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Sony Hints on PS3, PSP, and PS2 Plans

jaaron writes "The Register/GamesIndustry.biz reports on what Sony may have in store in terms of gaming hardware for E3, and according to remarks from Sony Computer Entertainment Europe president David Reeves: 'PSP games will probably be region-free, that PS3 will be intrinsically linked with PSX and may appear in home server and standalone gaming versions, and... Sony may announce a stripped down, PSone-style PlayStation 2 product.'" The interview also mentions: "Looking further ahead, Reeves spoke about Sony's 'ultimate goal' for PlayStation 3 - 'to get into electronic broadband distribution'."

32 of 230 comments (clear)

  1. Sega TV! by caffeineboy · · Score: 3, Interesting

    anyone remember this?

    This time maybe it could work!
    (for longer anyway)

    --
    +++ ATH0 +++
  2. Electronic Distribution? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Ooh man, I don't think Sony would ever be able to compete with Infinium Labs....

  3. Thought on region free by onyxruby · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Thought here on the region free aspect. Could they be doing this to try and remove the most widely stated fair use reason for mod chips? Eliminate the need for a mod chip to play discs from other regions and you've just made a big impact on the perceived legitamacy of mod chips on the whole.

    1. Re:Thought on region free by Eu4ria · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Especially if they also allow any code to run on the system and maybe even make an SDK available. That way anybody could make homebrew stuff for the system and thus seel even more units.

    2. Re:Thought on region free by ponds · · Score: 3, Insightful

      If they allowed homebrew code then there would be no need for the modchip argument anyway. Software "modchips" would be freely available. Region free is a good bet. I think that mod chips will get away with the "legitimate backup" issue, be that a good thing or a bad thing.

    3. Re:Thought on region free by Maestro4k · · Score: 4, Insightful
      • Thought here on the region free aspect. Could they be doing this to try and remove the most widely stated fair use reason for mod chips? Eliminate the need for a mod chip to play discs from other regions and you've just made a big impact on the perceived legitamacy of mod chips on the whole.
      Probably not, they only talk about the PSP being region-free, and that's the Sony's new portable. Portables aren't as easy to mod as a console box. The article on The Register's site doesn't say anything about the PS3 being region-free.
    4. Re:Thought on region free by Echnin · · Score: 4, Informative

      Portables are usually region-free... GB is, at least.

      --
      Lalala
    5. Re:Thought on region free by Destoo · · Score: 3, Funny

      now.. DDR on the PSP.. That would be funny with a touchscreen.

      Put your psp on the floor and repeatedly jump on it.
      Works if your a 7 year old japanese girl.

      --
      Nouvelles de jeux et technologies en français. TC
  4. Don't forget... by capz+loc · · Score: 4, Funny
  5. PS^3 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Would it be neat if Gamecube and Playstation merged to become Playstation cubed (PS^3).

    1. Re:PS^3 by bigbaloney · · Score: 5, Funny

      Well, I would like to see the handheld version, the PlayBoy. :-)

  6. The PS3 isn't sounding like a normal console... by Maestro4k · · Score: 4, Interesting

    From the article and talking about it linking to the PSX, it doesn't really sound like they're considering the PS3 to be a next-gen console, but something else. Frankly it sounds strange linking it to the PSX which is based on PS2 technology gaming-wise. It should be quite interesting to hear what Sony has in mind for the PS3, but right now it's sounding like they might be about to screw up and give Microsoft and Nintendo a chance to grab more of the console market.

    1. Re:The PS3 isn't sounding like a normal console... by bp2179 · · Score: 3, Informative

      Found this article http://www.gamespot.com/news/2004/03/31/news_60926 05.html referring to blue-laser disc technology on the PS3 "Currently, BD-ROMs can hold up to 25GB of data--about five times the volume of a standard DVD disc--and double-layered 50GB BD-ROMs will be appearing within the year"

  7. Swiss army portable gaming device? by ryanwright · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Unsurprisingly, Reeves came out strongly in defence of the PSP as its own product and not a Game Boy replacement. "It's not, as people have said, a new Game Boy," he said. "There are so many other features that you can add onto it, whether it's GPS or GPRS even."

    I can't decide if this is cool or not. A GPS receiver and cellular phone attached to my portable gaming device? What for?

    Now, if it had a touchscreen, Palm OS, and a secure way to copy my games onto the device so I don't have to carry them around with me everywhere... then we're talking.

    --
    -Ryan, with the unoriginal sig
  8. Next big thing.... by b12arr0 · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'm already bored with the PS3 stuff. I like to look ahead. I'm interested in the PS4/Microwave/Can Opener/Satellite Radio Combo. Definately want the stand-alone on something like that.

  9. Games have been $50 USD since the days of Nintendo by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    where've you been?

  10. is sony trying to be like valve? by enrico_suave · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "Looking further ahead, Reeves spoke about Sony's "ultimate goal" for PlayStation 3 - "to get into electronic broadband distribution"."

    I hope to god Sony's attempt at online delivery is way better than Steam. *shudder*

    e.

    --
    Build Your Own PVR/HTPC news, reviews, &
  11. Re:hmmm... by eyeye · · Score: 3, Funny

    To me it sounds like they are planning to distribute broadband electronically!

    Over Dial Up modems I hope, that would be excellent.

    --
    Bush and Blair ate my sig!
  12. 'broadband distribution' by zombiestomper · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Hopping on the Infinium Labs bandwagon?

    IL didn't and doesn't have a Phantom console, they were selling this concept.

    I wouldn't be the least surprised if Sony acquires IL for 'intellectual capital' that they've already compiled from 'researching' this market strategy.

    My guess is that it was IL's plan all along, don't sell a product-- just an idea.

  13. Re:What I'd like to see... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    > US $50 is simply too much for a new PS2 game.

    Really? How much time do you spend with a typical game?

    Considering going to a movie for 90 minutes is usually going to set you back at least $15 when you include admission and transportation, good video games are a bargain. I've logged hundreds of hours playing Ratchet and Clank, Socom II, and Dynasty Warriors alone.

  14. Beh by thebra · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Game consoles are supposed to be simple, turn on - insert disc - play game. Sounds like you might as well just buy a computer.

  15. Is there really a need for the broadband connect.. by Albert+Sandberg · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Ever since I heard XBox was coming with a broadband adaptor and ps2 likewise, I've been wondering what makes it so big buzz.

    I'm a programming dork myself mostly, I hardly play games at all, and I must confess I like singleplayer the best. When I'm finding myself playing, it's mostly because of relaxation. I don't want to communicate with other users. I don't want to play stressful FPS's against other computer/tv-games player. It just gets my nerves going in a spin I can't controll and that's actually exhausting, I can't play for more than an hour or I'll get all fuzzy in my head.

    I just want to sit down, drink some coffee and run a few laps around the course in GT3 or bash some cars in GTA3. If I want to play multiplayer, I'd much more prefer to do it together, like playing the "Pro Evolution Soccer" game at my friends house or batteling eachother in "dance dance revolution" or such similar game.

    I certanly see why people enjoy multiplayer, but I don't like the idea that I need to cough up with $50 more for the network adapter and god-know-how many hours of development which goes into the console for developing this.

    Maybe I'm just "old fashioned", after all, I'm closing 30 ;-) But what's bad with a choice?

    Albert
    Spellchecked by my cat Zelda.

  16. Re:When?! by Maestro4k · · Score: 5, Informative
    • I kept eye-balling PS2s on sale here there and yonder. I'm very tempted to buy one. Then I think about how long the PS2 has been on the street and I decide that maybe I should wait until the PS3 comes out. The only question is when?!
    Honestly I'd get the PS2 now and not worry about the PS3. Estimates so far place the PS3 no earlier than 2006, and their are tons of great games for the PS2. You can also play most of the PS1 games (there's a list of ones that don't work quite right, but it's only about 20 or so, and most aren't very popular ones. Final Fantasy Origins is one of the popular ones that won't FYI.). You can also use it as a DVD player if you don't have one, or if you want one in your gaming room.

    The PS3 will be backwards compatible with PS2 and PS1 games, Sony's already announced that, so if you decide to get one in the future you can use it on all the games you already bought. The main reason I suggest buying the PS2 now is price. When the PS3 comes out, it'll probably cost at least $300. Right now you can get a brand new PS2 for $180, and if you get the network adaptor bundle (also comes with a copy an ATV racing game you can play online) it's just $200. The network adaptor alone is $40, so the bundles the best deal if you intend to play online.

    The only waiting I'd recommend is till after E3, there's a good chance Sony will lower the PS2's price to match or beat Xbox's new price of $150.

  17. Maybe, maybe not... by MickyJ · · Score: 5, Funny
    PSP games will probably be region-free... may appear in home server and standalone gaming versions...Sony may announce a stripped down, PSone-style PlayStation 2 product...

    So things are definetely decided then?
  18. Yeah, its sounds like standard Sony marketing by *weasel · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This sounds more like Sony marketing to me. Remember all the promises they made regarding the PS2, during the run-up to, and launch of, the Dreamcast?

    This is likely just Sony throwing smoke to steal the thunder from Microsoft, and snow the existing Sony userbase into thinking the PS3 will be much better than it really will be (just like PS2 v DC).

    Either way, two versions of the same console would be gimmicky at best. It'd have the same problem all add-on hardware does: developers can't count on possibly expanded functionality being there on every box, so they don't spend time/money to leverage it in a meaningful way.

    So there would be no reason for the average consumer to buy a psx+ps3 instead of just buying a ps3 and a tivo.

    Perhaps they're trying to push microsoft and nintendo into budling expensive multifunction bits into their boxes -- allowing sony to punish them on unit price and take the 'high-road' of selling a box that 'just does games'.

    Likely the only way Sony will 'screw up' the PS3 and allow Nintendo/MS to reclaim some of the market due their own bad decisions - is if the Cell continues to be behind, and they show up late to market with an outmatched product.

    It's much more likely that any market share reclaimed by Nintendo/MS will be due /their/ own maneuvering - as opposed to Sony screwups.

    --
    // "Can't clowns and pirates just -try- to get along?"
  19. Re:Is there really a need for the broadband connec by Maestro4k · · Score: 4, Insightful
    • I'm a programming dork myself mostly, I hardly play games at all, and I must confess I like singleplayer the best. When I'm finding myself playing, it's mostly because of relaxation. I don't want to communicate with other users. I don't want to play stressful FPS's against other computer/tv-games player. It just gets my nerves going in a spin I can't controll and that's actually exhausting, I can't play for more than an hour or I'll get all fuzzy in my head.

      I just want to sit down, drink some coffee and run a few laps around the course in GT3 or bash some cars in GTA3. If I want to play multiplayer, I'd much more prefer to do it together, like playing the "Pro Evolution Soccer" game at my friends house or batteling eachother in "dance dance revolution" or such similar game.

      I certanly see why people enjoy multiplayer, but I don't like the idea that I need to cough up with $50 more for the network adapter and god-know-how many hours of development which goes into the console for developing this.

      Maybe I'm just "old fashioned", after all, I'm closing 30 ;-) But what's bad with a choice?

    You're not alone or old fashioned, nor old (I'm 32, so don't even say you're old. :) I too prefer playing single player, or co-op multiplayer with friends I know (generally at one of our places, not online). However, a few of the online games out now are tempting me. FFXI is supposed to have a story that each player can experience on their own. I want to see the story of FFXI, and I can see joining up with others for leveling between "episodes" (for lack of a better word) as useful. I don't see my playing it after I've finished it story-wise though.

    Still, the focus on multi-player and online gaming worries me too. I'm afraid game companies are going to forget that there are still plenty of people happy playing single-player, offline games.

  20. Re:I'd like to be the first to say by Ark42 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    If by dull, you mean blurred, then yes, the PS2 is pretty dull. Its mostly because of the limited amount of memory, the games have to use such small textures, that become stretched and blurred. Xbox does look slightly better then the PS2 from what I've seen, but both suck greatly if you have ever played a modern 3D game using a GF4 or some other nice video card with 128M+ video memory.
    Plus playing 3D games on an *interlaced* TV set really sucks when you try to move around fast. PS2/xbox are only worth looking at if you happen to have a progressive scan TV and the console actually uses it.

    All I want in a future console is 3 things:
    * a LOT more memory then the current generation consoles.
    * progressive scan support.
    * joysticks with trackballs instead of stupid analog sticks, with support for optional mice you can buy separately.

  21. Re:NO HARD DRIVE!! by gabebear · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I imagine this is part of the reason for the speculation of 2 versions. A gaming system really has no use for a HD, but a "Home Server" ala TIVO basically has to have one. They have already done this with the PSX. This thing is still probably 2 years off, so maybe some new breakthough storage will come oout by then.

  22. PS5? Hah! PS9! by Crash+Culligan · · Score: 3, Informative

    Who remembers Sony's television commercial for the PS9, the entertainment system you inhale so it can access your brain directly?

    (If someone has a link to the commercial itself, please share!

    --
    You cannot truly appreciate Dilbert until you read it in the original Klingon.
    1. Re:PS5? Hah! PS9! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      Entertainment system you can inhale? You mean cocaine?

  23. This blows. by mac+os+ken · · Score: 4, Funny

    Pulling out an internal hard drive and blowing on it to get it to work just isn't the same. ::sigh::

    --
    .deviatefromtheabsolute.
  24. PS3 to use blu-ray discs by TerraFrost · · Score: 4, Interesting

    according to a gamespot article, Sony is also considering using Blu-Ray drives in the PS3...