 were the best conferences for gamers. Developers have mastered each system's nuances and have reached a plateau in graphics and started to focus more on gameplay. Games released now are refined, honed. Games released for the new systems will be choppy, rushed, and extremely rough around the edges, and in some cases little more than graphical show off stunts.

    The changing of the guard is a purgatory for developers. Games released on older systems will be expected to have lower prices, and therefore will result in lower profits. On the other side of the fence, gamers will have just spent $300 on a new system, not including money towards needed periphereals or forced bundles. In the least, that's six games that they could have bought otherwise. What's more is that it will incite rabid fanboyism in the press, and we'll see a barrage of articles over-evaluating the systems. ("The Xbox2 has 8 vertices to it. The PS3 also has 8 vertices to it. EVALUATION: Corners are great to a system, and always add to the stackability. They're keeping with the console tradition of not using pyramids or spherical shapes. WINNER: Tie.")

    If anything, E3 2005 will be a great year for PC gamers if only because the engines (Doom 3 & Half Life 2), which are the PC industry's equivalent to consoles and follow a similar cyclical pattern, will have been released and leased out to developers.

    But yeah, I guess if you're excited about seeing graphical demos or launch titles that will never actually see the light of day on the new systems, or will look dated within six months of the system's release, sure. E3 2005 will be a biggy. Have fun at E3'05. Go get your hard on. Hardware on, that is.

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