Video game enthusiast Zach Strankowski understands the principle of supply and demand. That's why he and two friends have been sleeping outside an Escondido Circuit City store since Tuesday, waiting for Sony's new PlayStation 3 game system, which won't go on sale until Friday.
“We could either pay three grand on eBay, or camp out here for 10 days,” said Strankowski, 22.
The economics are simple. Sony built a loyal base of 30 million PlayStation 2 owners in America. When the PS3 launches Friday, there will be fewer than 400,000 of the new game systems on store shelves.
The PS3 is the latest of “next-generation” video game systems. It follows the Microsoft Xbox 360, which was released a year ago. The Nintendo Wii will be available Nov. 19.
Sony's new system will be the most technologically advanced of the three and, at $600, the most expensive. The 360 costs $399 and the Wii $250.
Sony will not disclose the total cost of creating the PlayStation 3, which has been in development for six years. But analysts say the sum reaches into the billions of dollars.
Sony has revealed that it spent $2 billion on one major component alone, the high-speed Cell microprocessor, co-developed with IBM and Toshiba.
The system also features Sony's BluRay high-definition video player, capable of producing movies on some HDTVs with more than twice the detail of today's DVDs. Problems with BluRay's development delayed production of the PS3 and led to the current shortage.
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Showing posts with label PlayStation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PlayStation. Show all posts
Monday, November 13, 2006
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Game on: Sony’'s new PlayStation is snapped up by black marketeers as it finally hits streets in Japan @ TimesOnline
BY THE time his moment of joy arrives, Taiga Ishikawa will have been roughing it for 28 hours, but no one could be better equipped for a night on the streets of Tokyo.
He has his red cotton slippers and bamboo sleeping mat. He has 30 comic books to read and a supply of cold coffee and cold noodle sandwiches. Mr Ishikawa is a 20-year-old computer game otaku — a Japanese nerd — and in just a few hours his vigil will be rewarded with a jewel beyond price.
At 7am today, the shutters of Asobit City game shop in the Akihabara district of Tokyo will open, and Mr Ishikawa will be at the front of the queue to become one of the first people to own the Sony PlayStation 3. The PS3 is the newest games console in the world, and an immeasurable amount of money and credibility rests on its launch.
For Sony, this is an opportunity for success after a dismal spell. For gamers like Mr Ishikawa it is the most powerful games system in the world, quite apart from its capabilities as a storage system for photographs, music and a player of new-generation Blu-ray DVDs.
Even before it went on sale, a thriving black market had sprung up around the PlayStation 3, on the internet and on the streets of Akihabara. The console for which Mr Ishikawa will pay 59,980 yen (£267) was last night attracting bids of up to $1,800 (£940) on online auction sites.
In Akihabara a dozen homeless men queued incongruously in front of a game shop to buy the console. Each was being hired by a middleman to circumvent the shop’s “one customer, one PlayStation rule” to ensure the biggest number of consoles for immediate resale.
Seven British students from Bournemouth University, who had paid £700 each for a week-long stay in Japan, were debating whether to buy the PS3 and keep it for themselves, or sell it at a handsome profit. “I played a display model in a branch of Starbucks on the other side of Tokyo last night,” Christopher Poole, 19, a student of television production, said. “It’s true that they’ve only got the first generation of games at the moment, but it was a bit disappointing.”
He has his red cotton slippers and bamboo sleeping mat. He has 30 comic books to read and a supply of cold coffee and cold noodle sandwiches. Mr Ishikawa is a 20-year-old computer game otaku — a Japanese nerd — and in just a few hours his vigil will be rewarded with a jewel beyond price.
At 7am today, the shutters of Asobit City game shop in the Akihabara district of Tokyo will open, and Mr Ishikawa will be at the front of the queue to become one of the first people to own the Sony PlayStation 3. The PS3 is the newest games console in the world, and an immeasurable amount of money and credibility rests on its launch.
For Sony, this is an opportunity for success after a dismal spell. For gamers like Mr Ishikawa it is the most powerful games system in the world, quite apart from its capabilities as a storage system for photographs, music and a player of new-generation Blu-ray DVDs.
Even before it went on sale, a thriving black market had sprung up around the PlayStation 3, on the internet and on the streets of Akihabara. The console for which Mr Ishikawa will pay 59,980 yen (£267) was last night attracting bids of up to $1,800 (£940) on online auction sites.
In Akihabara a dozen homeless men queued incongruously in front of a game shop to buy the console. Each was being hired by a middleman to circumvent the shop’s “one customer, one PlayStation rule” to ensure the biggest number of consoles for immediate resale.
Seven British students from Bournemouth University, who had paid £700 each for a week-long stay in Japan, were debating whether to buy the PS3 and keep it for themselves, or sell it at a handsome profit. “I played a display model in a branch of Starbucks on the other side of Tokyo last night,” Christopher Poole, 19, a student of television production, said. “It’s true that they’ve only got the first generation of games at the moment, but it was a bit disappointing.”
PlayStation 3 sells out at launch @ BBc News
Large queues meant some shoppers were turned away even before stores opened at 0700 local time (2100 GMT).
The console officially went on sale on 11 November but Sony only made 100,000 machines available on launch day.
Instead of opening at midnight, stores organised lotteries to decide who in the queue would get a long-awaited PS3.
Line dance
Outside Bic Camera's flagship Tokyo store more than 1,000 people queued for their chance to buy a PlayStation 3.
Shop attendants with microphones warned impatient customers that sales would end if there were any injuries.
"Standing in line today is the only way to make sure I got one," said Takayuki Sato, 30.
Tomoaki Nakamura, 41, said: "I've been waiting for this day to come for so long. I'll play it all through the weekend. No time for meals."
The head of Sony's game unit head, Ken Kutaragi, known as "the father of the PlayStation", expressed his gratitude to those who had waited.
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Future launches Official PlayStation Magazine @ DeltaGamer
Future’s brand-new Official PlayStation Magazine hits shelves in style this month, delivering the UK’s most comprehensive preview of the PlayStation 3 hardware and games to date.
Thanks to Official PlayStation Magazine’s unparalleled access, the launch issue provides readers with the most in-depth tour of Sony’s next-generation console - from the hardware’s features and functions, to expert coverage of the launch games and beyond.
With its premium look and feel, Official PlayStation Magazine reflects the era of high definition gaming that PlayStation 3 ushers in. Delivering quality, insightful editorial and a vibrant look, the newest gaming launch from Future embraces elements of modern newspaper and magazine design.
Official PlayStation Magazine is the continuation of Future’s publishing partnership with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, which began in 1995. The new title covers all three PlayStation formats - leading with PlayStation 3, but also covering PSP and the very best of PS2 releases. Led by Editor, Tim Clark and Editor-in-Chief, Mark Donald, Official PlayStation Magazine is published alongside Future’s existing Sony titles, Official PlayStation 2 Magazine and the Official PSP Guidebook.
The launch issue of Official PlayStation Magazine comes in an attractive collector’s slipcase. Inside, the magazine delivers a definitive 22-page expose of the PlayStation 3 hardware, packed with unique photography and insider information. The feature examines every aspect of the machine, from the new motion-sensing Sixaxis pad and the arrival of true HD gaming, to exclusive information on Sony’s network plans and the importance of Blu-ray.
Offering coverage that’s intelligent and accessible, the first issue boasts an exclusive look at how Burnout 5 will utilise the PS3’s unprecedented power. The team also travelled to Japan for an audience with Metal Gear Solid 4’s visionary creator Hideo Kojima, plus a visit to Polyphony Digital for the inside story on how Gran Turismo HD will change the way we play (.and pay for) games.
Tim Clark is Editor of Official PlayStation Magazine:
“I’m incredibly proud of what the team has achieved with the first issue and can’t wait for people to get their hands on it. This is absolutely essential reading for anyone considering getting a PlayStation 3, and there’s so much more to come - with new sections added from next month, huge PS3 exclusives planned, plus unrivalled coverage of the very best PSP and PS2 software.”
Publisher of Future’s Sony portfolio, Matt Pierce added:
“The official Sony PlayStation portfolio will work together seamlessly and promote each other. Official PlayStation Magazine will focus on PS3, Official PlayStation 2 Magazine will meet the needs of the now-younger PS2 gamer while the PSP Special will focus on handheld gamers looking to get the most out of their portable console. To underline their continued importance, both Official PlayStation 2 Magazine and the Official PSP Guidebook will receive redesigns in the new year, ensuring they match the changing nature of their readerships.”
The first issue of Official PlayStation Magazine goes on sale Wednesday 15th November - with a coverprice of £4.99 - presented in a collector’s slipcase. The magazine goes monthly from Wednesday 10th January 2007.
Friday, November 10, 2006
First PlayStation Network Pricing Revealed @ Elektriq
Blast Factor is the download in question.
IGN reports that the Sony Answer to Geometry Wars will sell for 840 Japanese Yen or approximately $7. Now for those who are screaming highway robbery, be patient. Sony is offering a free demo download for those who want try it before they buy it.
Blast Factor will require around 95 MB on the HD, which of course suggest that even the simplest of PlayStation Network downloads will exceed the size of the original XBLA titles. Well, that's what we're speculating.
Pricing plans for PlayStation Network titles outside of Japan has yet to be announced, but at least we have figures to work guess-timates around. Figures and numbers can be so refreshing sometimes, in the light of on-line pseudo debates about the Network's effectivity.
IGN reports that the Sony Answer to Geometry Wars will sell for 840 Japanese Yen or approximately $7. Now for those who are screaming highway robbery, be patient. Sony is offering a free demo download for those who want try it before they buy it.
Blast Factor will require around 95 MB on the HD, which of course suggest that even the simplest of PlayStation Network downloads will exceed the size of the original XBLA titles. Well, that's what we're speculating.
Pricing plans for PlayStation Network titles outside of Japan has yet to be announced, but at least we have figures to work guess-timates around. Figures and numbers can be so refreshing sometimes, in the light of on-line pseudo debates about the Network's effectivity.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Sony firm on U.S. pricing for PlayStation 3 @ Msn
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Sony Corp. has no plans to cut the price of its upcoming PlayStation 3 video game console in the United States, despite a recent cut announced for Japan, the chief of the company's U.S. electronic entertainment division said Wednesday.
Kaz Hirai, president and chief executive of Sony ComputerEntertainment America, told Reuters the company would stick with its planned price tags of $499 and $599 when the new PlayStation 3 consoles hit retailers' shelves in the United States on Nov. 17.
"We are very comfortable with the pricing we have announced and have gotten tremendous support from retailers for that price point," Hirai said on the sidelines of the Dow Jones VentureWire Consumer Technology Conference. "So it is full steam ahead with the pricing of $499 and $599."
Atari founder says PlayStation an accident @ JoysTiq
Nolan Bushnell , founder of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese, looks to be a new member of the Microsoft Defense Force. In an interview with Red Herring, Bushnell took the time to trash the entire PlayStation brand, not just the PlayStation 3. While we can expect the SDF to come out swinging, Bushnell's comments leave even those of us sitting on the fence with raised eyebrows.
Bushnell is absolutely convinced the PS3 will fail ... and not just fail to reach the vaunted nine-digit milestone for the third time, but outright flop. Bushnell told Red Herring that "It would not surprise me if a year from now they'll be struggling to sell 1 million units ... I think in the the number of early adopters you have is actually around 300,000." Furthermore, he goes on to say the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 were merely accidents, reaping rewards not by being the best, but by being in the right place at the right time.
The PlayStation did not succeed because Sony had a Field of Dreams moment; it was supported because developers loved how it was easier to develop than the cumbersome Saturn and consumers bought it because the software was far cheaper than the N64. My PlayStation didn't just fall off the shelf and into my shopping cart, I bought it for a reason. While it would take a fanatic to believe the PS3 will sell over 100 million units, thinking the PS3 will only sell one million units by this time next year -- and fail to sell out of the launch units -- is crazy.
Bushnell is absolutely convinced the PS3 will fail ... and not just fail to reach the vaunted nine-digit milestone for the third time, but outright flop. Bushnell told Red Herring that "It would not surprise me if a year from now they'll be struggling to sell 1 million units ... I think in the the number of early adopters you have is actually around 300,000." Furthermore, he goes on to say the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 were merely accidents, reaping rewards not by being the best, but by being in the right place at the right time.
The PlayStation did not succeed because Sony had a Field of Dreams moment; it was supported because developers loved how it was easier to develop than the cumbersome Saturn and consumers bought it because the software was far cheaper than the N64. My PlayStation didn't just fall off the shelf and into my shopping cart, I bought it for a reason. While it would take a fanatic to believe the PS3 will sell over 100 million units, thinking the PS3 will only sell one million units by this time next year -- and fail to sell out of the launch units -- is crazy.
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