f13.net

It's Official: PS3 launching worldwide November 2006
Sony confirms delay for next-gen console; says it will support an Xbox Live-like online gaming service--and use a 60GB Linux hard drive.
TOKYO--Today at the 2006 PlayStation Business Briefing in Tokyo, Sony Computer Entertainment president Ken Kutagari made it official--the PlayStation 3 has been delayed. The news confirmed widely circulated Japanese newspaper reports, which said that the delay was due to copyright-protection problems with the next-generation console's Blu-ray drive. For his part, Kutaragi would only say the delay was due to "Blu-ray spec finalization."

Kutaragi told the crowd at the event that the PS3 would now launch in November 2006 worldwide. That dispelled fears that the console would make it to Japan in time by the fall, but would miss the all-important holiday shopping season in the US and Europe. In fact, Kutaragi explicitly told the crowd of game retailers and journalists present that the PS3 would arrive before Thanksgiving in all territories.

Besides the delay, Kutaragi also made official another widely reported aspect of the PS3. He said that Sony is indeed preparing an Xbox Live-like online gaming service for the console, which would be called the "PlayStation Network Platform." Though he was short on specifics, the executive did say that currently Sony planned the service to be "free."

While the simultaneous tri-territory PS3 scheme may sound much like Microsoft's international launch of the Xbox 360, Sony plans to avoid the shortages that befell its competitor. Kutaragi said that the company plans on producing at least one million units of the console each month in order to keep the supply channel full. He said the goal was to ship 6 million PS3s worldwide by March 2007.

The SCE president also told the crowd that the PS3 would use a 60GB 2.5" hard drive. Unsurprisingly, the hard drive will be loaded with the Linux operating system versus Microsoft's Windows OS. As of press time, it was unclear whether or not the HD would be boxed with the system or be sold separately.

Last month, a Merrill Lynch report predicted a six- to 12-month delay for the PS3. Earlier this month, a note from Friedman Billings Ramsey said that the system may not come out in the US until 2007. The Merrill Lynch report cited the company's decision to go with new technologies in the Cell processor and its Blu-ray drive as main reasons for the delay, with heat issues and a lack of software that would be ready for a spring launch sealing the deal. The FBR note didn't cite a reason, but readers could infer it from its sources: supply chain data combined with news from the firm's semiconductor research team.

Investor anticipation of a PS3 delay had shares of Sony trading down as much as 2 percent in Japan before the press conference, according to a New York Times report.

which said that the delay was due to copyright-protection problems with the next-generation console's Blu-ray drive. For his part, Kutaragi would only say the delay was due to "Blu-ray spec finalization."

Besides the delay, Kutaragi also made official another widely reported aspect of the PS3. He said that Sony is indeed preparing an Xbox Live-like online gaming service for the console, which would be called the "PlayStation Network Platform." Though he was short on specifics, the executive did say that currently Sony planned the service to be "free."

Kutaragi said that the company plans on producing at least one million units of the console each month in order to keep the supply channel full. He said the goal was to ship 6 million PS3s worldwide by March 2007.

The SCE president also told the crowd that the PS3 would use a 60GB 2.5" hard drive. Unsurprisingly, the hard drive will be loaded with the Linux operating system versus Microsoft's Windows OS. As of press time, it was unclear whether or not the HD would be boxed with the system or be sold separately.

That's either bullshit, or it'll suck. I'm leaning towards it'll suck, because they won't have enough time to make it work right.

[UPDATE] The SCE president also told the crowd that the PS3 would use a 60GB 2.5" hard disc drive (HDD). A slide show during the presentation said the HDD would will be loaded with the Linux operating system versus Microsoft's Windows OS. The show also said it could be used as a "home server" and be directly connected to the Internet, and be full "upgradeable."

Kutaragi also made it clear that the hard drive will be necessary to play games--Sony is telling developers to make games assuming every PS3 has a hard drive installed. "We view the Hard Drive to be mandatory for the PS3," he said. "Rather than have developers create games for the PS3 with or without the HDD, we will be asking them to develop games as though all PS3s have the HDD installed."

However, Kutaragi revealed that Sony had not decided whether or not the PlayStation 3 would come with the hard-drive pre-installed. "We might end up installing it in all PS3s, though that depends on the market," he said. This raises the possibility that the PS3 could be sold without a piece of hardware needed to play PS3 games--in effect forcing consumers to buy a peripheral for basic functionality.

Fuck off and die, bitchmasters. Stop worrying about people copying shit and maybe you'd get the goddamn thing out on time. Fucking tools.

This no doubt has to do 100% more with movies than with games. In fact, games aren't going to be Blu-Ray for as far as I can tell.

Eh?  It already exists and works fine, it has a different name currently but it has to be the same service that they use for FFXI.  Probably just with a prettier front end and maybe some more 'features'.

Last I knew FFXI uses PlayOnline which is SquareEnix's thing.  Didn't think that really had anything to do with Sony.

Fuck off and die, bitchmasters. Stop worrying about people copying shit and maybe you'd get the goddamn thing out on time. Fucking tools.

Not really sure why this matters to anyone here?

Wasn't the PS3 always on track for the Euro/N. America release in November?

I predict this will be another in a long line of shitty console releases, and will only be a worthwhile purchase a year after launch.

Meh, I fully plan on buying one at launch.

And then selling it on E-bay.

Meh, I fully plan on buying one at launch.

And then selling it on E-bay.