PS3 News

Two months and counting: that’s what video-game enthusiasts are saying in anticipation of Sony’s release of its PlayStation 3. Well, it’s really only the folks in Japan, United States and Canada who are counting the days.

And, unfortunately, many of them might not be able to buy the PlayStation 3 after its release.

Recent news from Sony revealed that production problems have forced the release date of PlayStation 3 to be pushed back to March of 2007 in Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

The delay is caused by a problem in mass producing a key component in the Blu-ray disc laser part of the machine. Blu-ray disc is the next-generation video format for the latest DVD recorders and players, and it is an essential part of the PlayStation 3 machines.

Sony is still determined to meet its initial goal of shipping 6 million PlayStation 3 machines worldwide by next March.

In the meantime, PlayStation 3 will launch in Japan on Nov. 11 and the United States and Canada on Nov. 17 – just in time for the holiday shopping season. Sony was initially supposed to release the PlayStation 3 during the spring. Sony’s production problems, however, has reduced the amount of consoles that will be released in November.

Instead of 4 million units shipped worldwide by the end of the year, only 2 million will be released. That means only about 400,000 consoles will be available in the U.S. on Nov. 17. Japan will have only 100,000 on its release date.

That translates to a potential mad rush by customers to purchase the unit, and the unfortunate circumstance of many people given a rain check because of the unavailability of the product. Sound familiar?

Perhaps by design, Microsoft released a bare minimum of Xbox 360’s last year in its initial stages, perceived by some to be a marketing ploy. The demand was greater than the supply, resulting in more publicity for the Xbox 360.

The next uproar by consumers might involve the price of the PlayStation 3 units. The basic system will sell for $499 in the U.S., while the premium system is $599. That is significantly more than its same-generation competition in all world markets, including the Xbox 360, which is retailed at $399 for its premium system.

Sony defends the expensive price citing the PlayStation 3’s high-tech performance and inclusion of the Blu-ray drive.

Games will also be pricey, according to Sony executives. A majority of games will cost between $60 and $100 in the U.S. The maximum cost of existing games is in the $60 range. Sony, again, is saying that gamers will get what the pay for: An unmatched gaming experience because of the technology involved.

The major difference between the basic and premium systems is their internal hard drive – the basic has 20 GB of internal hard drive while the premium has 60 GB. By comparison, the internal hard drive of the premium edition of the Xbox 360 is at 20 GB.

The PlayStation 3 premium edition also has a built-in flash card reader, WiFi connectivity and HDMI port. The basic edition does not have any of these features.

Flashcards are memory cards from digital cameras, for example, that can be inserted into the console to display photos. WiFi connectivity provides wireless or remote access to the console. And an HDMI (High-Definition Multi-Media Interface) provides an interface between any compatible audio-video source (such as a DVD player) and a digital audio-video monitor (such as a digital television).

Once it finally arrives, the PlayStation 3 will be something to behold – the video imagery of some of the games is lauded by some experts as lifelike and unlike any other console.

For those fortunate ones in Japan, United States and Canada, their time will come in November, while the rest of the world must wait five more months. And just in case, even if you are in Japan, United States or Canada, don’t ask Santa for a PlayStation 3.

He may not be able to follow through on the request because Sony did not generate enough for him to deliver. Such is the way of life in the video-game business. The Xbox 360 taught us that.

Thank you to Javier Moralas for this PS3 News article

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