E3 2006 Sony press conference Finished
Live from LA! Sony's E3 press conference begins tonight, Monday May 8th at 4:00pm PDT (12.00am UK/1am CEST) - so bookmark this page now! Eurogamer will bring you live updates from the event right here: PS3, PSP, PS2, all the announcements, all the games, all the action. And seriously, we mean live! Little lines of text will pop up on the page as our troops on the ground smash them into their long suffering laptops (assuming your web browser can handle that sort of event-cone defying magic).
It's late, but you'd be mad to miss it.
Our live coverage has now ended. Here's what you missed: Updating...
Test!
ANOTHER TEST
This is another test
And I'M THE MAYOR
It's test city right here
New line, man. See it go green!
jhkhkjhkj
Mic check, mic check, one two, one two...
Breaking news: Man in monkey outfit tucks Ken Kutaragi under his arm and runs away (this is a test)
Harrison throws pie at Moore, cackles wildly - more news on this shocking development soon. OMG This is the new MSN.
Let's test again, like we did last summer...
Welcome to the Eurogamer.net live text feed from the Sony pre-E3 conference! Our intrepid team is on the ground outside the Sony Pictures Studio in Culver City, Los Angeles (and our less intrepid teams are in a hotel in West Hollywood and keeping a watchful eye back in England). We're waiting to hear that Sony have opened the doors to the conference venue - there's been no announcement of any delay as yet, so we assume that we're going to get our dose of PlayStation flavoured goodness on schedule.
Sony has handed Memory Sticks containing trailers and other such goodies to attendees at the conference. Naturally, we'll be sharing the love in our screenshots section and on Eurogamer TV just as soon as the Memory Stick is pressed in the waiting sweaty paws of our video geeks back at Eurogamer base camp LA, so look out for that after the conference is over!
Everyone's drifting towards the queue for the conference hall but nobody seems to be making it inside yet. Clearly going to be a delayed start. The jokes just make themselves, don't they?
Little bit of movement. It's conceivable we might actually go in. Today. Probably.
Even Hideo Kojima is stuck in the queue. He looks bored.
Even Hideo Kojima is stuck in the queue. He looks bored.
Even Hideo Kojima is stuck in the queue. He looks bored.
Complete gridlock outside. No announcements about why - just lots of people looking at each other and moaning.
Still queuing. At least the weather is nice! We'll let you know if we spot anyone else really interesting looking really bored.
Still queuing. At least the weather is nice! We'll let you know if we spot anyone else really interesting looking really bored.
Movement. A bit more concerted, but not exactly swift. It's going to be ages before everyone's in. A late start and only a few people can get in to begin with? We couldn't possibly comment.
Apologies to anyone encountering errors trying to load pages at the moment - there are rather a lot of you reading, and our web servers get stage fright sometimes in front of such large audiences. Rest assured that our EG tech team are burning the midnight oil to fix the problem as we type - and if you're just viewing the Livetext, you shouldn't see any errors or interruptions in your feed. Which is nice. Oh, we're still in the queue, by the way. It's great.
We're inside. Two PS3s sit on a podium in front of a gigantic PlayStation logo. NBA Live 07 pods are off to the left. Larry Probst [EA's CEO] just walked past. Soon.
"Ladies and gentleman, please welcome Kaz Hirai."
"Ladies and gentleman, please welcome Kaz Hirai."
Hirai [Sony Computer Entertainment America's boss] is talking about how we want to be entertained in new and unique ways, and how PS3 is an "arsenal of media compatibility" bringing people together, connecting to the net and downloading stuff. "Make no mistake - PS3 is the most ambitious project we at SCE have ever undertaken."
"We're not interested in gimmicks, clever rhetoric or conventional thinking." "The next generation doesn't start until we say it does." "Today… the future becomes reality." Hirai mentions the November launch, but doesn't specify exactly when.
Woo, stats! It wouldn't be a Sony conference without enough stats to make Football Manager fans weep. He turns to PS2 - Japan/Asia 23.27m, North America 41.82m, Europe/PAL 38.60m - 103.69m. With another ten million to come. 1.047 billion software shipments - 204m Jap, 477m NA, 366m Europe/PAL.
"SCE will be supporting PS2… for many many more years to come."
Lists PS2 booth titles - 18 including Guitar Hero 2, FFXII, new SOCOM and others.
Hirai finishes with PS2 and is now throwing around PSP bluster. "At its core, PSP delivers unsurpassed gaming experiences in a portable system rivalling PS2." Plays up the multimedia side, including digital delivery. Now it's sales figures - Japan/Asia 4.7m, NA 6.39m, Europe 5.94, 17.03m overall. "No signs of slowing down." They forecast shipping another 12 million. Software sales are 47.3m - 10m Jap/A, 22m NA, 15.3m Euro.
PSP videos. A trailer reel featuring Killzone, World Tour Soccer 2, Ape Academy 2, LocoRoco, B-Boy and others plays. Also mentions PlanetPSP - some sort of digital guide. Lengthier videos including Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror and Gangs of London play. TalkMan too. Nothing massively new.
PSP "Greatest Hits" - budget titles, basically. Ape Escape On the Loose, ATV offroad Fury, Hot Shots Golf, Twisted Metal, Wipeout Pure. Coming to North America.
They're not ditching PSP, is what he's saying - reeling out stats to support the idea that movie UMDs and others are popular. Now he's pointing out how the PSP's had new functions added in the last year.
Later in the year we plan to add RSS video, voice over IP, camera and GPS peripherals, says Hirai.
Another video - people talking about how great PlayStation is. "I've been waiting forever" says one bloke about PS3. At least you didn't have to wait outside today, pal.
Some chick says she's excited about Blu-ray. "When I play games, I become a monkey" says a Japanese man. Er, it's a bit anticlimactic so far.
"So, now onto PS3." We're going to review its vital stats, apparently. Cell, Blu-ray, HD, "pre-installed HDDE", wireless controllers, etc. All stuff we know.
Hard disk is removable, but is there to begin with - just in case anyone was still debating that one. No sign of ducks yet incidentally.
Back catalogue compatibility - over 15,000 titles, PSP "interoperability with PS3 via network, USB, Memory Stick".
Hirai turns to Blu-ray. "Five of the six studios that represent 80% of all Hollywood content are backing Blu-ray."
Apparently PS2 is 95% DVD, 5% CD-ROM now in terms of new releases. "Imagination" is the only limit now apparently. I just threw up in my mouth a little.
"That's right - every PS3 will ship with a hard disk drive." Download content and network, and HDD can serve game performance, with game saves and caching etc. "Simultaneously throughout the world this November," he says about release date.
Clear black unit in all territories at launch, says Hirai. More than 10k dev systems to 208 devs in 11 countries. Final kits shipping now, 6 months prior to release.
Playable PS3 games confirmed on Sony's E3 booth. "Despite what you may have heard." And now Phil Harrison [Sony's worldwide studios boss] is on his way to the stage.
Kazunori Yamauchi is on stage. He's going to show us a GT prototype - Gran Turismo HD - for E3. At 1920x1080p resolution. He's holding a normal Dual Shock pad.
Four tracks. Tokyo R246, Nordschleife, others. 7 cars and 3 bikes. Racing and commercial "down to scooters".
It's very sharp. Apparently it's reusing old assets, but the resolution is what it sounds like. The frame-rate's certainly what he says - 60 frames per second.
As a reference point, the average broadcast TV HD is a third as good as this, apparently. The difference between this and GT4 PS2 is 12 times. No, we're not sure how exactly you measure that either. Some kind of special ruler, probably.
Other tracks are Circuit de la Sarthel and Grand Canyon. The load-times will be lower than GT4's 10-15 seconds. 2-3 seconds, he says.
It's like the ludicrous CG stuff they used to show for PS2 GTs, except it's actually there. We're being shown old GTs. GT1's up on the screen. It looks like a NES game by comparison. Even GT4 looks very rough after watching GT HD running.
The track-side people models are static mostly, with flashbulbs a la GT4, but the effect at pace and from above is much better, with some people moving about. The Grand Canyon looks amazing, with a particularly incredible over-the-cliff view.
The car detail isn't perfect, the bounding boxes look a bit suss on the older models - open wheel cars don't lock together like they do in TOCA 3, for example.
Still, amazingly impressive. "We think the next GT will easily surpass the quality of Gran Turismo HD," Yamauchi says.
GT4 Online PS2 beta testing will take place after E3 in Japan and the US, he says. With full network capabilities, GT will "not expand, but explode".
Ambiguous as to whether he means GT4 Online PS2 is coming soon, or if he's talking about the ramp-up to PS3. Next GT "not too far from the launch of PS3" - he hopes.
Next demo of something to be revealed at E3, says Harrison. Card battling, power of PS3, and EyeToy. "The Eye of Judgement" - developed by SCEI.
You place cards with your actual hands (as in, the ones attached to your arms), from which monsters then appear on on-screen. They then fight.
Harrison adds a card. A duck materialises. Inevitably. And breathes fire on a two-headed demon. It'll be playable at E3 he says.
It's back to Kaz Hirai, who's smiling even more broadly than he was earlier. Online network strategy's the next topic.
More than three million US registered users he says, right now. He says there are no lines between online and off in gamers' minds.
Account management, friends list, profiles, voice and text messaging, video chat, rankings, and latest info as basic services - i.e. free of charge, he adds.
Games, music, movies or whatever will be digi-downloadable. For PS3 and PSP owners. E-distribution coming later this year, as said in Tokyo.
He pulls out a PSP running one of the first PSone titles released years ago. He flicks to the Game menu, Memory Stick, then clicks "PlayStation".
The old PS logo screen appears. And then there's the Space Invaders loading screen. It's Ridge Racer. It's 4:3 in the middle of the screen - not stretched.
You can change the screen size by hitting Select, it looks like - zooming in a bit if you want.
More online stuff - microtransactions. Including a pre-pay PlayStation Card. With exclusive info for people who sign up for that.
And now Harrison rejoins us.
The shop interface shows content for sale for WarHawk. Stuff's listed with prices. Highest is $6.95 for Arid Wasteland, a map - this is all presumably placeholder stuff, though.
He's showing SingStar PS3 - you can download songs, with videos in HD too. You'll be able to try SingStar on PS2 and PS3 at the Sony booth.
Browse catalogues in SingStar - Pop, Rock, etc. You select a song, confirm and download. There's a wallet system, spending limits. No word on prices for songs.
"My SingStar" community. Profile, scores, customisation, details on who's playing. You can add your video performance, snapshots and golden moments for friends to see.
Genji 2 is here. And will be at E3. Game Republic's Bill Rich is demoing it.
Genji 2 looks like a PS2 game in ultra high res. Real-time weapon and character changes in-game. Lots of battles in the background.
The fighting system looks similar to Genji 1. You can charge up a spinning combo, switch out your character for the other, etc. There's a giant crab there now.
It's very visually detailed, but ultimately it looks like a regular third-person action game. He just flipped the boss then leapt on it and stabbed it in the gut.
F1 game for PS3 shown. And there's a gimmick - your PSP can act as a wing mirror, synchronised with what's going on in the main race. There's free software for that, which you upload to the PSP via USB.
All these are being played real time by the way. Heavenly Sword shown. And this looks very, very cool. God of War fans will love the look of it.
There's a Prince of Persia style glow to the dancing female swords-lady dicing up enemies in a coliseum. Chains them, slams them and slices their nuts.
It'll be playable at E3, as will the others. The camera snaps to different angles to frame awesome moves. Swinging men around, spiral spin slices, dual swords... The combat is incredibly fast, creatively shot, and full of exotic moves - now there's a Fahrenheit style button presses sequence in mid-air for the final boss.
A video of games "a bit further out". Factor 5's dragon-riding, mid-air battling, Shadow of the Colossus meets Panzer Dragoon looking "Lair" to start.
Next video! A street in what looks like Amsterdam. Cars zoom past. People stroll along. The camera pulls back to within a house. A man with a gun is there - he's just shot someone. It's another Getaway.
A game from one of Sony's Japanese studios next. An African horizon; a giant, astonishingly detailed and organic rhino on a plain; a giraffe appears, nibbles some trees. Now zebras and wildebeests mingle next to an oasis. Now it's sunset. Very pretty but not clear what it's about. Called Afrika - working title.
Hot Shots Golf/Everybody's Golf - still cute and stylised, but with lots more draw distance and resolution. Very loud and bouncy.
Next up, a crazy surreal foreign land, pixies dancing (I'm not making this up), a bloke with a dodgy blue tattoo. Oh, it's Monster Kingdom - from Game Republic.
Two new games now, says Phil. London Studio's Eight Days looks like a third-person shooter with driving. Set in Arizona; we see gunplay outside a diner - it looks ridiculously detailed, like CG. Who knows, eh? A guy leaps over a bonnet, dives through a window, dodges an exploding tanker. If it's real, it's astonishing.
Next! Detailed jungles, treasure maps, platform-jumping in jungle ruins. The animation is astonishing, facially as well as general behaviour. Imagine Prince of Persia meets Far Cry. From Naughty Dog.
Of all the demos so far, the last two were the only really suspect ones, graphics wise. Now Ted Price from Insomniac is on-stage talking about Resistance.
Re: the "suspect" videos. As in - it's hard to believe they were anything other than Killzone-style CG videos, as much as we'd like to.
Back to Ted and his Resistance game. It looks a bit like a Call of Duty FPS, certainly some sort of high-end PC fare. He's really playing it though, fighting aliens in ruined English streets.
Sniping, throwing grenades that spit out crazy barbed spikes. "Press L1 to fire both barrels" his gun says. Ok Mr Gun.
It'll have 32-player online multiplay too, and will be on the booth at E3.
Harrison says thank you and wanders off. Kaz is back. Beaming as usual.
"What about third parties?" says Hirai. Assassin's Creed video, Mobile Suit Gundam, Coded Arms Assault, Ridge Racer 7... [Tom became very excited at this point and said some things I don't think he wanted me to put on the Internet. - Rob]
Still going! Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway (sorry, Ridge Racer does things to me), Tekken 6 (looking like DOA4 did, honestly), Sonic the Hedgehog (3D, Adventure in ninja res), Virtua Tennis 3, Virtua Fighter 5 (lots of swinging legs)
John Woo's Stranglehold, Fatal Inertia ("Available at launch"), Bladestorm: Hundred Years War, Armored Core 4. That's the trailer reel done with.
Larry "I run EA" Probst is on-stage. Talks about a "special partnership" between Sony and EA. Two brief demos, he says. NBA Live 07's been beaming at us from the left of the stage for an hour, so it's not surprising the first is that.
He demonstrates what he calls "procedural awareness," showing how the player's eyes and body follow a ball cursor believably. He compares this with the PS2 - which, he says, couldn't do that.
He talks about importance of footplanting for PS3 animation. "No matter what the sport, footwork plays a huge role." Freedom of movement is fully 360 degrees
We see two players playing in a gym, with impressive movement - there's only the odd graphical glitch on the bouncing of the ball.
"This is not a video you are watching folks. This is running live on the PlayStation 3." NBA will be athletes' delight, EA reckons.
Now they're doing a demonstration of their PS3 facial modelling and animation system, which was built using motion-captured faces. Tiger Woods' face, to be specific - it's an amazing facsimile - the smile's unmistakable, and Tiger's reactions and vocalisations look very believable.
"This demo wasn't a movie, this was Tiger running live on PS3."
EA plans to support PS3 "with more than 10 titles" including Army of Two, MOH Airborne, Madden NFL 07 and others. We'll be able to play Madden PS3 on EA's booth.
"Kutaragi-san, thank you for your leadership and vision - you can count on EA's support every step of the way," says Probst, who now wanders off.
Now an EA trailer reel - Madden, Need For Speed: Carbon (that's new), MOH Airborne (shades of Killzone…).
Hirai's back. Another sneak peak. From Square Enix. Final Fantasy XIII on PlayStation 3 - multiple versions inc. FFXIII and FF Versus XIII. Both of these were announced earlier today at Square Enix' own conference up the road in Hollywood, so it's not new stuff.
The CG is… well, let's say they're getting quite good at this. In-game is still very impressive - the main character is jumping around firing guns, switching to swords. Now we're in a giant fantasy forest, on a train above a dark city, fighting robots.
Hirai's back again again. "Please give your attention to Metal Gear Solid 4 on PlayStation 3." We'll see what we can do, Kaz.
Old Snake is rambling again - war has changed, it's become a business transaction. ID-tagged soldiers with nanomachine enhancements. He's not a fan apparently.
It's all very similar to what we saw in the Tokyo Game Show demos, except a bit more back to reality perhaps. There's a showreel of familiar characters - Naomi Hunter, Colonel Campbell, Meryl (!). "We are the new FOXHOUND." Otacon's on now. And, yes, Raiden. Liquid. Ocelot. "Old Snake" is their term, by the way.
Raiden had a Darth Vader motif going on - a face mask peeled back very sinisterly. "It's my turn to protect you Snake."
Old Snakesays he has one thing to do. He puts a gun in his mouth. As the screen goes black, the trigger's pulled. "Coming 2007."
Hirai: "It wouldn't be a proper E3 without introducing the man known in some circles as 'The Father of PlayStation'." Ken Kutaragi's on. He asks if we're enjoyed ourselves. Americans yelp.
By the way, if you're viewing in Internet Explorer, please hit Ctrl-F5 - we've made a fix that puts the updates in the right place on your pages. Sorry about that! If you're viewing in Firefox or similar, though, everything is fine. Literally everything.
"I have one more big thing that we have kept secret from you." Back in 1994, he says, the controller shape was quite unique. The new controller is out. It's a Dual Shock 2, or so it looks - but it's not, with a little Xbox-guide-style button in the centre.
Phil Harrison's brought out with the controller, which has new technology inside it too, he says.
"It's not what it looks like, it's what it does." A box appears on screen saying "Not to be opened until E3".
He's put the pad down. A pad is on screen. He picks it up, the one on screen flies. Has six degrees or freedom built in as standard with no external sensor required, says Harrison.
This'll come with every PlayStation 3, says Harrison. Fluid movement in games is completely possible, he says. Imagine leaning into corners, basically.
And now Harrison's moving a duck around by moving his hands, without pressing any buttons. He says the new controller's lighter than the PS2 version. It'll ship with every PS3 he says.
Thank you, Kutaragi says, leaving the stage. Harrison's still up there. "Finally, I have to make a slight confession" he says. They've modified a game to take advantage, having known about the controller for "a couple of weeks", he says - it's WarHawk.
Dylan from Incognito comes on and he's controlling a plane on-screen by wiggling the pad with his hands, using the buttons to fire and nothing else. It looks like one of those dodgy virtual reality film concepts, except, er, he's doing it.
Unleashes rockets, Panzer Dragoon/Rez-style at ships, which he dodges past using deft hand gestures.
Dylan Jobe: "It's incredibly exhilarating." The sensitivity, the weight "is what we were hoping for the PlayStation 3". "Very kinetic control mechanics" possible, he adds.
"Ladies and gentleman, thank you very much - don't you just love surprises?" says a clearly enthusiastic Harrison. Kaz Hirai is back. The sun is basically shining out of his face at this point.
We're nearly at the end apparently. "Today we're pleased to announce the global PS3 launch plan. Two configuration plans for launch - one with 60GB HDD, one with 20GB.
Japan: November 11th. 20GB: 59,800 yen. 60GB will have open price retailers will set.
America: Nov 17th. 20GB: USD 499, 60GB: USD 599.
Europe: Nov 17th. 20GB: EUR 499. 60GB: EUR 599.
We will ship 2 million during launch period, 4 mil by he end of 2006, and 2 mil more by March 31st 2007, he says. So, six million by then.
Hirai name-drops some more games to be expected - including Devil May Cry and Resident Evil. "And as I mentioned previously, at E3 we have a sampling of software titles playable for the first time."
It's all over. I'm going to lie down now. Thanks for reading - and remember, tune in tomorrow for Nintendo and Microsoft's conferences!
Comments (535)
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Luckily it got better but those two games ruined what could have been a good conference. Warhawk is still going to be sweet though, if the reports on the controller feedback hold true. However, Solid Snake in the final scene has already got my money down for a PS3 much like the Halo 3 music got me to keep the Xbox360 on the desk. Not to forget Heavenly Sword, nice.
It is going to be a great next 12 months.
"My love of Nintendo simply arose from the fact that they serve my gaming fan needs with such great love and care."
Ares, you are unable to think for yourself, aren't you?
Show.me.a.cool.game.
I?m not impressed, it?s got to be what, a 10 year old controller design now! I?m surprised that even though they TOOK OUT their rumble device from the controller that all they could fit in was a 6 way tilt sensor. If anyone is laughing tonight it is Nintendo, Sony have just validated the Wii as a real console and Nintendo KNOWS that they can shit on the tilt sensor from a high.
floW - And no-one shouted out "rip-off"?
lol
"My love of Nintendo simply arose from the fact that they serve my gaming fan needs with such great love and care."
Hear hear! (or is it 'here here'?). Well said, as for the rest of your post.
As an extension of it, I'd like to say that this whole generation might be a repeat of the last, except if the Wii becomes as popular as the DS, that'd be refreshing.
Pleased to hear the underrated Genji is getting a sequel, although I hope the gameplay is a little deeper this time (I suspect it won't be, in all honesty).
All it takes is a poorly implemented and imitated feature and your users blindly believe that they have matched and possibly surpassed the functionality of rival consoles. I foretell (based on past experience) that the complexity argument raised by Yossarian will be lost on the average PS owner. Concepts such as sophistication, refinement, depth and subtlety are beyond the aptitude of such puny mortals. If you don't agree with what I'm saying, remind yourself of the common practice of these types to immediately dismiss masterpieces such as Smash Brothers Melee, Wind Waker and Mario Sunshine based soley on their inability to control the characters because either they are too impatient or hopelessly incompetent, or perhaps, even more criminally, they dismiss them based on appearance.
I'd take comfort in knowing that these people are missing out on such wonderful entertainment but for the fact that they can't just leave Nintendo fans be. They have to deride us for our choice. They feel they need to remind us that we did something 'unusual' when we played a colourful game, or bought a purple console. It's human nature to persuade others of your superiority and so they try their best to do so. When one spends so much time and money on an activity, or even lifestyle, such as gaming, the demons of doubt and insecurity fuel debate over who made the right choice. And before anybody points out that all I'm doing is arguing why I'm better than you, I'd like to take the opportunity to admit that that's exactly what I'm doing. Unfortunately for anybody that disagrees, I've got an actual bases for my argument
I'd glady and quietly let the PS3 users do their thing and beat their chests proudly over their shiny new computer box, were it not for the fact that their habits are threating the future of my beloved Nintendo. It's a question of evolution. It's not a case of the better animal surviving, it's a case of the better-suited animal survibing. In this environment, i.e. a market of 100's of millions of idiots, sorry, I should say, uninformed consumers, the PS is the more suited animal. Of course this raises the question of what is meant by 'better' in this analogy, but I've been snobby enough for one post, so I'll spare you the philosophy.
Finally, I'll make one thing clear. First and foremost I am a gaming fan, not a Nintendo fan. My love of Nintendo simply arose from the fact that they serve my gaming fan needs with such great love and care. /takes a moment to cry. And as a gaming fan I acknowledge that PS games such as Grand Theft Auto, Tekken, Metal Gear Solid etc. are fantastic examples of how games are done. And I own an Xbox, so Halo, Halo 2, Rallisport Challenge, Ninja Gaiden et al also share a corner of my cold, dark heart.
If the price comes down and developers manage to harness the incredible power of PS3 both graphically and er... gameplayically and produce something worthy of being termed 'next-gen', then BAM!... I'll start saving and THEN get one. MGS4 looks amazing. That off-road mud racing game has got me all excited and has me giggling like a camping Counter-Stiking AWP noob. And Unreal 2007: Daaammmmnnnn. But if behind the image lurks the shallow, hollow, crude or whatever you want to call it, aimed-at-average-joe level of interaction then what a shame that would be it. It will keep me awake at night knowing what unfulfilled potential the PS3 may end up having.
Sony users can preach all they like about how features like Blue-Ray and Home Entertainment Hub functionality are what make the system such a superior purchase, and they're right, if that's what you're into. But when they arrogantly and ignorantly make the claim for the greatest gaming platform then that's when I will get pissed off. Now? Well now, I'm feeling normal. I'm always this irritable.
What's wrong with me you ask? Well, you'd cranky if you stayed up till 3 watching Sony's uninspiring conference. What, you did? Good. Now we're all cranky.
Damn the mainstream press... they know nothing about tech, but they get to report it to the simpletons who know no better, who then go on to believe Sony is a great innovator.
I'm waiting though until I have seen the other 2 conferences before I decide, but right now I'm sticking with my 360 and getting a (don't want to call it this stupid name) Wii.
similarly, everything about their Online sounds like Live.
I had a discussion with my friends about this the other day. One reckoned that once Sony and Microsoft introduce motion sensor controllers to their machines, Nintendo's machine doesn't really have anything going for it. But we felt that even if they did (introduce motion sensor controllers), swinging a dual shock like a baseball bat or making a chopping motion with it would be awkward.
I don't see the point in having a controller where you can steer a car via a control stick AND motion sensing. Jef Raskin must be spinning in his grave.
The momementum of PlayStation is still going to carry Sony through this generation and they'll be the 'victors', for sure. I think once Nintendo pull out all their magic titles (and no crappy cash-in's a-la Martio Party) and people manage to mod their 360's, we'll all be sick of PlayStation by the next generation.
Oh, and, God of War is fucking terrible. I had to say it.
Oh well. On the 'only going to buy if some really good software comes out that ALL my friends are playing online' list. EDIT: and I'm really -really- tired of this "TRUE high def" shite. Seriously Sony - stfu please, it's getting tired.
Perhaps someone should break the news to them, the next generation started last year. Yes that right, without your permission.
Would the consumer be able to see the difference between PS3 controller movements and the Revolutions? Thats what scares me.
Im still hoping there will be some nut journalist who 'Boos' the Wii name when they say it for the first time on stage tomorrow.
Sod off sony.
That's (probably)one 360 and one nintendo for me then
2 HDMI ports = 0 HDMI ports
3 Network ports = 1 U/D Network port
2 USB's = 0 USB's
It gets worse http://www.scei.co.jp/corporate/
release/pdf/060509ae.pdf
no HDMI port on the 20gb version, one on the 60gb
one ethernet port on both, wireless b/g only on the 60gb
4 USB 2.0 ports, and the memorystick/sd/compactflash port has also gone walkabouts from the 20gb version.
fools
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
You lose, Sony. You just sold me an Xbox360.
2 HDMI ports = 0 HDMI ports
3 Network ports = 1 U/D Network port
2 USB's = 0 USB's
They've neatened the case up a lot though. Looks great in black.
the orgins of this pad can be found back to a few years ago
look
http://www.joystickreview.com/mi
crosoft/sidewinderfreestylepro.a
sp
my god its a MICROSOFT SIDEWINDER
REMEMBER GUYS
SONY DOES WHAT NINTENDID
But I suspect the UK prices will be worked out from the euro prices, then you can just bend over.
of course not. But.. what they have done is way ahead than simply motion sensing. Sony's plagiarism sounds nothing like what ninty's controlls will feel when the star wars game is out (yep it's officially under development as we type) or a tennis game or any hack and slash game or sword swinging, arrow swishing, link as soon as Wii launches.. Red Steel anyone? or fliping your skateboard by flipping your nintendo controller?
and furbs.. nintys controller is .. oh well read above
a) the online interface? (did they even try to make it atleast look like they didn't TOTALLY copy from MS? they must have took a photograph and worked from that)
b)the controller?(I dont know what to say about that except... no thanks, I think the wii is quite safe from that last minute decision, oh and is that a 360 style guide button in the middle too? *rolls eyes*)
Honestly, as much as I hate Sony for its 'barging into the gaming market' 10years ago, I reckon they'll pull another console generation win. Probably not because of the games, but just because people will be lapping it up with all the features that you get from the Xbox360 and Wii all in one console.
Plus, it'll be cheaper (albeit impossible) to import from US as it'll only be ?270 and ?340 (for 20GB and 60GB, respectively). Us Europeans get cheated again.
Right now, I hate Sony for pulling out that motion-sensitive shit.
Could you say Ninty ripped off Sony? Wii Stick / Eyetoy - they are both similar in their application.
This new controller has just got some motion sensors in. Its nowhere near as good as the Wii Sitck.
It'll be interesting to see if EA's "dedicated" Wii team will use the same techniques for ps3, but then i guess there's too much chance of you letting go of the dualshock controller and accidently braining your mates whilst you're playing madden.
Oh and any idea whether the ps3 controller is using the same technology which they were sued for last year?
edit: I think its safe to say we're going to be shafted to the region of over ?300 pounds for the 20gig
$499 put through Xe.com = ?268.703
+ 17.5% vat = ?315
Which will be rounded up cos we get screwed, so probably ?325 or ?350.
$599 = ?322.552
+ 17.5% = 378.99
again rounded up, probably to ?400.
Here's the great Final fantasy, Gran Turismo, Resistance, etc, etc.
Now go pay for the 500 euro console to do.
/bends over
Not only that, did you see how happy they were about it.
INNOVATION! You've never seen anything like this before!
how can they get away with being so blatantly plagiaristic?
The conference has actually put me off getting a PS3, I think I might get a 360 next week and a Wii for sure whenever it comes out.
Highlights for me were the Insomniac game, the Naughty Dog game, and the MGS4 trailer. Raiden looks fucking cool! And I'd like to know what that Afrika game is all about. Heavenly Sword looks decent in a God of War sort of way, but I personally can't be bothered with dumb hack'n'slash anymore.
Price was what I expected. Controller was sort of what I expected - a traditional, familiar Dualshock layout for a start... the motion sensors in the pad looked pretty clumsy from the demonstration - perhaps one of those areas where "the Nintendo difference" will make all the difference. That said, the controller is a pretty safe, smart decision for Sony IMO regardless of how well the motion stuff works.
Pretty average conferance i thought. MGS looked cool but there wasn't anything else that really stood out other than final fantasy.
PS3 - ugly machine, edit: and UNSTACKABLE :/
Controller - Boring old design which surely could have been improved. I bet they shat themselves after the boomerang reception last year and added that gimmicky gyroscope lickety split. It looked cack on that WarHawk demo. How the feck are they going to show that off in demo pods in-stores?
Price - Expensive! 1st generation will be buggy ala Sony. MS will surely drop 360 price. Ninty are most likely going to have another cheap as chips launch.
Launch games - Nothing to write home about.
I mean there really were no unique features... Excited to see what nintendo have to show now
No depth perception, and no pointing mechanism
But it IS a bit suss that this time last year the controller was a standard controller which looked like a bomerang. Nintendo announce their controller.. And then this year - oh Look.. Sonys controller is doing similar stuff.
Poor show really.
Still more excited about the Wii mind.
The movement stuff in the PS3 controller seemed like a rush job to me - they 'knew' about it two weeks earlier?
http://www.bhreviews.co.uk/Hardw
are/microsoft_free_style_pro.htm
Roll on Nintendo.
/goes back to playing Shadow of the Colossus
edit: but I still want a PS3 in sexy black!
Try 400. At least.
He actually had the balls to use the word 'innovation'! Sony, I hate you. You and your success. You and your billions of dollars and golden jet pack equipped executives, with their laser guns. Beeuummmmmm Beeeummmmm
Now I'm angry and tired.
$500 for 20GB Hard Drive
!!!!!!!!1
Retail Nov 14th price: 499 USD 20gb
60gb 599 Euros
...
...
Ouch! AH WELL, my DS and PS2 will serve me well for many years to come.
Je ne sais pas.
That is really really underhanded.
Blimey! Nintendo just got screwed.
EDIT: Let me not say ripped off, it is VERY similar though...
not exactly lies, but I'm assuming a fair amount of disinformation.
"Some bloodlines are meant to come to an end"
Last two subs I think.
Looks lovely though
I dont know what to say... quite boring most of what was shown and Im not seeing anything that would make me want a ps3 there. The graphics arent what sony was hyping them up to be(but the smart people knew that was coming) and the games themselves well wheres this real next gen?
They really need MGS4 dont they?
At least it's during the E3 stuff!
Night all.
Not a word on how bad the actual game looks like? Im getting a fealing this guy got a six pack off beer from sony at entrance.
I guess they are showing a lot of games to say that there will be no shortage like XboX 360. That is the only thing I can think of why not focus on a few and show off the tech in the game that makes it different.
Apart from Heavenly Sword
Very average so far, apart from HSword and Afrika. They were rather 'Zomg!'.
night all
Oh Wait! Except that last gladiator one there. Nice. And that dragon thing that I missed typing this. ; )
There's desperation!
A useful demonstration of the ability would have been nice, if there is one.
Anyone get the feeling this may well be how the next-gen comes to be remembered?
Hopefully Nintendo will put soome oomph into theirs tmrw.
imagelibrary/detail.asp?MediaDet
ailsID=28984
High Res version
Effort -50.
Someone shoot the poor guy.
/gets crate of rotten veg from under chair ready to throw
(not that you can tell much of anything at this resolution)
In BLACK too.
imagelibrary/detail.asp?MediaDet
ailsID=28942
Gran Turismo HD.
.html?event=e32006
FTW!
Arrogant bastards
The brainwashing seems a lot more sinister without the shiny coloured moving pictures.
The other pics at the media centre:
Heavenly Sword and Genji2 look the biz, I like the look of Grand Tourismo HD Prototype as well. Resistance Fall of man looks very interesting never heard of that one before, dunno why the files are named Manchester maybe it's set there or it's where the dev house is based.
Click here http://www.scee.presscentre.com/
imagelibrary/detail.asp?MediaDet
ailsID=28953 and increment the number manualy till you get to number 7
The Eye of Judgment gets a meh.
What happened to those 'hardcore' nights of playing games until the birds start to sing? "
They made MoO3 and killed off the soul of the "one more turn" syndrome.
edit - oops, deleted the naughty language
What happened to those 'hardcore' nights of playing games until the birds start to sing?
/drinks
I love my bed.
cya.
still crap
/turns mute on again
(help!)
So that's who it was.
/leaves room to buy another Orange lolly
/realizes Sony isn't listening
coincidence ?
00:28 Right clicks on the 'red x' rectangle. Chooses 'Show Picture' from the menu.
00:28 Image successfully downloads. Site looks perfect.
00:29 Smiles
00:30 Craps pants upon hearing Guns 'n' Roses suddenly kick in on Gamespot's feed.
; ) Thanks EG. Live report magic working nicely. Good luck with ironing out those traffic issues.
....aint i right?
....aint i right?
....aint i right?
There was a gap in the numbers but 28910 onwards seem to work. There's pictures of Heavenly Sword and Genji 2 now. I'm not sure where these pics end yet.
Might be a lost cause, but I need all the beauty sleep I can get.
It'll make for an interesting morning coffee, anyway.
(in response to Caligari's post
Edit - or not *sigh*
Aaaargh!
I can't believe people have waited this long...and then suddenly they're going to bed because of a slight delay.
Let's show a little love!
That's what happens when you enter 4D space.
"Yeah, and we saw Keita Takahashi yawning. Must be the jet lag."
"And wait, isn't that Yuji Naka, from Sonic Team? In a Sonic the Hedgehog cosplay outfit?"
Queuing; so good they posted it twice.
I was meant to be watching 'They Live' Prof.
In fact, I think I'll put it on in the background. I need a bit of Roddy action (take that how you will).
How long does it tke to find a damn seat.
School doesn't start for a few hours yet Dire.
Maybe Bill Gates has blocked the door on the other side with a 360.
/imagine Sony execs backstage
Shit! The controller! We forgot to change it!
Quick kiss for missus... check
Grab *huge* plate of lasagne... check
Strapped myself infront of Mac... check
Waits for live feed... check
arrgh - internal server error - can't see any of latest (or indeed this, soon to be lost to me) comments.
Goes back to lasagne...
imagelibrary/detail.asp?MediaDet
ailsID=28887 through to http://www.scee.presscentre.com/
imagelibrary/detail.asp?MediaDet
ailsID=28926
Even Hideo Kojima is stuck in the queue. He looks bored.
This post is marked 11 o'clock. Heh.
Even Hideo Kojima is stuck in the queue. He looks bored.
This post is marked 11 o'clock. Heh.
Wait. Waaait. Waaaaait!
Why am I put in mind of that mock Star Wars simulator/ride at Disneyland?
...so they all agree? Sony sucks? The PS3 is Satan and not Jesus?
Kojima must be REALLY bored ^^
figures.
Yep, me too.
Just got to flush and get back to the computer.
And yes, it went borked for me too.
/hits F5 to update comments
That gives me time to go poo poo.
Thanks Sony!
Oi, some of us are trying to sleep u know!
I think the 'we've entered the future' comment was refering to eg's lovely live update system.
They've already posted 2 comments
/shakes fist at EG
Didnt we do that yesterday? And the day before that? And before that? ??
Plz ppl, its the Sony pres conference, not the end of the world. Remember last year eh?
I have no life.
/runs to the toilet to take a wii
BTW, IE6 should be fine.
:'( got uni in the morning.
/said in the voice of scotty ... "You've got te keep her runnin EG"
I'm assuming that IE6 won't cut the mustard?
HOW LONG IS THIS SUPPOSED TO LAST BTW!
RAAAWWWWRAARRRRRR!
YES YES YES, it's the only reason I stay...
I'm looking forward to some insightful speeches on the technology and future of the gaming industry.
Edit: Oh you mean the TV page, sorry
The server encountered an internal error or misconfiguration and was unable to complete your request.
Please contact the server administrator, mark@eurogamer.net and inform them of the time the error occurred, and anything you might have done that may have caused the error."
...
That's EGTV gone fubar then.
RAAAWWWWRAARRRRRR!
So what's all this noise about... I see EG ticker tape thing going to start... cool.
/Buys orange lolly and takes a seat and stares into space whilst waiting.
why?
why?
CAUSE I EARNED IT!
that's a relief
How long is the conference expeced to take?
I have to F5 this comments page manually! With my finger!
New controller ftw! Next gen SingStar ftw! New Eyetoy?
/eyes very static looking page with suspicion
Tuesday @ 00:00 hours would have been way better.
anyway, not to worry, I'm here now
http://uk.gamespot.com/e3/e3stor
y.html?sid=6149412
FF13
#EGE3 on Quakenet btw. Not endorsed by Eurogamer in anyway.
/giggles like a girl
hpws mu tiych typinh?
Linky for those too lazy to check latest comments.
Open the comments page in a separate tab?
It says the 6th...so is this Live or is it Memorex?
Oh and we dont even need to F5 for the comments? Wow, I wont get any exercise at this rate.
I'm oiled up for this, i've got drafts of all kens past speeches, i expect no less than 2160p really really real reality across 7 axies and 8 plains of existence!
Good luck guys.
D
\0/
And they won't have Tom's comedy ramblings either!
Sellout.