Sony 'overreached' on PS3 Blu-ray production - Harrison

By Tom Bramwell Published 6 November, 2006

But it'll be fine, apparently.

Sony's Phil Harrison has admitted that the company "overreached" with its decision to include a Blu-ray drive in PlayStation 3.

Referring to the shortages of blue diodes that forced Sony to postpone the console's European launch until March, Harrison told Eurogamer's Rob Fahey, "we have overreached in production of the Blu-Ray component - I can't deny that".

"But that's the price you pay for adopting brand new, leading-edge technologies that will be future proof. We will resolve those issues - we are already catching up."

"We will continue to catch up on the production, and as you know, we haven't changed our full-year forecast of six million units [by March 2007], so we're only talking about a ramp-up issue. We're not talking about the fundamental design of the product itself," he added.

"There's no denying that we've had some very public challenges," he had said. "Today, it looks like a very difficult situation - but in the weeks, months and years to come, this will pale into zero."

Speaking as part of an interview being serialised on Sony's semi-official Three Speech blog, Harrison also addressed the issue of HDMI's late inclusion in the lower-end PlayStation 3, the 20GB model.

"The reason for the change was in reaction to a market trend, which is that much more displays are being sold with HDMI, earlier, than had been previously forecast. Not just Sony, but all the other TV manufacturers," he said.

"Although we didn't say it at E3, I think that the unspoken assumption was that we would always merge everything into HDMI eventually. We just made that decision earlier."

Keep checking Three Speech for more of Rob's interview with Harrison.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (87) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Tonka #1 5 years ago

    GO!

  • Razzajazz #2 5 years ago

    Hmmmm...........

  • #3 5 years ago

    "But that's the price you pay for adopting brand new, leading-edge technologies "

    And by "you" he means you.

    Happy happy. Joy joy.

  • dog2_99 #4 5 years ago

    "I think that the unspoken assumption was that we would always merge everything into HDMI eventually"

    does that mean that those who bought the 20gig version upon release would have been faced with an upgrade at some point?

  • lambtron #5 5 years ago

    Holy shit!

    Sony exec in honesty shocker.

  • Shinji #6 5 years ago

    does that mean that those who bought the 20gig version upon release would have been faced with an upgrade at some point>

    I don't think that's the implication. You buy a console without HDMI, it doesn't grow HDMI overnight, but 20GB models a year later might come with HDMI. It doesn't sound that different to how the slimline PS2 built in the network adapter, or whatever.

    That said, it would still have been lame to have a version of a console whose big selling point is 1080p, that couldn't do 1080p. Putting HDMI on all of them isn't so much a good move, as an "I should bloody well hope so too" move.

  • El_MUERkO #7 5 years ago

    "honestly we're right"


    which they are

  • Darkedge #8 5 years ago

    "But that's the price you pay for adopting brand new, leading-edge technologies that will be future proof."
    a future proof console?
    HAHAHAHAHAHA.
    Next you'll be telling us that UMD was a roaring sucess

  • phAge #9 5 years ago

    Wellwellwell, looks SOMEbody has been listening to their communication advisors...

  • rhinoxious #10 5 years ago

    The price you pay is waiting 15 months or more to play 'next-gen' games, when compared to someone with a 360.

    Plus the PS3 with Blu-ray and a built-in hard disk will find itself in the same tough position as the old xbox when the inevitable price war begins next christmas.

    Which means I'll have to wait even longer before it comes down to a sensible £200 price, which is as much as I'll spend on a third choice console.

    Curses.

  • dog2_99 #11 5 years ago

    hmmm the inclusion of a hdmi connection further down the product life is slightly different than a built in network connection. I could be wrong but didnt old ps2 have a slot for the network connector just not built in? anyways i guess it does not matter now as it will have it!

  • Dr.Mott #12 5 years ago

    1. At least he's being honest, thank God Sony have him instead of just Ken and Kaz
    2. Prepare for 200 comments...

  • jellyhead #13 5 years ago

    He's not long for the job.
    Where's the madcap comments, the denial, the obfuscation!?

  • Darren #14 5 years ago

    Considering that both Sony and Microsoft are predicting the death of disc based media for their next consoles, how can Phil Harrison say that Blu-ray is "future-proof"?

    The decision to include HDMI with all PS3s is a good move though as it gives the machine an image-quality advantage over the analogue-only Xbox 360; somehow I can't see Microsoft releasing a dashboard update to include that like they did with 1080p! LOL

    I've just heard that the PS3 consumes 380W of electricity compared with the 160 of the Xbox 360. Goodness knows what it needs all that power for. Sony weren't kidding when they said that the PS3 uses twice as much power as the 360... oh sorry... they said that the PS3 is twice as powerful as the 360, didn't they? ;)

  • BLACKSHEEP #15 5 years ago

    I feel proud to be English ;)

    Shame he doesn't have KK's influence.

    I've heard Blu-Ray is a power hog!
    Edited by 1 at 06/11/06 @ 15:12

  • mankell #16 5 years ago

    I agree 'future proof' is a bit of a wanky term but I think the PS3 will be around longer than the 360.

  • The_Programmer #17 5 years ago

    How is Blu-ray "future proof"? What happens if say a 3D multi-terrabyte disc comes along. Bang goes your Blu-ray drive. At least with the Xbox360 add on approach you can just add it, if you want, and nothing lost.

    I think the same applies to TV's. I would rather get a good quality HDTV with no digital/analogue tuners in it and buy a set top box to do that job. Then when HDTV or any other broadcast standard comes along all you have to do is change the set top box and not the TV.

  • moggsy #18 5 years ago

    Bloody hell - I never thought they'd admit it...

  • Nobuo #19 5 years ago

    Whenever I hear or see anything related to Phil Harrison I always imagine an overpowering smell of aftershave.

    It's quite strange really. I wonder if I'm alone.

  • The_Programmer #20 5 years ago

    "I've just heard that the PS3 consumes 380W of electricity compared with the 160 of the Xbox 360"

    Holy global warming. Does the PS3 come with a free fire extinguisher?

  • mankell #21 5 years ago

    You're right of course. I'm sorry.

  • Arwin #22 5 years ago

    Cut the 380W bullcrap - this is peak level, for EC and Power Adapter rating purposes. The PS3 actually uses less power than the 360, from the looks of it. At any rate, if you rate the 360 in the same way (peak calculations) you end up with over 600W.

    We'll know how much it really uses while playing your game and in idle mode soon, when people start testing the retail units. Wanna make a bet that it'll be lower than the 360?

  • lennon #23 5 years ago

    Jesus H - My console uses less power than yours :p

  • fizzer25 #24 5 years ago

    il bet you irwin

    10 bob and a bent rolly says ps3 will be the scourge of the icecaps!!!

  • lambtron #25 5 years ago

    It is the end of days!

    People fighting over power usage!

  • peterfll #26 5 years ago

    I couldn't care less what Phil says to be honest, he has zero credibility in my book. When the PS3 it out on the street to buy and it's justifying it's high cost then I might be interested again. Until then he can go say what he wants, its all hot air.

  • Xerx3s #27 5 years ago

    "We will continue to catch up on the production, and as you know, we haven't changed our full-year forecast of six million units [by March 2007], so we're only talking about a ramp-up issue. We're not talking about the fundamental design of the product itself,"

    Considering the fact that they will only have about 500 K units out the door at launch, this doesn't sound very realistic.

  • Rambaldi #28 5 years ago

    "The reason for the change was in reaction to a market trend, which is that much more displays are being sold with HDMI"

    But component can carry 1080p! The reason was for DRM which is carried over HDMI ergo the whole architecture is geared around movies, not games ergo it's not needed for games.

    Phil "One step forward two steps back" Harrison. He should have been a fookin politician!
    Edited by 1 at 06/11/06 @ 15:45

  • peterfll #29 5 years ago

    It's future proofed if Blu-Ray "wins" out in the battle of next-gen DVD wars. As a Sony representative, Phil will follow the party line as expected of course.

    However, should HD DVD win, or there be no clear winner, the advantage of Blu Ray is of course questionable..... and this has of course been endlessly debated to death, here and on other sites already....

  • #30 5 years ago

    Should have grilled him about whether this "overreach" would have an impact on the euro release.

    Oh wells, another opportunity knocking.

  • nickthegun #31 5 years ago

    "Today, it looks like a very difficult situation - but in the weeks, months and years to come, this will pale into zero."

    Looks like someone doesnt know how to spell insignificun...insignificen...in...insignific... Zero...

  • Shinji #32 5 years ago

    But component can carry 1080p!

    Sod all 1080p-capable TVs will accept it over component, presumably for bandwidth reasons. Also, HDCP isn't going to be enabled on any content until 2012 at the earliest, so I don't think that's really a major concern...

  • NthSimulachum #33 5 years ago

    OMFG the playsationzorz uses teh m0re powerz ROLFMAO!111!!11!!one!

    Still...380W for an electrical appliance...

    Will the next-next-gen systems be able to boil water?

  • Xerx3s #34 5 years ago

    Btw, does anybody know what the real differences are between DVI and HDMI? Apart from the digital rights crap (one reason alone to not use it).

  • brooza #35 5 years ago

    Well, they seem to have realised the the arrogant approach isn't working, so they're showing a bit of humility

  • KD #36 5 years ago

    I think this phil guy is starting his damage limitation, BR is the cause of most things people dont like about the PS3 like it being the cause of the high price, dev's making multiplatform games for the lowest format so not using the BR benefits and also the reputation sony has for "pioneering" new media formats (minidisk, betamax, UMD etc..).

    Personally I honestly think BR aint a selling point for 95% of potential buyers as most of us have been stung by sonys formats over the last decade or 2 and holding out for either the price to drop enough so the BR drive apperas to be included for free or a few million units to sell first to warrant developers to make exclusive games that use the benefits BR gives.

    Also i was chatting to a few mates who are not really gamers and i asked them why they bought a ps2/xbox, most said it was for the dvd playback and back when the ps2 was released they didnt have a dvd player, now that looks promising for the ps3 but back then remember dvd writers were starting to get common in pc's and all they really wanted from it was to watch porn or buy pirated films (boo :p) and after that all i can say is..

    The new format winner (BR/HD-DVD) will be the first to get well priced writers out for the pc which IMO aint gonna be BR but HD-DVD. All this is just my honest opinion and by reading a good few gaming forums lately i aint in the majority :)

  • sharpfish #37 5 years ago

    Why is every "admission" of a f-up really a vehicle for more PRO-PR?

    What he should have said is, "We let the gamers down by including blu-ray, causing delays for a technology nobody wants yet, but we felt it vital to trojan horse our brand new format in a popular consumer product like a playstation. This means delays and high prices and possibly piss-poor games due to a bottle necked system but at least you will be able to watch the BEST QUALITY films instead of simply buying a player for whichever format wins in a couple of years"

    and his follow up quip would be "Don't mention the loading times, just think of the amount of quality FMV we can cram into our future 'games'".

  • chupachups #38 5 years ago

    The thing is, there's a difference between introducing a new technology at the appropriate time and introducing it first.

    The first CD-based games generation wasn't the PlayStation/Saturn one, it was the Mega CD/Neo Geo/TurboGrafx one, but all of those machines died on their arse. The first PC CD games were similarly underwhelming.

    Nintendo and Microsoft haven't said they'd NEVER use blu-ray or hd-dvd, they said it wasn't appropriate for this generation, and if you look at the massive costs and delays Sony is suffering from then there's a good chance they're right.

    Look at it this way: if Sony hadn't used Blu-ray, the PlayStation 3 would have been virtually certain to sleepwalk into the top spot. It would have probably cost the same as the 360, almost the same as the Wii, and it would have been available in massive quantities this Xmas instead of tiny amounts in US and Japan with nothing at all in Europe. But they did use blu-ray, and now everything is thrown into doubt. They might still triumph, but that is far less certain now due to their going with BR.
    Edited by 2 at 06/11/06 @ 16:30

  • peterfll #39 5 years ago

    Well, only time will tell if BR will become Sony's and the PS3's Achilles' heel.

    It certainly has the potential.

    Thing is, for every one of us who can see through the hype there seems to be at least 100 more who buy into it. Just look at the recent media reporting on the PS3.

    "it's like having a super computer under your telly" - The Gadget Show
    "beats the 360" Stuff Magazine

    As much as we can ridicule these sources they *do* represent that damn mainstream consumer who - at the end of the day - put the Playstations a-top of the pile.

  • Xerx3s #40 5 years ago

    HDMI also packs a sound signal, through which you can receive Dolby TrueHD lossless 7.1 audio.

    So how is this better than my fibreglass cable that patches directly into my 5.1 system? So the audio goes into the tv and then there will be an optical cable from the tv to the sound system?

  • peterfll #41 5 years ago

    Does anyone know if the PS3 can output DolbyTrue HD for games (i.e. not just movies, if indeed it's ever included on BR titles)?

  • GChris #42 5 years ago

    "The first CD-based games generation wasn't the PlayStation/Saturn one, it was the Mega CD/Neo Geo/TurboGrafx one, but all of those machines died on their arse. The first PC CD games were similarly underwhelming."

    But on the other hand the PS2 was (AFAIK) the first console platform to use DVD media for games, and that worked well. Since the jump from DVD to Blu-ray is more similar to the jump from CD to DVD than the jump from cartridge/floppy to CD then I think it is unfair to judge it on the above basis.

  • chupachups #43 5 years ago

    "But on the other hand the PS2 was (AFAIK) the first console platform to use DVD media for games, and that worked well."

    If the very first blu-ray players had launched a couple of years ago, then I'd agree that the situation with the PS3 is similar to the PS2, but that isn't the case. Blu-ray is actually launching simultaneously with the PS3, that's why it costs so much, that's why they're having production problems, and that's why it's putting the whole future of the PS3 in jeopardy.

    The PS2 launched a couple of years after the very first DVD players had appeared. The price of DVD players dropped considerably during those first years, so when the PS2 launched it didn't actually cost that much to include a DVD drive.

  • MasterGrief #44 5 years ago

    Well no bad news here, but as usual the Microsoft brigade is trying to spin it to look like there is.

    Seriously Xbox 360 is the only console in history that hasn't had a format upgrade and yet somehow through expert FUD and media manipulation Microsoft has somehow managed to convince a large amount of people that this is somehow a benefit to consumers. The only people this benefits are Microsoft themselves.

    Since when is a company applauded for lack of ambition whereas the company that is prepared to take large risks to advance itself criticized for it ?

    Then again I'm sure if it was the other way round and the 360 was the one with Blu-Ray and the PS3 with DVD then all these people would be touting it as the best thing ever.

  • SeesThroughAll #45 5 years ago

    Then again I'm sure if it was the other way round and the 360 was the one with Blu-Ray and the PS3 with DVD then all these people would be touting it as the best thing ever.

    The question is: would you? ;)

  • Razzajazz #46 5 years ago

    @ MasterGrief

    It's all well and good for a company to try and advance itself, but only when it's what the consumers want. I certainly don't believe that Sony is going with Blu-Ray for my benefit. It's far too transparent that they're trying to win a format war, and I would like to be able to choose whether I participate in that war or not. Paying a silly price for the PS3 just because of the Blu-Ray drive is not something I wish to do.

    When it comes down to it, the only major difference between the two consoles are the formats used. I really haven't seen enough of a difference between their gaming capabilities to think I'm paying for anything else except a BD-ROM drive.

  • MasterGrief #47 5 years ago

    @ Disc The sega mega cd was an add on drive not a console and it was also a flop
    The Dreamcast used GD-Roms not CDs as you implied and the Neo Geo can be comapred to the PS2 in that it could use CDs and DVDs just like the PS3 can use DVD and Blu-Ray.

    And spinning for Sony ? I don't think so. If you look back at articles from the past year or so you'll find several Micrososft comments devaluing Blu-Ray and creating a general feel of negativity and uncertatinty towards it (ie FUD) and it appears as usual a large amount of people have fallen for it.

  • Kafeen #48 5 years ago

    How is Blu-ray "future proof"? What happens if say a 3D multi-terrabyte disc comes along. Bang goes your Blu-ray drive. At least with the Xbox360 add on approach you can just add it, if you want, and nothing lost.

    Yeah, but it still won't use it for games.

  • sanctusmortis #49 5 years ago

    There are TONS of consoles that never did media upgrades between generations. In fact, just about all, until the PS generation, as they were all carts. Plus, it IS an upgrade of sorts: DVD to DVD-9.

    The 360 has a ton of ambition - so much, that Sony have copied nearly all of it. The Guide button, the Live integration, the multimedia capability, Gamerscore, Achievements, XBLA... that's just a few. All copied.

    It has seen benefit. Streaming video and audio is very handy, a centralised commerce system for getting add-ons amkes things a lot simpler, the Gamerscore system has created some rather interesting side effects (the multitudinal hordes of online score comparers, for one), and Arcade has opened the market for small, simple and addictive games. You think games like Cloning Clyde, Outpost Kaloki X and Geometry Wars II would have retailed?

    If the 360 had been £425 with a HD-DVD there would still have been uproar - and with good reason. They didn't do it though, did they? They simply gave us HD era gaming without a silly price tag. You can get a basic machine for not much more than a PSP, and slowly upgrade it to a beast as you get the cash and need. Who needs a HD movie format, really? With so little to use it for, it's quite pointless. Heck, there are already more HD-DVD films out in the US than Blu Ray!

    And before you say it, yes I do enjoy having a 360, and have no intention of getting PS3. But all the above is why! I have so far seen nothing to convince me I am crazy. Resistance footage fails to move me, as the videos I've seen seem to lack even ragdoll physics! White Knight Saga seems to be the truly impressive game, and that seems a tad odd.

    When, in 2012, the UK actually has some solid reasons for going HD (the BBC already stated they can't afford to begin true HD work until the digital handover is complete, and I imagine the others will hold off until then), I'll upgrade. By then, the movie format should pretty much be decided, and there'll probably be another games generation. As the only reason it seems to get PS3 is that little drive, I just could never justify paying for one (heck, if someone wants to give me one I'd take it - like I'd take a car even though I lack a licence...) This whole thing will be an echo somewhere, and no-one will care anymore.

  • Der_tolle_Emil #50 5 years ago

    The PS2 was the first console to use DVDs but not the first console to use a CD successor. The DreamCast used GD-Roms (mentioned already) which held a lot more data than CD. And the GameCube, too, used DVD like media.

    While the PS2 might be the first console to really use DVDs and be successful you have to consider the release of the PS2. The DVD standard was finished in 1995, five whole years before the PS2 launched. BluRay in its current form exists since late 2004 so about 2 years. Plus, BluRay/HD-DVD adoption rate is much slower than with DVDs because there was no real format war then and the advantages over VHS were obvious. So this is not really comparable.

  • peterfll #51 5 years ago

    "the Microsoft brigade"

    Yes, here we come, we have our flags and our marching band. We've burnt an effigy of Phil and Ken and next we're coming for you Sony fanboys. After that, we'll get the Nintedites too.

    Just in case anyone else cares, I hope you realise that buying a 360 gets you a lifetime subscription to the the Microsoft brigade.
    Edited by 2 at 06/11/06 @ 17:45

  • Rambaldi #52 5 years ago

    Which ever way you look at the pros and cons of BluRay, one thing cannot be dismissed: because of their (IMO underhanded and unecessary) ambitions with Bluray their (just as powerful) console is hitting the market between 12 and 18 months late, missing between one and two holiday seasons.

    That's just plain poor business planning.

    EDIT: That Wii advert at the top is like fuel on the fire too!
    Edited by 1 at 06/11/06 @ 18:12

  • secombe #53 5 years ago

    "But that's the price you pay for adopting brand new, leading-edge technologies that will be future proof. We will resolve those issues - we are already catching up."


    Tell that to the people who bought the technically superior future proof Betamax.

  • Xerx3s #54 5 years ago

    ¬_¬

  • KD #55 5 years ago

    I dont see the connection with comparing BR to DVD, back when ps2 was released even my gran and grampa knew about dvd's and wanted a player as they still watched VHS tapes. This new format war is being fought with no interest from the types of people who make or break a format, the PS3 could take off and have more sold than the 360 but unless they get people like my gran/grampa (common non electrial caring people) interested in BR the movie side of the format will still have a high chance of failing, this wont hamper the game side of the format but it'll still leave people asking "why am i forking out so much for a movie/game player when the movie side could fall over in a few months/years". The past cycles of movie formats have lasted alot longer than DVD been out and this is just to hard to swallow for most. Yes you can play dvd's on a BR drive but why bother forking out for one when you already got a dvd player? and i havent heard of companys dropping DVD as a movie format unlike when DVD's first came out and movie companys already set out they're plans to stop making new films on vhs tape. It just dont work out as a sound investment in my eyes

    And then we get my point i like saying, the writers aint out so "most" people wont care for watching BR/HD-DVD movies as they can still get a dvd with the same movie for cheaper or nothing. Pirated films suck i know but you cant deny the pirated dvd market is soo big not many will want to move on so quick.
    Edited by 2 at 06/11/06 @ 18:32

  • captainrentboy #56 5 years ago

    ........Bored
    I just wish the bloody thing would hurry up and get released now,not because I want one,just because it'll just stop all the speculating and general bullshit spouting by net users on nearly every game website out there.
    I mean when some of you have to resort to calling people Xbots,Sony Zealots,nintendites,and The Microsoft Brigade just because they've shown the odd negative opinion surely you've got to ask yourself ''Isn't there something better/more constructive I could be doing with my time?''Because some of you do sound like right twats :)
    Anyway I think ole Phil is right though,by chrimbo 07 when the PS3 is out and in healthy supply in all major territories all the fuss and nonsense over the last few months will be swiftly forgotten about.It's just the way it is with your general consumer.All the customers that come in my shop enquiring about the PS3 don't actually fly into fits of rage just because it's been delayed until around March,everyone just shrugs it off.It's really no biggy with most folk.

  • secombe #57 5 years ago

    "All the customers that come in my shop enquiring about the PS3 don't actually fly into fits of rage just because it's been delayed until around March,everyone just shrugs it off.It's really no biggy with most folk"

    Because most people have more important things to worry about, at a guess. Hell I still haven't played all the Mega Drive games that I want to play through yet, and I've been playing that thing for about 12 years now. People can't be short of games to play (seriously, they can't, there has to be at least 1000 great games out there, and I'd be shocked if most people have played even 25% of the ones they like out of that), so it must be for another reason - most probably to impress the mates/school-friends.

  • spongebob #58 5 years ago

    I am quite sure that PS3 will be around as long as PS2. Microsoft will do well with X360 (much better than first Xbox) but they have to come up with a new console in a few years to match PS3 (and top it). Not a big deal for them or the MS console customers. There will be a X360 2.0 (with HD and HD DVD on board) and it's going to be relatively cheap probably.

    Oh yeah, and if Sony gets the same variety for PS3 with the game catalog, it'll definitely be the number one choice for your average customer. MS hasn't been able to grasp the concept of regular gamer that well. They're aiming too much for the Gears Of War / Halo crowds. Viva Pinata is not enough and buying games from the Internet is casual enough for average gamers.

    Wii is great for families, but it has problems with people who want to buy only one console for the whole family (ie. daddy wants his games, kids theirs, and there are no serious hardcore game veterans).

    Wii is the number one choice to buy for your kids and if you are a Ninty fan. PS3 is for everyone. X360 is for blokes (and maybe their girlfriends if the blokes give a hand with XBLA).
    Edited by 1 at 06/11/06 @ 19:19

  • Rambaldi #59 5 years ago

    @disc

    I think it's a bit narrow minded to assume that the only people that Sony are scared of is Nintendo. In Japan, yes (hence the PS3 price drop there), but the West is a different story. Also, since when were Microsoft only aiming at a market of 20-30 million?

    At the end of the day Sony placed themselves on the console throne with little or poor (including poorly managed) competition. By the time Xbox and GC arrived the race was over but MS got a foothold (albeit a small one, hence the logical move of dropping support and focusing on the next step-up). Sony rested on their laurels and were caught out of step by MS launching the 360 so early. The PS3 was supposed to launch 3 months after; now a year or 18 months if you're a lowly European.

    I disagree when you say that price is not an issue. Price is ALWAYS an issue with consumer products. Your logic of the majority waiting for the price to drop is, I'm afraid, undermined by Sony's long standing history of setting and keeping prices high (even when the technology is out-dated).

    Joe Bloggs doesn't really give a damn about Sony's business plan for 5-10 year cycle. They care about what's on the shelves (particulalry at this time of year), what it has to offer that's relevant to them and what price it is.

    IMO, In a nutshell: the ONLY thing that Sony have going really strong for them right now 'on the street' is their reputation. Let's hope it's enough.

    P.S At least MS supported the Xbox right up until the 360 launched: what the hell have Nintedo been doing for the GC apart from delaying Zelda for over a year?
    Edited by 3 at 06/11/06 @ 19:35

  • Mordum #60 5 years ago

    @disc

    Xbots?
    How old is everyone in here... surely old enough not to use these childish labels anymore. It's just as annoying as people who still use the word 'noob' online, I can tolorate it from kids, but from supposed grown ups?!

  • Bates #61 5 years ago

    "P.S At least MS supported the Xbox right up until the 360 launched: what the hell have Nintedo been doing for the GC apart from delaying Zelda for over a year?"

    What! The last "support" MS showed for the Xbox was with that awful "Conker" port they put out... in August... 4 months before the 360 got released.

    Nintendo have shifted focus from the Gamecube to the DS this past year. A smart move, as they freely admit the Gamecube "failed"(If you can call it a failure considering it did just about as well as the original Xbox), and the DS has been the best selling console everywhere the past year.

    Also, I agree that price is an issue, which is why the Wii is going to dump all over the 360 when it comes out :)

  • BartonFink #62 5 years ago

    Oooo honesty from a Sony exec. wow!!

    Why didn't he just go the whole hog and say they made a mistake in adopting an unproven technology too early.

    Close enough though.
    Edited by 1 at 06/11/06 @ 19:53

  • yagisencho #63 5 years ago

    If Sony had been really intended to future-proof the PS3, they'd have included a much larger hard disk instead of foisting a new optical media format that's expected to have a short run of it.

  • BartonFink #64 5 years ago

    Yup kinda goes against their own stated intentions regarding media too.

  • Rambaldi #65 5 years ago

    @Bates

    In the last year EG have reviewed 20 Xbox games and 5 GC games. Not one single GC game has been reviewed in the last 7 months wheras the last Xbox game to be reviewed was the middle of last month. The 360 launched a year ago. For a platform that had a small market share I'd say that 20 titles in the last year was pretty good for the Xbox with another 35+ still planned. The GC has 8 titles planned for future launch.

    "Also, I agree that price is an issue, which is why the Wii is going to dump all over the 360 when it comes out :)"

    With only £20 difference I think it might be more of a wet fart instead of a dumping, but I'll leave that point of clarification to the expert on excrement: over to you Bates ;)

  • Rambaldi #66 5 years ago

    @disc

    You can spank my Xbot all you want baby. You PStuds always get me hot anyway ;')

  • JediMasterMalik #67 5 years ago

    With MS selling there 20Gb HDD for a hundred bucks? You want Sony to include a larger HDD? Are you serious? Besides, the HDD will not limit anything now, anyone can buy a bigger one if they need the space, that's their option.

  • spongebob #68 5 years ago

    Why didn't he just go the whole hog and say they made a mistake in adopting an unproven technology too early.

    It's not early anymore in March 2007, I assure you that. PS3 is right on time. If they had launched it without BD and HD, say, in March 2006, Sony would have had a Xbox 360 in their hands in a few years time. They're aiming for a long run and that's exactly what the current specs are capable of.

    Microsoft's strategy was to get the console out of the door earlier, that's why the aimed slightly lower with the system specs. They thought the 6-12 months they gained would give them an advantage and they would have a nice customer base before the real competition started. We'll see how that plays out soon enough.

    We've already witnessed how MS has had to change it's initial plans (1080p support) so a new Xbox 360 is only around the corner if PS3 and the BD plans work out. There will be HD DVD games for the MS console.

  • Bates #69 5 years ago

    lol Rambaldi, are you seriously trying to pretend the Xbox has been anything other than a dead format for the past 12 months? All the cheap multi-platform token titles mean nothing when the actual MAKER of the console has dropped it like it was a disease. Where has Microsoft's support for the Xbox been since the 360 came out?

    "With only £20 difference I think it might be more of a wet fart instead of a dumping,"

    20? Try 100. Unless you're seriously trying to suggest the core pack is actually going to make a difference? :D In fact, I'm betting Nintendo shift at least as many Wiis in it's first six months as Microsoft will shift 360s in it's first year. Looking likely right now.

    "but I'll leave that point of clarification to the expert on excrement"

    That I am, I can spot bullshitting xbots from a mile off :)

  • BartonFink #70 5 years ago

    lol @ Bates

    people in glasshouses
    pots and kettles

    and all that jazz.
    Edited by 1 at 06/11/06 @ 20:19

  • old_skool #71 5 years ago

    Regarding the Wii ( 360 PS3 debates just goes in circles ) I honestly think it's overpriced . Yes , the console will probably sell out early on but that's because the hardcore would be buying it , not there target market i.e the casual gamer . I mean they're gonna make a profit from their machine and they're going against a business model they pioneered of selling the console at a loss and making money out of software . The least they could have done is drop the price on games . Unless they drop the consoles' price they won't get the casual gamer interested .

  • JediMasterMalik #72 5 years ago

    If you're saying that Nintendo upped the price because of how much thought went into the innovation, I have to say, Nintendo are far more arrogant then Sony have been, they're just not as vocal about it. ;)

  • peterfll #73 5 years ago

    Very interesting debate chaps, lots of good points on all sides.

    @disc

    I really have to say that I don't think it's in anyone's interest for a company to dominate in a given field, this in response to your comments that you'd rather see Sony dominate that MS. I see many parallels between Sony's recent arrogance and that of Nintendo in the late 80's and early 90's when they thought they were untouchable and their position unassailable.

    Of course, Sony got things right in the last two generations and deserved their success. If I had to lay money on who will come out on top during this generation I would.......... just about say Sony again, but the new variables in play this generation will make it interesting to watch (MS with a strong offering and lead, a revitalised Nintendo with a radically different offering).

    Sony have great internal development, the PS3 will undoubtedly be a very capable machine. They need to work a little on repairing some of the their image, at least amongst the "dedicated" gaming and they need to reduce the price of the PS3 as quickly as possible.

    But competition is good and healthy usually, even if it comes from the likes of Microsoft.

  • JediMasterMalik #74 5 years ago

    The price of the PS3 will be reduced at the right time. When the sales start to drop, don't expect it any time soon though.

  • old_skool #75 5 years ago

    Nintendo would like to compare the Wii to the iPod .What made the iPod succcesfull was its unique design and the iPod/Apple brand . While it certainly has a unique design and controller , the Wii currently is an unknown brand and Nintendo isn't the brand associated to the casual gamer , that belongs to Playstation .I wasn't comparing the technical capabilities of the console , I was questioning the price which to me is targeted out of the casual gamer range . Yes , the Nintendo name + the lack of software targetting the casual market didn't help the Gamecube even if it was the cheapest console but now we have new consoles on the market and the an agressive price point would surely have gotten the casual gamer's attention . For the iPod it was easy to become a fashion accessory because it was a mobile device .And that's the crucial difference .

  • moggsy #76 5 years ago

    The iPod isn't the most capable at what it does

    It is.

  • myk #77 5 years ago

    Saw the ps3 at the what hi fi/stuff show at the weekend, the games they had on it weren't really all that impressive (more impressed with the bravia's they were demo'ing it on). Decidedley 'meh', there still aren't really any games i've seen annouced that really interest me (i don't really like MGS).

  • Rambaldi #78 5 years ago

    @Bates

    I agree, MS has dropped the Xbox in favour of the 360 but personaly I couldn't give a damn. I traded in my Xbox with a few games and got a Core 360 for next to nothing. MS did what anyone with a similar market share would've done and I did what any sensible and forward looking Xbox owner should've done.

    Anyways, my initial point (to disc) was in reaction to his comments re: MS dropping support for the Xbox: wtf have Nintendo done for the Gamecube in a similar timeframe? They've effectively washed their hands of a product A YEAR before it's succesor is released ergo it's a daft point to argue over to begin with and one you shouldn't have jumped on the bandwagon of.

    Core not making a difference? How about 15-20% of total sales? How about forcing Sony to re-think their "we'll never do multiple versions of our console" strategy? How about the "chrome trays look gay" brigade?

    /doesn't expect him to get that one

  • Lother #79 5 years ago

    Does anyone here SERIOUSLY still think they'll see a PS3 in Europe in March 2007?

    PPL, Sony has DUMPED on Europe regally. Killing E3, Lik-Sang and discouraging any form of import.

    I think Sony made a mistake on the target of their dumping. They must hate the Xbox and somehow in their stupid tentacle-fuck-fest-shit-for-brains heads they thought Bill Gates' Microsoft is based in Europe. Otherwise we'd see the natural course of history, the US getting ANALysed in a hentai-tentacle-fuckfest by Sony while Europe, the LARGEST FRIGGIN GAMING MARKET IN THE WORLD would get the PS3 after Nippan.

    But then again, japanese were always shit for brains(just watch a few anime intros where they throw a few english words, makes me want to puke my guts out, all over my granma). Guess they're too busy kissing american ass.....

  • JediMasterMalik #80 5 years ago

    Very nice lother, a bit of racism in between all the bullshit.

    Europe may be the largest gaming market in the world, but that doesn't make it the most important immediately. That would be the US, and of course home country, Japan. Purely from a business standpoint, it was the right move, no matter how pissed off us europeans may feel.

    And WTF do Sony have to do with killing off E3? Never mind that, what the hell does an event held in LA have to do with Europe?

  • erp #81 5 years ago

    as someone so rightly pointed out in a previous sony comments thread, there's no such thing as a semi-official sony blog.

  • wellzy4eva #82 5 years ago

    People are always talking about which of the two medias will survive...Blu-Ray or HD-DVD? the big question is, will either?

    Personally, I think Blu-Ray/HD-DVD will be like minidisc, a great idea but will not catch on in the mainstream, I mean come on...we still use audio cds which have been used for music since 1985.

    Now I could go on about the benefits of VHS --> DVD are so more significant then DVD --> Blu-Ray/HD-DVD but this is the wrong place for such a debate.

    However, Sony in this case are trying to do exactly what they did with the PS2 and provide a two in one player/games console with a price tag to match, which currently is like trying to mainstream DVD recorders with built in Digibox and extensive gig hard drives, which are great on paper and great for technical people who think these things are necessities...but daunting to the public who are looking at the price tag with a double take.

    And to top it off, it's going against a fairly well established Xbox 360 (See Xbox vs well established PS2 fight) and a new Kids favourite with a novel twist for the whole family in the Wii (See PSP vs DS fight) and a March launch, three months after the biggest selling point of the year...

    Now I'm no M$ worshipper or Nintendo Fanatic, nor am I a Sony hater,and things would be very different if the PS3 was out this month, but it isn't and I think Sony are asking for a lot from their fans.

  • wordyeti #83 5 years ago

    Well, at least they admit that they made mistakes in the Great 3rd Generation Console War ... which is more than we'll get out of the current national gummint or its minions regarding Iraq, etc.

    Anyway, the HDMI and diode issues still, to me, seem to be the least of the problems with the console. The biggest is that it is way, way late. The most insidious is the way that the music/movie/content guys have freaked all over the map and insisted on installing Crippleware so that nobody can pirate off the platform. Never mind that the Crippleware is going to mean that nobody's going to bother to try to pirate the content, since the experience is so shitty that nobody's going to want to deal with it anyway.

    Like the greatest roller-coaster ride in the world ... only, in addition to paying through the nose for a ticket, you are required to chug down a bucket of watery shit before getting on the ride...

  • Kafeen #84 5 years ago

    There are TONS of consoles that never did media upgrades between generations. In fact, just about all, until the PS generation, as they were all carts. Plus, it IS an upgrade of sorts: DVD to DVD-9.

    Both XBox and PS2 supported DVD-9.

  • Takeuchi_Riki #85 5 years ago

    DOA4 PS3 petition

    [link url=h ttp://www.petitiononline.com/doa4ps3/petition.html
    ]http://ww w.petitiononline.com/doa4ps3/pe...[/link]

  • SeesThroughAll #86 5 years ago

    DOA4 PS3 petition

    I think that's silly. If you want to play DOA4 so badly, just buy a 360.

  • dredd97 #87 5 years ago

    perhaps he doesn't want to buy an xbox 360?