Neil Schneider, President and CEO of Sony "fully intends" to introduce stereoscopic 3D technology to PS3 next year., thanks to Blitz Games Studios.

iSuppli takes a look inside the PlayStation 3 $400 version, and estimate that it is $448.73 in parts.

Sony's PlayStation.Blog has announced that firmware v.240 will let you pull up the XMB ( XrossMediaBar) while you're gaming on the PlayStation 3. This move will allow you to check messages , send invites to buddies and tweak system settings.

Activision is packaging their answer to 'Rock Band'; 'Guitar Hero: World Tour", in a bundle package that will cost you anywhere from $179-189.99; about 20 dollars more than Rock Band's bundle. Below is the of possible packages from the company:

• GH: World Tour Game ($59.99 on PS3/360 - $49.99 on Wii/PS2),


• GH: World Tour - Guitar Kit ($99.00 for Guitar Kit Alone)


• GH: World Tour - Full Band Kit (Guitar, Mic, and Drum Kit - $189.99 360, PS3 & Wii, $179.99 PS2)

If you are a fan of the Xbox 360 like myself, or the Playstation 3, it's usually the quality of the graphics that separate these systems from the Nintendo Wii. Well, Madworld Developer Takanori Ishikawa has something in store to settle the score. And it is worth your attention; so much so, that I am about to go get me this game.

Everyone knows that 'Guitar Hero' started it all; but took a hit when 'Rock Band' debuted and allowed a full band to play in cooperative mode. Well, if you want something that seems the most realistic, then Activision and 'GH' has fought back with some of the most realistic fake drums around! Plus, the whole crew can too join to rock and record their own songs for the 'World Tour' edition of this growing cult classic. You decide how you want to rock out. Check it out below:

The world's numero uno system; The Wii along with the Playstation3 are the hottest systems in Japan, Well, Micorsoft is trying to go down with a fight and revive the slumped sales if the Xbox 360 in the Asian Country.

Popular Mechanics shares a how to guide for converting your Sony PlayStation 3 to a full-fledged PC.

The Linux operating system makeover is relatively risk-free. The procedure involves a hard drive upgrade and relevant software installation.

Reference - Crave

According to reports, Sony will launch this ad to promote the PS3. Who exactly is this being marketed to?

Sony and Konami will launch the Metal Gear Solid 4 PS3 in the United States. The MGS4 PS3 has a matching DualShock 3 controller and will launch on June 12 .

Sony Computer Entertainment UK Boss Ray Maguire has revealed that a future firmware update will see In-Game Voice Chat on the PlayStation 3.

Our momentum will continue with the introduction of in-game communication in the summer, firmware update 2.4 and the strongest line-up of games through our third party partners and our own studios. I'd personally like to thank our trade and business partners for helping us on the start of the PS3 journey.

Employees tracking stock at Circuit City say Sony will launch the white PS3 in the US .

we've since heard from Circuit City employees that they've begun receiving shipments of these "new" PlayStation 3s. On the shipping box? The model number CECHH01. Which the more observant amongst you will recognize as the model # for the White PlayStation 3. Seems these will be held in stock until the current Spider-Man 3 bundles are gone, and will then be offered for the standard price of $399

Sony Japan has launched a Satin Silver PS3. This makes a total of 3 available colors - original black, white and silver. This 40GB console lacks some of PS2 game playing capabilities, card reader and fewer USB ports. The satin silver model will retail for ¥39,980 (about $374 USD).

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. has announced that it would discontinue shipment of both 20GB HDD and 60GB HDD configurations of PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3®), in the Japanese market after the completion of the final shipment scheduled in January 2008.

80GB PS3 for $499

According to New Launches, the 80GB PS3 will now go for $499. (previous price was $599)

The lower-end model with a 60GB drive was for $499. So the new 40GB one will debut on November 2 for $399.

Best Buy Confirms Sony's $399 PS3 Price?

An internal Best Buy document, appears to confirm the rumored PS3 price cut. Sony's PS3 would be priced at $399 according to the doc.

Sony Announces 80GB PlayStation 3

Sony has announced the availability of the 80GB PlayStation 3.

PlayStation Eye

Sony has announced , PlayStation Eye , a new USB camera peripheral for the PS3. Set for launch later this year, the PlayStation Eye will be initially bundled with The Eye of Judgment, the card game that's been used to demonstrate the peripherals at gaming events like E3 and the Tokyo Game Show. Set for Japanese release this fall, the bundle will also include a camera stand, a starter deck of cards, and a play mat.

PS3 Folding Update

The PlayStation 3 Folding @ Home app is set for an update that increases folding performance and improves the user location display map.

80GB PS3 already here?

Game gossips claim to have spied a 80GB Playstation 3 for sale. A few weeks Sony stopped production of the 20GB Playstation 3 and announced plans to offer bigger drive capacities.

Judge PlayStation 3 in two years' time

In a chat with GamesIndustry.biz, Electronic Arts' boss Gerhard Florin says he is holding off judging the next generation consoles for 2 years. As Florin see it, in the first 2 yrs - all the consoles will do well, and though critics are suggesting the Playstation 3's price is hampering sales, EA's executive VP of international publishing doesn't believe the price tag will hold back sales in the first twelve months.

"Look at the price in two years' time, and then you can say whether it's too high," said Florin.

"Whether it's too high or not the consumer has to decide, but I don't think for the first year the price will be a problem which holds anything back," he added.

It's not just Sony's latest home console that EA is withholding judgement on. Florin believes that both Microsoft's and Nintendo's recent launches also have a niche to find and sales to exploit.

"I wouldn't make any judgments within the next two years," commented Florin.

"The first two years will clearly be an open race, everybody will do very well. I believe all three [consoles] are worth supporting in different ways."

Sony PlayStation 3 homebrew plans?

"I fully support the notion of game development at home using powerful tools available to anyone," Harrison said in an interview with Slashdot.

"We were one of the first companies to recognize this in 1996 with Net Yaroze on PS1. It's a vital, crucial aspect of the future growth of our industry."

Gizmodo is reporting that Sony may may reduce the price of the PS3.

Sony considers slashing price of PS3 console

The assertion that Sony may reduce the price of PS3 is based on comments made by Ryoji Chubachi during an interview. He explained that the budgeting process for PS3 pricing and volumes would be re-examined as market forces and the competitive environment change.

The firmware 1.70 update for the PS3 is now available, Sony says the update will improve game play performance and adds rumble support for PS2 games and controllers.

Sony lists only the following few compatible force feedback controllers: Streetcar GO! Controller TYPE2, Streetcar GO! Shinkansen private controller, Hori Flight stick 2 and GT-FORCE Pro.

Sony has trademarked the upcoming Playstation 3 controller as "P oo S".

The two 'oo' 's are supposed to be a representation of the dual analog sticks, much like the idea of two 'ii' 's for the Nintendo Wii, for "we".

According to technology site theinquirer, Sony's PS3 (PlayStation 3)'s hardware is slow and broken.

Cell memory access appears to be broken, RSX has half the triangle setup rate of the ATI chip in XBox360, and the true horror, Big Momma's House 2 and a Queen Latifa movie.

For some reason , I think theinquirer hates Sony. I have yet to see a favorable PS3 story on that site.

In a poll by Japanese magazine Famitsu, readers in Japan have delivered their verdict on PlayStation 3 and Wii's launch plans with 73% saying they believe Wii will "win" the hardware war.

Nearly 70% of readers said they are most looking forward to Wii. 21% voted for PlayStation 3, while the others voted for systems already released. 88.4% of readers believe PlayStation 3 is too expensive, while 10% believe it's "about right".

Read More @ Next Generation

According to reghardware UK, British gamers may only be offered the 60GB version of Sony's PlayStation 3, a senior company official has suggested.

In an interview with UK games industry weekly MCV, Sony Computer Entertainment's UK operation, Ray Maguire said: "The lower-end, 20GB version of [the] PlayStation 3 has no Wi-Fi, no HDMI and none of the other slots in it, so it's really a question of where we would position it. It's more likely that we will only launch the 60GB version."

"We have time to watch the yen and be flexible, but that 60GB version looks like £425 in the UK at the moment," Macguire told MCV. "High trade margins in the UK are likely to see it come in with that kind of street price, though it's ultimately up to retailers."

According to Merrill Lynch analysts the Xbox360 will kill the Play Station 3, mainly due to pricing.

The report states:

"The PS3 will not only be significantly more costly than Xbox 360 at launch, but will continue to operate at a cost disadvantage for several years... The Xbox 360 could be selling at half the price of PS3 in the latter half of 2006. Taking Sony’s weakened financial condition and Microsoft’s deep pockets into consideration, we conclude that Microsoft’s Xbox 360 should emerge as the early winner in the next round of the game console wars."

In a recent interview with gaming site CVG, Sony's Euro CEO David Reeves admits key PS3 launch titles like Heavenly Sword will now appear in 2007 missing the November 17 launch day. He follows up this comment by saying "for the first time we are not going to go just for hardcore gamers".

"[Sony] have built up a certain brand equity over time since the launch of PlayStation in 1995 and PS2 in 2000" Following that he says "the first five million are going to buy it, whatever it is, even it didn't have games."

Sony's PlayStation 3 video-game machine will go on sale in Japan Nov. 11, and on Nov. 17 in North America and Europe, the company said

The PlayStation 3 console _ an upgrade of the hit PlayStation 2 _ will sell for 59,800 yen (US$536; euro421) in Japan for the model with a 20-gigabyte hard disk drive, Sony Corp.'s video game unit said in a statement.

In the U.S., it will sell for US$499 (euro390) for the model with a 20 gigabyte hard drive, and US$599 (euro470) with 60 gigabytes. In Europe, it will sell for euro499 (US$633) for the model with 20 gigabytes, and euro599 (US$760) for 60 gigabytes.

According to GI.biz , retail sources in the UK have said that Microsoft has intimated to them that the HD-DVD add-on for the Xbox 360 will be priced such that console and peripheral combined are cheaper than Sony's PS3.

At E3 last week, Microsoft discussed its plans to launch a HD-DVD component for the Xbox 360 later this year, but did not reveal any further information regarding the pricing of the unit.

The Xbox 360 retails at GBP 279 in the UK, with the Core System version selling for GBP 209, while the 60GB model of the PlayStation 3 is expected to cost between GBP 399 and GBP 419 when it arrives in late November.

Microsoft's alleged comments to UK retailers seem to suggest that the HD-DVD peripheral, which allows playback of high definition movies using Toshiba's next-generation DVD standard, will be priced below GBP 130, making an Xbox 360 and HD-DVD player bundle into a potentially attractive option at Christmas.

Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, Sony slammed rumours that the 20GB PS3 will not be compatible with wireless controllers, and that consumers will not have the option to upgrade the hard drive.

"Both queries to my knowledge are completely false," a spokesperson told GI.biz.

"Both configurations will support bluetooth PS3 controllers. The only non-upgradeable feature of the 20GB configuration will be the HDMI output."

According to the Inquirer Uk, the Sony Playstation 3 is far from complete

People tell us that the current PS3s are about 50% too large to fit in the sleek but empty boxes they have been showing off. This is a problem, but a solvable one, electronics always get smaller. Time solves all, and there is still time, just not much.

According to several sources, publisher-owned developers taking receipt of updated development kits have been briefed that the pricepoint is final reports Spong. The reported price $499

Buried in a Variety piece on Sony is a small bit of the PlayStation 3 being delayed until december 2006/.

Sony's new PlayStation 3 was widely expected to be introduced this spring, but will be delayed as the company fine-tunes the chips that are crucial to the success of the console's Blu-ray function.

The PlayStation 3 --- which is being called "the poor man's Blue-ray" --- is vital to Sony's plans because it plays Blu-ray discs as well as videogames.

Sony will roll out the PS3 by year end, in time for the holidays. If PS3 "delivers what everyone thinks it will, the game is up," Stringer boasts.

Blu-ray is the system developed by Sony to view next-generation high-definition DVDs. Rival format HD DVD is championed by Toshiba. Microsoft recently joined the HD DVD camp, a move that came as its Xbox 360 videogame console is trying to grab market share from PlayStation, the industry leader.

1up has a great roundup of everything playstation 3, nothing new revealed but the feature tackles the rumors and if you are looking for concise Playstation 3 update... check the feature out .. here

Japanese site Sankei Web is reporting that Sony has acknowledged the possibility of a delay in the system, and that such a delay would be due to problems with the mass production of the console's built-in Blu-ray drive.

Read More at Gamespot

Sony has issued a statement to set shareholders at ease, after a their share price dropped 3.6 percent. the dropped for a second time. The initial drop followed a report by Merrill Lynch & Co. report that claimed the PlayStation 3 video game console may be delayed. the report also claimed that the PS3 will cost $900 per-console to manufacture. Sony denied the delay report, but left the $900 tag open for speculation.

The fall affected the entire Tokyo stock market, with the Nikkei index dropping 1.75 percent to 15,437.93 yen ($130.57).

It predicted the launch of the PlayStation 3 console could be delayed by 6 to 12 months from its current spring 2006 window, resulting in an autumn launch in Japan and a late 2006 or early 2007 launch in the US reports Gamespot

"We wrote last November that Sony’s design choices for the PS3 had resulted in an expensive and difficult-to-manufacture product," read the report, "and we think that we’re seeing the consequences of those choices play out now. In particular, we think the problem points are the Sony Cell processor and the Blu-ray drive." Merrill Lynch also cited heat-generation issues with PS3 hardware and the far-from-finished state of most games for the platform as factors.

"We're aiming for spring, but we haven't announced specific regions," a Sony Computer Entertainment America spokeswoman told USAtoday. "We're waiting for [final PS3 specifications] until the last possible minute, but the launch could be pushed back if they're not decided soon."

In an interview posted on Japanese site Watch Impress, Tetsuhiko Yatsuda of Sony Computer Entrainment Asia, reveals that PS3 games may be available for download through Sony's Playstation Hub online service.

The logic is that t it would actually be cheaper to "download" the games instead of buying it directly from a retailer, in addition the service allows more control to combat the widespread pirating of Playstation games in certain regions of Asia.

via

Sony Computer Entertainment, has slammed a Merrill Lynch & Co. report that claimed the PlayStation 3 video game console may be delayed.

Kei Sakaguchi, a Sony spokesman in Tokyo says : "There is no change in our original plan to release the console in spring 2006''. Joe Osha from Merrill Lynch said that Sony may start selling the Playstation 3 in Japan in autumn by late 2006 and early 2007 in the U.S.

"Given the increasing competition from Microsoft and Nintendo, Sony can't afford any delays that may help its rivals get ahead,'' said Taiji Yoshida, who helps oversee $6.7 billion at Yasuda Asset Management Co. in Tokyo.

via Bloomberg

According to Merrill Lynch, Sony's upcoming PlayStation 3 is going to cost them $900 per unit at launch. Lynch calls it an "expensive and difficult-to-manufacture product" because of the Cell processor and Blu-ray drive, which account for the large costs reports Engadget. By Comparison the Xbox 360 reportedly cost around $500 to make.

PlayStation 3 costs $900 says PDF

In addition to touting plans to ship over 100 million PlayStation 3 (PS3) game consoles, Tetsuhiko Yasuda, Sony Computer Entertainment Asia’s corporate executive managing director and senior vice president of Asia said Sony may work with Microsoft in the future.

Sony has not finalized the specific time frame for the PS3 launch, as well as pricing, he said. The company aims to launch the PS3 at the same time throughout Asia. However, not all the regions in the global market will see the same launch day, as the Internet infrastructures differ in each individual market, Yasuda said.

Sony does not regard Xbox as a competitor. Rather, the company may even consider working with Microsoft to develop games together, Yasuda noted.

via digitimes

Sony will definitely launch its new PlayStation 3 (PS3) game console this year, though the company is still undecided on a launch date nor pricing for the console, said Tetsuhiko Yasuda, managing director of Sony Computer Entertainment Asia, on February 16 at the Taipei Game Show.

Yasuda, says the earlier launch of Microsoft’s Xbox 360 did not add pressure on Sony, Yasuda said that the company wants to be completely prepared when it begins marketing the PS3.

Accumulated global shipments for the PS3 are expected to exceed 100 million units, a record that was set by Sony’s earlier games consoles, the PS and PS2, despite the fact that the PS3 will be priced higher than the PS2, Yasuda said.

To the disappointment of attendees at the show, Sony only displayed three mock-up versions of the PS3 and demonstrated some functions of the new console through a video. This raised doubts if Sony can really bring the PS3 to the market in the spring of this year as expected, according to market sources.

According to Next Generation, Sony is planning to launch an online games service, largely modelled on Xbox Live, currently called PlayStation HUB. T he service is also designed to support PSP online play as well as PS3.

PlayStation HUB is being described to developers as a 'subscriber service' suggesting a monthly charge.

In other news, .Sony is aiming for a September launch for PlayStation 3 in Japan and North America.

Read More on PlayStation HUB

In a survey Sony launched at Playstation Underground , the company ask for user feedback on HDTV use and importance. According to kotaku the questions are telling, but most importantly, they seem to verify that the Playstation 3 will indeed have a BlueRay DVD player built into it and that the games will support 1080p.

View Survey

Business Week has this interesting article on the PlayStation 3 and all the functions Sony is reportedly trying to cram into the machine. Deutsche Securities analyst Takashi Oya says Sony's message might get muddled in the process of going after too broad a market. "It would be difficult to sell PS3 initially as anything other than a game machine," Oya says. Sony declined to comment on such concerns.

Fact is , most people that go out and buy the PlayStation 3 will be making the purchase for game playing, even if Sony touts all extra features til the cows come home, it will fall on deaf ears... extra functions are cool to have but most gamers would already have setups for that multimedia living room.

Sony is banking on the console to lift its consumer-electronics division out of trouble writes BW, and the Blu-ray drive is expected to give a boost to that Sony-backed format, one of two competing to become the next-generation standard for videos. "PS3 is very important for us," says Sony Chief Financial Officer Nobuyuki Oneda. "There are so many key devices from the electronics group that will go into it."

kikizo.com reportedly has some inside scoop from 3 PS3 developers , who spent some time with a playable also finished version of the PlayStation 3. (dev kit) . According to Kikizo's report (summay via Engadget) there's not enough room for a 2.5-inch drive in the PlayStation 3 mockup box, the PlayStation 3 is "a machine barely superior to Xbox 360," and the launch titles will look something akin to "nice Xbox 360 material."

According to the Chinese-language Commercial Times, a quarter of Sony's exhibit space at the show will be devoted exclusively to the PS3 reports MTV games Game fans speculate, the display will show a playable version of the PlayStation 3.

When the system was unveiled at last year's Electronics Entertainment Expo, it did so accompanied by a trailer reel of games in development for the system, including new Killzone and Tekken titles. Months later at Tokyo Game Show 2005, hopes of playable PS3 demos were dashed, but attendees were treated to a handful of new game trailers, most notably Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.

An upcoming issue of PlayStation magazine, reportedly features new details on the Song PlayStation 3

* PS3 will have online service that goes beyond xbox live
* PS3 will be a DVR
* It will connect with psp
* There are alot of games being worked on for it right now in the US (alot more then what people know about)
* The final ps3 dev kit is alot faster than they thought (according to the developer)
* The ps3 will have an itunes type service to let you download HI DEF movies, music, etc
* The Ps3 will take the media center functionality the 360 has even further

* PS3 will serve as a location free player for the psp, means you can watch the dvd's that you have in your psp on your psp (from anywhere in the world), or any other video files you have on your ps3, though this is still only being planned.

* PSP will be able to send its files straight to the psp from anywhere in the world, and it can also control its DVR functionalities

* Firmware updates will add more functionality, much like with the psp

* The Blu Ray Player functionality doesnt cost as much as a stand alone player because the Cell and RSX can take care of alot of the stuff the ps3 will need to do to be able to read the disks

* Fall release date for ps3, no release date for online service, but expected to launch w/ the system

PlayStation 3 Games

With just a few months to go before the Sony PS3 launch, game fans are looking at the PS3 game lineup that will be ready for launch Even though 71 publishers are working on over 100 PS3 games, only 8 titles have release dates for this year.

Publisher Success recently announced two more titles to Sony's next-gen console; unnamed role-playing game and simulation title get 2006 tag.

The list of games with release date in 2006 are as follows:

Fatal Inertia, Koei, Spring 2006
Mahjong Taikai, Koei, Spring 2006
Ni-Oh, Koei, Spring 2006
Shin Ten Makai VI, Idea Factory, Summer 2006
Vampire's Rain, AQ Interactive, Winter 2006
Sonic the Hedgehog, Sega, 2006
Unnamed RPG, Success, 2006
Hitsuji Mura, Success, 2006

CNN's Chris Morris is reporting on an informal poll of analysts and developers in his latest Game Over column. Morris asked for guesses at the PS3 price point.

"[Sony] could now consider launching its PlayStation 3 at a price range of $399 to $499, with the $499 price point more likely," American Technology Research's P.J. McNealy told Morris.

Many developers, speaking anonymously, agreed with the $499 prediction, though some offered $450, an X360-matching $399, or even tags as high as $600 or $700 reports IGN

Sony has confirmed that its forthcoming developers conference, Scheduled to take place from the 1st-2nd March at the Atlantis Gallery in London's Brick Lane - will focus exclusively on the PlayStation 3.

The two day event will cover all aspects of game development for the new console, including graphics, audio, networking, middleware and the PS3 Cell architecture and operating system reports GamesIndustry

The conference will include presentations from more than 20 PlayStation 3 experts, covering all aspects of game development for the new platform and will include representatives from Havoc and Aegia, the official providers of physics technology for the machine.

Gaming stores in the US are taking orders for the Xbox 360 release of 2006, Halo 3. Some stores are already displaying banners and assorted goodies with Halo 3 logos, inscribed ‘Coming 2006 – Reserve yours today.’

This whole pre-order thing is going a little to far, Microsoft has been mute on the Halo 3 launch. The only hint the company gave was when Bill Gates said that the PS3 would ‘walk right into’ Halo 3 upon its release.

So that could be Spring or it Could be November 2006. Knowing Microsoft that will probably be November.

via

Now that the Xbox 360 has bombed ( I kid), Internet gaming gossips are speculating on the release date of the PlayStation 3 following an announcement in the US Playstation Magazine stating that Unreal Tournament 2007 would be available on the PS3 when it launches spring of 2006. I have heard spring so many times I am starting to believe it, at the every least Japan should have the Playstation 3 spring 2006.

And chances are, we should have the PS3 in America in time for thanks giving 2006.

Thursday, Sony said it remained on track to roll out its PlayStation 3 game console by spring 2006 despite industry speculation that the scheduled launch could face delays.

A spokesman for Sony said it was still targeting a spring 2006 launch for the PS3, which is key to maintaining its lead in the game console market against Microsoft, which recently launched its competing Xbox 360 console.

Larry Probst, chief executive of the No. 1 video game publisher Electronic Arts, said last week that he believed Sony's console would not be available until fall 2006 reports Reuters

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) announced today that Sony would implement parental controls in its forthcoming machine, PlayStation 3.

The announcement was made by ESA President Doug Lowenstein who commended the PlayStation 3 console manufacturers for voluntarily implementing the parental control technology.

For PlayStation 2, parental controls will extend only to movies and not to games. Sony was not immediately prepared to comment reports iht.com.

The video game industry has been under attack from parents and watchdog groups - especially in the wake of this year's scandal involving hidden adult content in the popular Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

Microsoft placed parental controls in its Xbox 360, which went on sale last week. The machine lets users restrict access to video games and DVDs that carry certain ratings, such as T for teenager or M for mature. It also offers parental controls on the company's Xbox Live online gaming service, limiting who their children can interact with.

This month, Nintendo announced similar plans for its next-generation machine, Revolution, scheduled for 2006.

Comments published in a CNN article purporting to be from Sony CEO Howard Stringer regarding the a 300-$400 Price for PlayStation 3 have been removed after it emerged that he had not said anything on the question reports GamesIndustry

The article, FORTUNE senior editor Peter Lewis cited Stringer as saying that the PS3 would be priced between $300 and $400, and would launch in the middle of next year in Japan, followed by a US launch a couple of months later.

No such information was discussed in the original FORTUNE interview - and CNN Money has now pulled the quotes, placing an addendum on the article which says that "Stringer has not commented publicly on how much the PS3 is expected to cost, or how soon it will appear in the US after the Japanese launch in spring 2006."

As expected Microsoft's new Xbox 360 console is selling like hot cakes, the demand is so great, some people are commanding as much as $2000 for a premium system on ebay.

The folks at IGN have compiled 10 reasons why you should wait for the Sony PS3, so if for some reason you are on the fence or you just don't have $2k right now, check out these reasons to help ease your pain.

You could totally use these to put your friend in his places when he starts bragging about his Xbox 360 purchase...

Reason #10: Xbox 360 Doesn't Have a Killer App
Reason #9: Dual-Screen and 1080p Support
Reason #8: Hefty Expandability / Connectivity Options
Reason #7: You Can Still Pre-Order
Reason #6: Seven-Player Wireless Support
Reason #5: The HD IP Camera
Reason #4: Full Backwards Compatibility
Reason #3: Stronger Japanese Developer Support
Reason #2: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Reason #1: The Blu-ray Player

UPDATE IGN also has 10 Reasons to buy the Xbox 360 Funny this list is more compelling

Thanks for update K

In the latest issue of Japanese gaming magazine, Famitsu, an un-named Sony representative stated that any modifications to the Sony Playstation 3 controller will be mere tweaks to basic ergonomics.

It was thought that Sony was playing a double-bluff, withholding the final controller - presumably complete with Revolution-style surprise - for a full debut at this January's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Alas, this appears not to be the case reports Spong

In the latest issue of the Official Playstation Magazine, Sony revealed that the online service for its new Playstation 3 console will use the same non-unified architecture as the Playstation 2's online service.

The lack of a centralized online service means that gamers will be required to maintain separate accounts on different servers for different games in order to access online games via the PS3 reports ps3focus.com.

Speaking at the Tokyo International Digital Conference, Ken Kutaragi also known as Sony's PlayStation baby daddy said that the Cell processor (will star in the PlayStation 3 console) will be reduced in size to lower power consumption and allow for multi-core architectures. Dual Cells and Mini Cells will be developed, and eventually the Micro Cell will be used to power smaller handheld devices reports mobileindustry.biz

Kutaragi also talked about the PlayStation 3's capability to run games at 120 frames per second, saying that the new frame rate will "become the benchmark for the coming generation of digital life."

According to Japanese blog CoolGamer, the PlayStation 3 (PS3) will be priced under $400 in Japan. Game site 1up says CoolGamer has been a dependable source of early information regarding the Japanese game market. Not once has their news turned out to be a false lead.

The blogger writes, "In the latest Famitsu, a very important person mentioned that the PS3 price would not be over 40000yen". This price range was thrown around by a Sony rep a few months back.

via

During a little chat with Digital World Tokyo, SCEI's Reiko Sakamoto admitted that the imminent PS3 will not necessarily be 100% backwards compatible.

"It's hard to say the PlayStation 3 will be 100 percent backwards compatible but as we said earlier this year we aim to make it so as much as possible," Sakamoto said.

"We believe multiple factors are responsible," said Reiko Sakamoto, a spokeswoman for SCEI in Tokyo. The latest console uses a new chipset - the chip that sits between the main processor and the rest of the device - and changes in that chip coupled with the way some software is programmed are believed to be causing the glitches, she said. The problems are largely screen hang-ups during certain parts of the game but also include glitches such as the slow saving of game data onto memory cards.

via

Folk over at Microsoft are shooting off about just how great the launch lead of their Xbox 360 will have over the Sony PlayStation 3. According to some, Microsoft is confident that PlayStation 3 will slip from its "spring 2006" launch, with some suggesting that, at least in Europe, Sony's machine may not arrive until 200 reports Next Gen Biz

Xbox UK boss Neil Thompson told MCV, "I'd be happy to compete whenever they turn up, but I wouldn't be surprised if that's not until spring '07. If they hit Christmas '06 (in Europe) then maybe it'll be a very thin launch; a launch in name only".

Friday's edition of MCV also quotes a "senior European publisher boss" as saying he "wouldn't be surprised" if PS3 did not arrive in Europe until spring '07, giving Microsoft two Holiday seasons in Europe.

J.Allard said, "There's a big gap between what Sony claims and what they've shown. They'll need an eight hour press conference pretty soon just to give people confidence in that spring '06 date they've mentioned."

"There's a lot of stuff they just don't have in place yet. They make nice movies though."

Xbox's global chief Robbie Bach said, "Whatever they do, they're going to be chasing us for a long, long time."

Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, a spokesperson for Sony Computer Entertainment clarified comments made by CEO Howard Stringer recently regarding a spring launch for PS3.

"Ken Kutaragi, president of SCE, announced a spring target date for the launch of PlayStation 3 at this year's E3, and it appears that Sir Howard confirmed it at yesterday's strategy meeting," the spokesperson said.

"We have not yet announced detailed launch dates for each region," he continued, adding: "If you look at how close Microsoft announced release dates to the launch of the Xbox 360, it's rather unrealistic to expect PS3 dates now."

According to folks in the know (analysts), Microsoft Corp.'s big Xbox 360 push in Japan will do little to affect Sony Corp.'s PlayStation following in Japan. Even before the release of the Xbox 360, Sony has created more market buzz in Japan for its next-generation PlayStation 3 console, due in the spring reports HinduTimes. Well this makes sense, errr , Sony just happens to be a Japanese company.

Microsoft Chief Xbox Officer Robbie Bach dismisses surveys showing interest in his new console is still low.

"None of that is worth anything," he said at the Reuters Technology and Telecoms Summit in Tokyo on Wednesday.

The lack of success in Japan with the first Xbox was due to lack of compelling games for Japanese, not relations with retailers or even the bulky design of the first Xbox.

"Ultimately if we had great games, people would have put a big, black Xbox in the living room," he said. This time, he says, Microsoft has laid the groundwork for just that.

Analysts expect the Xbox 360 to sell better than its previous version, but they don't expect it to seriously challenge Sony's dominance of the gaming market in Japan.

"There is no way it will come close to the PlayStation," said Tokyo-based Deutsche Securities analyst Takashi Oya. "Microsoft will have done well if it gets 10 percent market share in Japan."

According to an unnamed source speaking to PSM the Sony PlayStation 3 is far easier to develop for than the Xbox 360.

"Both are friendly, but the PS3 may actually be friendlier. People are finding that the [Xbox] 360 has some stupid bottlenecks."

The PlayStation 3 more powerful than the Microsoft offering.

"Once we have final hardware for both next-gen systems, we'll have a much better idea of how they compare, but the general consensus right now is that the PS3 is considerably more powerful than the Xbox 360 across the board," said another unnamed source. "It's important to get a good idea of which is the most powerful soon, since multiplatform games will need to be either ported down from PS3 to 360 or vice-versa."

Sony is also planning to make an Xbox Live - type online community

"They [Sony] have a whole division that was put in place after the Network Adaptor was released for PS2 that basically dropped focus on PS2 and moved to planning the PS3," another unnamed insider told the magazine. "They knew that early that they were not going to compete during the current generation."

The Inquirer UK is reporting that Sony is charging qualified Game Developers ( must past rigorous evaluations AKA you need to show Sony that your Game is worthy of PlayStation 3 love) $25,000 pounds for a Playstation 3 developer Kit.

With the kit you get the PlayStation 3 documentation and secrets writes the Inquirer. These machines are going to simulate what is later going to be known as Playstation 3.

According to reports Sony will pay about $50 more than say a DVD +RW drive to outfit the Sony Playstation 3 with Blu-ray drives. Since Blu-ray was developed for high-definition video and high-capacity software applications, Sony is will to make the $100 plunge. A single-layer Blu-ray Disc will hold up to 25 gigabytes of data and a dual-layer Blu-ray Disc will hold up to 50 gigabytes of data.

The Inquirer writes 'this a very expensive step that Sony is willing to take as it will increase cost of Playstation 3 unit dramatically. Sony said Playstation 3 is going the be expensive and this is one of the reasons why."

via

At a recent game developers conference in London, Sony offically revealed many details about upcoming Playstation 3 hardware repoirts theinquirer. . According to reports in addition to the seven Bluetooth 2.0 compliant controllers, and six USB slots on the PlayStation 3, users will also be able to plug in a keyboard and a mouse.

The company representative added that you will be able to play games such as Unreal Tournament 2007 with the keyboard and the mouse.

The Inquirer reports that an nVIDIA spokesperson was quoted in the Official PlayStation Magazine saying that the RSX GPU used in the Sony PlayStation 3 is basically a slightly less powerful GeForce 7800. When Sony unveiled its next-generation PlayStation last May, one of the slides displayed in the presentation showed that the PlayStation 3 GPU had the power of two GeForce 6800 Ultras working in SLI mode, at that time, nVIDIA (the developer of the PlayStation 3 RSX GPU) has not yet unveiled its latest graphics architecture, formerly code-named G70 writes team xBox. According to reports, the fact that a PC chip that is faster than the PS3 chip a full year before it's launch a huge NO NO.

According to Japanese site Mainichi Interactive, Tecmo president Junji Nakamura said day that his company is considering signing up as a third-party developer for Sony's PlayStation 3. GameSpot reports this is the first time Nakamura has addressed game development for Sony's next-generation console.

When asked by investors whether development costs for next-generation games will rise, Nakakura stated that development of Xbox 360 games will cost 20 percent more than current platforms.

CNN has a great 'what if' feature on the Sony PlayStation 3 price. A week ago, when Amazon started pre-orders for the Sony PlayStation 3 at $299, I mentioned how cool it would be if that was the final PlayStation 3 price, ( I am a dreamer OK) seeing that the Microsoft Xbox 360 will cost gamers $400 (the goodies package)

Last month, Sony Computer Entertainment president Ken Kutaragi reportedly told attendees of the company's PlayStation meeting "I'm not going to reveal [the PS3's] price today. I'm going to only say that it'll be expensive."

So the CNN feature goes off the deep end, wondering if Sony talked up a high price tag to throw Microsoft off.

According to Amazon's French edition. The Sony PlayStation 3 will ship on March 15, 2006, for $399.99 Euros in France. As Engadget.com pointed out with the appearance of the PlayStation 3 appearing on Amazon's North American Edition for pre-order, it all seems so fishy, Microsoft announces Xbox 360 pricing, PlayStation 3 pops up on Amazon.

via Ubergizmo

Amazon is taking pre-orders for the Sony PlayStation 3 at $299. The $299 price for the PlayStation 3 is the same start price as the Xbox 360, and while this pre-order price is no indication of the true price, it's cool and affordable.

According to a X-bit Poll Sony's PlayStation 3 seems to be a little bit more popular than Microsoft's Xbox 360 among X-bit labs readers, who mostly come from the U.S. or Europe: 23% of the polled said they were going to acquire Sony's game machine, while 20% said they were planning to buy Microsoft's console. Only 5% indicated intention to get Nintendo's Revolution device, which is due later than the new PlayStation and Xbox. About 46% of surveyed answered that they had no plans to get gaming machines at all.

Ever since PLAYSTATION 3 (PS3) was presented to the public at the Los Angeles Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in May 2005, PlayStation fanatics have been eagerly awaiting the launch of the next generation computer entertainment system. The new games console is due for release in Spring 2006. Thanks to full backwards capability, gamers will still be able to enjoy their PlayStation and PlayStation 2 games on the new model reports Sony.co.uk

Sony Magazine, an official Sony public relations outlet in the U.K., has posted details about the PlayStation 3, Sony/s next generation video game console that the company is expected to debut spring 2006.

Sony is expected to offer optional hard drives for the PS3 with potential memory capacity of 80 or 120 GB. It remains to be decided whether the standard version of the PS3 will come complete with a hard drive. The operating system has also yet to be clarified. The integrated Cell processor will be able to support a variety of operating systems (such as Linux or Apple's Tiger).

Sony's PlayStation 3 may be equipped with faster than expected Blu-ray drives at launch, as it has emerged that faster format will be available before the next generation machine is ready for retail.

Originally The PlayStation 3 was to launch with a single (1X, 36Mbit per second) speed drive to run its optical media. But with the arrival of 2X (72Mbps) drives this autumn, it's hoped that by the time PS3 launches in Japan in spring 2006, faster formats will be readily available, with potential for the multimedia machine to run up to 4X.

via Games Industry

Sony may delay the release of the PlayStation 3 until 2007--if exactly the right conditions prevail, Wedbush senior analyst Michael Pachter speculates.

In a research memo sent to investors, Wedbush senior analyst Michael Pachter detailed the scenario for the delayed PS3 launch.

Current-generation Xbox priced down to $99 post-Xbox 360 launch, but no lower.

Xbox 360 at an unspecified price and the Xbox at $99--Sony would drop the price of the PlayStation 2 to $99.

The $99 PS2 would offer a significant distraction as the 360 launches.

"We believe that the company will attempt to disrupt the Xbox 360 launch with a price cut, and as a result may succeed in diverting attention away from the higher-priced next-generation console."

"the redesigned PS2 carries a manufacturing cost of less than $99," according to Pachter, so Sony would make a profit.

Sony does not want to disappoint consumers and retailers by having too few units in the channel over the high-demand weeks of this coming December. Pachter says, "we believe that Sony suffered the ignominy of being unable to satisfy holiday ['04] demand in order to increase its gross profits over the short term."

If the PS3 launches in late '06 it could suffer lack of unit problems.

If the Xbox 360 sells like hotcakes , Sony would need get the PS3 launched. However: "Should Microsoft fail to garner sufficient software support to gain an insurmountable lead, we think that there is a possibility that the PS3 launch will slip into early 2007."

via GameSpot

In an interview with Beyond3D , NVIDIA's Co-founder, President and Chief Executive Officer, Jen-Hsun Huang, seems to confirm the PlayStation 3's rumored $499 price tag reports IGN

But [GeForce] 7800 [GTX] has now firmly exceeded the perceived $499 price barrier...I'm not even too sure there is a perceived barrier at $499. We need to price it at a level the enthusiasts will buy it at, that's the way that we think about pricing. We think about the pricing of this in the same way that Sony thinks about PlayStation 3's - its not about how much is costs, its about what is the price it needs to sell at, and we need to figure out how to make money underneath that.

PSM magazine claims to have received some exclusive information from development sources about the PS3 or PlayStation 3. In a feature article in their September issue PSM reveals the top secret information on the PS3

At this weeks Sony Computer Entertainment's PlayStation Meeting in Tokyo, company president Ken Kutaragi said the PlayStation 3 will not be a cheap console, even going so far as to say that "...the PS3 can't be offered at a price that's targeted towards households."

ummm that is outrageous. What Ken considers a household remains a mystery.

Answers says " A domestic unit consisting of the members of a family who live together along with nonrelatives such as servants."

So there you have it people, time to get a second job, funny thing is , I want it more now.

In other news Sony is planning a lifecycle of ten years for the PS3, Sony hopes to maintain this long life-cycle by investing now in those expensive pieces of kit, saying "We're looking at a life cycle of 10 years with the PlayStation 3. We're currently shifting from standard TVs to HDTVs.

Read More

Microsoft chairman Bill Gates is betting on the Xbox 360's early lead to propel Microsoft's next generation console into super-stardom. At a meeting with money folk on Thursday Gates said

"Our view is basically we've got a Ferrari, they've got a Ferrari,"

"Our Ferrari is leaving the starting line substantially before their Ferrari is, and in most races that's a very nice thing."

That's way deep

Microsoft's Xbox 360 is due to go on sale this holiday season in the United States, Europe and Japan. Sony's PlayStation 3 is slated to arrive next spring.

via CNET

PlayStation 3 or PS3 Tech Specs

CPU

Cell Processor
PowerPC-base Core @3.2GHz
1 VMX vector unit per core
512KB L2 cache
7 x SPE @3.2GHz
7 x 128b 128 SIMD GPRs
7 x 256KB SRAM for SPE
* 1 of 8 SPEs reserved for redundancy
total floating point performance: 218 GFLOPS

Sony President Ken Kutaragi believes the PlayStation 3 price tag (rumored between $399- $469 ranges will be justified when the next generation console is released

"We're looking at a life cycle of 10 years with the PlayStation 3," Sony president Ken Kutaragi said. "We're currently shifting from standard TVs to HD TVs.

"But in the next couple of years, most flat-panel TVs will be full HD.

"We're releasing the PS3 with full HD features from the start so that consumers won't have to buy another version of the console in the future.

"For the same reason, we're using Blu-ray as the PS3's disc format."

This week at Sony Computer Entertainment's PlayStation Meeting, company president Ken Kutaragi talked about the current status of the PlayStation 3, and gave a glimpse of some new games in development reports GameSpot.

Kutaragi started out by reconfirming that the PS3 will be backward-compatible with PlayStation and PlayStation 2 games and will support high-definition TVs. "We're looking at a life cycle of 10 years with the PlayStation 3. We're currently shifting from standard TVs to HDTVs," said Kutaragi. "But in the next couple of years, most flat-panel TVs will be full HD. We're releasing the PS3 with full HD features from the start so that consumers won't have to buy another version of the console in the future. For the same reason, we're using Blu-ray as the PS3's disc format."

Havok last week signed a new deal with Sony to have the gaming software, known as a physics engine, included in the development kit for PlayStation 3. Developers will now be able to use Havok tools when building games for the new console, which is due to be launched next year.

Sony is promising movie-standard graphics in PlayStation 3 gaming, and Havok's selection is a big endorsement of its technology.

Havok's computer software has also been used in films such as Troy and The Matrix Reloaded.

According to this screencap taken at a Playstation meeting, Sony's next generation console, the PlayStation 3 or PS3 will launch in Spring 2006. According to IGN, the PS3 is closing in on a March launch in Japan, just like the PlayStation 2 before it.

via

Sony Corp. on Thursday unveiled a range of development tools so software companies can develop games for its next-generation PlayStation 3 video game console reports Reuters.

The company said it acquired Britain's SN Systems Ltd. and formed strategic alliances with U.S.-based Ageia Technologies Inc., Havok and Epic Games to provide more tools.

Sony is counting on PlayStation 3 to dominate in all aspects of networked home entertainment -- games, movies, music and more.

"Things that we thought were only possible in movies are now possible in games," Ken Kutaragi, Sony's game division head, told a meeting of developers, suppliers and media.

"But we're receiving calls every day from game developers who want to know how to develop games for the PS3 and how (game unit) Sony Computer Entertainment intended to support them."

In an interview with Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu , Electronic Arts Vice-President David Gardner reportedly talked briefly about how EA will focus on Sony's PlayStation 3 and Microsoft's Xbox 360. According to reports Gardner did not Nintendo Revolution at all.

Since no specifics have been announced it's possible that EA could continue the trend of porting popular games to the Revolution, as it's been doing with the Gamecube reports GameCube Advanced.

IGN is reporting that reports suggesting that Sony has removed router functionality from the upcoming PlayStation 3 in an effort to cut system costs are a little off. Turns out that the functionality was never included, or even announced, in the first place.

The source of the reports is a month-old article out of Japan's biweekly Nikkei Electronics. Providing some insight into the early development of the PS3, the article states that during the system's design phases, Sony considered including router functionality as part of the specifications. However, this idea was scrapped. Sony Computer Entertainment president Ken Kutaragi reveals to the publication that this design decision was made due to cost considerations. Sony anticipates that people will already have a router in their home and will use the PS3 with it.

Japanese news service C-News conducted a new survey of 1,000 Japanese consumers from the ages of 10 to 59 on the next generation of video games consoles.

60% saw the PlayStation 3 as the most appealing of the next generation consoles, 8 percent picked the Nintendo Revolution and just 2 % picked Xbox 360.

Top reason for the PlayStation 3 being on top in Poll . umm its like Japanese. I kid.

The most popular reasons given for choosing the PlayStation 3 were that it was thought likely to have the largest range of software, that it is a Sony product, and the PS3's perceived technological superiority – including Blu-ray support.

via

According to a DFC Intelligence forecast for console games market for the next 5 years, Sony can get 53% market share with PlayStation 3. DFC Intelligence predicts the revenues for game consoles (hardware only) to grow till 2009, where it will almost top $20 bln, and fall afterwards. In the best-case scenario Sony can hope to reach 53% market share, leaving Nintendo and Microsoft with roughly quarter of the market each. Read More

Speaking with Japanese publication Nikkei Electronics, Sony Computer Entertainment boss Ken Kutaragi said that the original specification for the PlayStation 3 or PS3 would have allowed the system's three Gigabit Ethernet ports to be used as a home router.

However, this functionality has now been dropped since it would have made the console cost too much to manufacture.
via

Speaking to Japanese economic website Toyo Keizai, Sony Computer Entertainment President, Ken Kutarag stated that Sony's aim for PS3 or PlayStation 3 is "for consumers to think to themselves 'I will work more hours to buy one'. We want people to feel that they want it, irrespective of anything else." So basically if you are working at Gap this summer, maybe you should try to get some overtime in.

The PS3 is expected to cost $400.

Sony Computer Entertainment recently trademarked the term "P53" in the Japan Patent Office, assigning it the official PS3 logo in an effort to protect the name of its next-generation gaming machine, the PlayStation 3. P53 looks strikingly similar to PS3, the abbreviation for Sony's PlayStation 3 console. Sony trademarked the term "PLAYSTATIOn" as well, also giving it the PS3 logo. Game Spot

PlayStation 3 Aiming for Xbox 360 Compatibility? DS and PSP to Share 360 Link?

In some way, Sony is planning on making the PlayStation 3 'talk' to the 360, though exactly what they are planning wasn't explained.

Our source was 100% explicit about what he saw and was 100% confident in his conviction. The slide was shown to many delegates at the ELSPA summit. It was on screen behind the stage for a long time. I can't believe no one noticed the Xbox 360 in the corner.

Microsoft May Make Xbox 360 Work with Rivals

Users of the Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP) and the Nintendo DS will thus be able to connect their machines with the Xbox 360 and play Microsoft's games over the Internet, Microsoft officials said.

Microsoft appears to have already started sounding out Sony and Nintendo on possible collaboration on the matter. Xbox 360 is slated to be released in Japan by the end of this year.

GameSpot - PS3/360 connectivity for media files could happen, but playing Microsoft games on a PSP and/or DS? NEVER

Speaking to US magazine EGM, Sony Computer Entertainment America boss Kaz Hirai said their next-generation console - PlayStation 3 or PS3 may allow users to browse the web and download movies directly over the Internet. Hirai said that HDTV displays makes web browsing on a console device practical, and said that "there's really no reason why we or some other software publisher can't come out with a web browser."

Hirai also revealed that it will be possible to plug a standard USB keyboard or other USB peripherals into the USB ports on the front of the PlayStation 3, and said that the decision on whether to ship a web browser would be based on consumer demand for the feature reports GameIndustry.

A recent issue of Famitsu contains confirmation that the Sony PlayStation 3 or PS3 will ship with a slot for a hard drive, but no actual hard drive included. As part of a section detailing the hard disk functionality of the the next generation systems, the magazine states that, while Xbox 360 will ship with a 20 gigabyte hard disk included out of the box, the PS3 hard disk will be sold separately from the main system. via IGN

A screenshot supposedly revealing the first glimpse of Rockstar's next-gen version of Grand Theft Auto, has surfaced.

The shot, pictured above, depicts a typical Grand Theft Auto type landscape featuring a large apartment building in the background, pedestrians and cars. OK THIS COULD BE FROM ANYTHING. But since I am so deep into the image, the text accompanying image suggested the first showing will be on PlayStation 3, the French website Jeux-France suggested that the game would soon come to other next-gen consoles due to "online possibilities."

Jeux-France also claimed that the game will be six times larger than San Andreas, with 350 different cars, and would see players having to administrate fuel levels in the cars they drive

via GamesRadar

Japanese Magazine, Toyo Keizai, predicts that Sony will sell the PlayStation 3 for 44,800 yen ($399). The console will cost 54,000 yen ($494) to manufacture in its initial year of release.

Killzone PlayStation 3 is a military first person shooter that builds upon the graphical and gaming excellence seen on PlayStation 2. A non-linear, intense cinematic gameplay experience that combines elements from multiple gaming genres, Killzone PlayStation 3 thrusts players deeper into the conflict between the ISA and Helghast.

Killzone PlayStation 3 Video
Killzone PlayStation 3 Images

Sony's new CEO Howard Stringer said that Sony will cut back on some of its research and development programs in an effort to put more focus on products that the company believes will allow it dominate once again. Stringer emphasized two items that will be key to Sony's business for many years to come: the Cell processor, will be used to power the PlayStation 3 and many Sony's electronics, -- Cell delivers improved, real-time response for entertainment and rich media applications, in many cases 10 times the performance of the latest PC processors. It is expected the Cell microprocessor will become the broadband processor used for industrial applications to the new digital home.

Cell also supports multiple operating systems, such as conventional operating systems (including Linux), real-time operating systems for computer entertainment and consumer electronics applications as well as guest operating systems for specific applications, simultaneously. -- and the Blu-ray disc, hi-def standard format for the PS3. (Sony hopes this will eventually replaces DVD in the marketplace)

"PlayStation is the largest chip eater. Leveraging game applications, we've got the most advanced [Cell] technology, which will give us high competitiveness. The next step is determining what applications we can develop on the Cell processor, for which we are launching a project," said Sony president Ryoji Chubachi

Last week we published a comment from ATI's Richard Huddy claiming the Xbox 360 would have the edge over the PlayStation 3 thanks to the ATI Xenos chipset used in the 360. At the time we just had one quote, here is the remainder of Huddy's comments. On paper the RSX inside the PlayStation 3 is 50MHz faster than the Xenos. Huddy claims that the unified shader architecture of the Xenos will give Xbox 360 a graphical edge over the PlayStation 3.

US magazine Electronic Gaming Monthly is claiming that there is a new Final Fantasy VII in the works at Square Enix for PlayStation 3 or PS3

EGM offers no source for its rumour claim, though this would seem an easy fix to the dual problem of delivering an early-lifecycle RPG ( Role-Playing games) to the PlayStation 3 and desire more FFVII writes Spong

Sony Computer Entertainment has not yet reached a decision on when the PlayStation 3 next-generation console will launch in Europe, with SCEE president David Reeves commenting that "you could be in for a surprise."

Reeves was speaking at the first day of the ELSPA International Games Summit in London, where he focused largely on issues affecting the current generation PS2 and the forthcoming PSP handheld. Read More