PS3 to launch at lower price and on time.

peterweg

Ex Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2002
Messages
1,351
Reaction score
61
Points
223
The following message (based on conversations had at the Three Speech event) has appeared on messageboards and been appropriated into news stories across various websites. We checked in with PlayStation to see if they had any additional comment to make. They have no great qualms with the info aside from the following point - the Tivo functionality in Q3 2007. Seems it’s certainly technically possible to do that with PS3, but they’re not making any guarantees about if or when they’d add that functionality.

——————–
Quote:
INFO GATHERED FROM LONDON’S www.threespeech.com event with Phil Harrisson (December 12th 2006)

Playstation 3 european launch within the first 2 weeks of March 2007, as explained to me, Sony’s financial year ends on the 3rd week of March and therefore they want to launch before the next finanacial year begins. Judging that UK consoles always release on a friday expect the european launch on either the 2nd or 9th of March. Though a strong hint was that they are hoping to drop the playstation 3 on the 3rd day of the 3rd month (march 3rd).

On the same day as playstation 3’s euro launch SCE are to distribute there march firmware update with features including:

multi-tasking (included will be audio/video conferencing while browsing the xmb and its features/ gameplay).
new xmb display options
new animations for audio playback.
new photo album options.
playstation store auto ressume
psp remote play advanced access option (so that you can have access to your ps3’s content anywhere that has a internet connection)

Firmware will be constantly updated, with the view of a tv tuner and tivo like service to be available in the 3rd quater of 2007.

Also it is hoped that the same week as the euopean launch of the system will also see the worldwide launch of the ps3’s HDip Camera (specifications to be announced at a later date). In terms of other accessories, Sony dont see it as a necesity to manufacture playstation branded headsets, keyboards or mice, as put to me by Jonathun of SCE’s threespeech.com ‘Third party companies can offer these accessories to the consumer at a price which SCE could not compete’.

A extension to the Sony online store will also make its debut in march. Titled ‘Sing Store’, PS3 owners will be able to purchase songs for there ‘Sing Star’ kareoke programme from a slew of artists and will also be given the option to view the songs purchased as music videos via the video playback option within the xmb.

In terms of the european online store, while still being extremley vague, a spokesman for SCE europe was able to explain that Sony would have no defense if they were to charge the european consumer more than in other regions as there are no extra costs on digital distribution as apposed to a product with packaging etc. So expect a $15.00 download to cost people in the UK around £6.50.

other notes-

PS3 will be sold at £425 or lower, meaning we could have it cheaper then the previousley stated price.
Dont expect to see 20GB models available in europe.
No VGA cables to be released.
No plans to make RSX available to Linux OS, due to security issues.
A service to reserve your playstation online id will be up and running this weekend or next.

Sony make a much smaller loss on European PS3’s, so expect production to be diverted there, if needed.
 
Only time will tell.....

will be on the look out to retain a GT for myself, would like to have the same as my XBL.
 
Oh, yes. However, this has been semi-officially confirmed by Threespeech.com (Sony PR unit)
The original was a forum posting.
 
Am i the only 1 here who just wants a damn games machine :rolleyes: . if i wanted mutimedia this and that id get a pc and do it properly.
 
Oh, yes. However, this has been semi-officially confirmed by Threespeech.com (Sony PR unit)
The original was a forum posting.

So it must be true then.

Like they don't mislead/lie then? With their track record, I would take anything Sony or their PR/marketing companies with a pinch of salt!

Speaking as a bitter PSP owner BTW!!
 
Does anyone think the PS3 and Linux will be good enough to replace the PC?
 
So it must be true then.

Like they don't mislead/lie then? With their track record, I would take anything Sony or their PR/marketing companies with a pinch of salt!

Speaking as a bitter PSP owner BTW!!

Then you should take the MS PR rumour mongering with a similar spice.

The PS3 is supposed to be a very good Linux PC. It does have graphical acceleration so games will be limited, although HD video playback works fine.
 
if your not a PC gamer, then yes IMO.

Hope so. Hope that PC gaming and console gaming becomes the same! (High def screens help in this.)
There's nothing messier than PC gaming! I am not that much of a geek, sorry!
 
There's nothing messier than PC gaming!
There is nothing 'messy' about PC gaming - it's just expensive. Personally I think that's a good thing ;)

Hope that PC gaming and console gaming becomes the same!
Well as long consoles close the gap towards PCs and not vice versa. I like my free downloads, online communities/development, use my own choice of control system (mouse/keyboard for example) etc. And I prefer running in 1200 res.

I believe when Vista arrives and we get this awful "Xbox Live" type affair on the PC there will be the opportunity for 360 owners and PC owners to play against each other.
 
Then you should take the MS PR rumour mongering with a similar spice.

The PS3 is supposed to be a very good Linux PC. It does have graphical acceleration so games will be limited, although HD video playback works fine.

All companies are full of s**t, but as this was about SONY and NOT MS I did not comment on that company. I am not an MS fanoy and if you bother to read all of my posts I only complain about Sony in the way they treat their customers (me being one of them) as well as some of their dubious marketing ploys.

So really not sure what you on about???????
 
Am i the only 1 here who just wants a damn games machine :rolleyes: . if i wanted mutimedia this and that id get a pc and do it properly.
My thoughts exactly, so at least there's 2 of us :D
 
There is a very compelling reason that I believe that the console will launch in March - exchange rates. The current "peaks" in the UK£ / Euro against the Yen, make this extremely attractive to Asia, specifically Japan. Given that they estimate that a console costs Sony $750+ to build, a 600 Euro price tag means that they could breakeven on consoles [small profit actually]. As the US$ continues to slide, that market actually becomes less and less attractive - they will shift availability to those markets which will offer the greatest return.

Just my view
 
There is a very compelling reason that I believe that the console will launch in March - exchange rates. The current "peaks" in the UK£ / Euro against the Yen, make this extremely attractive to Asia, specifically Japan. Given that they estimate that a console costs Sony $750+ to build, a 600 Euro price tag means that they could breakeven on consoles [small profit actually]. As the US$ continues to slide, that market actually becomes less and less attractive - they will shift availability to those markets which will offer the greatest return.

Just my view

Well keep your views to yourself! :devil:

Just kidding, its a very good point. :smashin:
 
All companies are full of s**t, but as this was about SONY and NOT MS I did not comment on that company. I am not an MS fanoy and if you bother to read all of my posts I only complain about Sony in the way they treat their customers (me being one of them) as well as some of their dubious marketing ploys.

So really not sure what you on about???????


It's wasn't really aimed at you. More at the sheer volumn of anti-Sony propaganda coming from MS these days.

Sony is obvious very aware of the exchange rate issues, most of the cost is in US dollars. Reading about on other forums indicates the 500K level has been hit in N.A. (the free BR disk is no longer being supplied) and that retailers are getting large shipments.

I'd say Sony could launch early if they wanted to.
 
It's wasn't really aimed at you. More at the sheer volumn of anti-Sony propaganda coming from MS these days.

Sony is obvious very aware of the exchange rate issues, most of the cost is in US dollars. Reading about on other forums indicates the 500K level has been hit in N.A. (the free BR disk is no longer being supplied) and that retailers are getting large shipments.

I'd say Sony could launch early if they wanted to.

Rumours are that Sony has also just released another bolus of 100k consoles in the US this week, they also got 50k into Japan last week. Looks like they may well be able to generate enough units for Europe once xmas is over. I´m not sure about releasing early though, but if they release on time here, with plenty of units, it´ll certainly ease the bad press.

As an aside, I picked up Edge to read on the plane at the weekend. They are certainly giving Sony the love right now.
 
Rumours are that Sony has also just released another bolus of 100k consoles in the US this week, they also got 50k into Japan last week. Looks like they may well be able to generate enough units for Europe once xmas is over. I´m not sure about releasing early though, but if they release on time here, with plenty of units, it´ll certainly ease the bad press.

As an aside, I picked up Edge to read on the plane at the weekend. They are certainly giving Sony the love right now.

But they always have, nothing new there.

I really hope we can see a March release, but i dont know if i can take the preorder pain again after the Wii.
 
If it does release on time where are any of you looking to preorder? Any nasty preorder stories from anyone who ordered a Wii???

I've got my eye on preorder websites but there's nothing worthwhile online yet. Littlewoods anyone?!? lol

I guess nearer the time it'll all kick off with preorders and queues 2 days before launch....
 
To be honest I doubt exchange rates will matter a huge deal to Sony when they release in Europe because they will probably have hedged great deal of money in the Forwards Forex market. Not only that Sony's HQ and financial reporting is done from Japan and is therefore in Yen. It is likely that the Pound and Euro may get slightly stronger over the next few months due to rising interest rates so if anything we may see the PS3 for less than expected.
 
If nothing else the launch line up of games for the PS3 in March looks great, far better than the US launch. The only thing that bothers me is the availability of 20GB PS3's as that's the one I'd prefer to get but rumours suggest may not be available at all or only in small quantities.
 
I really hope we can see a March release, but i dont know if i can take the preorder pain again after the Wii.


Most of the problems with Wii availability are due to it being launched so close to christmas and its maybe unexpected popularity outside of just typical gamers.

If you absolutely must have a PS3 on launch day then pre-ordering may be necessary, otherwise they will be freely available not long after launch, much as we are seeing in the States at the moment.
 

The latest video from AVForums

TV Buying Guide - Which TV Is Best For You?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom