PS3 in 2007: BBC hooked, lined, sinkered on PS3 launch date
by Vladimir Cole 
{ Oct 29th 2005 at 2:45PM }
According to this BBC News coverage of the Digital Life Expo in NYC several weeks ago, the
PlayStation 3 is going to launch in 2007. Here's the quote: "By launching its new Xbox 360 22 months ahead of the
PlayStation 3, it's hoping it'll be able to win over the minds and money of gamers."
It's said with such certainty, we're wondering what their source is for this information. In all likelihood, the Beeb's source is none other than the head of Xbox UK, Neil Thompson, who recently predicted that the PS3 might not launch until Spring 2007 in Europe. Even if it's true, it'd be marketing suicide for Sony officials to utter the numbers "2007" because it's in Sony's best interests at this moment to encourage gamers to forego Xbox 360 purchases in the hopes of an imminent PS3 launch.
The quote occurs at moment 1:07 in the linked-to video clip.
[Thanks for the tip, El Burro]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
ed @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
jago
some developers were recently upset with Sony because they had only just sent out the Dev kits...so,2007 sounds about right..
the biggest fu*king disgrace/flop in gaming history!
ROFL!!
Gus.X @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
Killing Spree!!!
nightshadow @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
PROMISE STATION ! PROMISE STATION ! PROMISE STATION ! ........... there i said it.... i corrected it...... and of course it had spelling faults.....just like the PROMISE STATION....... PIECE OF........PROMISE ?
Gaz @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
Rare Hare - It's good to see you arguing against Xbox 360 supporters by assuming that a console thats not even in production will be better. It may well be, if all that Sony has said has become true, but I need to see the real deal before I'm even going to vaguely believe them. Launching early is going to get Microsoft a much bigger market share than they've had before now with the Xbox, so calling it stupid is... Well, stupid in itself. I keep seeing Microsoft insults all over the Internet for the sake of Microsoft hate, even the tech professionals keep doing it... People are making presumptions a lot quicker than ever before now.
GamerZero @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
I read a lot of fanboy crap so I just want to say that we are all gamers here.I wish I didn't have to buy multiple consoles to play different games because the industry won't back one console standard.Games is what its all about,all this talk about hardware,which is best...etc, is all pure speculation and doesn't account for all the talent that makes great games.I want Halo,I want Grand theft Auto and I'll buy both games,the hardware is just a means to an end!
ed @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
jago = moron/idiot/flopstation 3 fanboy
Jago @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
The fact that you used the word "flopstation 3" without knowing ANYTHING about the system shows 100% that you are a biased Xbox fanboy.
jimbobsmells @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
Why don't we all stop this bull and wait until someone actually SEES a Revolution or a PS3 in action to compare it to an Xbox360? Until then it's all guess work and speculation. Hell, we haven't even got a final optimised retail 360 in our hands yet!
ed @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
Re:Jago
actually i'm a biased Revolution fanboy...
AND i know alot about the PS3 because my uncle works for Sony and he told me himself...his exact words..
ed,do not buy into the Kutaragi hype concerning the PS3,i've checked it out and it will do nothing except a well executed belly Flop!!
ROFL!!!
funkonaut @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
This is just more FUD from Microsoft. They have a strong history of doing this: Linux, open source, Sony, Blu-Ray, interoperability, anti-trust, Internet Explorer, security, the list goes on and on.
You can't believe anything Microsoft says anymore. They have no problems lying. It's as if it's part of the company mantra to spread FUD in order to maintain its status as a monopoly.
mercatfat @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
i hav an uncle that work's for sony and he said it was totaly awsum.
rially, he did.
belive me, its tru. rofttyl.
Matt @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
Dear Fan Boys,
Quit arguing over game consoles and come back
Love,
Your Life
xbair @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
Why people think the 360 will be "pwned by the raw power of the PS3" even when the Xenon has 20 million more transistors than the Cell, and the Xenos has 5 times the memory bandwidth as the RSX.
The world may never know.
CrAzY American @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
Rare hare
Yeah, the ps3 doesn't "pwned" the 360. Maybe a little stronger, but frankly that doesn't mean anything. The ps2 was the weakling of this generation, but that didn't stop it from being the most dominate.
And even if it is such "an inferior system", what do you want them to do? You make it sound like they can just start over and be ready in 3-6 months. It takes years of R&D to create something new.
"Y" is it that people use "1.5"? Is it because your under the control of Keny boy's hype?
It very well could be.
Rare Hare @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
CrAzY American:
it's a shame that after you are given the reasons you ask for, you are still scrambling to preserve your blind loyalty.
i never said the PS3 pwned the Xbox 360 (because none of us know that yet. it comes down to games and such, really). what i said was that it is pwned by the RAW POWER of the PS3 as compared to the Xbox 360. and there is no denying that. that means that the PS3 has far greater potential to be truly next-gen (as to meeting our expectations of "next-gen") than does the Xbox 360.
i also never even suggested that i think Microsoft should start over. what's done is done. i'm not even saying i'm not going to buy an Xbox 360, because i am, and i'll be enjoying it just as much as the next guy. i'll just understand its inferiority enough that i won't be creaming my jeans for it.
and as for "keny boy's hype", do we forget a little bald guy that goes by the name of "J Allard". you want to fight over which company's spokesperson talks more bullshit?
Ken Kutaragi is the lead engineer for the PlayStation 3. of course he's proud of it. he's simply boasting what he thinks (Knows? probably) his baby can do.
J Allard, on the other hand, ahd NOTHING to do with developing of production of the Xbox 360. he's simply that bald guy who is paid to seem cool and shoot his mouth off about how great the Xbox 360 will be. tell me now who's under the control of "hype". because that's all J Allard knows how to do.
so, CrAzY American.. i don't care what console you choose to defend. i'm simply presenting undeniable facts. why don't you go chill with VelocityGirl. i could care less.
Woodsie @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
I'm suprised that nobody talks about the implications of launch cycle differences between Microsoft and Sony. Microsoft has said and shown that they believe a 4-5 year launch Cycle (Xbox in 2001, Xbox 360 in 2005). Sony has said they expect cycles to last 6-7 years or more. They even said the PS3 will last for 10 years once. Those differences right there set us up for a very interesting console scene over the next 10 years.
Prediction:
2005 - Xbox 360 launches
2007 - PS3 launches, already way behind Xbox in terms of market share
2008 - Sony catches up in market share
2009 - Xbox 420 launches, PS3 is a full generation behind only 2 years after launch. No new PS console in sight for years.
If Microsoft sticks with their 4-5 year cycles on consoles, then you could see this prediction coming true. If Sony waits till 2007 to launch, then they are literally only 2 or 3 years away from the NEXT Xbox to come down the line. That would be very bad for Sony
b @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
"2009 - Xbox 420 launches, PS3 is a full generation behind only 2 years after launch. No new PS console in sight for years."
What the hell does "420" stand for? I'd go for 4000 instead of 420. Or even 4-box. And for the one after it, Id call it V-box (Even if it's the fourth because, since microsoft considers that they are a generation behind Sony, they have to name it to compete against PSV *sigh*)
Anyway, what makes you think that developers/consumers will be happy to make an investment/spend another 400 dollars each 4 years (xbox) instead of each 6 (Ps3)? I wouldn't.
But judging Microsoft, if they manage not to lose 4 billion dollars again, their stockholders will approve, and in the next four years, we will see another console: Xbox 1.5 1.5. Good; another slight improvement which who knows if it's worth it. Will it have HD-DVD? Will it have a slight graphical improvement again? Will it have renewed gameplay? Live 1.5 1.5? Two more buttons? Gyroscopic features? An improved upon remote control?
If all that happens, I guess microsoft just wants to push their competitors to the limits until they go bankrupt, so in the end they have little to invest on by being the only console in the market. So they'd just have to give us slight improvements each generation, very little spending for them (no discs or hard drives, just internet game rent), but the same for us. Will it be the end of console gaming (as we know it)?
Jago @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
ed:
Yea...right...unless you have some kind of way of proving it, you statement has no weight. As for you being a biased Revolution fanboy...it's just as bas as being a Xbox fanboy. I'm a fan of just about anything Nintendo makes but I've long moved on over the CHILDISH rantings of things like "OMFG y0ur c0ns0le SUx0RZ!!!"
As for people who are still guessing or saying that the X360 will eventually be upgraded to a HD-DVD drive...
Would you people stop sounding so freakin stupid? They CAN'T do that b/c if they were to do that...EVERY HD-DVD game released from that point on will NOT run on the original DVD drive. Even if they find a way to do it, it's not gonna be cheap and its gonna push away ALOT of developers and consumers.
CrAzY American @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
Rare Hare
I'm glad you've gotten hands on time with both systems to tell me that the ps3 is way more powerful. I would say it has more power but nothing that pwns anything.
Besides, a develper, don't remember which one said,-It's better for a system to be 20% easier to develope than 20% more powerful.
There is also a difference in hype and shit talking. No doubt both companies talk shit, but which company has more hype?
The answer, my friend, is Sony. The ps2 isn't an "Emotion Engine" like it was made out to be, and who knows whats to come of the ps3? Certainly not you.
By the way:
"it's a shame that after you are given the reasons you ask for, you are still scrambling to preserve your blind loyalty."
what was the reason you gave me that its "sheer stupidity" that the 360 is launching this year. All i got was: "BLAH BLAH, PS3 PWNS, BLAH XBOX 1.5"
That doens't answer my simple question.
Try again.
b @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
"As for people who are still guessing or saying that the X360 will eventually be upgraded to a HD-DVD drive...
Would you people stop sounding so freakin stupid? EVERY HD-DVD game released from that point on will NOT run on the original DVD drive"
Hmm, the fact that they add an HD-DVD doesn't mean they will release games on it. It only means that it will play HD-DVD movies. Personally I think it was a big mistake that they didn't add an HD-DVD since the beginning. Sure, they didn't want to engage in a format war, but they laid Sony a red carpet while not doing it. Also, they're MSFT! They can afford to lose more money than Sony; Having an HD-DVD first would have made studios release movies sooner for HD-DVD, and the ones that flocked to Blu-ray thanks to PS3, wouldn't have necessarily done that. And 360 wouldn't be called 1.5.
Also, all three systems would have ended up as great choices, so buying all three would have made a lot of sense if HD-DVD was added to 1.5. One has Blu-ray, another one has HD-DVD, and the other one a revolutionary gameplay style. So that would have surely expanded the gaming population, and eventually, instead of making this a format war, it would have ended up in electronics manufacturers fusing Blu-ray with HD-DVD players, so it all would have worked out. After all, neither the Blu-ray nor HD-DVD will be permanent formats; I see HVD coming later and replacing both for a long time.
Microsoft representative Steve Balmer said: "You think we're gonna let a whole generation pass by without us getting a next-gen drive?", which suggests that it's possible; I'm not saying it will happen, I'm just saying it may, so in case that happens, I'll get it and sell my old 1.5 to someone that doesn't give a damn, so I can finally upgrade to "2"; unless it's useless by that time and HD-DVD losses the format war, which seems likelier every day.
Stop reacting like a bitch, man.
Rare Hare @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
CrAzY American:
i give up. i present you with valid reasons that launching Xbox 360 this early is a mistake, and you can do nothing more than misquote me, insult me, and tune out all logic and reason? not to mention practically labeling my as a Sony fanboy after i've already stated that i plan on purchasing the Xbox 360 as well.
and as for which company (Sony or Microsoft) generates more hype.. tell me something: have you completely ignored the fact that the hype generated by Sony is the PlayStation's lead engineer simply showing pride in his creation while Microsoft seems to only be interested in creating a big show with plenty of flashing lights to distract from the fact that they are producing an inferior console.
don't believe me? please refer to the multiple "viral marketing" campaigns, the MTV unveiling of the 360 (complete with strobe lights and a laser show!), the E3 appearance of the Xbox 360 in which there was a section of hired crowd members behind the main stage who all made 'X' symbols with their arms on que.
give me a break.
whatever.
at first, your asinine raving amused me. now, however, i'm tired of it. spend your money however you want, i'm not trying to stop you (i've already said i plan on purchasing a 360 as well!). just stop with the bullshit, and accept what's right there in front of you.
i'm done.
CrAzY American @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
Rare Hare
I asked you a question. You never answered it. Instead you went around it and gave me some crap about power. That has nothing to do with y it is bad the 360 is launching early?
I agree, MS has hype, as does just about every other company, but no one is better at creating (false)hype then Sony, you and I both know this.
"the fact that the hype generated by Sony is the PlayStation's lead engineer simply showing pride in his creation while Microsoft seems to only be interested in creating a big show with plenty of flashing lights to distract from the fact that they are producing an inferior console."
I was unware that there is a good hype and a bad hype. I don't understand y you are trying to justify Sony's? it doesn't make sense to me.
And just because you by two consols doesn't mean you aren't biased or have a favorite. I have a ps2 and xbox and i prefer the xbox. I will be buying a ps3, 360, and prob revo, but that doesn't mean i couln't favor one.
As for the "viral marketing", its exactly what it says-marketing. Not creating false speculation on what one person thinks a system MIGHT be capable of under perfect curcumstances.
b @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
Rare Hare,
It's pointless to discuss with Crazy American. I'm in the same position as you, I already said that I'll get all three consoles, and that in my opinion, PS3 offers a lot more than a 360 (with valid reasons), and this guy has kept defying logic, or missing the actual point. He's a Microsoft fanboy (the worst fanboy of all), and therefore a waste of time.
b
PSPoontang Player @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
I just find it hella pointless to get a 360. I would only get it for the first-party games since all of my third-party would be on the PS3.
But... It is too bad I am not a big fan of Halo. It would be the only thing that would get me a 360. Since Warhawk will totally own Crimson Skies.
jromz03 @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
Meh.
2005... 2006... Or even 2007, doesn't matter. I'll get them all at the right time, at the right price. Though I am slightly pro-Nintendo, i won't mind playing other consoles' games. As long as it's good and fun for me I'm all for it!
Rare Hare @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
i suppose you're correct, b. there's really no point in trying to pull off a 'miracle worker' act, despite how sad his blindness is. because it's no concern of mine.
CrAzY American @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
lol
I'm glad you two understand each other.
Which by the way, no one has answered my question, y is is stupid to launch in 2005?
Soo Knee @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
Hmm, the fact that they add an HD-DVD doesn't mean they will release games on it. It only means that it will play HD-DVD movies.
You've gone and done it. You've exposed Microsoft's secret plan. If they release an HD DVD option, it's expressly to support the HD DVD movie market where they stand to recoup nothing for their efforts. Oh wait, there is that Halo movie...
ed @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
hey everyone..can i try something here?
let's all throw our money in the air...if it falls to the ground the PS3 will be a Big Flop....if it stays up in the air it'll be a Big Hit...on a count of 3.
1...2...3
whoops,it looks like its a Flop!
bye bye Sony
you failed BIG TIME!! ROFL
mocax @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
that'll give me time to "save up" for all 3 consoles :D
i'd be overly exhausted if I had to play all 3 consoles every day, I'm not that overly charged up kid I used to be... eh
Psiven @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
Glenn,
THe PS2 launched with nothing for the first year and wold phenominally. I remember reading how the only thing people were doing on their PS2's were watching DVD's and playing PS1 games.
b @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
"67. Posted Oct 30, 2005, 8:51 PM ET by CrAzY American
lol
I'm glad you two understand each other.
Which by the way, no one has answered my question, y is is stupid to launch in 2005?"
Who said it's stupid? I didn't. It's a pretty good move. That's what Sony did last time, when they were the first console to include a DVD player.
Too bad 360 doesn't have an HD-DVD (or Blu-ray for that matter), 99% (at least) backwards compatibility and 1080p capabilities. Otherwise it would have been the same situation as the PS2 (or even better). What "must have" non-gaming features does the 360 have? I hope that answered your question.
durthu @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
An interesting convosation/argument but I'd like to make a few quick points.
1 - The Sony Fanboys seem a bit more mature than the x-box fanatics, just reading the comments here makes you naturally dislike many of the ppl commenting
2 - It's a clear advantage to release first, Ps1 outsold N64 and PS2 outsold Xbox. Both rival consoles were in theory at least more powerful
3 - Sony has a clear advantage in that Playstation is the brand that made gaming 'cool' on the other hand practically everyone dislikes microsoft (ussually with good reason)
4 - Microsoft can put as much money into the console war as they like, they tried that with x-box and it didn't allow them to dominate. Plus the x-box shares a certain amount of territory with Pc gaming which is obviously disadantageous since everyone has a Pc anyway
5 - I have a fair amount of faith in sony. The PSP shows that they produce the goods when required. The DS is no kind of alternative and the hyped connectivity between ps3 and psp will aid sales.
6 - Sony practically own Japan, Microsoft would have a nightmare shifting them in that market (the most important market)
7 - Nintendo is going the way of Sega, why bother thinking about it, its just a matter of time till they are just making games for other consoles
ed @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
7 - Nintendo is going the way of Sega, why bother thinking about it, its just a matter of time till they are just making games for other consoles
News Flash durthu,Nintendo are not going the way of Sega and if you believe that then you're gonna be in for a big disapointment.
1) it is far too early to say.
2) The Rev will be a secondary console being completely different,so will most likely be picked up by both PS3/Xbox360 and Nintendo fans.
and 3)Nintendo still have 1 more secret to reveal...which i'm quessing is either a visor or that projection technology,going by miyamoto's latest interview.
and to all the Sony PS3 fanboys i hope you're looking forward to more "DISC READ ERRORS" Because thats all i got from Sony this Gen...ROFL
i think it's pretty funny how the most underpowered,poorly built console got all the support from game developers...was it because Sony spent most of there money bribing them into making games exclusive to there console only,probably?
they sold 90-100 million PS2's and yet they only broke even so it wouldn't surprise me...ROFL!!!!
PSPguy @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
"and to all the Sony PS3 fanboys i hope you're looking forward to more "DISC READ ERRORS" Because thats all i got from Sony this Gen...ROFL"
I went through two PS2s because I over used it as a DVD player vs playing games. At the time I didn't realize it, but it was one of the crapiest DVD players I've ever used, which is surprising considering it came from Sony. Until they released a decent remote, I really hated using the dual shock to control a movie.
Let's hope they don't make a crappy blu-ray player out of the PS3.
dauthi @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
Wow, a lot of people having 100% knowledge about consoles that haven't even been released yet. I wish I had the pyschic powers you guys had, but I would use them to predict the next lottery numbers for a big win. But, I digress. I think the only real way to see which console is "better" or "pwns all" would be to put them next to each other and see it with our own eyes. Of course it will be another year until we have the ability to do that.
yamanu @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
hack no, we cant wait till 2007 , is that comfermed.?
renderfarmer @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
No way I could ever wait until 2007.
robotplague @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
Good news for me at least, I'm hoping the Revolution will see a good launch. So not going head to head with the PS3 is definately a plus. Also, I haven't been a PS2 owner for too long, so it's nice to see it'll have support for quite a while still.
Not Impressed (Dmitri) @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
This is just another case of Microsoft being full of shit. They are afraid of the PS3, so they have to pull this shit.
mikko @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
hell no.
the simply can not be so stupid to launch the ps3 in 2007.
jimbobsmells @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
if the PSP launch is anything to go by then Europe won't be seeing the PS3 until 2007. I hope Sony gets it's act together for this one.
Jake @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
22 months means that the PS3 wouldn't launch in Europe until September 2007, which is well beyond Spring. That's nuts. I don't think it's out of the question for Europe to get the PS3 in the Spring, but not in the Fall. We'll probably see a rollout similar to this: Japan - Spring '06, US - Fall '06, Europe - Spring '07.
Raitei @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
Well before the psp launch i heard them call psp the pocketstation portable, or was it portable station pockt
meh, when it comes to gaming i tend not to believe the beeb
Babu @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
This could possibly be microsoft saying this in order to deter people who are waiting for the ps3. Saying it wont launch until 07 means that people will either have to wait a long time or just buy the xbox 360 while waiting... If this is true though, bad news bear...
b @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
Holy shit... this looks like it's gonna be a very bloody war. All formats and all companies will lose, except nintendo (but nintendo will have smaller market share anyway).
ed @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
bye bye Sony...you Flopped BIG TIME!!!
the biggest fu*king disgrace in gaming history.
ROFLMFAO!!!!!!!
Pretty Obvious @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
I wasnt waiting for that piece of shit anyway. Just another Sony system full of promises that wont be delivered upon. The real next gen will already be upon us next month and a 2007 date for the PS3 doesnt sound like a rumor, Sony def wants to cut costs on its BluRay drives and Cell processor which will suppossedly almost double the cost of Sonys asking price.
Screw PS3....
prooie @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
Well, isn't the PS3 Reference tool only shipping to developers this december? Makes even a Japan launch in spring a tight race it would seem. And if Sonys previous launches are anything to go by Europe might well get the PS3 as late as spring 2007.
Jago @ Dec 18th 2005 9:05PM
ed:
...and only someone as dumb as you would believe something that is a RUMOR and has nothing to back up the claims.
How about this people...STFU and just buy whatever system(s) has the games that appeal to you. If you are 18+ and you still act like a 10 year saying "you system sux0rz!!!"...you need to grow up.