PSP and PS3 details

This is probally in a few live journals.

Sony annouced 3 PM Japan time some public plans for the PSP, PS2, PS3.

First of all they plan to sell the PS2 for some time 4 to 5 years. Their product line will reflect it. And no the price isn't dropping. For a lot of people might not know the playstation one was continue to be sold till last year. So this might mean still getting madden and other game ports or might mean more continue new property. I lean towards ports like the PS1.

Now PSP interesting news. They finally are de-bundling the console. So it means the PSP will be sold for $200 finally without a memory card and other useless crap I get rid of. They will also give the ability to download games for the playstation one for it (using an emulator), support flash, GPS, and a camera.

One of my biggest complaints about the PSP is the lack of portable games. They surveyed people and figure out most people are playing it at home and most are teens. I think they are going to try to open the "Casual" gamer marker and demographics by doing the eye toy and other gadgets combine with downloadable content. But it needs to be original content that works well in a portable environment. Again game around the needs of the portable (shorter load times, faster save) doesn't mean worse experience. It means an experience a user who wants to get into a game fast can enjoy and be immersed by the small screen. A "portable" experience.

PS3 -

Delayed till November. That spring date is not being met in any market.

To prove how they can dominate they are doing a world wide release in November 2006. With 6 million by the end of 2006. Now when I read it I couldn't figure out fiscal or real world 2006. This would be the biggest game console launch ever to be honest if they can pull it off. The rumored manufacturing dates are the same as Microsoft original plans. lets hope for them they don't run into the same launch issues.

Backwards compatibility - I like the strong statement. I personally want that level of backwards compatibility aka full. The problem is even their slim line PS2 had problems with recent games (Tekken 5). Also they tell people it will upscale like the XBOX 360. That's a scary thing to do for compatibility. Most likely they will have a full 100% emulation and a way to run through the graphic chip for upscaling. Like they have on the PS2 to speed up load times and to do improved graphics. Something that can be turned off to increase compatibility.

Online - They will have multiple teirs of online service. Sounds like they are implying that "basic" online play will be free but leaving enough wiggle space to charge money if they decide . Will most likely have a second level for pay that gives some extra feature. Not much from the places I read if the infrastructure is like the XBOX live or will people have to "roll their own servers" But all the basic download stuff following off the xbox live model. Since they have till November they should have the time to build the structure. Using Gamespy should help them get a faster start. Will it be robust and easy to use. That's hard to tell. The XBOX 360 is well integrated with their service. And it works.

Hard Drive - they did the thing I am pissed Microsoft didn't do. They require a hard drive on the PS3 for games and the size starts at 60 gigs. that is it. Does it mean the PS3 will come with one. Unknown but if you want to play a game it requires a hard drive. This is good but will increase price of entry. I like user upgradable.

Hub and LInux - The console is also going to be a media hub. So the idea it's can store files, music etc. And will run linux. Mind you doesn't mean it runs Linux usefully it just runs linux. We might get the full blown development and everything or it might be it runs it in the background. This may make it more "hackable" or not depending how much phone home stuff it does.

Final dev kits in June. Great more chance to develope AAA titles.

Last note - Sony is only going to do Blue ray disks for PS3 maybe copy protection maybe not. It means huge amount of storage hopefully not FMV. Good call it probably won't push cost of disk physically up much but cost to develop.... Maybe depends on the developer


My thoughts are summarized here.

PSP might be moving in the right direction. But I don't think the changes in the short term will increase sales where it counts. Games.

PS3 getting delay is no shocker. The worse thing for gamers who were on the fence they have to wait 7 more months at least before the console comes out. this should get more launch titles for the PS3. It also seems sony is doing a "me too" attitude with the system. If someone else is doing it then they will do something. The only thing trully innovating about the Blue Ray at this point. I also think sony is trying to do too much with the console and trying to be the replace all media center system and a kitchen. If it works - they will trounce but if they don't people will be pissed at Sony and I suspect their rank will go down.


Will I have one - very possible at this point. But my eye is on Revolution. Not because the hardware looks better but Nintendo been saying the right things.