Fatal Inertia Weapons Profile.

The PlayStation 3's release date may be only a few months away, but information continues to trickle out at a slower pace than we'd like on the upcoming megasystem's launch software. Dynasty Warriors maker Koei will provide its own addition to the PS3's initial lineup with Fatal Inertia--a futuristic hover racer in production at the company's new Toronto development studio--and the company was kind enough to give us an illustrated rundown of the arsenal you can expect to see when the game ships along with the PlayStation 3 in November. The Unreal Engine 3-powered game promises a set of weapons that uses physics in some creative ways to provide a more unique combat experience than you might be used to seeing in games of this type.

The Weapons of Fatal Inertia.
There are eight different weapons that can be picked up during a race in Fatal Inertia, and these weapons concentrate on affecting the physical performance of other vehicles in the race, rather than relying on standard conventions such as simple explosions. The player will use the weaponry at hand to either hinder the movement of enemy vehicles or to provide themselves with the edge that can take them to the head of the pack.

As in many racing games, you'll pick up weapons by flying over any of the weapon pads that are scattered throughout the course. One of the eight weapons described below will be randomly assigned to you each time you hit one of these pads.

Magnets.

Magnets are the archetypal weapon of the Fatal Inertia racing circuit. Shoot them toward your rivals, and watch as the magnetic properties of the other ships are attracted toward your target like a homing beacon. These magnets are oversized and add weight that adversely affects factors such as speed, handling, balance, and drag, making it that much harder for rival pilots to steer their ships. Stick a magnet on the right wing of a vehicle, and watch it veer off to the right; stick one on its tail, and watch the extra rear-end weight force the ship's nose upward. Based on real-life physical properties, the magnets will affect the performance of vehicles in exactly the way you would expect.

Most weapons, including the magnets, can either be shot forward at an enemy or dropped to affect enemies trailing close behind. Dropping a weapon at the right time can effectively throw a pursuer off your tail and can be the difference between victory and defeat.

Cluster Bombs.

A cluster bomb is equipped with proximity sensors that detonate when any metal object (including weapons and vehicles) is detected close by. Each cluster bomb consists of 10 magnets that fly out toward enemies upon detonation. This storm of magnets, if used properly, can be a devastatingly effective force against other vehicles. As the cluster itself does not have any magnetic properties (they fly in a straight line), the player will have to aim with precision to get the bomb close enough to the enemy.

The cluster bomb can be dropped on the ground, as well, where it will remain as an obstacle until detonated. Any ship getting too close will trigger the proximity sensor and be hit with a barrage of magnets.

Rockets.

Rockets are essentially magnets with rocket boosters strapped to them. When attached to an enemy vehicle, the booster ignites, exerting a huge force at the point where it's attached. The impacted player must try to compensate to avoid careening into canyon walls or spiraling off a cliff. The ship shown here has been hit by a rocket and is spinning out of control.

A twist on the standard weapon drop will let players "drop" rockets onto their own tail, providing a sudden and massive burst of speed.

Force Shield.

The force shield temporarily protects your ship from all enemy attacks, but it also deactivates your other weapons. It lessens the effects of bumping into objects or walls, as well.

All damage suffered by your vehicle during a race will be accurately reflected both visually and in performance, with the ship-control dynamics constantly changing depending on the condition of your ship. For example, clipping a wall too hard (such as when traveling at top speed) may cause a wing to break off outright, forcing you to fly with a reduced horizontal balance for the remainder of the race. Accumulating too much damage will cause the ship to explode, eliminating you from the race. However, damaged ships can be repaired by visiting the pit stop, located near the starting gates.

Smoke Screen.

The smoke screen releases a dense cloud of smoke from your tail, obscuring the vision of those immediately behind you. If you time it right, such as just before a sharp turn, you can send your rivals crashing blindly into a wall.

EMP.

The EMP sends out a pulse that temporarily incapacitates all other electronic devices within its immediate vicinity. Primarily, this will incapacitate the hovering capabilities of other ships. No longer able to hover, the ships will drop to the earth until their systems come back online. The EMP also disengages all weapons (such as magnets) in the vicinity.

Force Blast.

The force blast creates a powerful wave of energy immediately behind you, which will knock away rivals that are on your tail, provide a momentary burst of speed to your ship, alter the course of any weapons flying toward you, and knock off any weapons attached to your ship.

Time Dilator.

The time dilator slows the speed of time down to a crawl...for everyone except you. Take advantage of the momentary shift of time to blow past other vehicles in front of you. An extremely rare weapon, the time dilator can change the entire flow of a race in one shot, allowing a vehicle trailing far behind to suddenly leap to the front of the pack. Good players will be able to use the time director to evade enemy fire in midair or to make a slick avoidance maneuver as columns of rock are about to rain down from above.

Red Tribe Developing For PS3,Wii And Xbox360.

A new platformer has just been listed under development for the PS2,Xbox360, and Wii consoles by Red Tribe, an Australian video game development studio.

Interesting fact: the games company is listing the title as an "innovative fast-past action platform game," but other than that, info on the upcoming game has been scarce.

Red Tribe also has two more upcoming titles in the works: a sci-fi horror FPS for the Xbox360 & PC platforms and a 3rd person action game for the PS3 & Xbox 360. The latter game is set in a post-apocalyptic world, so we're guessing that there's a bit of a sci-fi undertone there, making both releases have a sci-fi vibe to 'em. If that's the case, maybe the platformer would be sci-fi too? Possible.

Red Tribe has earlier confirmed that they are collaborating with Warner Brothers on an upcoming Wii title. Hmmm. Warner Bros? Will it be a licensed game? No idea.

There's always the possibility that it would turn out to be a bad Looney Tunes/Jurassic Park crossover. Marvin the Martian would probably not be enough to add sci-fi cred to a game all by himself.

Anyway, enough with the daydreaming. Now, having three upcoming releases can be quite problematic if you've only got a few people working for you, so Red Tribe has been advertising for new employees on their website for quite a while now.

Wii Just Edges The PS3 In Jap Poll.

If totally unsubstantiated Japanese internet polls are anything to go by, the Nintendo Wii is now edging out the PlayStation 3 in the next-gen popularity contest.

Last time we checked in at both Amazon Japan and retailer Tsutaya, the PlayStation 3 looked like it was going to come out on top. Again.

The tables have turned, and the Wii is a few points more desirable than the PS3. It will probably go back and forth like this right up until the consoles drop this fall.

While post E3 Famitsu polls showed a leery Japanese buying public, it seems clear that Sony's new console will be flying off shelves just like the PSP did at launch. Fingers crossed the PS3 works out better.

Gundam To Storm PS3 This Year.

It turns out that Mobile Ops: The One Year War on the Xbox 360 won't be the only Gundam game hitting stores this holiday season. Namco Bandai has confirmed a 2006 release for Mobile Suit Gundam:Target In Sight for the PlayStation 3, which is also set around the series' One Year War.

However, while the Xbox 360 game lets players hit the battlefield in control of a single soldier on the battlefield as well as engage in Mobile Suit mayhem, the PS3 game appears to be larger scale. Beyond the requisite super-heavyweight rock-'em, sock-'em rumbles, the PS3 Mobile Suit game will put players in command of an entire battalion of the titular mechs. On a more intimate level, players can target various parts on specific enemy Mobile Suits, an ability that will play into the tactical aspects of the game.

RUMOR: Biohazard 5 Only For PS3 In Japan?.

Biohazard 5, also known as Resident Evil 5 has been real hot nowadays. After being named as one of the most wanted games in Japan by Famitsu, it has been busy with its rumor mills route lately. According to various backfence talks, the much awaited Capcom game would only be available for the PS3 in Japan.

This gossip was fuelled by the fact that the game was only listed for the PS3 in the Japanese ECGeo.com website, which offers up-to-date information via email about upcoming games. Although it is entirely possible that only a PS3 version is coming out in Japan, given the fact that the Xbox 360 isn't really selling like sushi in the Land of the Rising Sun. So far, there isn't any rumor like this about the games' US release. Well, only time could tell what's really up.

So what's your take in all this? Do you think that this has a tinge of truth or do you think this is just baloney? Whatever your reactions may be, share it to us through your comments.

'Mobile Suit Gundam' For PS3.

Namco Bandai Games announced today Mobile Suit Gundam, a sci-fi action game with stunning high-definition graphics, promising gorgeous Mobile Suit battles and the opportunity to participate in thrilling epic battles taking place on the futuristic Earth.

Click on images to enlarge.

“Made possible by the immense power of the PlayStation 3 system, 'Mobile Suit Gundam' will take gamers right into the futuristic war zones, brought to life by both CG quality high-definition graphics and ultra realistic destruction physics,” said Naruo Uchida, NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc.’s Vice President. “Along with stylized gameplay and stunning graphics, the opportunity to experience firsthand the epic mobile suit warfare will surely excite any sci-fi fan".

Featuring a variety of Mobile Suits from the Gundam franchise, "Mobile Suit Gundam" sets players in the latter stages of The One Year War. Players will have the opportunity to be a commander of their own Mobile Suit battalion for either the Federation or Zeon Mobile Suit Assault Force. As players move through the ranks, they will be able to gain access to new Mobile Suits and engage in battles with more capable pilots at their command.

With a battalion at their disposal, players face a number of strategic options to choose from. In order to succeed, it will be vital for players to know about specific destructible parts on Mobile Suits, vulnerable enemy facilities and whether or not to engage enemies with either short or long range combat. Teamwork will also be a key component to the survival of every mission. If players are successful, their chosen allegiance could be the turning point for the war in "Mobile Suit Gundam".

Xbox360 Has 1% Of The Market In Japan.

During July 2006, the Xbox 360 represented 1% of the total console sales in Japan. On the software side, there were no Xbox360 titles among the top 50 best selling games. The image below says it all. The clerk doesn’t look happy either.


Japanese X360 sales have been catastrophic the past 6 months. During the first two months it was outsold by the GameCube, even the GameBoy Advance. The recent few months have been dominated by the Nintendo DS, selling more than all other consoles combined for the last week of July. Six of the top ten best selling games were for the DS platform.

Sony's Mylo, New Cool Gadget.

UK To Get First PS3 Magazine In August.

The company behind Play magazine in the UK, Imagine Publishing, has announced the first and currently only dedicated PlayStation 3 magazine in the UK. Titled Next3, the magazine will hit stands this August 10th at £4.

“The same makers of the PlayStation-dedicated UK magazine Play now presents you with a magazine that covers anything and everything about Sony's next-generation console. Next3, UK's first and only PS3-only mag, will offer in-depth news, previews and reviews of upcoming games plus a section that will highlight PS3’s multimedia and networking capabilities (i.e., Blu-ray movie reviews, online gaming and cutting edge technology)”, the announcement read.

There will be 13 issues of Next3 per year and the cover for the maiden issue has already been released- the issue will contain a 24-page feature titled “The future has arrived”. A September issue with a bonus DVD is already planned.

Competitors of Next3 will include the recently renamed PSM3 magazine which will feature the PlayStation brand and focus predominantly on the PlayStation 3.

Stranglehold Pushed Back To 2007.

Last month, the Retail Radar covered a possible delay in Midway's premiere next-gen title for PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3, Stranglehold. Online retailer GameStop suggested that the game sequel to John Woo and Chow Yun-Fat's classic action flick Hard-Boiled wouldn't be arriving until February 15, 2007. At the time, a Midway rep told GameSpot that the company was still aiming for "a fall or holiday 2006" release for Stranglehold on all three platforms.

It turns out Midway's aim was off the mark. The company has confirmed that Stranglehold has indeed been delayed. However, the mid-February date GameStop posited was a little too specific, as Midway is only saying that it will be out in the first quarter of 2007.

Sony Confirms PS3 Can Use Old Game Saves.

Microsoft has run into a pair of notable complaints with its Xbox 360 backward compatibility. First off, not all original Xbox games work on the next-gen system. And the ones that do typically need to be replayed from the beginning by the gamer, as there's no port on the 360 for the old system's memory cards.

With its upcoming PlayStation 3, Sony is promising to address those problems. It is aiming at making virtually every original PlayStation and PlayStation 2 game backward compatible on the PS3 from the get-go, and according to a FAQ on the official PS3 Web Site, it has the memory card issue hammered out as well.

"To use saved data on a PlayStation 2 memory card, you must copy the data onto a virtual memory card within the hard disk," the site reads. "This requires a PS2/PSone memory card adaptor to copy the data to your PlayStation 3. A memory card adaptor is designed to edit, up/download game saves to and from EMS flash card or smart media card".

However, the FAQ doesn't mention if Sony will be releasing such an adapter itself. Currently it's possible to move original Xbox game saves to an Xbox 360 with the aid of third-party peripherals.

Full Auto 2: Battlelines(PS3) Interview.

Last February, developer Pseudo Interactive and publisher Sega released Full Auto for the X360, a car combat title that got some mixed reviews. In a bit of a surprising movie, Pseudo and Sega decided to charge ahead with a full fledged sequel, Full Auto 2: Battlelines, that will be an exclusive launch title for Sony's PS3 console this fall. FiringSquad got more details on Full Auto 2 from Sega producer Mike Gallo:

FiringSquad: First, was Pseudo and Sega pleased with how the original Full Auto for the X360 turned out and how it was received from gamers and critics?

Mike Gallo: We’ve received a lot of great feedback on game, but like any game there are always things that you wanted to get in that didn’t make it. We felt like it was a great first step in establishing a franchise, and we’re confident that fans will be happy with what we’re doing with Full Auto 2: Battlelines.

FiringSquad: When the time game to make the sequel, what were the development team's main goals?

Mike Gallo: Maintaining and adding on to that core element of fun gameplay was the main goal. One of our biggest pushes is to make the destruction in the game matter to the players. It looks really cool, but what if it looks cool and it has a spectacular gameplay payoff?

Being able to ram into or shoot out support pillars and collapse a train station is good fun, but it’s even more fun when you can collapse it and squash the car behind you that was just about to shoot a missile up your tailpipe. Getting kills is just one of the things that the player can do – collapsing a structure might also reveal a new section of the track / arena that you can explore, or it could give you access to a powerup.

FiringSquad: Why was the decision made to make Full Auto 2 a PS3 exclusive title?

Mike Gallo: We’ve always wanted the Full Auto franchise to live on every possible platform. It’s a great opportunity for us to make it a launch title on the PS3, so that’s what really drove the decision.

FiringSquad: Some of the comments for the first Full Auto game were that the vehicles felt "floaty" in their driving physics. Is this issue being addressed in Full Auto 2?

Mike Gallo: In short – absolutely. We’ve spent a lot of time working on the car driving models for Full Auto 2, and we think that everyone will be pleased with the results. We had two goals – make the cars more fun to drive, and make the cars feel unique. These were especially important given the addition of the new race modes and in particular the arena combat modes.

FiringSquad: What new tracks and environments will be seen in the sequel?

Mike Gallo: We have 13 new race / combat areas for the game (7 tracks, 6 arenas), as well as a new visual style for each of the environments. Since we’re within a city, we refer to them as districts, and each one of them looks unique, and has their own attributes and dangers. For example, in the new Financial district, there are huge high rise buildings, and tons of glass and steel that can be destroyed. The shipping / industrial areas are far grittier, and will have shipping containers, giant pipes, and even a ship that can be used as a weapon.

FiringSquad: What new vehicles and weapons will be used in the game?

Mike Gallo: There are 6 new vehicles in the game and we have over 20 weapons that the player can choose from. The biggest difference in the weapons is the ability for the player to be able to equip the car as they’d like – there are no set weapon load outs. There are still some restrictions of course depending on the car class, and the size of the weapons – but those all add to the different strategies that players can use in races or arenas. Do you want a fast car with long ranged weapons like the titan missile or do you want something a little more personal like a shotgun and a big ol’ truck? We’ve also added the concept of powerups to the arenas. These are items like unlimited boost, unlimited ammo, as well as the new super weapon mortar power ups. We’ll talk about those super weapons more later, but they pack a huge punch, and they are extremely limited in ammo.

FiringSquad: What racing modes will be used in Full Auto 2?

Mike Gallo: There are a few modes that we won’t be talking about until closer to launch, but we will have circuit races, point to point races, as well as team races. In addition, the new Cat & Mouse mode pits you in a team race where certain cars on each team have specific objectives for the race – and you’re trying to prevent the other team from reaching those objectives before you do.

FiringSquad: What can you tell us about plans for online multiplayer in the game?

Mike Gallo: The addition of arenas really expands the multiplayer experience. There are still all of the race modes mentioned above, but in addition there is a deathmatch style mode, as well as team deathmatch. Finally, one of the new modes that we’re excited about is currently called Base Assault, and requires the teams to not only take out enemy cars, but you’re ultimately trying to destroy the other teams’ home base.

FiringSquad: How will the original's destructible environments and vehicles be improved upon for Full Auto 2?

Mike Gallo: As mentioned above, we really grabbed on to the concept of destruction matters. The environments were cool, and seeing them blow up was great fun. The next step for that interaction is to make it have an effect on the race. Blocking paths, causing kills, revealing short cuts and powerups. All of those elements are included as part of destruction matters, and they will be prominent in both the single player game as well as multiplayer. ]

FiringSquad: What other gameplay features will the sequel have that you consider to be important?

Mike Gallo: We’ve covered most of it in the previous questions – the new game modes, new vehicles, new weapons, the addition of arenas – those are all big additions to the franchise. The power ups are another new feature that really make the arenas stand out from the circuit races and other modes.

FiringSquad: How will the sequel improve upon the original's already impressive graphical features?

Mike Gallo: The visual effects in the game have been pumped up in every way – better smoke and fire, more detail when you crash into things (glass, wood, etc), and the biggest thing is increasing the amount and types of damage that the cars can take. We wanted players to really be able to feel the collisions, especially with other vehicles. The cars can really be deformed – we’ve crushed cars like an accordion! It’s a great feeling to literally run over a smaller car when you’re driving something heavier and they don’t see you coming. The cars also take more damage like paint scrapes and scorching from fires – and it all looks really great on the PS3. There are a few other visual touches as well – camera shakes, increased sense of speed, HDR lighting to name a few.

FiringSquad: What is the current status of the game's progress and when will it be released?

Mike Gallo: We are currently approaching ALPHA, which means that all of the features in the game are complete, and we’re adding the visual and gameplay polish to the game as well as fixing major bugs and getting ready for the final push. Full Auto 2: Battlelines is a PS3 launch game, so you can expect to see it out there with the PS3 on 11/17.

FiringSquad: Finally, are there any plans for downloadable content to be supported after Full Auto 2's release?

Mike Gallo: This is a feature that we’ll be discussing later for Full Auto 2. Stay tuned

Sony Reveals PlayStation Awards In Japan.

Officials from Sony have announced the winners of the annual PlayStation awards in Japan, for the titles which have sold in the greatest volume between May 2005 and 2006.

The awards are judged solely on retail performance in Japan and do not take into account their critical response from either the media or consumers.Although PSP titles are considered for the awards only one title, Capcom’s Monster Hunter Freedom was applicable.

The only Double Platinum Award, for titles which sold between 2 and 3 million units, went to Square Enix’s Final Fantasy XII on the PlayStation 2.

There were three Platinum awards, though, for titles selling over 1 million units, in the shape of Kingdom Hearts II (PS2, Square Enix), World Soccer Winning Eleven 9 (PS2, Konami) and World Soccer Winning Eleven 10 (PS2, Konami).

A total of nine gold awards were given for titles which sold over 500,000 units in Japan. They are: Biohazard 4, aka Resident Evil 4 (PS2, Capcom); Monster Hunter 2 (PS2, Capcom); Monster Hunter Portable, aka Monster Hunter Freedom (PSP, Capcom); Sengoku Musou 2, aka Samurai Warriors 2 (PS2, Koei); Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII (PS2, Square Enix); Dragon Ball Sparking!, aka Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi (PS2, Bandai Namco); Tales of the Abyss (PS2, Bandai Namco); Dai-3-Ji Super Robot Taisen Alpha: Shuuen no Ginga e (PS2, Banpresto); and Jikkyou Powerful Pro Baseball 12 (PS2, Konami).

Mario Leads Golden Joystick Nominations.

Handheld games console title Mario Kart DS leads the nominations for the Golden Joystick awards 2006.

The Nintendo DS game has six nominations, including game of the year, while role playing game Oblivion is short listed in five categories.

Quiz game Buzz and Xbox Live's marketplace, where gamers can download demos, lead the innovation category.

The winners - voted for by gamers - will be unveiled at a ceremony in a London hotel on 27 October.

Votes can be cast on the Golden Joystick awards website and organisers are expecting more than 250,000 ballots to be cast.

Different categories
There are 16 different categories, including handheld game of the year, family game, girls' choice and online game of the year.

Other contenders for the title of game of the year include Resident Evil 4, Call of Duty 2, Guitar Hero and Pro Evolution Soccer 5.

Lara Croft, who turns 10 this year, is in the running for the favourite character award. Croft made a successful return in Tomb Raider: Legend this year.

Also nominated are Mario, Agent 47 from Hitman: Blood Money, Alyx Vance from Half Life: Episode 1 and Prince of Persia from the Two Thrones title.

The Golden Joystick awards were founded in 1982 when Atari, Commodore and Spectrum were the dominant players in the market.

The industry is now worth $25 billion (£14bn) a year and the big players include Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo.Game development has grown in complexity to rival the work of Hollywood studios with high-profile titles costing up to $20m (£12m) to produce and involving years of work and hundreds of staff.

This year the awards ceremony will be webcast on the Computer and Video Games website.

PS3 To Come Out On Top, Says Jez San.

Jez San, founder of the now-defunct Argonaut Software and now involved with PS3 slash 'em-up, Heavenly Sword has said that he thinks the PlayStation 3 will come out on top in the next-gen console war, "but only because its got Blu-ray".

Speaking to The Guardian, San said: "I think the combination of a next-generation games machine and a next-generation DVD player that plays full high-definition movies is very compelling, despite the huge price. Remember price is just a function of time and volume. It doesn't matter what the PS3 comes out at, it's what it gets down to, over time, that's important".

In the same article, market analyst Paul Jackson of Forrester Research agrees with San's comments, saying that Sony stands a good chance because, "Far more people will go for a PS3 than spend $1,000 on a Blu-ray player ...it's a question of how quickly [Sony] gets the price down".

Jackson goes on to echo San's own comments on the importance of price. "You can't get to the mass market until you get down to $300/£200 [mark]".

Jackson then asserts that it's going to be far from an easy ride for Sony, because of the amount of negative press that currently surrounds its next-gen console: "You can't over-estimate how much negativity there is around the PlayStation 3 in the web ...The stories just keep getting worse and worse.

They've got a real fight on their hands."There's only a few months left until the PS3 hits - and most-likely vanishes from - store shelves, and with likely stock shortages ensuring a Christmas sell-out for the console, it's going to be next year before we get the slightest inkling of who's really going to rule the next gen.

But as San points out, the unique appeal of both Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft's machines means it could very well end up being a three-way tie. Whichever way the next gen cookie crumbles, it's certainly going to be an interesting 12 months...

Final PS3 Dev Kits In Hands Of Developers.

Word recently reached us that the PlayStation 3 has officially entered production, and in an interview with The Guardian, Sony's president of worldwide studios, Phil Harrison has shed some light on the on-going development work on the console.

According to Harrison, "It's all going well. We are in full swing, from a developer point of view, and over 10,000 developer kits have been shipped. Developers now have final [PS3] hardware in their hands, though there will be some upgrades to the operating system - there's nothing unusual about that. The new controller is now in developers' hands, so all the pieces of the puzzle are there".

Also in the interview, Harrison comments on the arrival of working Blu-ray drives in the PS3 dev kits, noting that many studios also have blu-ray burners in their PCs, "so they are now doing their first iterations of games running off discs," he says."Signs are good," adds Harrison, "right now there are more than 100 Blu-ray movies available today, in the US.

More than 100 games are in development [for the PS3], and all the major third party publishers have pledged their strategic support for the platform".

Sony is gearing up for its next big push for the PS3, which will start at the Tokyo Games Show on September 22, where the father of PlayStation, Ken Kutruagi is scheduled to give the keynote speech.

Hopefully with the appearance or some new game titles and a more solid-looking launch line-up, Sony will be able to make up for the mostly-negative reaction to its showing at this year's E3. Stay tuned.

PlayStation 3 Packs A Punch For Scientists.

Scientists at Lawrence Berkeley Lab in California praised the processor inside Sony's PlayStation 3 as a lower-cost alternative to Opteron and Itanium chips, while being eight times faster and at least eight times more power-efficient.

The scientists have been evaluating the game console's chip, STI Cell, developed by Sony, Toshiba and IBM (the STI in STI Cell) running several scientific-application kernels against other processor architectures.

"Overall results demonstrate the tremendous potential of the Cell architecture for scientific computations in terms of both raw performance and power efficiency," say the LBL scientists who conducted the research. "We also concllude that Cell's heterogeneous multicore implementation is inherently better suited to the [high-performance computing] environment than homogenous commodity multicore processors".

According to an LBL article about the study, the Cell is compelling to the scientific community which has high-compute needs but often with limited funds, because the intended game market for the STI Cell means it will be produced at high volume, making it a lower-cost alternative to conventional processors from AMD and Intel.

IBM Claims Cell Production Is Now Going Well.

The CELL PROCESSOR is steadily being shoved out the door of IBM plants, despite reports of poor yields.

Sources have informed the Inq that IBM executives have told employees within the firm, that yields are "on or above" targets.
Yields for a large, complex part like the Cell are expected to be low at the start of production and improve steadily thereafter - if IBM had allowed for a very low yield to start with, its plausible that the rumours of bad yields were entirely accurate and this is what IBM was expecting all along.

The exec also said IBM had shipped the first full allotment to Sony under a 'take or pay' arrangement (whereby Sony has the obligation of either taking delivery of the goods or paying a specified amount), and that Sony must have "quite a stockpile of the processors in a warehouse somewhere".

Presumably the warehouse has close links to Asustek, where recently other sources released details of Asustek plans to deliver 4 million units of the PS3 console to Sony this month.

PS3 And Wii Main Priority For UK Retailers.

As we all are aware this holiday season see's the introduction of the Sony'sPS3 and Nintendo's wii, into the gaming market.Nintendo has already held a conference for the retail industry outlining launch preperations etc.

(MCV magazine broke the news a few weeks back).

As we speak Sony are currently in meetings with retail bigwigs outlining stage 2 for official pre order preperations.During the event GAME, GAMESTATION and VIRGIN megastore have informed Nintendo and Microsoft that the section 1 floor space instores are for Sony's PS3.

(MCV to publish story this week or next).

What this means is when you walk into a store the first format you will see is the PLAYSTATION brand.

In a further blow to Microsoft, GAME (the biggest games outlet in europe) have stated that Nintendo will have first option to purchase section 2, which means 360 sections will be moving to the back of there retail stores.

If that wasnt bad enough, Game will announce that Xbox 1 software will be slowly phased out by summer next year, due to abysmal sales since the launch of 360 and the increase of handheld sales.

In one final blow to Microsoft, The retailer have cut there ordering shipments of 360 down by a third due to increase of traded in 360 units. What this means is instead of ordering 1 million units, they will order 660,000 roughly.

(All details will published by MCV magazine in the next few weeks).

PS3 Exhibit In China July 28-30.

Sony will be exhibiting the PlayStation 3 console and its PS3 lineup at the 4th annual Chinajoy Expo in Shanghai, China between July 28 - 30.

Besides Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft will also showing Wii and Xbox 360 at the Expo.

Here is the list of PS3 titles at the show:

• Genji 2
• Formula 1 2006
• The Getaway
• Minna no Golf 5 [HotShot Golf 5]
• Heavenly Sword
• The Eye of Judgment
• Afrika
• LAIR
• Monster Kingdom
• Warhawk
• Singstar
• Assassin's Creed
• Mobile Suit Gundam
• Codearms Assault
• Ridge Racer 7
• Brothers in Arms
• Tekken 6
• Sonic the Hedgehog
• Virtua Tennis 3
• Virtua Fighter 5
• Stranglehold
• Fatal Inertia
• Blade Storm: The Hundred Yeas War
• Armored Core 4
• Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Sony Back In The black As Electronics Division Turns A Profit.

Japanese electronics and entertainment giant Sony has announced a 32.3 billion Yen (219 million Euro) profit for the quarter ended June 30th, thanks to a resurgence in profitability at its consumer electronics division.

The firm, in the same period last year recorded a 7.3 billion Yen (50 million Euro) loss, also saw revenues in the quarter leap by 11 per cent year on year to 1.74 trillion Yen (11.8 billion Euro) as sales surged in both the electronics and the Sony Pictures movie divisions.

However, the videogames division of the firm recorded an operating loss for the quarter as revenues plummeted by some 30 per cent and the costs of developing the PlayStation 3 continued to mount. Sales of the PS2 hardware and software were down for the quarter - as, disappointingly, were sales of the PSP.

The results have spurred speculation that Sony may be about to turn its fortunes around after several years of weak financial results and painful restructuring efforts. The firm's British chief executive Howard Stringer - who became the firm's first non-Japanese CEO when he was appointed a year ago - has continued the firm's restructuring efforts, and now appears to be reaping the rewards.

As well as announcing its first quarter results, Sony also took the opportunity to update its forecasts for the full year - maintaining its profit target of 130 billion Yen (881 million Euro), but raising its revenue target marginally from 8.20 trillion Yen (55.6 billion Euro) to 8.23 trillion Yen (55.8 billion Euro).

Metal Gear Solid 4 Playable At E3 2007.

Great news for all you MGS fans out there.According to 'The Master Hideo Kojima' himself,MGS4 for the PS3 should be in a playable form by E3 2007.

MGS4 will be on Blu-Ray because of its size, it is impossible for it to be fitted on a standard DVD.

Sony are also wanting the game to run in 1080p.

Also Hideo Kojima has'nt decided whether to include fuctions that make use of the new PS3 controller.One possible use for it could be to 'break the neck of an enemy'.

SCEA Exec Takes On New Role At Ubisoft.

With just months to go until the launch of the PlayStation 3, Sony Computer Entertainment America's developer relations manager, Mark DeLoura, has left the company to take on a new role at Ubisoft.

DeLoura was previously editor of Game Developer magazine and worked as a technical director for Nintendo of America before joining SCEA five years ago. He will now take on the role of technical director at Ubisoft's San Francisco office.

In a post on his blog, DeLoura stated that he had "a lot of mixed feelings" about his departure from Sony, adding: "So many things done, but so many things yet to do... I'll take my victories at Sony, the largest of which is our greatly expanded GDC presence.

"It will take a few weeks or months or years to get Sony out of my bones," DeLoura continued.

"In the meantime I will continue to wince each time I see a stupid quote, or bad press, or an analyst bad-mouthing my former employer".

According to SCEA, J. Patton will manage developer relations in DeLoura's absence. The company was keen to emphasise that relations will remain strong, observing that more than 10,000 dev kits have now been shipped to more than 200 studios around the globe.

Nvidia CEO Confident In PS3.

Jen-Hsun Huang said that his company, which is supplying the RSX GPU for the PlayStation 3, is in a good position to ride the success of what he imagines will be a highly-regarded platform.

Takahashi asked if Nvidia “chose the right horse in the videogame war” this time around (Nvidia supplied the GPU for the original Xbox, while rival ATI supplies the GPU for the Xbox 360 and the upcoming Nintendo Wii).

Huang responded, “…I don't think that working with Sony is wrong. There is no way that is going to be wrong. There are many wonderful things that Sony did. I'm excited that they made Blu-ray high-definition storage as a standard part of the PlayStation 3 platform. The first PlayStation had a CD-ROM drive. The PlayStation 2 had DVD. It makes no sense for the PlayStation 3 to use DVDs. ..."

He continued, “To postpone it by a few months so they could include Blu-Ray was a master stroke. When that comes out, it's going to look so much more advanced than last-generation game consoles. I think that was a wonderful call on their part".

In relation to the PlayStation 3’s competitors, Huang said that the PS3 will have greater lasting power than the Xbox 360 thanks to Blu-ray, making the high (and highly-criticized) cost worth it to consumers.“PlayStation 2 was launched seven years ago in Japan at about $399. If you use inflation, it's the same price, approximately,” he said. “The important thing is you cannot announce a game console for the next ten years and not have Blu-Ray. It's an impossible scenario. I think they got that perspective right. The moment we put those consoles together it's going to be very clear. If I'm going to buy a next-generation game console, I'm going to buy a console with next-generation media. It's going to last 10 years.

“…I'm not sure how Microsoft is going to do in this transition. They are clever and they will figure out a way. I'll make a prediction that Xbox 360 can't possibly be a DVD-only device by Christmas of next year".

Takahashi then asked if Huang could see Microsoft relasing an Xbox 360 modification to compensate for its more constrained DVD format.

"I don't know how they will do it," Huang responded. "But I just can't imagine going to a store and saying that this console has a Blu-ray and this one has DVD. Remember Dreamcast?"

£150 PS3 Deposit Shock.

Consumers will have to pay a hefty £150 deposit to pre-order PS3 hardware, if a revolutionary new allocation scheme by Sony is introduced.

In an exclusive report published in tomorrow’s issue of MCV, it is revealed that the format holder is currently discussing the radical new plan with senior retail buyers as it looks to manage a limited initial hardware supply this Christmas.

The £150 deposit scheme is being considered to ensure that allocation can be more fairly managed. In particular, it is believed that Sony is looking to avoid the ‘eBay phenomenon’ that occurred with the launch of Xbox 360 whereby some consumers who managed to acquire more than one unit – on deposits as low as £5 – sold on their extra machines for well above the RRP.

Sony has confirmed that it is in talks with retail about the scheme.

How To Avoid Patent Lawsuit 101:Sony Signs Agreement With CPI.

Collaboration Properties, Inc. (CPI) - a subsidiary of Avistar - and Sony signed an agreement allowing Sony to use CPI's extensive patent portfolio for Sony products including audio, video, and communication and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets.

The agreement covers Sony's video conference apparatus as well as other products including video-enabled personal computer products and PlayStation products. CPI currently holds 60 issued patents covering the AvistarVOS video operating system as well as primary areas of video technology, including video signal transport, desktop video service integration, directory services, call control and handling, stored multimedia synchronization and presence-based calling.

Thanks to this contract, Sony won't wake up one day to find another lawsuit on its hands.

PS3 Manufacturer Warns Media.

PlayStation 3 manufacturer Asustek has fired a warning shot over the bows of the media, following yesterday's leaked reports that the company has already begun shipping PS3 units to Sony.

Via Taiwan's financial hub, the company yesterday issued a sternly worded warning to the media about the reports, stating that it would sue any outlets that had damaged relationships with its clients.

Asustek refused to comment directly on the issue of the manufactured units. The Taiwanese press also reports that Aasustek has toughened up its policy on employee leaks.

Gears Of War & Too Human For X360 Could Slip To 2007.

Two of Microsoft's most important titles planned for 2006 are still without public release dates. Last Friday, Xbox.com temporarily posted an October 2 release date for Gears of War -- the same date used by several online retailers.

This date was later revoked, replaced with "TBD." Similarly, Too Human's release date had been listed as "TBD 2006," but has since been revised to just "TBD".

While 'Emergence Day' -- that's slang for 'Gears of War release date' -- will most certainly hit in 2006, chances are, Too Human will slip into 2007. Too Human's E3 build was incredibly rough, and there's no sense in rushing a final version before the year's out, especially since you run the risk of releasing in Gears' shadow.

As for Gears of War, October sounds about right. Judging from the E3 build, the game is certainly on track for that date. Plus, it would be wise to release Gears in advance of PlayStation 3 -- and Wii too. No game is going to stand up to the wave of hype that will flood our senses when those consoles drop. But, release Gears a month before the PS3 launch, get us hooked -- get us a bit distracted -- and you might capture some brand loyalty.

Taiwan's Asustek Computer To Deliver PS3 Consoles To Sony starting This Month.

Asustek Computer Inc. will produce and deliver PlayStation 3 game consoles to Sony Corp this month as the Japanese firm moves to step up output to meet demand for the November Launch and the Christmas shopping season.

The first consignment is for 4 million units, noting that monthly shipments will start at 200,000 units and rising to 2 million units starting in October.

Meanwhile Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd , will soon begin production on the PS3 consoles for Sony as well.

Given this, we can hypothesis that the production of the PS3's will begin as quickly as next week, or no later than the end of the first week of August.

THQ To 'Incinerate' Next-Gen Gaming .

Video game publisher THQ Inc. today announced the formation of a new development team called Incinerator Games. The studio will be based in Carlsbad, California and joins THQ's growing internal development talent, which includes Volition, Relic Entertainment, Rainbow Studios, Kaos Studios, Paradigm (a recent purchase from Atari) and others.

Incinerator itself is comprised of veterans that worked on such popular titles as Twisted Metal, NFL GameDay and MLB 2006: The Show (from Sony's 989 studios), as well as games in the Midnight Club franchise (Rockstar). A team size for Incinerator was not specified, however. According to THQ, the studio was established primarily to work on next-generation consoles.

"The addition of Incinerator Games is another example of our dedication to enhance and expand our internal development capabilities," commented Jack Sorensen, executive vice president of worldwide studios, THQ. "We're really excited to see the Incinerator team begin to bring its own ideas for next generation development to THQ".

Currently the Incinerator team is working on Disney/Pixar's Cars for next-generation consoles. The game is expected to ship later this fall. Cars has already performed quite well on current-gen consoles, with the PS2, GBA and GCN versions placing fourth, sixth and tenth (respectively) on the June NPD top 20. Given the popularity of the movie and the success the title's already seen on current consoles, it certainly makes sense for THQ to leverage the license on next-gen systems as well.

In addition to Cars, THQ said that Incinerator is also working on other yet to be announced projects for next-gen systems.

Resistance: Fall Of Man To Feature 40 Players Online.

Never before in the history of gaming (or as long as we can remember, anyhow) has there been a FPS game that allowed 40 players to go crazy on a virtual battlefield. Until the PS3 came along, that is.

A report from PSM says that Resistance: Fall Of Man will feature 40-player online capability, which is even more than the previously announced number of 32.

Here's the juicy quote from PlayStation Magazine:

We put in some serious time playing various maps and modes in multiplayer, and despite our constant deaths at the hands of Insomniac's seasoned testers we had a blast. Resistance should offer PS3's Flagship online multiplayer experience at launch. Of course, you can also play with friends offline via split-screen deathmatch,or partner up and play, co-op through the entire single player game(this can only be done offline).

Online matches are where the real action is, though where as many as 40 players can pack the battlefield(a recent eight-player improvement over the 32-player support announced at E3) .We tried standard deathmatch in a small, hilly ice area, and massive 40-player "MELTDOWN" campaigns in a huge jungle-type enviroment with wooden bridges and platforms in the trees, "Ewok Village"- style.

Meltdown is an extension of another mode called "Node," in which two teams race to take over as many nodes as possible. Nodes are large chambers that contain several cylinders, you can re-configure the nodes for your team. Once you control a node, you can choose to re-spawn there after you die, adding strategy to the order in which your team goes after them. Meltdowns adds the twist that these nodes are actually coolants for each team's base, so by taking them over, you're overheating the enemy's headquaters. At certain heat levels a base's defenses will temporarily go down, allowing the opposing team to get inside and deal major damage.

This is the kind of feature that if done right, could be huge for PS3 sales.

Sony Branded Number One...Again.

While Sony might fight with Nintendo and Microsoft for brand recognition and approval when it comes to the world of gaming, the electronics giant's brand name has a significant leg up on the competition when it comes to the general American public.

Market research firm Harris Interactive has released the results of its annual "Best Brands" survey, and Sony has topped the list for the seventh consecutive year and the ninth time in 12 years. Microsoft slipped from the top 10 in this year's poll, while Nintendo was shut out of the upper echelon.

Harris surveyed 2,351 US adults online and asked them "to think about brands or names of products and services" and to name the three they considered the best. Respondents were free to pick whichever brands they preferred and were not given a list of options or possible answers.

The top 10 companies in this year's poll are listed below.

1. Sony
2. Dell
3. Coca-Cola
4. Toyota
5. Ford
6. Honda
7. Hewlett Packard
8. General Electric
9. Kraft
10. Apple

UK Award Success For Sony.

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe was the big winner in this year's Develop Industry Excellence Awards, which took place last night at the Hilton Metropole in Brighton on the UK's south coast. It took home three awards, whilst other notable winners included Bizarre Creations and Criterion.

The event was attended by around 400 members of the UK and European development community, and more than 60 companies were nominated in four main categories for a total of 18 awards.

SCEE won the Publishing Hero award for its achievements throughout the past year, as well as two awards for Buzz! The Music Quiz--the first for New Console IP (intellectual property), and the second for Innovation in the Buzz! controllers.

Liverpool-based Bizarre Creations won two awards for their work on the Xbox 360--the Best Use of Online, which related to Geometry Wars 2 on Xbox Live Arcade, and the night's biggest accolade, the Grand Prix award for Project Gotham Racing 3.

Another UK studio, Criterion, also scooped two gongs in the ceremony. Best Art/Sound was awarded jointly for arcade racer Burnout Revenge and sumptuous shooter Black, and it took the Best In-House Development Team accolade as well.

In the Studio Category, BigBig won Best New UK/European Studio, Rebellion was named Most Improved Studio, and Gameloft won the Mobile Studio award. Rockstar Leeds took the Best Handheld Studio title, thanks in large part to the success of Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories on the PlayStation Portable.

Sony Slapped With Another Patent Suit.

Sony has been having some trouble with patent disputes of late. In March 2005, Immersion Corporation won it's lawsuit claiming that Sony's DualShock PlayStation and PlayStation 2 controllers infringed on its force-feedback patents. A judge ordered Sony to pay more than $90 million in damages, and earlier this year denied an attempt from the electronics giant to have the decision overturned.

Now Sony's in the middle of another patent fight, this one brought against the company by Pennsylvania-based Agere Systems. According to court documents, Agere (which has a pair of offices in Texas) has filed suit against Sony and a number of its divisions for willful infringement of eight patents in a number of its products, including the PSP, PlayStation 2, and based on announced specifications, the PlayStation 3. Sony Vaio computers, Handycams, Walkman players, Memory Stick Duos, and Location Free TV are also named as infringing offerings on some of the patents. The patents in question run from a "wireless local area network apparatus" to "barrier layer treatments for tungsten plug".

Agere is asking that each branch of Sony be made to provide an accounting of all gains made through their alleged infringements, and that the company be awarded damages to adequately compensate it based on those figures. Agere also claims that Sony knew about the patents and willfully infringed on them, so it is asking the courts to boost the damages awarded as much as three times what it would have been otherwise.

In its defense, Sony has denied all claims of infringement. It is arguing that it actually has the rights to use seven of the eight patents through a 1989 cross-licensing deal with AT&T and Lucent (whose microelectronics group eventually became Agere Systems). Sony also contends that some of the patents (including the one it doesn't claim a right to use) were not properly obtained because Agere omitted important information when it filed for them. Finally, Sony believes the patents in question are invalid anyway, and has asked the judge to declare them as such.

Agere denied Sony's counterclaims last month and has issued a demand for a jury trial.

Wii Price Announced... Sort Of.

Nintendo has (sort of) announced the release date and price of the Wii. In typical Nintendo style, they were a bit vague about their plans, still refusing to nail down the details.

In part, the reason for this has to do with the way this news has gotten out: Nintendo has released a fiscal year 2006 (FY2006) projection for investors (corporate fiscal years tend to begin and end in July), and in that projection report they make statements about how they will handle the Wii launch.

According to Nintendo's figures, the Wii will indeed launch in the Fall of 2006. Gamers have been aware of this for quite some time, and Nintendo still has not nailed down a specific launch date. However, they have stated that the Wii price tag will not exceed $250 in America, or ¥25,000 in Japan.

Regarding the quantity of Wii units that will be available at launch, Nintendo stated they would ship six million units between the launch day and March 31, 2007-- a time period officially described as the "launch window".

The launch will be a worldwide event, so these initial six million units will be distributed around the globe. In total, Nintendo expects to ship 17 million Wii units worldwide in FY2006.

Nintendo added that announcements about the specific launch date and exact price of the console will be made "soon."

Blu-ray Laser Diodes In Tight Supply.

According to the Chinese-language Commercial Times.The yields for Blu-ray laser diodes are still low due to a high technical barrier, with only Sony and Nichia being the only suppliers, stated the paper.

In addition, Sony is setting aside a major proportion of its laser diode capacity for its upcoming PS3, which may also affect the availability of its Blu-ray laser diodes, the paper said.

Sony is currently the major supplier of laser diodes for Royal Philips Electronics, BenQ and Lite-on IT, the paper indicated.

The tight supply will not ease before September since Sony will not start shipping its PS3 before then, the paper said.

New Details On Coded Arms Assault for PS3.

The upcoming Coded Arms Assault FPS game for the Playstation 3 will feature four-player co-op campaigns (with exclusive content, unavailable in the single player game), up to 16 multiplayer games, vehicles and downloadable content.

The hacker FPS game bears only the same name and theme of the original Coded Arms on the Sony PSP.

The producer of the game, Yasuo Daikai, spoke to IGN about the upcoming FPS.
From Daikai: "It is best to think of Coded Arms Assault as a new game with a shared theme of virtual reality.

However the stories are not related at all." Daikai also said the trailer shown at E3 was not pre-rendered, so it represents the actual in-game graphics.

Watch the Coded Arms Assault video shown at E3 below:

Taiwan PCB Makers To Start PS3 PCB Shipments In 3Q.

Taiwan printed circuit board (PCB) makers Unimicron Technology and Nanya Printed Circuit Board (NPC) will start shipping PCBs for Sony's PS3 in the third quarter, with samples already approved by Sony, according to the Chinese-language Apple Daily.

Compeq Manufacturing is still waiting for sample approval from Sony for PCB's to be used in the new game console, the paper said.

Unitech Printed Circuit Board wil start shipping PCBs for Nintendo's handheld game console in the third or fourth quarter of this year, while Yu Fo Electronic will become the largest supplier of Xbox 360 PCBs, stated the paper, adding that Foxconn Advanced Technology (FAT) stands a good chance of landing orders for PCBs to be used in Nintendo's Wii.

PS3 Seriously Backwards.

The latest nugget of next-gen info tells us Sony’s new console will play every PlayStation game in existence.

Sony’s new console will play every PlayStation game ever made, at least according to IBM bigwigs, who have lifted the lid on its rigorous testing phase.

According to Tom Reeves, VP of semiconductor and technology services at the chip maker, which makes the PS3's processor, Sony rejected the console even when it could play all but 40 of its old titles.

That’s an impressive claim, given the thousands of games available for PSone and PS2.
It means that an unbelievable amount of testing has gone into the new console.

As Reeves told Reed's Electronic News: “Sony is very concerned about quality and backward compatibility. They want to get this right”.

The claim could put Sony ahead of Microsoft, which has updated the X360's software but can still only play around 20 original Xbox games.

Of course, Microsoft has plans to make every Xbox game playable on the console, but at the moment it’s some way off that target.

PS3 Gets Exclusive Downloadable Games.

The iTunes music store brought the idea of digital distribution to the masses, but things are going to be quite different for games. Already the Xbox Live Arcade is bringing simple games into homes, and Sony is now talking up its plans in this area.

One difference between the so-called PS3 E-Distribution Initiative and Microsoft's current strategy is that Sony will be making games internally as well as getting others from outside game makers.

"We fund development for first-party games and we are open to self-funded games," Sony's John Hight said in an interview with Gamasutra.

Hight said that Sony won't be aping Microsoft and is instead trying to make and get games built around the specific strengths of the Sony's new hardware.

"We're looking for fresh, new ideas that fully exploit the power of PS3," he told Gamasutra. "Our first-party projects are all unique to PS3. Some of our games, by virtue of their design and hardware demands, simply couldn't work on X360".

Sony PS3 Q+A (Leaked)

An internal SCEE Q+A re. PS3, from E3, has made its way onto the web. It's an interesting read - in many ways they would have been better off just releasing this, it would have better communicated some of their points.

Playstation 3 / E3 2006 QA

- PS3 is a computer system
- PS3 is one product with different configuration
- PS3 launch date : Nov 11 (Japan), Nov 17 (US/Europe)
- PS3 price : 20GB : JPY 59,800, USD499, EUR499 (incl. VAT) / 60GB : JPY Open, USD599, EUR599 (incl. VAT)

PS3 Business Strategy

Q1. Why will you launch two models with different specs for PS3 ?

A1. PS3 is a computer system and as such, various configurations can be considered. In future, larger HDD may be required for larger content to be saved on PS3. Considering the fact that, nowadays, network connectivity is spreading within the homes, we have decided to introduce a configuration with basic ports. However, these ports, excluding HDMI, are expandable with adaptors available on the market.

Q2. How can users connect PS3 to TV without HDMI output ?

A2. PS3 supports most displays via the AV multi output. Visual quality through AV multi output is comparable to that through HDMI.

Q3. Do you have two color variations of black and silver for two different models ?

A3. This model comes in one color (clear black) only. There may be color variations in the future.

Q4. What is the initial launch quantity for PS3 ?

A4. 2 million units will be shipped worldwide at the launch timing (for the first 3 weeks), cumulative 4 million units by the end of December and cumulative 6 million by the end of March 2007 (we do not disclose the breakdown by region).

Q5. Will you launch the PS3 in the Asian region at the same timing ?

A5. Yes.

Q6. What is the breakdown of the production shipment figures for each model ?

A6. We will decide the breakdown according to the market situation.

Q7. Are you planning to launch another model which has different HDD or interface in the future ?

A7. Like PCs, other configuration with the different HDD capacity and I/O can be considered in the future.

Q8. Where will you start manufacturing PS3 ?

A8. We will start manufacturing in Japan and China simultaneously (we don't disclose the names of manufacturing companies).

Q9. When will you start manufacturing PS3 ?

A9. We will start assembly from summer. Manufacturing of the main semiconductors has already started.

Q10. MS's Xbox360 was launched a year ago and has a head start. How do you feel about it ?

A10. We have set the best launch timing for PS3.

Q11. How is the PS3 network service going to be ? Will you also start the service from day one ? What are the differences between Xbox Live and PS3 network services ?

A11. Apart from providing basic features and functions, the most important element is content and services. Downloading music in SingStar, purchasing or exchanging game data as we demonstrated at E3 press conference and many other new ways of enjoyment will be provided.

Q12. Will the network service be charged ?

A12. Basic services available free for current PCs will be free of charge but content and specific services will be charged from the beginning.

Q13. Are the specifications and design final ?

A13. Very close to final.

PS3 Price

Q14. Why did you set such a price for 20GB HDD model ?

A14. We have set this price so that many users can enjoy PS3.

Q15. Why is only 60GB model open price for Japan ?

A15. Each RHQ decides the price of PS3.

Q16. You have announced in April that more than 100 billion yen of operating loss will be caused from Game segment in FY06. Will the PS3 price have any impact on the forecast ? Was the introduction of two models factored in at the earnings announcement in April ?

A16. There is no change in forecast.

Q17. Won't having two models increase cost ? Can you expect the economy of scale with two models ?

A17. We don't have two different models. It is one model with different configuration just like with PCs. Therefore, economy of scale can be pursued.

Q18. When do you expect to start making profit with PS3 business ? It has been reported by Nikkei (dated May 1st) that the "PS3 business will make profit of over 100 billion yen in FY07". it true ?

A18. At the early stage after the launch, PS3 expects losses due to start-up cost, etc. However, there is no change in our business model to make profit from both hardware and software. As we have accomplished with PS2, we aim to make PS3 business profitable as soon as possible, by expanding the platform and continuing our cost down measures by reducing the number of components used in the hardware and cutting the cost of key components including semiconductors. However, it's too early to comment on the timing of the turnaround. We have never told Nikkei that "PS3 business will make profit of over 100 billion yen in FY07".

Hardware Functions

Q19. Are there any additional or modified features from E3 last year ?

A19. Please refer to the specification sheet for details.

Q20. You had previously announced that there would be two HDMI ports, but why does the PS3 with the 20GB HDD not have a HDMI port ? Can Blu-ray content be enjoyed in high quality graphics without HDMI ?

A20. High quality HD images can be enjoyed equally with the 20GB HDD product via the AV multi port (1080p output is also possible with the TV equipped with the D5 input). Analog output from BD will be supported until 2011 and all software published until they can be enjoyed. Standardization of visual image output via home network (e.g. DLNA) is also currently under way.

Q21. There were 2 HDMI ports in your original announcement, but why does the 60GB PS3 have only 1 HDMI port ?

A21. Because standardization of image output over the network such as DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) is currently under way, it will become possible to transfer images to multiple displays in ways other than using the HDMI port. It is also possible to connect PSP through the network as a secondary display and enjoy PS3 content remotely (although it depends on the software).

Q22. Can you enjoy progressive images with PS and PS2 titles ?

A22. Not only does PS3 convert images from SD to HD, it also converts interlace to progressive images (upward conversion is done by the PS3 system).

Q23. Can you enjoy full HD PS3 software content with a standard TV ?

A23. Not only does PS3 convert images from SD to HD, it also converts 1080p to 720p (downward conversion is done by the PS3 system).

Q24. Is 60GB HDD large enough for PS3 ?

A24. 60GB is 3 times the capacity of Xbox360 and at the moment we consider it enough to save online game data as well as to transfer various data from other PCs and CE/AV products. If there is need in the future, it is also possible to upgrade storage capacity by exchanging HDD to Serial-ATA 2.5" HDD available on the market.

Q25. Why isn't 20GB PS3 equipped with Memory Stick/SD Memory card/Compact Flash slots ?

A25. PS3 is a computer system. Storage devices can be expanded by using adaptors available on the market.

. The 20GB PS3 does not come with Wi-Fi 802.11, but does this mean that it cannot be connected to PSP ?

A26. Home networking is spreading around the world. With the use of widely available wireless LAN adaptor with USB port, connection to PSP is possible.

. Why did you reduce the number of USB ports from 6 to 4 ?

A27. PS3 is a computer system. Number of ports can be expanded by using adaptors available on the market.

Q28. Why did you reduce the number of Ethernet ports from 3 to 1 ?

A28. We had one input (WAN) and two outputs (LAN) in mind, but given that nowadays network connection is spreading within the homes, we considered that one Ethernet connection to a router would be sufficient.

Q29. Will Linux OS be adopted as you have planned ?

A29. Yes. PS3 is a computer system and Linux OS is adopted as one of the standard OSes.

Q30. How much noise reduction level have you achieved ?

A30. Approximately 29dB (A) (equivalent to slim-line PS2).

Controller

Q31. You mention that PS3 adopts a breakthrough six-axis sensing system that lets you control intuitively as if the controller has become part of your body. How does this work ?

A31. "3-posture-axis" of roll, pitch and yaw, plus "3-dimension acceleration information (X, Y and Z)" can be detected in high-precision and in real-time (no more specific details to be given).

Q32. Why did you change the design of the controller to that of PS and PS2 ?

A32. We received many feedback after E3 last year and created the PS3 controller by refining and improving the world's most popular Playstation controller that shipped more than several hundred million units worldwide, while inheriting its basic concept and design.

Q33. Can the new features be enjoyed with all PS3 titles ?

A33. It depends on the title, but we expect that software developers would proactively make use of the new PS3 controller.

Q34. You say that PS3 provides backward compatibility of PS and PS2 titles, but would you insist that you offer complete backward compatibility even if vibration feature does not work ?

A34. There is no major difference in gameplay even without the vibration feature. We hope a lot of users will support the new PS3 controller with new ways of enjoyment.

Q35. The controllers shown at the booth are all wired, but will the actual product be wireless ?

A35. Yes. We are using wired controllers since there is too much interference with so many wireless devices on the show floor.

Q36. Will PSP be used as a remote controller ?

A36. We will consider the possibility.PS3 Software

Q37. We hear rumors from software developers that there are not enough development tools being shipped. Is this true ?

A37. As evident with many game titles demonstrated at E3, development of PS3 titles is duty in progress.

Q38. How much is the estimated price range of the software titles for PS3 ? Is it the same price as PS2 ?

A38. As a platform holder, we are not in a position to comment on this. As a first party title developer/publisher, we assume a wider price range since software can be delivered through various media including packaged discs and network.

Q39. Are all titles shown at E3 (press conference and booth) launch titles ?

A39. Many of the playable titles shown at E3 are likely to be released at or around launch. Some titles shown as (demo) video may also become launch titles.

Q40. Do all titles shown at E3 support 1080p ?

A40. "Gran Turismo HD E3 2006" is demonstrated at 1080p with frame rate of 60 frames per second. As for other titles, some are 1080p and some 720p.

Q41. How many launch titles do you expect to have ?

A41. We expect the best launch line-up in history.

Technology
Blu-ray Disc (BD)

The PS3 will be one of the first BD players on the market with full "BD Live" capability (the ability to access the internet from within the disc and download additional content to the player's internal memory - as well as the ability to enjoy unique, "web-enabled" interactive features, such as bringing up web sites, actor information and bios and related topics in windows (picture in picture) whilst continuing to play the main movie.

The marketing tagline for Blu-ray is Beyond High Definition. The key messaging to support this is :

More High-Def Content

90% of major Hollywood studios, the world's two largest music companies, PLAYSTATION 3 and leading gaming companies all support BD. That means more HD movies, more HD concerts, more HD games and more for you !

More Hi-Def Capabilities

Full 1080p resolution, up to 7.1 channels of surround sound, 50GB of storage capacity, real time internet and network connectivity and interactivity and backwards compatibility with existing DVD libraries.

More Hi-Def Products

Over 85% of the leading consumer electronics companies and the four largest PC brands all support BD.

Region Coding

BD region coding is a simplified version of the DVD region coding system. For BD, the regions are :

Region A - USA and Japan
Region B - Europe, Australia and New Zealand and most of the old PAL territories
Region C - Russia and Asia

BDA specifications stipulate that all BD players, including PLAYSTATION 3, must incorporate region coding and will be single region. It is up to content providers whether or not to apply region coding to their content - all PLAYSTATION 3 games will be region free and will therefore play on any PLAYSTATION 3 regardless of where it was bought.

Controller

The technical description of the Controller from the press release is :

"The controller for PS3 employs a breakthrough technology of high-precision, highly sensitive six-axis sensing system that does not require any devices other than the controller itself for seamless interactive operation, thus eliminating additional setting to TVs. With this technology, ways to enjoy PS3 will be further enhanced by accessing PS3 through the network, while retaining the six-axis sensing capability. In addition to "3-posture-axis" of roll, pitch and yaw, "3-dimension acceleration information (X, Y and Z)" can be detected in high-precision and in real-time. In addition to standard key input available in existing controllers, more natural and more intuitive manipulation will become possible as if the controller has become part of your body".

This is an overly technical description, and there is a need to simplify the USP for consumers in terms of features and benefits. The new PS3 controller employs cutting edge technology and is a major and key element of the overall PS3 package.

What this means for users is :

- The new controller for PS3 enables the user to direct characters, vehicles, aircraft and other game elements in the Yaw, Pitch and Roll axes (3 of the six axes mentioned above) without the use of the traditional directional buttons.

- In addition, the controller's sensors can detect acceleration in each of the above axes (providing the remaining 3 axes), allowing the user to determine the speed of movement of the object being controlled.

- There us no requirement for any additional sensors in front of the display.

- The new controller will also allow users to freely navigate the PS3 controls as well as access, move around and operate the PS3's navigation system (Cross Media Bar) using the same sensor based control system.

- PS3 will come with a single controller.

- Up to 8 controllers can be used.

Not all "Day 1" games will employ the innovative features of the controller, but over time, every developer will use the features.

Have you been forced into this "six-axis" approach by losing the "DualShock Vibration" court case against Immersion ?Not at all. The technology used for the DualShock is now almost 10 years old. Whilst it was revolutionary when PS One launched, technology has moved on, and SCE is always at the forefront of the technology wave. For the PS3 controller, we are using breakthrough technology, right at the cutting edge of what is possible today.

Software

What about the media reports we have seen suggesting that not all PS2 and PS One titles will be backwards compatible ?Kutaragi San made clear at the Playstation Business Meeting in March that all titles that complied with the TRC (Technical Requirements Checklist) - essentially a blueprint of how to develop a game on the Playstation platform, would be backwards compatible. Nothing has changed from that statement.

In a few instances, developers have applied short cuts or workrounds in the development process to extract the maximum performance from their games. In some cases, these may be not fully comply with the TRC and additional work may be required to make these titles compatible. Our target nevertheless remains 100% backwards compatibility.

The lack of a vibration function when playing PS One or PS2 games on the PS3 does not affect the gameplay (and we can therefore say that there is full backwards compatibiliy).

SCEE E3 MESSAGING DOCUMENT

This document provides some potentially useful sound bites and perspectives on the announcements to be made at E3. It is not exhaustive, and should be read in conjunction with the PS3 Q&A.

The key points about PS3 are :

- PS3 is being positioned as a computer system, and not a computer entertainment system. Like other computer systems, it can be upgraded through the use of readily available industry standard adaptors.

- There will therefore be two initial configurations of PS3, not two versions.

- With the exception of the HDMI socket, every aspect of the 20GB model can be upgraded using readily available, industry standard adaptors.

- No SCEE decision has yet been taken on the splut of PS3 configurations for the SCEE market.

Hardware

How would you position the difference between the two versions of the PS3 announced this week ?Firstly, the PS3 is a computer system. There may be two configurations but the key elements are standard - Blu-ray disc, Cell chip, Giga-bit Ethernet to provide an always-on connection to the network, and a pre-installed hard disk drive (HDD) as standard.

The difference between the two versions is more to do with the customer who will buy the PS3. The 60GB HDD version comes fully-equipped to exploit the very latest in HD display technology. It also has a full suite of interfaces (I/O connections), including an HDMI connection which will allow it to support full HD (1080i/1080p) flat panel displays. This version is positioned at the consumer who has either adopted HD, or who is planning tu upgrade to HD display technology in the next few years.

We also recognise that there are many potential PS3 owners out there who are either happy with the quality of their existing TV, or have perhaps recently upgraded to a digital TV and do not plan to upgrade further for the time being - for them an HDMI socket is not essential. For these customers, who will not initially need the PSP/PS3 wireless connectivity, the 20GB version may be more appropriate, and will be better value.

Upgradeability

Like other computer systems, it is possible to upgrade the configuration of the PS3. For both models, it is possible to upgrade the hard disk to any industry standard Serial-ATA 2.5" HDD.

For those with the 20GB version, owners who wish to utilise Memory Stick/SD Memory Card/Compact Flash slots or Wi-Fi 802.11 connectivity to PSP can make use of widely available USB wireless LAN adaptors and other industry standard adaptors. Note : The only non upgradeable element of the 20GB version is the HDMI slot, which can not be added later.

PS3 games will look brilliant on a standard TV, but stunning when viewed on a HD display.

TV Connectivity

The issue of connectivity between the PS3 and the display is very complex and depends on the type of TV (Analog, Digital or HD Ready), the maker of TV (until recently, only Toshiba TVs have component AV connections as standard in Europe, most other Euro TV sets use SCART which can not carry an HD signal) and specification of TV (the very latest HD Ready TV sets have wider connectivity options than earlier HD "capable" TVs from the same manufacturer which may have lacked HDMI), and finally the configuration of the PS3 model purchased.

The issue of which cables to supply with the different configurations of PS3 has yet to be decided.

Assassin's Creed Still PS3 Exclusive.

With gaming circles drooling over the next-generation launch of Assassin's creed we are still unsure which consoles it will be available for.


X360 owners have been anxious since they caught wind of the game coming to their next-gen console and although it wasn't actually officially announced for the 360 in a press release, it has been widely rumoured in the gaming community that Assassin's Creed will come the X360 at some point.

However, a Community Manager from Ubisoft under the name of 'UbiRazz' has slated the matter of Assassins Creed for the X360.

"Ubisoft have confirmed no such thing. Assassin's Creed will come on PS3 and at this time, no other platform has been confirmed". said UbiRazz.

This is great news for PS3. If you hav'nt seen the PS3 trailer of the game yet, I just happen to have it to wet your appetite.

Coming to a PS3 early 2007.

Possible PS3 Launch Games.

This is quite an interesting mix of launch games covering most genre's:

• Resistance:Fall Of Man(First person Shooter)
• Warhawk(Shooter)
• Stranglehold(First person Action Adventure)
• Fatal Inertia( Futuristic Racing)
• Tony Hawk's Project 8(Sport)
• Formula One 06(Driving)
• Fight Night Round 3(Sport)
• Motorstorm(Driving)
• Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas( Tactical Shooter)
• NBA Live '07(Sport)
• Tiger Woods PGA Tour '07(Sport)
• Marvel: Ultimate Alliance(Action RolePlaying)
• Ridge Racer 7(Driving)
• Need For Speed Carbon(Driving)
• NFL Madden '07(Sport)
• Call of Duty 3(First Person Shooter)
• Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom(Action Role Playing)
• Bladestorm: The 100 Year War(Beat'em'Up)
• Sonic The Hedgehog(3D Platformer)
• NHL 2K7(Sport)
• WWE SmackDown Vs Raw 2007(Sport)
• Flow (PS3 Hub download)
• Full Auto 2:Battlelines(Car Combat)
• Lair(Action)
• SingStar(Karaoke)
• Eye Of Judgement(EyeToy2)

All in all PS3 has some amazing games to look forward to at launch.

Sony Takes Out ¥80 Billion Loan As PS3 Production Ramps Up.

Sony Corp has taken out an 80 billion Yen(545 million Euro) three-year floating-rate bank loan - marking the first time the company has borrowed funds in ten years.

According to Bloomberg.com, more than 20 Japanese lenders will contribute to the loan, which will be used to "diversify funding sources".

The report suggests that Sony has "tapped the country's expanding syndicated loan market as it offered a cheaper source of cash at a time when investors in corporate debt are demanding higher yields before an expected rise in Japanese interest rates this year".

Sony spokesperson Shinichi Tobe told Bloomberg that the loan offers more flexibility than bonds, and that the company had ended up borrowing more funds than initially planned.

Fellow spokesperson Koji Kurata added that the funds will be used "for general purposes", according to Bloomberg. Sony intends to invest 460 billion Yen (3.13 billion Euro) in semi-conductor manufacturing and 100 billion Yen (68 million Euro) in an initiative to develop liquid-crystal displays with Samsung.

Sony is also facing costs associated with the manufacture of the PS3 and the launch of the new Blu-Ray disc format - both of which are due to roll out this year.

Last year the company embarked on a three-year cost-cutting exercise that will see the loss of 10,000 jobs over the coming years.

Sega Confirms Sonic, Full Auto 2 for PS3 launch.

Sega of America's vice president of marketing Scott Steinberg has revealed that its next-gen Sonic the Hedgehog title and sequel Full Auto 2: Battlelines are on track for PS3 launch.

Dropping this titbit while speaking to GameDailyBiz about Sega's next-gen console strategy, Steinberg also said the PS3-exclusive beat-'em-up Virtua Fighter 5 will be out in March 2007.

Discussing next-gen development in general, he spoke about Sega "bringing our frontline brands as well as some new IP" to the new consoles, and promised we'll "be seeing some new IP that kind of rounds out our efforts on the two new platforms [PS3 and Wii]." Steinberg went on to add that Sega's Wii-exclusive Sonic Wild Fire will "probably" arrive in March 2007, and reaffirmed that Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz will launch alongside Nintendo's new console.

"...we continue to support [Xbox 360]," Steinberg additionally stated, mentioning Chromehounds and the Sonic Next Gen game which is also being developed for PS3.

But he refused to confirm whether Full Auto 2: Battlelines would eventually release for 360 too."Top line, Sega is supporting all three platforms," Steinberg said. "...we have lots of plans to be players on all three [consoles].

We're not necessarily picking one or the other; we have the capacity and scale to support all three."

Six Part Video Interview With Warhawk Developers.

1.Meet the cast.

2.What is Warhawk.

3.The Warhawk universe.

4.Multi - Model.

5.The Cell Processor.

6.The RSX graphics chip.

Leaked Doc Hints At Wii PS3 Launch Dates.

Game retailer Game Stop already has Nintendo Wii and PS3 video game release dates on its websites but a leaked company document now seems to confirm those dates suggesting that Wii titles will be available in early October while PS3 games a month later.

Usually when video games retailers post availability dates on their websites there is little excitement as those dates have come to be known as guestimates rather than reliable information. When such information however, is confirmed by a leaked document from within the company, the rumor mills can start spinning again.

The aforementioned document, carrying a 5/24 date, is titled Product Release Information and mentions that the Wii titles Rayman 4, the conspicuously titled Avatar: The Last Airbender and SpongeBob Squarepants: Creature are expected to release on 10/2/06. This would suggest that the Wii console should also launch around that time or even earlier if Nintendo is planning some odd surprise.

Additionally we are informed that November 2006 will see a large selection of Wii titles, some of which we did not hear much of during E3 2006. These include Call of Duty 3, Need for Speed: Carbon and Medal of Honor: Airborne, along with the much hyped Red Steel, Madden NFL 2007, Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam and Marvel Ultimate Alliance.

The same document also mentions that the first PS3 titles will appear in November, something which, more or less, was expected. Most PS3 launch titles mentioned seem to be EA games and include NBA Live 07, Fight Night 3, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2007, NfS: Carbon and Madden NFL 07. The other games expected in November are: CoD 3, BiA 3, Marvel Ultimate Alliance and Tony Hawk's Project 8.

Additional launch games for the PS3 include: Rainbow Six: Vegas, Resistance Fall of Man, Warhawk and Genji 2.

Games that will appear in 2007 include: the delayed Heavenly Sword, EA's Army of Two and Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed in March.