PS3 event in San Francisco offers a few more details about the next-gen console
By Michael Lafferty

SCEA President/CEO calls the PS3 “the most advanced computer entertainment system ever produced”

In 1995, the motto used on the launch of the original PlayStation was “You are not ready.” Fast forward 11 years, and on the cusp of the launch of the PlayStation 3, Sony has changed that a bit too, as Sony Computer Entertainment America President/CEO Kaz Hirai stated, “You are ready.”

With the launch date for the PS3 less than a month away (November 17 in North America), Sony took the opportunity to invite a group of journalists down to San Francisco for an executive presentation on the console. The day began with some of the brass at Sony talking about the system, with a little bit of hands-on time with some of the titles that will be available at launch (as well as one that won’t be), and ended with a performance at the DogPatch Studios location of hip-hop artist Ludacris.

But in regards to the Sony presentation of the PS3, the message was clear – Sony (as Hirai said) is touting this system as “the most advanced computer entertainment system ever produced.”

“We have taken a vision, literally from the ground up, that is going to lay the foundation for the next 10 years,” Hirai said.

Sony Computer Entertainment America President/CEO Kaz Hirai shows the PS3 retail box

To that end, Hirai said the PS3 was “future proof.” Not only in the expanded Blu-Ray format that allows for increased storage on game disks, but in terms of fully embracing the high-def wave.

To create a viable gaming atmosphere from the launch date, SCEA had sent out 10,000 developer kits to 208 companies in 11 countries. The result will be 22 games available at launch, including three first-party titles as well as many third-party titles already available on other platforms. However, there is a twist in that the games that may be on other platforms, currently, have been altered to take some advantage of the PS3 capabilities, including the Sixaxis controller (the controller device that features motion sensors in the controller itself – at the cost of forced feedback, mind you – that can be integrated into games).

The PS3 will come with two different price points - $499 and $599. There are differences, with the most visible being that the less expensive of the two will have a 20-gig hard drive and the upper end console will have a 60-gig hard drive. The higher-priced unit will also use wireless 802.11g functionality.

The cell-driven broadband makes its debut on consoles, ensuring an online experience that may be up to 40 times faster than the PS2. The machine, because it does have Blu-Ray technology, will later have a Blu-Ray remote available (and the first 500,000 systems sold will come bundled with a Blu-Ray version of Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby), and the machine’s power source is interior, not the power block the 360 uses, which is an exterior device.

Ludacris performs at the Sony PS3 event in San Francisco

Phil Harrison, president of worldwide studios, talked a bit about what the Blu-Ray technology will mean.

“Blu-ray offers the largest capacity,” he noted. “DVDs have a nine-gig capacity; Blu-ray is 50 gigs.”

He also noted that the high-def output, 1080 progressive scanning, will be a huge feature as well. “Once you migrate to 1080p, you never want to go back.” And SCEA first-party title, NBA 07, will be the first sports launch title offered in 1080p.

The system will use a crossbar user interface, which is nearly identical to what the PSP uses. As a matter of fact, the PSP integrates so well with the PS3 that a user can get a demo off the PlayStation Store, and then access that demo on the PSP. The PS3 will be able to store photo albums, which dynamically generate dates as the pictures are viewed, as well as music. Video trailers are running in real time on the machine, which means no load times. You see the demo you wish to access and you are a click away from seeing it fill the screen. The PS3 will also come with a built-in Web browser. In-game messaging is standard (and yes, you can use a USB keyboard), as is A/V chat. With the Web browser, users will be able to have multiple frames open at once.

The PlayStation Store is akin to Microsoft’s Xbox Live Marketplace. Users can put money into their store ‘wallet’ and use that to order and download games that will be exclusively released on the store. Once you buy a game, you can download it again and again, and you will even be able to download it (up to five times) on different machines. The store will not only have premium paid downloadable content, but free content as well. Movie trailers will be available, and – as Sony Online Entertainment President John Smedley stated – “the servers are go for launch.” Store access will also be integrated into games so that players can sell in-game content.

Sony had a number of titles also on site during the event, but there were too few machines for the assembled media throng. Some of the games, like Madden football, the use of the Sixaxis controller seemed minimal. By tilting the control up rapidly, on offense, you could hard count and try to draw the defense offside. Tiger Woods 07 used it much better. On the 360 version, you can put spin on the ball by rapidly tapping the A key and then using the D-pad to indicate the spin you wished to put on the in-flight ball. With the PS3, you merely hold down the X button and move the controller in the direction you wish to apply the spin.

Another game, which drew a lot of attention was Lair (slated for a 2007 release). The one machine showing this title was packed. Lair is an action-adventure title in which the hero rides a dragon. The dragon’s flight is controlled by tilting the controller. The games were also rendered on Sony Bravia LCD HD screens, which make for an extremely visceral experience.

The event last most of the afternoon, and it was immediately apparent that Sony is excited about the PS3 and with good reason. The system does, indeed, have it all and will be an amazing console that will be capable of taking gaming to the next level, as well as fit the bill for other entertainment needs.

“The only thing left to wait for is Nov. 17,” said Hirai, “and it’s not that far away.”

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