Blu-ray not the only reason for PS3 delay?

Sony Computer Entertainment president Ken Kutaragi explained last week at the 2006 PlayStation Business Briefing that the PlayStation 3 would be delayed until November because of problems with the finalization of the next-generation Blu-ray disc standard. However, International Game Developers Association Japan (IGDA Japan) president Shin Kiyoshi has pointed out another likely factor in the console's postponed launch.

In an article posted today on Nikkei Net, Kiyoshi reports that Sony hasn't been able to provide key PS3 development tools to game makers in a timely fashion. As a result, Shin said, most companies haven't even been able to go into full-scale development for PS3 games, even though it's already spring, which was Sony's initial launch period for the console. Nikkei Net says Shin pointed out that the PS3's compiler, which converts programs into a language that the console can understand, wasn't released until very recently.

The responsibility for the compiler was entrusted to compiler specialist SN Systems Limited, which was acquired by Sony in 2005. However, Shin said that the compiler's release had been continually delayed due to the complexity of the PS3's hardware and its multicore Cell processor. SN Systems finally made its release at the end of 2005, but according to Shin, it still didn't take full advantage of the PS3. As a result, IBM itself has become involved in the creation of the PS3's development support tools, and a compiler optimized for the Cell chip is finally being released this month.

Shin predicted for Nikkei Net that, in terms of development environment, the PS3 will have tough competition against Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Revolution. Publishers will be receiving the final release of the PS3's development tool in June, which gives them less than half a year to prepare for the console's worldwide launch. On the other hand, the Xbox 360 is known for its convenient development environment that inherits many aspects of the original Xbox's.

Shin speculates that Sony may be able to prepare a lot of Blu-ray movies for the PS3 launch, but the launch might lack on games. Furthermore, he thinks the chances are high that launch titles for the PS3 may look inferior when compared to Xbox 360 games.

Shin also comments that the Revolution could mean major competition for the PS3 in Japan. He said that the console is known for its friendly development environment that inherits the GameCube's and that there is a possibility of its launching before the PS3.