Sony launches EU PS3 website
by Christopher Grant 
{ Jun 30th 2006 at 10:00AM }
It ain't much, but we'll take it. Sony launched the official PlayStation 3 site, but only the EU version; lucky for us, we're fluent in the Queen's English, so we're able to enjoy this one until the undoubtedly better version is prepped for North American consumption (for now, we're stuck with this turd).
So what's shaking at the new PS3 site? How about a bunch of PS3-pr0n (we like this one best ... that's a lot of standards), a FAQ, some specs, a couple press releases, a rundown of some of the games, all wrapped up in a fancy, high-gloss web brochure. Told you it wasn't much.
[Via PS3 Fanboy]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
niels @ Jun 30th 2006 10:13AM
All this of course because Americans are so much more important in this world that europeans...man
C. Grant @ Jun 30th 2006 10:21AM
niels: Awww, c'mon niels, I was just kidding. We're not SOOO much important ... just a little bit! *ducks assault from Ludwig, Jennie, and Conrad*
niels @ Jun 30th 2006 10:29AM
sorry it wasnt obvious...
you know it could also just mean Sony will focus more on the european than american market. it is really an oudated concept that the American market is "ahead" or more "ready" for new technology. Look in whats available in american and european stores in terms of consumer technology, its either the same or there is more variety in europe...
your turn.... :-)
Jody Anthony @ Jun 30th 2006 10:33AM
but the US has all sorts of things that europe doesnt have, like electricity.
Jay @ Jun 30th 2006 10:36AM
The way I see it Europe was always more culture, art, music, fashion orientated where America was more business and electronic orientated. I don't know if thats a stereotype but it's what I've picked up from holidays in America.
anywho.
that text on the american PS3 site is painful. how the hell did a designer get away with that? No quality control. it's like someone made a nice hi-res image in Photoshop, saved a PNG, opened in Preview and shrunk to a random percentage, then tried to re-antialias it. ouch.
"The beginning of a new era"? Not really. There are new stuff in there (1080p, BluRay) but it's hardly an era now is it. Silly Sony FUD.
Marky @ Jun 30th 2006 10:37AM
Interesting that theres no mention of the Cell Processor Speed yet everything else seems to be covered. Adding fuel to the fire that is been downgraded to 2.8Ghz I wonder? Which considering each SPU is lower after that, makes it a relatively underpowered machine
tiremfej @ Jun 30th 2006 10:47AM
Anyone that is still willing to purchase this machine after all the lies and half truths, deserve what they get. I am not spending $600 on a video game machine, $400 was crazy enough, I won't be dropping another $600. I can get a HD-DVD drive 2 games and a Nintendo Wii for that. I just don't understand Sony. There have just been too many lies.
Slash @ Jun 30th 2006 10:47AM
"but the US has all sorts of things that europe doesnt have, like electricity."
OH BURN!!
minus_273 @ Jun 30th 2006 10:49AM
#3
I think part of the reason is europeans in general earn less (by working fewer hours) and pay more in taxes and therefore have less disposable income than their american counterparts. Oddly enough things also tend to be cheaper over here (see how $99 becomes 99 pounds then 99 Euros etc.). Last but most important, Japan uses NTSC US uses NTSC and both have only one language. Europe has no standards. Some use PAL others use SECAM and the same goes for language. To market in europe not only do you need to convert to PAL and SECAM, you also have to translate to a bunch of languages (look at that EU page and see the languages listed on top)
KawF @ Jun 30th 2006 10:52AM
Btw. For those that can't read and can't be arsed to bother doing so. Yes, wireless controllers ship as standard with both versions. All according to the FAQ section "How much will the PS3 cost?".
I know some still seem to be... well.. confused in regards to this.
Rymix @ Jun 30th 2006 11:02AM
@#9
"I think part of the reason is europeans in general earn less (by working fewer hours) and pay more in taxes and therefore have less disposable income than their american counterparts."
I think you meant, "...by working the same number of hours as Americans, but only getting paid for half of them..."
That's why we have crazy thing like "Work your proper hours day"
http://www.worksmart.org.uk/workyourproperhoursday/
:D
(BTW I typed this whilst still at work, desipte the fact I should have gone home an hour ago. Still, at least I got to waste some company time and electricity!)
Kevin @ Jun 30th 2006 11:08AM
Since when was there a launch date for PS3?
Hamson @ Jun 30th 2006 11:10AM
Spiderman 3.....
niels @ Jun 30th 2006 11:23AM
how will they advertise this thing? highlighting either BluRay or HDTV will backfire because I think there is really no decent argument why we need either of these at this point besides sony saying so. Thus, it seems to me the public needs to be convinced entirely on the phrase "its the new playstation, and it rocks". we will see...
Night Elve @ Jun 30th 2006 11:36AM
How can this be a new news when im pretty sure i visited the PlayStation 3 Website like 3 weeks ago.
Kamalot @ Jun 30th 2006 11:38AM
The game screen shots look assy compared to 360 screen shots. How are they expecting to sell the PS3 if it can't compete?
Ln @ Jun 30th 2006 11:40AM
The thing with America is, for large portions of the country (which they'd rather ignore), the living conditions would embarrass many a third world country. Forget HD ready, they're still trying figure out how they put "them little people in the box".
And for the majority, evolution to them, is like Kryptonite is to Superman. Overall, pretty backwards compared to the major European countries, and that’s an understatement!
Tondog @ Jun 30th 2006 11:42AM
PS3 has SACD support?! Freakin' awesome! Now I can finally play the 5.1 SACD version of Dark Side Of The Moon.
Anonymous Rep @ Jun 30th 2006 12:14PM
I'm just reading the specs sheets...
325 x 98 x 274 - 11 lbs - PS3
309 x 83 x 258 - 7.7 lbx - Xbox 360
Now, granted that figure for the 360 doesn't include the power supply. But we all remember the potential for heat issues with the 360. Now you've got a power supply internal? Can you say melting puddle of parts?
I do notice that it says that the PS3 has backwards compatability for all PS1 and PS2 games. How can this be, when some PS2 games won't play on OTHER PS2's?
I like the statement:
"With Blu-Ray, game developers are free to get on with creating amazing imagery and game engines, without having to cut corners to fit it all onto a DVD. Similarly, High Definition movies can be fitted onto a BRD with ease.
Simply, if you're going to have full-length HD movies and games with incredible, high resolution graphics, you need a next generation storage medium to match. That's Blu-Ray."
That pretty much sums this up - here's a PS2 with a Blu-Ray drive because we want to sell lot's of Blu-Ray movies now. It flat out says in another tab that 'to get all of the benefits...you will require a HDTV to view them on'.
Hope you've saved up your money by November 17, Europe - looks like you're going to need it to buy a PS3 and an HDTV.
niels @ Jun 30th 2006 12:26PM
they cannot sell the PS3 on it being HDTV and BLURAY. the general public has no idea what this means. They must sell it based on their established playstation brand, which, lets face it, might work.
VerticalEvent @ Jun 30th 2006 12:32PM
Anyone else notice the standards that the PS3 has:
"Dolby: True HD".
It seems like Sony didn't coin the term of True HD, but, rather, it was Dolby and Sony has passed their test for true HD.
Just out of curiossity, did the 360 also have the same standard from Dolby in the HD department, as well?
KawF @ Jun 30th 2006 1:08PM
@Anonymous Rep#19
"That pretty much sums this up - here's a PS2 with a Blu-Ray drive because we want to sell lot's of Blu-Ray movies now. It flat out says in another tab that 'to get all of the benefits...you will require a HDTV to view them on'."
Yes, it says, "to get all the benefits of HD". As in, if you want to view the movies and games in HD... surprise, surprise, you will need an HD TV. Did that surprise you somehow? Did you expect your SD TV to suddenly be able to allow you to view HD movies in full HD quality? That somehow 480p could become 1080p/720p?
Mr Awesomer @ Jun 30th 2006 1:18PM
To #21 - "True HD" is an audio format, and actually has nothing to do with HDTV. Check out Dolby's website for details.
Anonymous Rep @ Jun 30th 2006 1:36PM
KawF -
My point being that shouldn't PLAYstation be all about the GAME play, not about the MOVIES?
I don't think anyone would disagree that gameplay on the Xbox 360 certainly looks better on an HDTV. But they don't push it - in fact, they make it incredibly easy for you in the event that you don't have an HDTV - simply flip the switch on the video out.
I happen to gameplay on a standard def TV - albeit a 60" projection with component in that we've had for 5 years. I watch movies on the plasma HDTV that's in my bedroom, using an HDMI-out DVD player that upgrades a standard DVD signal to 1080i. At the distances that I sit to game or watch movies - 6 to 10 feet - there's really not much detectable difference. (My age and eyesight probably also has something to do with that as well, but that's another story.) I've seen the signal quality from an HD-DVD player hooked up to an HD-TV - no pixelation with my face 2" from the screen.
That's fine for watching movies.
But aren't we about PLAYING the games? Shouldn't the point be to emphasize the game play, and how, if you happen to have an HDTV that it will enhance the game play, but that it's not the most important feature of the system? Remember how much flack came out because the players in NBA looked right, but the game play was just a bit off? (Madden '06 is a perfect example - it looks visually stunning on an HDTV - then you have a player fall THROUGH another player because of poor collision detection.)
I think it boils down to Sony as a corporate entity is trying to merge divisions when they should keep them
apart. They make movies, TV's, other electronics (computers, etc.), and game consoles. I applaud the idea that they should be trying to have their divisions complement each other. I loath the fact that they are trying to force the divisions together, and force hardware choices onto consumers that aren't ready for them.
Aaron @ Jun 30th 2006 2:03PM
The Euro PS3 site has been open since 6/7/06. OLD ONCE AGAIN!
KawF @ Jun 30th 2006 2:09PM
Excuse me Anonymous Rep. But what was the reply to my question? Where does it say that the PS3 REQUIRES an HDTV in order to function? You can still play games on your SD TV if you want to. Personally, if I'd want to play next-gen titles on my SD TV, well, i wouldn't. That's the point of next gen. I'd simply stick to a PS2 or xbox1. You still CAN do it though.
If you don't care at all for graphics, then simply stick to your old systems. The PS2 will still be supported quite a few years more. Heck. You could probably buy a Wii if you don't already own a console.
But that brings us back to my question. Where does it say that the PS3 REQUIRES an HDTV to operate, because that is what you seem to imply.
Btw, saying that sony's trying to push bluray movies onto you just because they use bluray media in order to secure the PS3 for games ever expanding space requirements over the next ten years. Bullocks. Simply don't buy the movies. Stick with VHS or whatever is your preference.
That's the main difference with Sony compared to Microsoft and Nintendo. They make systems that are supposed to be on the market for at least 10 years. Microsoft. At most five years. (and I see that trend continuing, perhaps with an even shorter market window). Nintendp. Well.. they seem to be releasing a new system as often as Apple releases a new generation of iPod, but that's OK, it's Nintendo.
(Btw, all you people buying 360's in order to play Live Arcade... seriously... buy a Wii for $250(?) instead. It's a bloody ripoff.. $450 to play Uno, Poker and simmilar over the internet.... On a $450 machine... mental)
samfish @ Jun 30th 2006 2:42PM
Why are they using the Spider-Man font?
I thought this was a Spider-Man 3 thing when I first saw it.
Gareth Jones @ Jun 30th 2006 3:15PM
The US is about 2 years behind Europe in mobile phone technology actually. Not what you'd expect if you listened to half-brained Americans banging on about how the Land of the Free(TM) (which coincidentally isn't so free after all) and believed a word they said.
Anyway, I better not mention too much reality here or I'll be labelled as an anti-American, anti-capitalist terrorist who wants to destroy Freedom(TM) for all.
Or whatever phrase American politicians are using this week.
Kamalot @ Jun 30th 2006 3:17PM
"They make systems that are supposed to be on the market for at least 10 years"
I love this statement. Sony said the same thing about their PS2. This does not mean that by buying a Playstation product, it is designed to last 10 years. All this means is that Sony plans on selling the product for 10 years.
Anyone who thinks that there will be 10 years of great games for any playstation product wilol be sorely dissapointed. Anyone who buys a playstation product and expects it not to break down within those 10 years is downright dumb.
KawF @ Jun 30th 2006 3:25PM
Excuse me, did I say that you would be on the same exact hardware then? No, I said that Playstation 3, as in the system will still be around in 10 years time, just like the PS1, so will the PS2, and so will the PS3 in all likelyhood be.
Changing the specifications of parts vital to gaming as you go along, is a frigging deathblow. Therefore you need to make certain that it is all included in the first try. That, or release a completely new system as in the PS3.5 or PS4 as soon as the market changes in such a fashion that it is deemed neccesary.
Microsoft seem to not have understood that. Nintendo has. Sony too seem to have understood it.
Rootbeer @ Jun 30th 2006 3:43PM
"If you don't care at all for graphics, then simply stick to your old systems."
Sony shouldn't be surprised when a sizeable percentage of gamers end up doing just that.
No, an HDTV isn't REQUIRED to operate a PS3, but I'm hard-pressed to come up with any reason why I would want to buy a PS3 if I didn't have HD. Which I don't, yet.
Liquid Sky @ Jun 30th 2006 4:32PM
KawF - You're an idiot. I say this not for any specific reason, just the sum of your insipid, anger-laced rants. Go back to the pub from whence your crawled.
manjeet @ Jun 30th 2006 4:39PM
@# 4-I couldn't give a cart load of rolled rhino dung whether Europe or U$A has electricity or not! Over here in Calcutta we have community electricity-everybody steals from everybody else! I think my neighbor Damjeep down the road paid my bill last month, but who cares? Bwaahaaahaaa!!
KawF @ Jun 30th 2006 5:02PM
Thanks for the nice comment Liquid Sky. I can see that you are a very mature person who likes to have an educated discussion on matters pertaining to new technologies.
Actually, I would like to know why I'm alledgedly an idiot according to you. Did I somehow offend you? Do you not like to hear that consoles other than the 360 also will be quite good? Did I somehow offend you by mentioning that buying a $450 system to play Uno on the internet is not so brilliant? Did my comments regarding some of the problems facing Sony, Nintendo or Microsoft offend you personally?
Or did you just run out of arguments on "why PS3/Wii/Whatever is crap/best-ever"?
minus_273 @ Jun 30th 2006 5:30PM
#11
UK doesnt count. There is a reason why i said generally. Look at places like france where they work 30 or so hours a day to see what I mean.
minus_273 @ Jun 30th 2006 5:34PM
!7 and 27,
sounds like someone is jealous. Notice how everyone just ignores europe? Thats what we are talking about here.
Fan @ Jun 30th 2006 11:46PM
Well since Europe is a bigger market than the USA its a wonder that more companies dont make a priority of Europe.
Maybe this will change now since the Ps3 looks to do badly in the states and Sony would be smart to go were the money is.
Also the USA is in bad economical shape and the European economuy is getting better and better. Countries who were earlier considered poor are now getting richer and more people are willing to spend more money.
Anonymous Rep @ Jul 1st 2006 12:21AM
Kawf -
I am not, unlike other people on here, attempting to insult you. I just don't think you're getting where I'm coming from, and it is possible that may be my fault.
Okay, I want to play games on my standard def component TV. Your console has an optional component out. Your developer puts everything onto a Blu-Ray disc. Your Blu-Ray disk works, but VERY poorly, with component out. Why? Because it's designed for HDMI output.
Now - using current technology, and with very few exceptions, most games will fit on a standard dual layer DVD - 9 GB. After all, isn't it STILL supposed to be about the GAMES?
I guess what I'm getting at is, other than forcing you to change your movie collection - or put up with sub-standard viewing in their opinion - why did Sony the GAMING company put the Blu-Ray on the PS3 if NOT an attempt to support Sony the MOVIE company and Sony the TELEVISION company?
From a gaming perspective, the Blu-Ray does not really add ANY value to the PS3. I mean - can you imagine what a game company would have to charge for their game if they were to try to put 40GB of content onto one disk? I'm certainly not prepared - or willing - to pay an up front cost of $120 or more for a GAME - let alone an entire library of them.
Fan @ Jul 1st 2006 12:38AM
"From a gaming perspective, the Blu-Ray does not really add ANY value to the PS3."
This is utter rubbish. Blu-ray adds more space just like any other format upgrade. And yes space is needed.
Rafi @ Jul 1st 2006 1:46AM
The entire site is basically built upon the Blu-Ray drive. Nothing more. Why? The PS3 is a Blu-Ray player at heart. That's its main purpose at life, and games is basically a feature just like movies are; because they are both mediums that will use Blu-Ray.
The motion-sensing controller, however, shows that Sony don't know what demography to market to.
KawF @ Jul 1st 2006 3:03AM
I will still maintain my position on that the space will be needed. Perhaps not this year neccesarily, but in a few years, it will be. My prediction is that developers will realise that it will be neccesary to streamline production by using proper middleware as is becoming more frequent. (Middleware as in complete eninges, things like SpeedTree, the PhysX SDK, and so on). Things such as stock models, stock content will also have to be used. The movie industry realised this was neccesary, why can't the games industry do the same.
Is there for example really a need to time after time again to create the same crates, buildings, and so on. Why not build up a stock of these for use within your organization. The problem with this still is that tthe individual developer companies are still responsible for these bits. Wouldn't it be good if perhaps EA had a massive stock of proper, high-quality models, middleware, and other content. That way, content could be reused with minor, to major, modifications in each game made.
It's like having your Harrison Ford, and then discarding him and getting another actor for each Indiana Jones movie who is trained in turn to be basically an identical actor. That's not economical. But that's how the games industry works today. Each and every little developer does much of the things in-house. Recreating things that have been done to death. It's not economical, but something developers really like.
With proper use of middleware, stock content, good "game editors", streamlined production, and mass acceptance of games as a proper entertainment media, the cost of each individual copy of "the game" will be possible to sell at a level, including normal inflation, that represents todays cost of a game.
Just again, my prediction, but I think it is quite accurate.
PS. By stock content, I don't mean that each and every game will feature things that look identical, you still can take a stock object and make modifications to it so it looks radically different. Take some inspiration from the prop. designers at movie studios. Making a communicator for Star Wars from an electric razor. Something that silly, but effective, will keep costs down. Why reinvent the wheel, or even, why invent the wheel when all you needed was a circle.
Fan @ Jul 1st 2006 10:07AM
KawF is right. Good post.
@ #39 Rafi
"The PS3 is a Blu-Ray player at heart. That's its main purpose at life"
What nonsense commenting. Are you just frantically trying to look for something bad to say about the PS? Because it sure looks that way. Ps3 is a GAMES machine wich is not limited by the producer to just use for games. Like any other console its a computer but its not locked down to be just a console. So please can we stop the nonsense? Its getting real tiresome.