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PS3 Release Not Until 2006, PSX Firmware Upgrade?

Posted by simoniker on from the sony's-mysterious-ways dept.

Thanks to GamePro for its coverage of a Famitsu interview from former Sony CTO Nobuichi Okamoto, discussing the PlayStation 3. Okamoto, who is still involved in the Cell project (which will power the PS3) to some degree, notes: "Development of the Cell started in spring of 2001 as a 5-year project. Hence the project will end in spring of 2006. Although it is not known whether or not game consoles will be sold immediately, we can expect products using the Cell chip to start emerging around that time." He also suggests 2004 may not see any console announcements from Sony: "From my experience, to produce games on new hardware it takes at least a year to research the hardware and to start planning for software titles. If at this time the software production environment is not ready, I think it will be difficult to announce new hardware this year." Elsewhere, Sony has announced a downloadable firmware upgrade for its Japanese-released PSX 'media center', which "returns most of the promised features that were cut shortly before the system's release."

6 of 40 comments (clear)

  1. ps2 success by johndoejersey · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The success of the PS2 provides sony with a little more leeway with regards to the release of the "next-gen" console.
    They are in the position where they can spend more time on delivering a competition beating product.

    On the other hand Microsoft and Nintendo may see this as an opportunity to rush out a console for 2005/early 2006.

    1. Re:ps2 success by DrEldarion · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Part of the reason for the success of the PS2 was DUE to the fact that it got out well before the competition. Between everyone wanting to get a "next-generation" console and software developers wanting to get in on the action early, the time advantage was hugely beneficial.

      Competition-beating products aren't necessarily the ones that are the most technically complex. Look at the Xbox VS the PS2. The XBox is completely superior when it comes to hardware, but that still didn't save it from getting crushed by the PS2.

      That time advantage is just what the other companies need to overtake Sony, and I'm sure they'll both be rushing to get their products out as soon as possible to take advantage of it.

  2. Not much to see here... by Crash+Culligan · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Those pesky non-disclosure agreements! You've tried scrubbing, you've tried soaking...

    I find it interesting that development on the guts for the PS3 began in 2001 when the PS2 first came out. They had no idea if it would boom or bust and they started working on the successor that same year.

    Given that, the development cycle on the PS3 was probably influenced by the potential boominess or bustiness of the PS2.

    • PS2 selling well? PS3 development can take a good, long time. The gamers will be happy that we got all the quality into the product.
    • PS2 jamming up the distribution channels like the morning after free samples night at the cheese shop? Quick, get that PS3 up and running stat! We need a new next big thing to make up for our last next big thing! (And it would probably be coming out right now with fewer bells and whistles.)

    I also want to see what kind of power-effort curve they design into PS3.

    More than once I've cited the design philosophy behind the PS2: make a powerful system, and developers will learn to deal with its complexities. Contrast this with the Xbox's take: make a system easy to develop with, and developers will get more power out of it.

    I want to know how that strategy worked for them, and will they be continuing it on the next next-generation game-box.

    --
    You cannot truly appreciate Dilbert until you read it in the original Klingon.
    1. Re:Not much to see here... by trixillion · · Score: 2, Insightful

      +3 Insightful? Broken Slashdot moderation strikes again.

      Yup, the parent also mistakenly attributed the 2006 launch to marketing decisions on the part of Sony. Oh please! Anyone who has been following the drive to next gen consoles knows that Sony is using an new IBM chip and cannot get the PS3 out the door until the cell chip is production ready. IBM wanted to have it ready for 2005. Wwhat is interesting about the article is that a guy in the position to know, pretty much stated that IBM is behind schedule on the Cell chip. Hence Xbox is going to get the first mover advantage this time around.

  3. Re:Stay calm while you're winning... by MMaestro · · Score: 2, Insightful
    2006 it just 2 years away, and it's not really likely that Nintendo and Microsoft can get some new hardware out and make a real breakthrough in a such relatively short time.

    Ever think that maybe Microsoft and Nintendo are simply holding off until E3 to announce their next-gen systems?

    As for comparing online console gaming subscribers to the number of systems sold, thats not a case of different leagues, its a case of different games. Sony can sell 70 millions PS2s, but if 40 million have broke or were simply tossed out, thats a serious difference from what they advertise. Out of the original half million PS2 units sold in the U.S., how many units do you think are still used?

  4. Re:Stay calm while you're winning... by scabb · · Score: 2, Insightful

    "Probably not, but I do think that if M$ is able to corrale more Japanese developers, up the existing Xbox user base worldwide then I think they can place a very close second instead of a distant second." Why does everyone automatically discount Nintendo, the current "distant second"? /zealousy