Now it looks like things are going to get interesting. A year after Microsoft’s worldwide launch was filed under the “could have gone better” category, Sony are going to attempt the same thing. Credit to them for not shitting on the European audience like they can so often be accused of doing, at least.
My name is still down for one and it remains to be seen how we’ll they’ll be able to deliver since demand is likely to be astronomical (depending on what price they announce, of course) and one can assume that first generation bespoke hardware would have even more manufacturing problems than the more proven stuff that Microsoft launched with, but they’ve thankfully given themselves more time to get the manufacturing done.
One thing we can be assured of is that the gloves are really going to be off at E3 now, with Microsoft showing off some second-gen stuff (Halo 3, please), Sony letting us know the exact launch details for the PS3, and Nintendo coming in with their dark horse in the form of the Revolution. I have a feeling that people aren’t giving Nintendo all the credit they deserve at the moment and they’re being very hush-hush about something, so I’ll be watching them closely come May.
Time to start saving those pennies again because this year is going to get expensive…
I’m sure that its no coincidence that Sony announces a global launch at the same time as the huge delay; takes the edge off if you’re feverishly awaiting a PS3 and are dismayed at the prospect of a Christmas 2007 Euro launch, don’t y’think? Alas the global launch is probably a rouse to get the US/EU folks to hold on for ‘just that little bit longer’. To Microsoft’s credit, they were upfront about their plans all along and pretty much delivered when they said they would.
Irrespective of whether you’re as cynical as me, the reality is that most folks who want one won’t be able to lay their hands on a PS3 until mid-2007 if they are lucky. My bet is it’ll run much as PSP’s global launch did, while Sony probably learnt from that farce, they’re dealing with much more complex hardware. There will still be a pecking order, and a launch ‘window’ (…rightt!) and it goes like this: Japan, US, Europe ;o)
Similarly, blaming the delay on copy protection seems convenient. If it was just that which was holding the PS3 back don’t you think we’d have seen some games running on actual hardware by now? I guess all will be revealed at E3; hopefully they’ll have more than pre-rendered movies and empty plastic cases by then ;o)
Ok so I know I’ve come off as anti-Sony but its not quite like that, I will most surely end up buying a PS3 eventually, I’m just glad Sony is taking a few knocks because they’ve become quite arrogant and complacent. Perhaps this will focus them and we’ll end up with a better product.
Well the only people that it’s really “good news” for are Europeans – the Japanese get a pretty large delay and the US gets it a little later than expected. I guess it’s still a nice PR line for them to be able to claim a worldwide launch if it’s going to be delayed either way. And I suppose after the rumours of a delay until November for Japan alone it’s a nice boon for American buyers as well that they’ll see it in 2006.
Like I said I’m planning on getting one for release anyway even though it probably won’t have anything worth playing for a few months, and in the meantime I’m going to enjoy my 360. I agree about the stupidity of a “launch window”, incidentally. If Microsoft are to be believed we’re still in the 360’s launch.