We're on: Sony to go before E3

[Baroque]

Here we go folks, Sony have confirmed that they will show the PS3 *before* E3 and lay out the strategy at a Sony run event, ala the PS2 intro event. We might assume that they won't want to dump any cold water on the US PSP launch, so before the end of this month or in early April are probably choice times.

Whenever they do decide to lift the veil Microsoft will find themselves on the back foot so I'd expect Xenon details a week or so later. The final Xenon spec probably won't be set in stone until they know exactly what the PS3 can do. As per usual Ninty will probably wait for their E3 pre-show event before talking about Revolution.

Regardless, it's all about the kick off real soon now.

[dataDave]

Can't wait to get my hands on those Blu-ray cassettes, they're like big UMDs.

[Geezer]

Is it just the PS3 that will be using Blu-ray? or are Microsoft's and Nintendo's offerings likely to use them too?

[Ciaran]

Microsoft will probably be using HD-DVD.

[mid]

Rumour suggests the Ninty thing will use a HD-equivalent of their custom 3" DVDs, which would make a lot of sense.

[Concept]

Microsoft must be kicking themselves. I thought it had been an open secret now that they were looking to steal a march on the PS3 by announcing their next-gen console first and launch early too.

They will be on the back foot, but I can't feel sorry for them. They had ample opportunity to make a splash before their rivals at CES and GDC. It's their own fault they missed a chance to undercut Sony's inevitable hype machine.

[djjimbob]

I think it's quite sad that we are already on a generational precipice.

So much fun to be had out of the current crop.

More terra-flops do not equal better games.

[Concept]

Pretty much. I've already said in another thread, I believe the current generation (2000 onwards) could last until 2008-2009. We're at a point where we can enjoy aesthetics for their artistary, rather than the technology powering them.

Unfortunately, we're about to be dragged into the techno scramble yet again. A scramble which will no doubt last at least two years.

[Duddyroar]

After playing Resident Evil 4 I'm of the opinion that this generation still has legs - I've never felt more unready to step up.

[Concept]

Just wait until Wanda and Colossus, Killer 7, and the like hit.

I get the sense the best developers are only now starting to get into the groove. Even if technical limits have been reached, there's still adequately more than enough there for graphical expression.

Things need to start slowing down sooner or later. I'm no longer interested in technology to the extent I was last generation. I'd much rather see effort and innovation go into art design than technical prowess. Although I know both often go hand in hand.

I just feel we're going to be dragged down to a lower level than what we're currently on artistically at the beginning of the next generation.

[Baroque]

Now, what I find interesting is that if Microsoft intend to get a decent headstart on the PS3 they'll have to launch before 2006. We've known for a while that they've been planning to launch before Sony and they'd like to spec out a more powerful system too, but assuming that Microsoft meet the expected time table of sometime this later year, how the hell is their system going to be more powerful than something launched during the first half of 2006?

Microsoft are between a rock and a hard place with this one. If they wait too long before launching Xenon we could see XBox software sales dry up as developers have been spending time writing code for the new system on devkits Microsoft provided last year, but if they launch too early then Sony can do to them what they did to Sega.

Bleed them with the public perception that they launched an underpowered machine too early.

[superstarbeejay]

We allready know what will be anounced. A super amazing next gen "reality engine" any everyone will go crazy about PS3 only to be let down when it's released.

[Rossco]

I'm looking forward to it just to see what it can do but like someone mentioned, the first year or two will probably be not that good compared to the last 6 months or so which has been amazing.

[HaHaUK]

my uncle works at sony and got me a shot of the prototype of the ps3. as you can see from the controller it is backwards compatible with the ps1.





this is truly a kick up microsofts ass.

[SharkAttack]

I still have over 20 games that have already been released that I want but have yet to buy this gen. Why the hell do they have to bring next gen so damn early! Bah!