Sony Unveils New PlayStation 3 Consoles

ABC News ^ | May 16, 2005

[Panerai]

Sony Corp. unveiled three flavors of its new PlayStation 3 video game machine Monday in what is likely a new round of console wars with rivals Microsoft Corp. and Nintendo Co.

The new machine, set for release in the spring of 2006, is about the same size as the current generation PlayStation 2 but has a more rounded look. Besides black, the PS3 will be available in silver and white.

Sony officials said the PS3's new processor technology called Cell will offer high performance for movie-like realism in games, high-definition movies and other features.

"The PS3 is truly is a system to be placed in the center of the living room," said Ken Kutaragi, creator of the original PlayStation console as well as the more recent PlayStation Portable handheld.

Prices or a specific lineup of games that will be available were not were not provided, though Sony showed off numerous demonstrations of games in development.

[marajade]

I agree about your statement that once you see a game in HD nothing else compares. Its just the principle of the thing... DirecTV offered what two games in HD in their package for 179 last year and now they want 350 for it this year. DirecTV can pound sand. I can catch the games in HD OTA in my local area for free. I'm a huge SF fan and residing in Phx will see them when they play Phx in SF anyway.

[Nowhere Man]

Just remember: your average PDA has more total computing power than every computer system on an Apollo launch vehicle. And that includes the command and lunar modules. Yet, 35 years later, we're still farting around in low Earth orbit.

There's a conspiracy theory for you to chew on.

Yeah, makes ya wonder. I once heard a comparison that the entire computering power of NASA during the Gemini era is the equivalent of an Apple ][ computer.

[scott says]

I didn't realize they raised their prices! Wow, that IS ridiculous! They know idiots like me will pay it, I'm from CT and am a huge Patriots fan and will NOT miss a game, that really sucks!

[FreedomNeocon]

PS3 Will rule the WORLD!

OF COURSE IT WILL SIR!

[scott says]

We Love Video Games!

[HitmanLV]

"The PS3 is truly is a system to be placed in the center of the living room,"

Good gravy, what a horrible sentiment. Do they think we are all zombies, or that we all should be zombies?

[Chewbacca]

That was better than what I had. I grew up with an Atari 2600.

A earlier friend of mine actually had the original home version of pong.

[RayChuang88]

By the way, have you noticed that the font used for the PlayStation 3 name on the console box is EXACTLY the same font used on the titles for the two Spider-Man movies? (Of course, it helps that Sony owns Columbia Pictures, the company that produced the Spider-Man movies.)

[Hank Rearden]

Yeah? Well, this was my favorite toy when I was growing up.

So you can bite me, 'k?

[Thoro]

A gaming friend of mine sent me this list of launch titles for PS3, supposedly from an IGN source. I'm still trying to find a link to verify it, but if this is true, Nintendo and Microsoft may as well not bother with new hardware. Supposedly GTA:Next is a system exclusive. A GTA game and Spiderman 3? As launch titles? Sony isn't screwing around.

IGN's list of games thus far:

EA Sports Fight Night Round 3
Metal Gear Solid 4
Spider-Man 3
The Getaway 3
Grand Theft Auto Next
Dirty Harry
Scarface: The World is Yours
Possession
The Darkness
Demonik
Dark Sector
Akira Kurosawa's Oni
Theseis
Metronome

This is the closest to a corroborating link that I could find: http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/05/16/news_6124681.html?q=1&tag=gs_hp_topslot_click

Excerpted from the link:

"However, Sweeney's words were only the beginning. Later, Sony trotted out a whole host of publishers that are backing the PlayStation 3. And in the process, it confirmed several games for the console. Hideo Kojima introduced Konami's Metal Gear Solid 4, Capcom showed off Devil May Cry 4, Namco unveiled Tekken 6, Polyphony Digital trotted out a fifth Gran Turismo, SCEE showed off the next Killzone, and Rockstar Games showed a new Western title.

EA President Larry Probst was also on hand to show off a demonstration of the next Fight Night game, which will presumably be called Fight Night Round 3. When one of the two fighters took a blow, his skin rippled realistically. Kudo Tsonoda from EA's Chicago studio was on hand, and said that the goal is to make the facial animation convey the amount of punishment a pugilist has suffered.

And still the games came. SCEE had three on display: A third Getaway, with an even seedier, nastier version of London; a new off-road racing game called Motor Storm from Evolution Studios; and a shooter called Heavenly Sword. Sega is readying Fifth Phantom Saga, and Bandai is prepping another Gundam game. Ubisoft is continuing to innovate in the first-person shooter field with an all-new IP named Killing Day. Koei enlightened the crowd with a demo of Ni-oh, a new martial-arts-themed brawler about Buddha's monk bodyguards. Incognito is developing a sequel to Warhawk, the acclaimed actioner for the original PlayStation."

If I recall correctly, Killzone was supposed to be the PS2's version of Halo. It was pretty much hampered by the PS2's limitations, and recieved barely average reviews.

[avg_freeper]

If these companies ever figure out that a lot of people would like to control their console games with a mouse the computer gaming industry will disappear.

[baseballfanjm]

But which one will have more power?

PS3 is cooler looking. ;)