How could Sony tard pack the cheap PS3 and not mention it?

rjcc · May 8, 2006, 9:27pm

Did they think if they didn’t say anything, that no one would notice?

Moggraider · May 8, 2006, 9:52pm

So much for the ten year plan.

forgeforsaken · May 13, 2006, 1:29pm

More stuff about the 500 model, very disapointing. Wired controllers only, wtf?

Becoming · May 13, 2006, 1:33pm

Just when I thought I couldn’t be any less impressed with Sony’s plans they prove me wrong.

forgeforsaken · May 13, 2006, 1:34pm

There’s some dispute over that story, I really hope it’s wrong.

Sarkus · May 13, 2006, 1:35pm

Wired controllers, no ability to upgrade to wireless?

20 GB HD, no ability to upgrade to larger?

WTF?

Kirian · May 13, 2006, 1:51pm

Hang on. In an interview with Eurogamer, Harrison said Sony have no plans to release a hard-drive, as the PS3 is compatible with standard PC ATA drives. How would they stop you buying a new hard drive for the cheaper PS3?

"Phil Harrison:

Eurogamer: Your strategy and Microsoft’s strategy are very divergent, in that Microsoft is offering consumers a choice - whether to have HD-DVD or not, whether to have a hard drive or not - while you’re putting everything into a very expensive box and saying that they take all or nothing. Why that direction? Why not have a system where people who don’t want to pay that premium for Blu-Ray don’t have to?

Phil Harrison: Leaving aside the movie debate about Blu-Ray and HD-DVD, purely from a game design point of view and a game production point of view, we have to have Blu-Ray. DVD is just not big enough; DVD9 is nowhere near big enough for the kind of games, the richness that we’re going to be putting in the games, the variety, the detail, you name it.

So, we had to adopt Blu-Ray primarily as a game format. The second benefit of it is that it becomes a video format as well. Putting it all in one box, as you say, is also down to the fact that a hard disc drive is necessary to create a totally integrated network platform. We want every consumer to be able to download and install content on their hard disc drive. If you want to put all your music on your hard disc drive, you’ll probably go for the 60GB version. If you’re a complete music fan and video fan, and you want to have huge amounts of digital content, then you can upgrade to whatever size of drive you like. You can put any in that you like - it is a computer, after all.

Eurogamer: So that hard drive is a standard PC drive?

Phil Harrison: ATA, bog standard, yeah.

Eurogamer: You’re not going to be selling Sony drive upgrades?

Phil Harrison: We’ve got no plan to. We may offer something, but we have no plan to at the moment.

Edit: The press release for the PS3 appears to invalidate the article. Here it is.

Becoming · May 13, 2006, 1:57pm

Just what in the hell do they mean by a dvd9 not being big enough? I’d ask them to name more than a handful of games that have even come close to filling one of those. With games like Oblivion coming on a standard sized dvd I have a real tough time buying into that notion.

Kirian · May 13, 2006, 2:01pm

Sony are planning on putting all localisations of a game on one disc. Presumably all the console does is choose the region to play- like the NeoGeo. PS3 is region-free, like the NeoGeo, as well. At least, I think the NeoGeo is like this; correct me if I am wrong, however.
It hopefully also means the US gets less awful box-art. Some of your boxes look atrocious.

Edit: The press release for the PS3 appears to invalidate the article. Here it is.

rjcc · May 13, 2006, 2:14pm

The controllers thing is wrong, the cheaper one does have bluetooth.

Bob_Violence · May 13, 2006, 2:36pm

The Neo-Geo wasn’t region-free – you could have all the localized versions on the same cart, but the systems themselves were region-coded and that’s how it determined which version you got. Plenty of U.S. Neo-Geo owners modded their systems because a lot of games were censored for the U.S. home market and there was no way to get the original version unless the cart detected a Japanese or arcade (MVS) system.

Jazar · May 13, 2006, 2:58pm

20 GB HD, no ability to upgrade to larger?

You can upgrade with any 2.5"HD

EviLore · May 13, 2006, 3:08pm

The gamesradar article is wrong.

RickH · May 13, 2006, 3:48pm

Sony needs to put some hard data out NOW.

But then, I think they still haven’t all agreed on just what the 2 systems will have at this point. MS may have undersupplied their 360 launch, but at least they knew what they were selling.

Bob_Violence · May 13, 2006, 4:06pm

The press release seems to cover everything except the possibility of upgrading the HD. I certainly don’t buy the Games Radar article, seeing how it actually contradicts the “hard data” on the issue of wireless controller support and I’m not inclined to take the word of an unnamed floor representative so far as HD upgrading is concerned.

Bob_Violence · May 13, 2006, 4:16pm

The press release seems to cover everything except the possibility of upgrading the HDD. I certainly don’t give much credence to the Games Radar article, seeing how it flatly contradicts the “hard data” on the issue of wireless controller support. And I’m not inclined to take the word of an unnamed floor representative so far as HDD upgrading is concerned, even if GR is quoting them accurately.

Jazar · May 13, 2006, 4:16pm

Like this?

The misinformation is mind blowing.

rjcc · May 13, 2006, 4:16pm

they put out the hard data after their conference, unless osmething has change since then, I posted a pic of and link to the pdf they released.

http://www.hdbeat.com/2006/05/08/the-500-playstation-3-is-missing-something/

RickH · May 13, 2006, 4:52pm

Something like that, but I still have some unanswered questions.

What benefit will the WiFi have, is it limited to wireless net access, or will there be enhanced PSP connectivity with the PS3-60?

1A) What the hell happened to that location-free TV functionality with the PSP, anyway?

Can the absence of memory card readers on the machine be overcome with the use of a USB card reader? If so, will such a reader need drivers?
Is the non-HDMI A/V port the same as the one currently used on the PS2 & PS1?
Is the backward comatibility 99%+ ? I.e., is the PS3 a system replacement unlike the X360?
Will the PS3-20 ship with a wired or wireless controller? Supporting bluetooth is not the same as shipping with one.

EviLore · May 13, 2006, 4:56pm

There is PSP connectivity.
Unknown, but considering that the linux support includes running executables off memory cards I don’t see why not.
I don’t know.
Yes. Sony has guaranteed full BC of PS2 and PSX games, upscaled to HD.
AFAIK they have not mentioned anything about dropping the wireless controller from the tard pack. No 100% assurances though.