PS3 - 'fewer, less powerful game titles' at launch

[PKRipp3r]

does anyone else hear the sound of the last nail being driven into an electronic coffin?
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Sony Corp.'s PlayStation 3 introduction in November may be hampered by fewer and less-powerful games because the company hasn't given final technical details of the new console, according to video-game publishers.

THQ Inc. decided it didn't have enough information to make a version of ``The Sopranos'' for PS 3, according to Chief Executive Officer Brian Farrell. Other developers will release a first batch of games that don't use all the power of Sony's new Cell processor, Sega of America President Simon Jeffrey said.

Sony's delay in providing details and access to the new chip shortens the time that game-makers have to perfect titles before the PS3 hits store shelves. Some games will be delayed, while others won't have features that take full advantage of the machine's power. With fewer titles ready, video-game companies may make less sales during the Christmas holiday season.

``A lot of developers have not gotten the kits,'' Jeffrey said in an interview last week at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles. ``There certainly will not be a lot of titles available.''

Popular games for the PlayStation 2 helped Sony beat back a challenge from Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft Corp.'s first Xbox in the last round of console wars. A lack of titles limited sales of the original Xbox until ``Halo'' came out. This time, Microsoft will have a one-year head start with its Xbox 360 by the time PS3 arrives. Xbox 360 had 18 games on the day of its launch in November 2005.

``With ongoing strong games sales, we believe the Xbox segment could become profitable in calendar 2007,'' wrote Goldman, Sachs & Co. analyst Rick Sherlund in a research note yesterday. Microsoft, the world's biggest software maker, may cut the price of Xbox 360, which sells for as much as $399, by $100 in the next year to press its advantage, Sherlund wrote.

Some publishers are unwilling to risk the high cost of developing for the new console until they know more about its capabilities, said Mike Hickey, a video-games analyst for Janco Partners in Greenwood Village, Colorado.



http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000101&sid=a6GO5hFhD.M0&refer=japan

[worx]

Interesting read - I'm not sure that some of the 360 titles use all of the processing power available so it may not be as big of an issue as the article makes it out to be, but still, Sony should be a pro at this by now :-s

[PKRipp3r]

Interesting read - I'm not sure that some of the 360 titles use all of the processing power available so it may not be as big of an issue as the article makes it out to be, but still, Sony should be a pro at this by now :-s

agreed

[Number83]

I though Halo was a launch title...Sorry, but I can't give any creedence to this story because the facts are wrong.

Popular games for the PlayStation 2 helped Sony beat back a challenge from Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft Corp.'s first Xbox in the last round of console wars. A lack of titles limited sales of the original Xbox until ``Halo'' came out. This time, Microsoft will have a one-year head start with its Xbox 360 by the time PS3 arrives. Xbox 360 had 18 games on the day of its launch in November 2005

[worx]

I though Halo was a launch title...Sorry, but I can't give any creedence to this story because the facts are wrong.

Popular games for the PlayStation 2 helped Sony beat back a challenge from Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft Corp.'s first Xbox in the last round of console wars. A lack of titles limited sales of the original Xbox until ``Halo'' came out. This time, Microsoft will have a one-year head start with its Xbox 360 by the time PS3 arrives. Xbox 360 had 18 games on the day of its launch in November 2005

Now that you mention it - I seem to think it was released almost right after the launch - maybe a few weeks at most. Time for some research.

[LinkinPrime]

I though Halo was a launch title...Sorry, but I can't give any creedence to this story because the facts are wrong.

Popular games for the PlayStation 2 helped Sony beat back a challenge from Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft Corp.'s first Xbox in the last round of console wars. A lack of titles limited sales of the original Xbox until ``Halo'' came out. This time, Microsoft will have a one-year head start with its Xbox 360 by the time PS3 arrives. Xbox 360 had 18 games on the day of its launch in November 2005

Halo (Xbox) (http://games.teamxbox.com/xbox/55/Halo/)

Release Date: 11/15/2001 (http://games.teamxbox.com/xbox/55/Halo/)

I believe that was the same date XBOX was released so you're right.

[worx]

IGN - http://xbox.ign.com/objects/015/015922.html
Halo launched on November 15th 2001


Gamespot E3 2001 - November 8th launch for the Xbox
http://www.gamespot.com/news/2761182.html

You're right- it was a launch title

[worx]

Halo (Xbox) (http://games.teamxbox.com/xbox/55/Halo/)

Release Date: 11/15/2001 (http://games.teamxbox.com/xbox/55/Halo/)

I believe that was the same date XBOX was released so you're right.


Damn you and your l33t research skillz. ;)

[LinkinPrime]

Damn you and your l33t research skillz. ;)

Have to, other wise CAG Bully - Scorch gets on my ass :lol:

[suffah]

I'm curious how much these blu-ray games will cost? I'm sure at a minimum $59....possibly $69 or $79? :O

[PKRipp3r]

I'm curious how much these blu-ray games will cost? I'm sure at a minimum $59....possibly $69 or $79? :O

me 2

[lionheart4life]

They probably should edit that to say "before the hype machine for Halo started." Who knew that it was a launch title really? I doubt many people bought it until word spread that it was actually a good game.

The best games for PS3 probably won't come until 6 months to a year after its launch, which is all the more reason to wait to buy one. I waited until Metal Gear Solid 2 came out for PS2 before I got one, and that was shortly followed by Final Fantasy X. It looks like the same pattern is developing for PS3.

[javeryh]

I have seen zero evidence of why I should buy a PS3 at launch.

[BustaUppa]

I have seen zero evidence of why I should buy a PS3 at launch.So true. Sony is just being flaky as hell, and I have no idea why. Their whole approach and attitude lately is just weird.

[LinkinPrime]

Intersting article on 3rd party support thoughts on PS3:

http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=94423

[PKRipp3r]

Intersting article on 3rd party support thoughts on PS3:

http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=94423

“With costs that could go over $25 million a game, you're not seeing third-party content where it needs to be at this stage to have a successful launch.”

dang

at least the Activision guy is optimistic...

[whoknows]

Still 7 months until the PS3 actually comes out...this article doesnt mean anything to me with that much time left.

[apokalipze2]

Looks exactly like the Saturn all over again

[Purkeynator]

Its hard to say what effect this will have this early though. Remember the PS2 had crap games for quite a while after launch. I bought SSX at launch and didn't feel anything else was worthwhile until Onimusha many months later.

[RedvsBlue]

Looks exactly like the Saturn all over again

Too expensive and too hard to program for. Guess they don't believe in learning from past failures.

[graf1k]

So true. Sony is just being flaky as hell, and I have no idea why. Their whole approach and attitude lately is just weird.

Maybe they found a Uwe Boll-esque solution for hardware....

[FriskyTanuki]

ZOMG! Launch games won't show off the system's true power?! Now I'm not getting one since I expected full power from the start. :-(

[TimPV3]

Looks exactly like the Saturn all over againThis explains the feeling I had that Ken Kutaragi would come up to the podium and whisper "it's out now"

[Metal Boss]

I was pretty impressed with what I've seen of the ps3 so far.

[solid snake]

i am extremly impressed with the games thus far and for some reason i could never get in to the whole Xbox craze so ill stick with sony remember when everyone thought psp was gonna flop and its sold more than the ds.

[Skelah]

I think this could be a big problem there gona get a slow start out of the gate .

Most likely ps3 games at first are just gonna be ports of xbox360 games it would be the closest thing publishers could use as far as how powerful they should go.

It could also work in there favor if later on when both systems are battling ps3 starts droping games that make 360 look like playstation 2 graphics.

[neudog]

Kind of ironic how Killzone was not in the forefront, in regards to games, this year at E3 06. You got to love rendered images over gameplay...not:rofl:

[FriskyTanuki]

I think this could be a big problem there gona get a slow start out of the gate .

Most likely ps3 games at first are just gonna be ports of xbox360 games it would be the closest thing publishers could use as far as how powerful they should go.

It could also work in there favor if later on when both systems are battling ps3 starts droping games that make 360 look like playstation 2 graphics.
The initial launch list (http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=92142) has all PS3-exclusive stuff, though that'll change when the other publishers announce their launch titles. It does show how much more time the Sony devs have had to work on their games over third party devs.

[Z-Saber]

remember when everyone thought psp was gonna flop and its sold more than the ds.
Wait, what?

[SMMM]

i am extremly impressed with the games thus far and for some reason i could never get in to the whole Xbox craze so ill stick with sony remember when everyone thought psp was gonna flop and its sold more than the ds.

that was a joke, right?

[solid snake]

that was a joke, right?
sortof i wanted to see what your :lol: reactions were,but i still like the ps3

[whoknows]

Kind of ironic how Killzone was not in the forefront, in regards to games, this year at E3 06. You got to love rendered images over gameplay...not:rofl:
The developers (who are always on the playstation.com forums) said they didn't want to show it until they were ready...I guess since its probably not going to be a launch title they didn't NEED to show it, but it would have been nice, I really wanted to see more of it :cry:

[hohez]

didnt SONY announce it was going to ramp up production so they could have like 7 million ps3s available at launch time? Was a few months back I think. I don't see how this could be true if they can't even give devs final specs.

[suffah]

If they ramp up to 7 mil units at launch...then I feel bad for the ebay re-sellers.

Wait, why would I feel sorry for them? I hope they wait in line overnight only to find that their store has 500 units for sale.

[apokalipze2]

ZOMG! Launch games won't show off the system's true power?! Now I'm not getting one since I expected full power from the start. :-(For $600 bucks your damn right I want these games to take advantage of the systems tru capabilities

[FriskyTanuki]

For $600 bucks your damn right I want these games to take advantage of the systems tru capabilities
Just use your flux capacitor and you'll get it!