Variety.com PS3 report confirms absolutely nothing
by James Ransom-Wiley 
{ Mar 6th 2006 at 12:00PM }
OMFG, Variety scooped the PS3 release date?! There's a deceptive rumor circulating various gaming sites that Variety.com's profile of Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer reveals official information about the PlayStation 3 release date. Numerous claims report that within the article Stringer confirms that the PS3 has been delayed until the holiday 2006 season. Let's take a closer look:
"Sony's new PlayStation 3 was widely expected to be introduced this spring, but will be delayed as the company fine-tunes the chips that are crucial to the success of the console's Blu-ray function... Sony will roll out the PS3 by year end, in time for the holidays. If PS3 "delivers what everyone thinks it will, the game is up," Stringer boasts."
Stringer has said absolutely nada (on record) to Variety.com about the PS3 release date. Instead, the article simply offers further speculation about the console's debut. Sorry folks, we're still in the dark. The question is, why does Sony want it that way?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jo @ Mar 6th 2006 12:20PM
Sony is hush-hush about PS3 for 3 reasons:
1) PS2 hardware and software still selling very strong. Take a look at Japan last week:
http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2332&Itemid=2
1. DS: 52,099 (403,901)
2. PSP: 27,430 (337,682)
3. PS2: 23,433 (241,273)
4. GBASP: 5553 (57,890)
5. GBM: 2941 (35,529)
6. GC: 1814 (32,392)
7. Xbox 360: 1314 (23,971)
8. GBA: 105 (1584)
9. Xbox: 92 (762)
PS2 outsold 360 by 20 to 1. 23,000 units moved in a week is very solid. Not point in hurting this business.
2) The longer the gap between 360 and PS3 launch, the more obvious it will be to consumers that the PS3 is more advanced hardware. By launching a year later (as Xbox did over PS2), the 360 is perceived as 2005 tech, while the PS3 is perceived as 2006 tech.
3) By saving up all details, videos, news, etc, they will once again have an amazing E3. There is an effective 'publication ban' on PS3 details now, even studios are barred from releasing videos, details, anything. At E3 2006 everything will be revealed and, just like last year, 360 will be grossly overshadowed.
Jago @ Mar 6th 2006 12:20PM
Umm...who really gives a crap what Variety has to say.
Jago @ Mar 6th 2006 12:23PM
"360 will be grossly overshadowed."
Hell they were grossly overshadowed last year too...last year's E3 was actually pretty boring as a matter of fact.
mandark @ Mar 6th 2006 12:26PM
Your soo wrong !
every PS3 comes complete with 1 kilotonne nuclear bomb . Its all a part of Ken Kutaragis masterplan for world domination .
bv @ Mar 6th 2006 12:27PM
Great overview there, Jo. I think every point you made is on the mark. Sony is a brilliant company, there are no "stupid" or "dumb" people behind the wheel over there. The silence is only building more hype. Once the PS3 is revealed at E3, the 360 is going to look like old technology, which is unforturnate but thats the price you pay when you rush a system just to be the first. The Dreamcast fell victim to the same punishment even though its graphical capabilities were superior. PS3 will be a hit regardless, its only a waiting game now.
Extracheeze @ Mar 6th 2006 12:29PM
I wonder how NVIDIA is reacting to the launch of the PS3. For all the money they put into manufacturing and R&D for the RSX chip, this later launch of the PS3 can't possible prove well in their quarterley reports.
SONY better say something soon about their new rendition of the Playstation line of consoles, because this silence leaves us investors and the manufacturers of the individual components of the console anxious and not too pleased.
cubbiechris @ Mar 6th 2006 12:31PM
It all depends what you want out of your gaming system. If you want a blu-ray buy a PS3. If you want more on-line games buy a 360. As for the power of the machines? Graphics-wise it's going to be a wash. But for my book no way Sony comes close in offering better online services. I'm happy with my 360.
The1 @ Mar 6th 2006 12:32PM
You guys are too SONY fanboyish. If Sony had anything positive they would have said it. Time will tell all. The silence is because SONY has to wait until next year because Blu-Tay is to darn expensive.
sam @ Mar 6th 2006 12:32PM
Sony is keeping mum because they don't want you to buy a 360. If they told you the truth, that the PS3 won't be out till 2007 and will cost $600-700 dollars, then people might start buying the 360. Instead Sony will keep saying it's coming out "soon", this way most gullible consumers will wait. It's the same thing that happens when your sitting around the airport waiting to get on your plane and they keep telling you the flight will be delayed 20 minutes, eventhough they know the flight is delayed like 2 hours.
S
The1 @ Mar 6th 2006 12:34PM
Another, SONY is not hurting MS. MS is hurting MS, they have a horrible Marketing department. Also, we already new that Japan would not support anythig American, the stats are not worth mentioning. What you failed to recognize is that the X360 sold out in Korea.
m3mnoch @ Mar 6th 2006 12:36PM
to the above.
there's a famous adage: "Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity."
to james.
glad i'm not the only one who was scratching my head wondering what was the big deal with the interview. it's an interesting insight into stringer (who appears to be very good at his job), but it's a non-starter for ps3 info.
m3mnoch.
Scott @ Mar 6th 2006 12:37PM
Sony put a DRM on all information related to the PS3 and will install a rootkit into the soul of whoever dares divulge that information!
Insomnia Bob @ Mar 6th 2006 12:44PM
At this point, while I'd like to agree with Jo's (#1) post, I wonder if the constant stonewalling isn't a sign of some trouble?
Absurd as it sounds, I'm starting to wonder if Sony has realized the PS3 components will cost too much, and are waiting for the inevitable drop in prices that will come with time. Playing the waiting game, hoping to get the price down to a REASONABLE loss per unit, which can be made up in software.
PsyClerk @ Mar 6th 2006 12:49PM
Anyone who thinks that Sony is saving everything for a big surprise is foolish. Why bother making a product if you are going to hide it from the market? If Sony had a solid release date and retail price, we would know it about ten minutes after the decision was made at Sony HQ. They would want gamers hyped up for it.
Remember the last system to have a surprise launch? Sega Saturn. That ended well.
Nossy @ Mar 6th 2006 1:07PM
Sony has to make many decisions on the PS3. For example, Dual HDMI outputs on the PS3 with no option to include outputs for analog TV owners is suicide (even early HDTV adopter with YPbPr only connections, or DVIs which are not HDCP compliant). It's really hilarious that Motion Picture companies are imposing copy protection requirements to Hi-def (Anything that is 720p or above) contents. Sony will most likely include a Digital/Analog HDMI converter which will scale the resolution down to 480p (even if you own a HDTV capable of 720p/1080i). Microsoft avoided HDDVD and Blu-ray and even 720p upconversion of DVDs so they can use a more robust output connections such as YPbPr and VGA.
Blu-ray is probably the major factor that is holding back the PS3. There's no way Sony will abandon their "trojan" horse plan for Blu-ray either. Also, as others had mention, PS2 sales are still very strong. The PS3 has the potential to sale more than 3 million units on its first month (if Sony can provide enough and the price is right).
SuicideNinja @ Mar 6th 2006 1:08PM
"2) The longer the gap between 360 and PS3 launch, the more obvious it will be to consumers that the PS3 is more advanced hardware. "
I don't think this is necessarily the case. The less consumers (non "hardcore" gamers) hear about the PS3, the less they will think about it. Not that this will hurt PS3 sales...their pricing is likely to do that when up against a much cheaper Revolution and somewhat cheaper Xbox 360 this holiday season...a spring launch would have helped them overshadow the Revolution quite a bit. This also gives more time to Microsoft to tweak their already excellent 360 interface....not to mention the 360 titles that will be available at that point will have had a chance to gain popularity. Why wait for the PS3 version if you can play a 360 version sooner that is just as good?
On the other hand, Sony does better not to say anything. If you are right, then the PS3 can be continued to be powered by hype rather than hardware. Just like the PS2. The PS2 is a horrible console, but it ended up with the games that consumers were looking for so many owners do not even know they were fooled by Sony's hype. It's interesting to look back at old comments and reviews on the subject. However, I will acknowledge that the PS3 has a slight power edge this time. It's full potential is not likely to be apparent until the PS4/Xbox720 era however. But we do have to wait until we see actual comparisons between PS3 and 360 side by side.
I'm also starting to think that Bluray will be more harmful to the PS3's future than helpful. It's starting to seem apparent from the HDMI/HDCP annoying garbage that consumers will be frustrated and not recommend either HD-DVD or Bluray to each other (DVR/Tivo systems will not work with them). When both formats fail, the Bluray functionality will just be a wasted expense to Sony if they keep including it. Not to mention that Bluray going with Java for interface options will likely be bad as it wastes resources (developer personell and hardware).
I am curious to see how Sony's online service and new interface will fare. Sony has never made good interfaces to their products, even on their website.
In any case, as long as Microsoft and Nintendo can get more 3rd party support this time around, then Sony may lose the gigantic lead they have undeservingly gloated over for the last generation. Even if they keep the lead, it seems more and more that it will not be by the same amount.
McWilliams @ Mar 6th 2006 1:23PM
My take on it in summary:
If the PS3 comes out 1yr later than the Xbox 360 and is less stellar that what was promised by Sony and is only marginally better than the Xbox 360, I think I’d feel cheated (and a bit pissed) especially if I had to pay 30-40% more that what the Xbox 360 costs.
Don't give me the crap that with Sony having an extra year will make the system will run any better or surpass Xbox 360 or whatever...That hardware has been in cement since mid 2005. Sony just can't get the dang thing working right.
A day late and dollar short...
http://www.mcwilliamsworld.com/archives/2006/03/117
Ghost Box @ Mar 6th 2006 1:32PM
"Sony will roll out the PS3 by year end, in time for the holidays. If PS3 "delivers what everyone thinks it will, the game is up," Stringer boasts."
IF?????
Hmmmm, sounds like Howard isn't convinced at all.
Very interesting
Zsavior @ Mar 6th 2006 1:43PM
As much as the little Sega and Nintendo fanboy in me wants to bash Sony, you got to ask one question. Is what sony is doing different from other systems or system wars before this? See last time I looked I haven't seen any revolution games nor seen anybody playing anything on a revolution, just false interface mark ups. At this point right now I think Sony is becoming a victim of its own hype machine.
As much as some of us want to forget Sony's hype machine is a massive force of nature, contrary to popular opinion it killed off the dinosaurs not a metor, by coining the phrase "Prehistoric" it made them un-popular causing them to die out. Of course I am joking but the hype machine worked on dreamcast, many people think SOny killed dreamcast instead of the heaping MOUNDS of debt they racked up. The Hypemachine made sure that people didn't pay attention to Sega's grand machine while they didn't show anything really themselves.
Fast forward a few years a new system war is brewing and I think now I finally see MS plan so please bare with me. Sony cranks the hype machine out again, this time trying it on the xbox 360 as xbox 360 is going to be released first. Yet this time the hype machine has gotten a Gigantic monkey wrench thrown in it made of crisp american hundred dollar bills. While Sega is the king of horrible advertising, and debt building through horrible add-ons. Xbox 360 has a virtual Ponce de leon fountain of cash, and a person who understands hype sells systems as much as quality. What ends up happening is Sony can't kill off a system which has no visible weak spot. No matter the monitary losses xbox keeps coming out, they can't bad mouth the systems capabiities, and it already has a fan base of consumers which are much like it's own(thus it can't use the kiddie tactic) basically Sony's hype machine has made it that we are all paying alot of attention to them and since we don't see anything we automatically assume the worst because their competitor won't fall.
I think MS never intended to have HUGE Supplies, I am beginning to think MS intended to just have a system out incase sony couldn't not meet its launch dates, and pick up on consumers tired of waiting. IF you look at sony's tactics they are no different than last system war it is just that Xbox 360 is no dreamcast, it is a mimic of the Playstation. SOny greatest enemy is itself, nobody at sony is stupid or foolish but I am bet they are damned suprise xbox won't die. All the attention they usually use to bad mouth a system is now being boomeranged back at them. Because the one next Gen system out right now on the market plays the same games with the same look and same price they intend on pushing. I don't think Sony ever built a strategy on how to topple itself and I think that is its problem now.
The strange thing is this hype would have worked if there was no xbox 360 becaue it worked on dreamcast, people started to see the dreamcast die and developers pull out long before sony PS2 ever came out, it made the anticipation for the system stronger. SO nobody ever really questioned why sony was being so quiet, but with xbox 360 seeming to get stronger rather than weaker people are starting to wonder what sony is doing, because there anticpation is being drawn away.
C. Grant @ Mar 6th 2006 1:49PM
You make some good points Jo, but the fear is that many people who aren't going to fall for the it's newer so it's better hype may opt for a 360 now. Losing even a small percentage of their marketshare could prove disastrous. Why not assuage those who feel compelled to go next-gen with something. They've had several opportunities to do just that.
The PS2 sales, while impressive, don't necessarily help them in the next-gen battle. The PS1 continued to sell well before and after the launch of the PS2, but they still had to launch a product.
Point is: I think we'd all like it if Sony was more up front with gamers. We all know the system is going to be delayed, why not say as much?
Mullinator @ Mar 6th 2006 1:55PM
I am starting to think that Sony is now more scared of Nintendo than Microsoft. I get the feeling Sony is so silent and has pushed all the PS3 information to E3 because they are scared of what Nintendo will be showing. They don't want to get to E3 and not have anything new to show while Nintendo is seen as showing off a lot of new stuff.
Pretty Obvious @ Mar 6th 2006 2:41PM
Sonys underestimating its competition will come back to haunt them in the long run and we will be seeing Microsoft and Nintendo laughing at them because of it.
Todd @ Mar 6th 2006 3:18PM
Until you can go into any store and easily pick up an Xbox 360 Premium, Sony doesn't have to say anything about the PS3. People aren't buying 360's simply because they can't. However once they can, Sony will kick the hype machine back to full speed. The hype Sony spews about the PS3 only serves to try to get people to not buy a 360. They know once a person buys a 360 then they are much less likely to buy a PS3. The poll on this site highlighted that fact. If you buy a 360 then why would you buy its mortal enemy, unless you want to own all of the consoles?
slackpiv @ Mar 6th 2006 4:27PM
Um Sony will have component outputs. It has an AV multi-output which means it will have component and HD quality. HDMI and DVI is needed for blu-ray. But that's only for select movies. Studios decide what movies that they will downscale. Fox said that were not going to down convert their movies for analog inputs.
m3mnoch @ Mar 6th 2006 5:20PM
slackpiv. where did you see that fox wasn't going to downgrade the analog signal? i'd love to read it. if that's the case, mad props to fox for not bending to the will of hdcp.
also, are you sure the ps3 will ship with component out? or is it an 'addon' you can purchase? i'm thinking it's going to ship with composite and hdmi. it'd be pretty expensive to ship with all 3.
m3mnoch.
slackpiv @ Mar 6th 2006 5:32PM
Read the PS3 specs at the official product overview at playstation.com. It says AV MULTI-out which is an all in one analog output much like the 1 that both the ps2 and 360 uses. The fox not downconverting was old news. This is the only artical i can dig up at google news. http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/living/13975197.htm
"Before you toss out your "old" HD set, let me stress that down-rezzing is optional. At least one studio, 20th Century Fox, has allowed it won't mess with a good thing, not wanting to antagonize the current HD fan club. Other studios have intimated that the flagging will be done very selectively"
Jlmadyson @ Mar 6th 2006 5:49PM
Anyone believing that the PS3 will be out before fall in the U.S. is smoking the green leaf at this point.
Benny Ben @ Mar 6th 2006 6:58PM
Fall in the U.S i dont know unless sony launches the ps3 for fall 06 in america and extends the japanese launch to march 2007 thats the traditional launch of the playstation in japan that i can see likely. But on a note, its cool to know when the ps3 is launching but what about the price. Casual gamers or the majority of gamers in america who probably make up more then 2/3-3/4 of gamers here are looking forward for the msrp price of the ps3 at 299.99 cents nothing higher and nothing lower thats the price casual gamers want. If the ps3 is higher then 299.99 casual gamers wont buy a ps3 or just wait until the price goes down. IF the ps3 399.99 expect casual gamers to hold on to thier ps2s for alongtime, because a couple of casual gamers will feel upset about the price and wont fork over that much money for a mainstream console. IF the ps3 is 499.99 then console gaming America will most likely crash, Hardcore gamers will buy a ps3 at prices higher then 299.99 but casual gamers wont yet alone casual gamers are not very reluctant on picking up a 360 yet alont touching the revolution both of those consoles wont have mass appeal to the casual gamers unless there is a halo3 or a mariokart and thats only temporary. Delaying the ps3 might be a goodthing it allows research for cheaper parts for the ps3 so the price of manufracting the console can come down but only slightly. But with the delaying of the ps3 now im expecting the ps3 to be more then 400 dollars, but still at a price of 400 dollars the casual gamers in America are officially doomed. And to take into account that casual gamers dont buy other sony products like vaios cybershots walkmans bravias and so on but buy dell PCS kodak easyershare ipods and samsungtvs. Sony's base is fucking up sony themselves, a goodthing im a hardcore gamer and a strong supporter nintendo and microsoft and oh yeah i love apple.
Coolnut @ Mar 6th 2006 8:21PM
The PS3 is in real trouble - because the Japanese no longer care about higher-end graphics. Note how badly the 360 is hurting because of this. Also note that the best-selling systems and games are for the handhelds - the DS and PSP. Games with a real-life social end to them - not toward anonomity like Halo or World of Warcraft, where you have no clue about the men behind the curtain, so to speak.
The only reason the PS2 is selling at the moment is because of the new fancy-schmancy slimline version. Heck, it looks so cool that I'd get one as soon as I scrape up the cash. (Yes, really.)
A Famitsu poll (can't remember when) had a plurality of gamers pick the Revolution as the most likely winner of the next-gen console war. (Dealers picked PS3, and developers picked Nintendo DS, IIRC. I could be wrong on this, though.)
It doesn't matter how cool or how sharp the graphics are, or how perfect the sound may be - it's how you play the game.
m3mnoch @ Mar 6th 2006 10:01PM
i would swear i've read that article about 10 times. can't ever remember seeing the fox quote.
that means:
a) i didn't really read it very well... all 10 times.
or
b) i'm a tard.
personally, i'm a votin' for b, myself.
anyway. back to the cables.
the multi-av thing is probably, like you said, similar to the ones shipping with the ps2, xbox and xbox 360.
let's take the 360 for example. the multi-av port just means it can serve up any old video it needs too. the one with my 360 came with 2 choices -- composite or component.
i have a standard definition big screen that's just not quite ready to give up the ghost. it's just old enough to not have component cables, so s-video is as good as i can do. that being the case, i had to special order a separate av pack that had composite and s-video connections.
my point is, based on the status-quo, i'm guessing that the ps3 will ship with hdmi and a composite connector/cable. in parallel to the 360's component and composite connector/cable thing. this thing:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000B6MLPU/
so, all of our ps3-owning, component-needing friends will have to get a component video adapter/cable thing similar to how i had to get an s-video adapter/cable thing for my xbox 360. this thing here:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000B6MLPK/
it still has the digital audio output for my surround sound, i'm just stuck on s-video 'til i decide to go out and buy and hdtv.
i don't think anyone is saying the ps3's not capable of playing component video. i'm saying i don't think it will ship with the ability in the box.
not really a bad thing as damn near every tv in existence has composite video.
m3mnoch.
Dane @ Mar 6th 2006 11:00PM
More "confirmation" of a PS3 delay...
http://www.gamespot.com/news/2006/03/06/news_6145450.html
Alex Romanelli @ Mar 7th 2006 12:45PM
Here's a free link to the variety article:
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117939258?categoryid=18&cs=1&s=h&p=0
ARCH @ Mar 7th 2006 2:01PM
I've said it BEFORE and ill say it AGAIN. sony fanboys are waiting till next year for a console that will have the same capabilities with maybe a MINUTE difference. again sonys fud hype gets o all the fanboys and they think that the next confrence will burry the 360. and then when that doesnt happen, they say the next one will, and then the next one will.
AGAIN I REPEAT, THE ONLY REASON SONY IS DELAYING THE
PS3 IS BECAUSE OF BLURAY. ALL THE TECHNOLOGY WAS FINISHED IN DECEMBER. THE RSX WAS JUST FINISHED. (WHICH IS NOTHING SPECIAL MIND YOU)
so keep complaining fanboys. and keep telling yourselves that it will bury the competition. whatever helps you sleep at night.
Korey @ Mar 8th 2006 9:26AM
Microsoft ORIGAMI is the portable gaming system of the future hell its the PC of the future
Keggo @ Mar 10th 2006 1:09AM
PS3 will be sweet. I don't care about waiting because there are plenty of new games (good looking games) on PSP and PS2. MS can eat my taint. Also, JO, I enjoyed your comment... I agree with all that you said. I think all the spawn of Gates are just getting scared because PS3 may dent their precious companies revenue. Honestly, I don't care who makes more money, I like what I like, and if the Xbox guys like being second rate, then let them be.... PS3 WILL BE KING.
Of Course @ Mar 12th 2006 12:35AM
what the hell are you guys talking about? PS3 isn't just putting a shell of grandeur on! It will obviously be able to handle more complex games than 360 and Revo. You guys are underestimating the japanese consumer base. Also, the korean base is not important as well, seeing how seriously gaming is taking there, expect the PS3 to sell good there as well, seeing that the hardcore gamers there will attempt to grab all the consoles they can (Remember, you can get big bucks for being good at certain games there)So what's the point of argueing?
You Microsoft and Nintendo supporters label the sony supporters as fanboys, while showing that you guys are microsoft and nintendo fanboys at the same time. Good job, hypocrites.
As for games, that itself would draw a huge fanbase. Since Final Fantasy has rarely ventured away from sony in it's recent games, the fans of the series will obviously get a PS3. and we can all tell how many FF fanboys/fangirls there are by the sheer amount of games sold and fansites on the internet. Google "Final Fantasy" and you get 97,300,000 results. Metal Gear Solid will draw those seeking a stealth ops game/deep storyline and Tekken/Soul Calibur will draw the fighter fans. Devil May Cry will also draw alot of fans as well. So despite what some say, the games on each system DO matter. If Sony had a horrible line-up of games, then i would agree the PS3 would perish, but since it doesn't, i don't think it'll bankrupt Sony.
Blu-Ray disk capacity surpasses the current DVD's to a great extent. you can fit entire seasons of shows in one disk. Imagine the convenience of that! instead of carrying a bulky box with 10 DVDs, carry one or two BluRay Disks and still have room to spare on them! You could also create games that take well over 100 hours to complete, although that wouldn't be a bright idea unless the game was extremely good.
In my opinion, the PS3 will not fail to atleast meet the 360 and Revo in terms of sales and power. The 360 is a great console and all, but the games on it are not my type, and Revo games are definately not my type, so i'll be going with Sony.
P.S. the controller isn't that bad, looks kinda cool. The DualShock is out of production, so naturally, they had to make a new model. If you don't like it, get some non-sony controllers, just like what you can do with the PS2