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PS3 Euro timing undecided News
PlayStation 3 News by Games Industry.biz
Sony Computer Entertainment has not yet reached a decision on when the PlayStation 3 next-generation console will launch in Europe, with SCEE president David Reeves commenting that "you could be in for a surprise."
Reeves was speaking at the first day of the ELSPA International Games Summit in London, where he focused largely on issues affecting the current generation PS2 and the forthcoming PSP handheld - but took the time to answer a question about the schedule for PS3.
Responding to assumptions regarding the timetable for the European launch, Reeves said, "I don't think anyone has given a timing on the next generation in Europe... You could be in for a surprise."
After that hint - either tantalising or throwaway, depending on who you ask - he then deferred the issue back to Sony Computer Entertainment boss Ken Kutaragi, saying that he "would like to think" that the platform will launch on Kutaragi's Spring '06 timeline in Europe.
However, Reeves stressed that the decision on when to launch in this territory is one which won't be finalised for some time - and earlier in his keynote, he had told the audience that SCEE actually enjoys being the last territory in the world to get new hardware, suggesting that this is an approach which is unlikely to change.
He also said that for now, SCEE is completely focused on the current generation.
"We're ready for [the next generation]," he said, "but our priority is PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable. That's where the money is for the next two years."
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Captain Fetid
22/06/05 @ 09:18
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SCEE actually enjoys being the last territory in the world to get new hardware
Oh yes, ofcourse. |
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I don't think it really matters when the next generation consoles come out in England. I imagine most people will wait for there to be at least of couple of decent titles on each before buying one. I know it'll be a while before I get any of them, plenty of good stuff still around and to come.
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most recently on 22/06/05 @ 10:25
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the_angry_monkey
22/06/05 @ 09:24
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How does this guy still have a job after teh PSP thing! I mean dear God - Sony just don't seem to have a clue:
"He also said that for now, SCEE is completely focused on the current generation. "We're ready for [the next generation]," he said, "but our priority is PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable. That's where the money is for the next two years." Oh really? Is that why PSP got practically no time spent on it during E3 and the Euro launch has been pushed back once again. It looks to me like Sony are focussing solely on the next gen! |
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I'd like to believe the reports that Sont are strongly considering a single International release date... but I think that may be somewhat idealistic on their part.
They don't even have the encorporated fully finished technologies yet. They've been sending developers "closest-available-equivalent" builds. The safe bet is Christmas 2006. But hopefully that will give us a strong launch line-up and less chance of faulty units (As David Reeves said about the PSP). That said, my fingers are still crossed for summer 2006. |
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i predict 9 months after the Jap release.
"I don't think it really matters when the next generation consoles come out in England. I imagine most people will wait for there to be at least of couple of decent titles on each before buying one." My answer to this is that if we got it in Q12006 there would be good enough games to buy in Q2 becasue sont will release it here late it will be Q12007 when it willbe worth buying. the support for ps2 willd drop upon release of ps3. i guess it would be an opportunity to pick up those titles you missed for cheap. |
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"you could be in for a surprise." - That either means that hes gonna pull a fast one and rush the console to launch with the xb2 (not likely :P) or that he goes like, "hmm, well, we are $ony after all and feel like screwing those dumb twats that call themselfs our fans in europe over again. Lets not release it at all in Europe! Or perhaps 10 years later!" [...] Most likely the latter one.
"he had told the audience that SCEE actually enjoys being the last territory in the world to get new hardware, suggesting that this is an approach which is unlikely to change." - Yeh shuff that one up yer arse $ony fanboys :P M$ actually seems to care for not screwing the EU gamers over this time (even if it would be an illusion, it would still be better). |
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Sony are in danger of dropping the ball by annoying Europe and giving a hell of a lot of custom to microsoft.
Dodgy ground Sony, sure they're huge but the bad feelings they're bringing to the surface with this stance will do them no favours. They may get people buying xbox and not waiting for ps3 or psp, especially if they alientate europe even more by making the psp region locked in europe. dodgy ground sony, dodgy ground. |
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I see this article will serve as yet another forum for those wishing to tout their anti-Sony sentiments.
Or am I not taking into consideration that it's cool and rebellious to take cheap shots at multinational corporations who build a system that isn't the one I might own? Just like it's cool and rebellious to write Sony as $ony? No, if Hitler didn't say J3W - then there's just no need. I'm off to go and slag off Toshiba because my TV is Panasonic. |
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Tweakmonkey
22/06/05 @ 10:36
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What's this? I step into this thread and see so many spoilt brats throwing toys out of their prams. Did Sony actually say when the PS3 will be released anywhere? No. So it's all just supposition then. Who cares? There are plenty of good games to play this gen still.
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I find it terrifically amusing how many people have nailed their flag to a particular machine already, despite there being no hardware, no games and no hard facts about any of them.
Woe betide anyone who dares to keep an open mind and wait and see how they turn out before making a decision, ooooooooooh no. In fact, they've probably dragged Smelly outside and had him shot for talking sense. |
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This is to be expected, I predict christmas 2006 for a European release, if that. They have to produce the things in enough numbers for a worldwide release and they are not going to be able to do that for early 2006. Japan and the US will come first. I should have my 360 and revolution UK versions already claiming the real estate under the tv by then.
Unless Sony can wow me with some real software on the machine that can lure me away. No sign of that in the near term though, unless you game journo's have some cunningly hidden information that you cannot share with us... |
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When those 'tired old franchises' sell hundreds of thousands of copies it's hardly surprising, is it? Woe betide any company should give consumers "what they want" and also make money in the process. No, they should be forgetting all that and creating loads of new franchises, effectively throwing away any customer loyalty and piss all that 'sure thing' cash away into the ether. That'd be a fantastic idea. In fact, I think I can hear Nintendo locking Mario away forever right now.
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Tweakmonkey
22/06/05 @ 10:54
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SONY have nothing in their arsenal and they know it. All they can do to win their fans over, is exploit to death tired old franchises
Well done Balor - the link says that a new FFVII is being made for PS3. If it said Xbox 360 you'd be pissing your pants with excitement. Anyway, the number of sequels is nothing to do with Sony. |
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Balor: "How about you slag off Toshiba for promising you the greatest TV ever. But it turns out that the TV only shows shit Black 'n' White films from the early 1900's, when Panasonic and Samsungs show colour and will display a range of quality movies."
Over-reaction? Exaggeration? Discuss. Although people can whimper on about which of the next-gen consoles is technically superior, I don't think anyone could claim that the PS3 won't be a vast improvement on current-gen consoles. I don't think there's any example anywhere of a next-gen unit not being a step forward. Personally, I don't think the X360 will achieve the targets set by Microsoft. And I'm certain that the PS3 will sell at least as many units as the PS2. Sony's market share is safe as long as no-one is making any technical leaps greater than theirs. And no objective bystander could say that the PS3 looks as though it's going to be another N64. |
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Balor...
What do Microsoft "have in their arsenal"? Granted Halo is good, but tried and tested though they might be, the PlayStation has the likes of the Tekken, Gran Turismo, SOCOM, Pro Evolution Soccer, Metal Gear, Grand Theft Auto and Final Fantasy series'. And although other consoles may get some visually tweaked clones of some of these titles, they still remain PlayStation games, designed and built to run on the PlayStation. And newer and impressive titles such as Area 51 and God of War will only strengthen the range. As for experimental titles, Ico and Fantavision spring immediately to mind. I'd like you to correct me if I'm wrong, as I quite like Microsoft's little green blob - but it's certainly untrue to say that it's software range sports more "killer aps" than Sony's black brick.
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most recently on 22/06/05 @ 12:06
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Of course, SquareEnix is its own company and is not governed by Sony. If they decide to release a new version of FF7 it would be absolutely incorrect to accuse Sony of "milking their old franchises", because it's a Square product, not a Sony one.
And I agree with Tweak. If they'd said it was to be on 360 you'd have been running around with it held high like some kind of pissing trophy. |
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LeDilettante...
I'm certain said analysts will be proved wrong. Sony will mantain their stanglehold on the games market into next-gen, because they own the Japanese market. The day Famitsu reports that there are more Microsoft units in Japanese homes than there are Sony units, will be a Hell of a day! Japan is still where most technical and conceptual videogame development is born, and so it is the strongest and most important market, from which all other markets take their cue. |
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What I can't quite grasp, Balor, is why you think Microsoft is any different to Sony in terms of franchise milking. Do you really think you're not going to see more Halo, more Project Gotham, more Ninja Gaiden, etc. etc. on the 360? Of course you are! Yet I don't see any criticism.
Dead or Alive is one of the Xbox's biggest franchises, yet it's based off an original game that is pushing ten years old. Just like Tekken. It's still the same game, just prettier. The reason Microsoft don't release so many franchise rehashes is because they don't have many franchises to fall back on. You really think if Namco offered Microsoft the chance to release Tekken 5 on Xbox they'd pass it up? You don't think they'd kill to get their hands on some of Sony's major best-sellers? Of course they would. They're in it for money just like everyone else, and they'll produce what sells. New franchises will always take a back seat to tried and tested updates because it's too damn risky to create new games which might not appeal. |
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