E3 06: Halo 3, GTA IV headline Microsoft E3 conference
Bill Gates and Peter Moore introduce Live Anywhere, HD-DVD add-on, "Xbox Vision" camera, and expanded lineup for Xbox Live Arcade, Xbox 360, Windows Vista.
LOS ANGELES--Just a few hundred yards from Nintendo's E3 2006 press conference, which was held at the Kodak Theatre, home of the Academy Awards, sits Graumann's Chinese Theater. The Hollywood landmark is the site of Microsoft's own press briefing, the last of the so-called "big three" at this year's E3.
Attendees of Nintendo's event were herded over to the venue by several dozen temp workers holding large banners. On the banners were close-up photos of numerous hip, young people of various ethnicities, all of whom are apparently just wild about the Xbox 360, judging by the broad smiles on their faces and come-hither look in their eyes.
Far less welcoming was the small army of security personnel. Looking like a group of agents who were let go from the Secret Service because their appearance screamed "ARMED GUARD IN $400 SUIT," the security guards politely admonished anyone who dared tarry more than a few seconds in front of the entrance. "Are you going inside, sir?" one asked a journalist desperately trying to suck down one last cigarette before the conference. "You need to go inside, sir, right now, sir."
Once inside, attendees were set upon by a row of ushers, who briskly guided them to their seats. Though some reports said the event wouldn't start until 1 p.m., the place was jam-packed by 11:18 a.m., as journalists poured in, eager to witness the final piece of this year's next-gen console puzzle fall into place.
;)
11:21: Booming but nasal voice tells audience that the show will start in 10 minutes. Blaring big-beat techno resumes playing.
11:26: A big screen at the front of the theater is displaying the Xbox Live GamerTags of conference attendees.
11:28: A curtain goes back on the left-hand side, revealing a series of recessed green alcoves, each with a 360 inside, behind a podium.
11:30: Scheduled start time reached, but dozens of attendees still mill about the hall, waving to each other. Some look very disoriented, while others just looked tired.
11:32: Even with the carefully selected techno-rock soundtrack inducing premature hearing loss in the first three rows, the sound of laptop keys clacking is clearly audible.
11:33: Game journalists in the audience exchange handshakes, waves, nods, and the occasional hostile stare.
11:33: Still more stragglers arriving. Apparently they got lost on the 200-foot section of Hollywood Boulevard lined with Microsoft banners.
11:34: One nervous usher waits patiently as a burly man well over 6 feet tall talks obliviously on his cell phone in the middle of the aisle.
11:35: A contingent of huge bodyguards in suits walks down the far left aisle of the theater. Could Gates be here?
11:36: Another reminder of the ban on photography. More flashes.
11:37: Another wave of attendees mills in. Apparently they were on a standby list, which Microsoft has opened up in order to fill all the seats.
11:38: "Ladies and gentlemen, take your seats, the show is about to begin," says the voice from the speakers. Sounds like a weird mix of Rick Moranis and Charlton Heston.
11:39: The huge screen in the front swirls with various gamer tags and the music dies.
11:40: SHOW BEGINS.
11:41: Gears of War trailer. It's a spectacular battle with a giant spider-like creature crushing people. Locust troopers rip apart humans. Insane firefight, blood and fire everywhere. No date given.
11:42: Cliffy B takes the stage to show off the first level of Gears; the mission has two human troopers trying to escape a hostile area. Cut to underground bunker, troopers then go up a stairwell to a ruined city for an airlift, but Locust troops everywhere.
11:43: Shotgun blast obliterates a Locust--blood EVERYWHERE. A close-up shotgun blast splatters another locus, and the lead trooper now in firefight in hall, bullets flying everywhere, frame rate slipping a tad. Another close-up shotgun blast rips a Locust apart. His severed arm plops onto a large stone.
11:45: Heat effects blur fire from the guns in Gears of War. It's these details and its visceral combat that evoke Halo. Close combat melee moves, shotguns to the face, and bullets, bullets, bullets are the plan to make this a hit with the kids.
11:46: Grenade blast takes out last of the Locusts, then the troopers emerge into open. Another firefight. More blood. Frame rate totally chugging at this point, but it's definitely real-time. Lead human trooper--Marcus--slaughters the last of the Locusts. Blood jets everywhere when he sticks his chainsaw bayonet into a Locust and rips him in half.
11:47: The ruined city of the game is in shambles. Enemies are relentless, as the oafish soldiers can take bullets with the best of them. The action is intense. This is the first level. I repeat, this is the first level. Marcus can shoot blindly from behind cover, as he spends most of his time moving from cover spot to cover spot. The AI looks fabulous.
11:48: A message over the troops' radios warns of movement below ground. Whole earth shakes, concrete snaps like peanut brittle, and a HUGE spider Locust comes out. Trailer ends with no release date. Cliffy B cedes the stage to Microsoft Corporate Vice President Peter Moore, who talks about "the most powerful next-generation experience...with the most spectacular games ever."
;)
11:49: Moore talks organizational changes, says games are driving Microsoft's entire agenda. "Your lifestyle always takes center stage," he tells the crowd. He says the Xbox 360 generated more interest than anticipated. Jokes that 360 shortages were not due to consoles being hidden in Area 51. Few laugh.
11:50: At the end of May, Microsoft will have sold more than 5 million 360s, says Moore. He says the goal is to catch up to iPod in cultural significance. He gives more stats, notes three of top 10 March games were Xbox 360.
11:52: Moore says three pillars are "your lifestyle, your games, and your friends." Says 360 isn't a hub, it's a "gateway to all kinds of HD entertainment." Moore moves onto Xbox Live. Says it is the "one true unified gamespace." Friends lists, matchmaking--6 million members by next E3.
;)
11:54: He says current attach rate for XBL is 57 percent, adds that Xbox Arcade is the secret to the success. Announces series of new games: Pac-Man, Contra, Galaga, Frogger, Sonic, Defender, Street Fighter II, Time Pilot, Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, Rally-X, Dig Dug, Ms. Pac-Man, PaperBoy, and Root Beer Tapper.
11:56: Namco, Konami, Sega, and Midway are all on board the Xbox Live Arcade train. All arcade classics will have updated HD graphics, some will have online multiplayer. "With Xbox Live Arcade, we're doing for games what Sundance does for movies," says Moore. "We provide up-and-coming talent with a venue to show their skills." He adds that Lumines Live will be coming to the system, causing a stir in the audience.
11:58: Moore announces a deal with Warner Bros. Music to put music videos--Madonna shown as an example--in the background of Lumines Live.
11:57: Moore moves on to the "next wave of Xbox 360 games." As Jamiroquai's "Feels Just Like it Should" blares in the foreground, we see trailers for: Lost Planet, Table Tennis, Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway, Mass Effect, NHL 2K7, F.E.A.R., Too Human, Viva Piñata, MotoGP 06, Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II, Sonic, Madden NFL 07, World Series of Poker, Saint's Row, WWE SmackDown!, Stranglehold, Enchanted Arms, Test Drive Unlimited, NCAA Football 07, Dead Rising, Dance Dance Revolution Universe, Prey, Superman Returns, NBA 2K7, Crackdown, Ninety-Nine Nights, and Gears of War.
12:01: Xbox 360 logo comes up to applause. Moore says by the holidays, there will be more than 160 Xbox 360 games.
12:02: Moore formally announces Fable 2, runs trailer showing sinister woods and a lady in a hat with one of those paper fortune-teller things from grade school. The Fable 2 logo comes up, so it seems the name is now official. It ends with an amazing montage of fire and shadow, and the Xbox 360 logo comes up to enthusiastic applause.
12:04: Moore thanks Molyneux, who's sitting in the front row. Molyneux smiles, but doesn’t get up. (Weighed down by pockets full of money, perhaps?)
12:05: Moore announces Forza Motorsport 2. A trailer goes up--insanely intense race featuring a BMW gives way to conceptual art montage, then fades back to race. Car driving shifts to exposed view showing disassembled engine, then back to race. Super-close-up of wheel well inside crash shows red-hot brake pad buckling. Forza 2 logo comes up.
12:06: Moore cites Forza's GameRankings score of 93 percent--then announces game will come out in this fall. And then announces first wireless steering wheel and...
12:07: Xbox 360 Camera, Xbox Vision, announced. Xbox Vision will have interoperability with World Series of Poker, allowing players to watch each other.
12:08: Moore introduces Sakaguchi as he talks up the importance of Japan. Rolls trailer. Shows kid piloting spaceship over battlefield crawling with cartoony robots--think Iron Giant gone bad. Blue Dragon logo comes up. Thunderous applause breaks out.
12:10: Blue Dragon available in Japan this year, says Moore. Announces new title for next Tecmo game--now officially Dead or Alive Xtreme 2. Says trailer will be available later this month.
12:11: Moore moves on to Tom Clancy games, gives Ubisoft props. Trailer for Double Agent comes up, shows Sam Fisher losing his job to go "deep undercover," shooting a thug in an alleyway, then parachuting into an Arctic base. A guard walks by, and Fisher comes up out of a snowdrift and slits his throat. Red liquid jets over fine white powder. Guy saying "I am Sam Fisher" is NOT Michael Ironside. Release date confirmed--this September.
;)
12:13: Moore turns subject to Viva Piñata. Many in the audience snicker. MGS designer Jim Veevaert gets onstage to talk about game. Says the concept originated at Rare. Says goal is to tend to a little plot of land, which will attract wild, free-roaming piñatas. Bashing those piñatas with bats to harvest their candy entrails is apparently not part of the game.
12:18: However, according to Veevaert, buying and selling piñatas on Marketplace is part of the game. Players will be able to trade said piñatas and buy customization features. Shows the "scary" piñata, a red "Macaroon." Players can breed their piñatas by successfully completing a "romance dance" minigame that causes the piñatas to asexually reproduce. Those hoping for hot piñata-on-piñata action are visibly disappointed.
12:18: Moore moves subject to Xbox Live Marketplace--18 million downloads so far. As of today, more than 1,000 pieces of "downloadable content" are available. Moore says publishers like Marketplace, since it changes the way people buy and play the game. He also says Fight Night Round 3 demo led to a fivefold increase in preorders of the game. He mentions content partners: Epic Records, Paramount, 20th Century Fox, Lionsgate.
12:20: Moore announces first TV show on XBL Marketplace, the Gears of War experience, will be available tomorrow.
12:21: Moore whips out Xbox 360 HD-DVD peripheral--it looks like a mini-Xbox 360 with a black front. The name is "Xbox 360 Player" and it will be available this holiday season.
;)
12:22: "Major announcement about one of greatest franchises of all time." Says it's so exciting that he has to take his shirt off. Shows Halo 2 tattoo on one arm--GRAND THEFT AUTO IV tattoo on the other arm.
12:25: "Microsoft and Rockstar have entered into an exclusive deal to provide episodic content via Xbox Live Marketplace," says Moore. Grand Theft Auto IV will be updated with regular fresh content, more details later. Crowd is stunned, gasps all around.
12:25: Subject turns to PC gaming, Crytek developer gets onstage to show off "Windows exclusive" Crysis.
12:30: Demo of Crysis: Soldier goes into darkened room, comes out to night sky filled with smoke and fire. A HUGE metal walker--think the War of the Worlds tripods on steroids--is laying waste to the landscape. It is surrounded by smaller walkers who attack the human soldiers. Humans hammer away at a big walker with rocket launchers. It eventually goes down in flames.
12:31: Moore says Crysis will run on Windows XP and Windows Vista, contrary to some reports.
12:31: Demo footage from games: Crysis, Age of Conan. Slick graphic shows orange tree and tagline "evolved." Moore talks up Vista, says it has "more options for games than ever before."
12:33: Moore talks about more "dual releases like Elder Scrolls IV" for Xbox 360 and PC, and cues up trailer for Shadowrun. The trailer shows a lot of combat with elves and orcs with assault weapons fighting magic-using humans in burnt-out city.
12:36: Release date--next January, "right alongside Windows Vista." Trailer shown for second Vista/360 dual release, Alan Wake. Microsoft publishing now, apparently.
12:38: Alan Wake clip shows sun setting on town, Alan Wake running around in darkness. Moore confirms game will be published by Microsoft, exclusively for Windows and Xbox 360. Bill Gates takes stage! He's here to present the future of gaming! Whoa!
12:39: Gates talks about how he loves playing Xbox Live Arcade games with his kids. Then he starts talking about big-picture things, about how games will be extended to all platforms--PC, mobile, Xbox 360 ... Something major seems in the offing.
;)
12:40: Gates says Microsoft's goal is to make "gaming appeal to people of all ages" and expand the market.
12:41: Gates predicts that Xbox 360 will have a 10 million-unit head start on its competitors, then talks up Live--how that buddy list facilitates community. He says that when you include mobile phone users, the potential gamer population is 1 billion.
12:44: Gates announces new platform--"Live Anywhere." Will be part of Windows Vista--will have one user interface, one identity, one friends list, one message center, one marketplace. Same as Xbox Live 360, same interface, embedded in Windows.
12:45: Gates talks up mobile phone gaming, says there's a "lot of opportunity."
12:48: Gates says Live Anywhere will extend to mobile phones but is vague on specifics. He claims that Microsoft is the only company in the world capable of such an undertaking.
12:51: Scot Henson, director of platform strategy for Xbox and Windows, takes the stage to show off Live Anywhere. Starts up game of Shadowrun, connects with friends list--which shows whether his friends are on a PC, Xbox 360, or mobile phone. He sends a message to Major Nelson, who is working on a Vista PC. On the right-hand side is his friends list, just like in Xbox 360--GamerTag is on there, too. Henson says achievements on any platform will add to one single gamer score, and the GamerTag will be the same, too.
12:53: Live Anywhere will have the same reputation anywhere, says Henson. He then pulls out a Motorola Q cell phone with Windows Mobile. The phone has the Xbox Arcade games he downloaded on his Xbox 360 on his phone. He plays a game of Zuma. Then he plays a music video he downloaded onto his Xbox 360 on his phone. The phone menu also has a movie option for "X-Men."
12:54: I get the official Rockstar Games announcement of Grand Theft Auto IV in my e-mail--it says that the game will be released simultaneously on Xbox 360 and PS3. Moore said it was coming to 360 first. What the...?
12:55: Moore gets on stage and gives recap. Says games will all be playable, then Gates says, "Hey Peter, let's play these people a snippet of a game they might like to see..." Crowd goes wild, trailer comes up. Halo theme plays, scene of a war-torn wasteland. Long figure can be seen through the smoke. MASTER CHIEF WALKS OUT. Cortana appears in weird static-y overlays, talking about the end of the world. Humankind, we have a problem...
12:59: Camera pans over to show GIGANTIC Covenant dropship in sky ... not one, dozens of them. Sky now swarming with banshees over giant crater that is actually a giant Forerunner gateway--the gateway lights up, screen goes white, HALO 3 LOGO APPEARS.
1:00: Crowd goes ballistic. Lights come up and the conference is over.
1:01: Crowd gets up to leave, but weird audio recording comes over PA. Female voice asks "Master Chief to pick up white courtesy phone," and urges people not to feed any "grunts they might encounter." Then she says "The Locust horde has a scheduled attack at 3 p.m. in this venue." Some laughter can be heard from the throng.
1:02: CONFERENCE ENDS.
For another angle on the Microsoft press conference, check out Senior Editor Jeff Gerstmann's live blog.
Related Movies
E3 2006 Microsoft Press Conference
Though Microsoft was the last of the big three to host the media at its 2006 pre-E3 press conference, the company nevertheless made some significant waves with a number of surprises.
Posted May 9, 2006
|
9'20" |
Lo-Res: 437.1MB
Sign up now to post a comment on this story!
510 Comments
muahhahaha, its me!.....
or is it!?...
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
dude i wonder if that whole live everywhere thing is even going to come out
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
Wish I was there ...
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
The GIGANTIC COVENANT MOTHERSHIP is so BREATHTAKING. It BLEW everyone away and the crowd went WILD.
BTW - i am the last person to post on this news forum.
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
sorry mates...but your all wrong....its me
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
You're all wrong. It's me.
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
that would be me
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
Nope.Me.
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
i think i'm the ast one to comment
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
well... i'm guessing that... I'M THE LAST ONE TO COMMENT ON THIS THING!.
sweet ^_^
PC! ("Always bet on Duke" -3DRealms)
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
cool
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
Sweet
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
"I get the official Rockstar Games announcement of Grand Theft Auto IV in my e-mail--it says that the game will be released simultaneously on Xbox 360 and PS3. Moore said it was coming to 360 first. What the...? "
I think all Moore meant was that GTA IV would be released on the Xbox 360 the first day its available, unlike the previous installments of GTA which have traditionally come out on Sony's platform first.
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
Dude that was awesome
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
That was good
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
i well put amod ship for my x-box360
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
There wasn't enough Xbox at the conference.
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
The Xbox 360 coference was great but it still has not been able to persuade me away from the PS3
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
damn. and i thought i was losing interest in XBox all together...nah im kidding. ha ha ha
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
Dam
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
Sooo anyone...thinking Microsoft is trying a little bit too hard?
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
Cool
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
I focuse on my job which is this case is AI programming and I really couldn't care less what you think about me
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
ok first of all msgsseries4life is right u must be one of the dumbest game designers if u dont know the difference of wi fi and wirless controllers. Wi Fi is WIRELESS INTERNET u retard...
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
Sony may not have had the best or flashiest showing overall at this year's E3, but the future of the PlayStation family looks extremely bright. The PS2 is going out with a bang, the PSP is rapidly maturing and the PS3 holds a lot of promise. The next year is very likely to be an amazing time for PlayStation gamers.
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
You dont code for the thing god its a beep to work with
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
omg, i love gta, this will be the best!! but pgr3 still is the best
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
matparkerbinbro, im sorry for u that u can't know the deference between WI-FI and wireless controller if u have a degree in game design.
Here’s why the PS3 is cheaper than the 360 even if it’s superior to the 360 in every single thing.
We'll start with the base console.
Called 'crippled' by many, the truth is the base model can be considered crippled only when compared to its more expensive sibling. When compared to its nearest rival on the other hand - the premium XBox 360 - the basic Playstation 3 matches it feature for feature... and then goes farther.
The most obvious addition over the XBox 360 is of course the Blu-ray drive. The favored next-generation optical format among the majority of movie studios, it's inclusion in the Playstation for a $100 premium grants the consumer a feature that would otherwise cost roughly a thousand dollars to obtain via a standalone player. In addition, the PS3 supports DTS audio for the audiophiles out there (not to mention SACD), whereas the XBox 360 is limited to Dolby.
Lack of HDMI and the possible use of ICT-flagging on next-gen media does, however, remain a cloud over the BD playback capabilities of the base PS3. On any Blu-ray films that were to utilize ICT, output would be limited to a 960x540 image (DVD is 720x480) instead of Blu-ray's potential maximum of 1920x1080. At the moment though, no film studio has announced an intent to use ICT-flagging in their shipped products. In fact, Sony has already come out as saying they will not use ICT on their own Blu-ray video releases (Sony owns Columbia, MGM, and Sony Pictures). If other studios follow Sony's example, then for the next several years there would be very little shortfall in owning a component-equipped PS3 vs an HDMI-capable unit.
Over on the gaming side of things, the promise of an online network emulating many of Live Golds key features - while at the same time remaining free from a service charge - will present consumers with the opportunity to save the $50 per year charged by Microsoft for subscription-based Gold service. For those who game online, this savings alone would pay for the price difference between the two consoles after just two years; calculated five years out, this would actually provide a savings relative to the premium 360 of $150. And with a hard drive present on all SKUs, the Playstation 3 allows developers the freedom to build games around the hard drive and with the hard drive in mind. Though still useful on the 360, the requirement that all games shipped for the system work on non-HDD equipped systems puts a limit on the maximum potential of the 360 hard drive in a gaming environment.
When moving up to the Playstation 3 'luxury' edition, for the additional price of an XBox 360 WiFi adaptor or an extra 20GB hard drive, owners of the upgraded Playstation gain not only high-speed wireless, but a tripling of the hard drive size, a multi-format card reader, and the next-generation of HDMI interface. Superior to the HDMI solutions available today, HDMI 1.3 will raise the color information carried per channel to 16 bits from the present 12 bits, and allow audio to be carried via the HDMI cable as well. A compatible HDTV set will be required to make full use of this added functionality though, and for a lot of people this will essentially render HDMI 1.3 no more or less attractive than HDMI 1.2 for the next several years. Still, on a high-end A/V device, forward-compatability is always appreciated.
In the end, the launch price of the Playstation 3 puts the system out of the reach of many consumers that might otherwise desire one. Luckily for Sony, this does not look like it will greatly effect the demand for the console during the launch window itself. After that period, it will be up to Sony to take advantage of falling processor and Blu-ray component costs to drop the price of the console as rapidly as possible for the benefit of the mainstream consumer.
For those that can afford a Playstation 3 at launch, however, the system represents a compelling value across a number of fronts. On top of that, when factoring in certain accessory prices and possible online gaming fees, in several scenarios the PS3 may actually come out ahead in total cost of ownership relative to the XBox 360.
For the capabilities offered in the PS3, the word "overpriced" is certainly misused when applied to it. Thus the PS3 is cheaper than the 360 when u will buy the HD-DVD player.
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
Man i can't wait untill Halo 3 comes out
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
actually I have a degree in games design and yes it does have built in wifi how do you think there doing wirless controllers
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
actually i have a degree in game design
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
Xbox 360 Sucks just because it doesnt have BUIT-IN Wi Fi, instead u have to spend 100 dollars to buy one and the games that r comming out for it arent really next gen...(STICK WITH YOUR PC BCUZ THEN U CAN ATLEAST UPGRADE PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING IN IT)o ya and "matparkerbinbro" u dont know anything about technology so u shouldnt even argue with anyone....in fact throw your xbox out the window and then go hang urself....
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
I believed that this has made me pee on myself.
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
also do you work for sony
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
I'm suspicious of those tech specs one 360 has more processors making it faster two those teraflop calculation s seem seriously off comparing Tekken 6 with DOA4
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
I have seen a lot of complaints as to the cost of the PS3. I think that the following should help you understand why this is not as unreasonable as it seems.
Let me first discuss the graphics. By this time everyone knows the outputs. PS3 will be outputting true HD (at this time) of 1080p. The Xbox360 isn’t far behind outputting 1080i. Although the screen resolution is the same, essentially the PS3 refreshes it's screen twice as many times a minute (For those that don't know: 1080i is an interlaced screen, "spraying" every other line 60 times a second essentially giving you 30 frames per second, while 1080p is a progressive screen "spraying" every line 60 times a second essentially dicing you 60 frames per second). Now while this difference doesn’t seem all that noticeable the interlaced screen may appear slightly choppy. Now not to rag on the Wii, but it will be outputting 480p, which doesn’t come close to competing with the PS3.
Now besides the output the systems have different graphics processors, and while I don't know everything about the GPU (Graphic Processing Unit), the major specs I have are that the PS3 has 1.8 TFLOPS floating point performance running at 550MHZ, and the Xbox360 only has 1 TFLOPS and runs at 500MHZ. The PS3 also surpasses the 360 graphics in other ways, and from what I know, they suggest that the PS3 is twice as powerful as the 360. (The Wii has not output specifics as to my knowledge.)
Moving on quickly to the power of the systems. I know you all are tired of hearing it but its all in the cell. It truly is an amazing piece of technology. It does in everyway surpass what the Xbox360 and the Wii have to offer.
Now, onto the subject of blu-ray. The blu-ray disc format does so much for the PS3. It not only provides more space to the developers for added game content, it alows for less data compression, and faster streaming rates, thus lowering loading times. Also the addition of the blu-ray player provides consumers with a low priced fully functioning blu-ray player which will share, if not control the home movie media market (HD-DVD may also catch on). Of course the PS3 will include a DVD player, so there really is no worry if HD-DVD catches on. Of course if blu-ray does catch on the technology will become easier and easier to produce and production prices will go down, and we could see a reduction in game prices due to less material costs of the disks.
Why should you upgrade from DVD to Blu-ray?
The simple answer is HDTV. If you've ever seen high-definition (HD) video on an HDTV, then you know just how incredibly sharp the picture is and how vivid the colors are. In fact, HD offers five times the amount of detail compared to standard-definition (SD). The problem with today's DVDs is that they only support SD and don't have the necessary storage capacity to satisfy the needs of HD. That's where Blu-ray comes in, it offers up to 50GB of storage capacity and enables playback, recording and rewriting of HD in all of the HD resolutions including 1080p. The format also supports high-definition audio formats and lossless audio.
In addition to the greater video and audio quality, the extra storage capacity also means there will be plenty of room for additional content and special features. This combined with the new BD-J interactivity layer adopted by Blu-ray will bring the menus, graphics and special features to a whole new level. For example, you will be able to bring up the menu system as an overlay without stopping the movie, and you could have the director of the movie on the screen explaining the shooting of a scene while the scene is playing in the background. The advanced interactivity combined with the networking features of Blu-ray will also allow content producers to support new innovative features such as downloading extras, updating content via the web, and watching live broadcasts of special events.
Thanks to the greatly enhanced HD video and audio quality as well as the advanced interactivity and networking features, Blu-ray represents a huge leap forward in the DVD viewing experience and will offer consumers an unprecedented HD experience.
What benefits does Blu-ray offer compared to HD-DVD?
Although both Blu-ray and HD-DVD are similar in many aspects, there are some important differences between them.
The first is capacity. Because Blu-ray utilizes a lens with a greater numerical aperture (NA) than HD-DVD, the laser spot can be focused with greater precision to fit more data on the same size disc. This allows Blu-ray to hold 25GB per layer (50GB on a dual-layer disc), whereas HD-DVD can only hold 15GB per layer (30GB on a dual-layer disc). Blu-ray has also adopted a higher data transfer rate for video and audio (54Mbps vs 36.55Mbps). The greater capacity and data transfer rates for Blu-ray will allow the movie studios to release their movies with higher quality video and audio than the HD-DVD format.
The second is content. The Blu-ray format has received broad support from the major movie studios as a successor to today's DVD format. Seven of the eight major movie studios (Warner, Paramount, Fox, Disney, Sony, MGM and Lionsgate) have already announced titles for Blu-ray, whereas HD-DVD only has support from three major movie studios (Warner, Paramount and Universal). This is an important difference because some of the studios might only support one of the formats, so you won't be able to get your favorite movies in the other format. Choosing the format with the most content support minimizes this risk.
The third is hardware support. The Blu-ray format has broad support from the world's leading consumer electronics, personal computer and media manufacturers, including Sony, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Pioneer, Sharp, JVC, Hitachi, Mitsubishi, TDK, Thomson, LG, Apple, HP and Dell. The Blu-ray format will also be supported in the next-generation PlayStation 3 (PS3) video game console. This means that you will have a lot of choice when it comes to players and hardware. The HD-DVD format has far less supporters, so the amount of players and hardware will be very limited. So far, Toshiba is the only company to officially announce a HD-DVD player and it will only support 1080i output, while the announced Blu-ray players will support 1080p.
You'll receive the most powerful gaming system (Cell based processor) with the LARGEST gaming library in the world (backwards compatible with PS2 and PS1 games). 162 Games already announced for the PS3 include: Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Final Fantasy XIII, Killzone PS3, Resident Evil 5, GTA4, Devil May Cry 4, Resistance Fall Of Man, Naughty Dog project, 8 Day (which look amazing probably the next GTA), The Getaway, Grand Tourismo, Tekken 6, Heavenly sword, Virtua Fighters 5, Warhawk(look amazing specially with the new motion sensor thing), Coded Arms: Assault, SingStar, Unreal Tournament 2007, Haze, Ridge Racer 7, BioShock, Call of Duty 3, Virtua Tennis 3, Possession, Dark Sector, Stuntman 2, WinningEleven 2007 and Assassin’s Creed.
Further arguments in favor of the PS3 include: Built-in WiFi, free online features (which include video chat, and downloadable content), HDMI output, full backwards-compatibility, firmware updates, linux based OS (Operating System), and more.
Also Sony Computer Entertainment America reportedly stated that gaming would be free, stating: "Please note that online gaming will be free right out of the box."
Sony has touted free online as an advantage over Microsoft's free XBox LIVE account, called a "Silver" account, which does not include online gaming as one of its services. The pricing structure for premium and downloadable content has still not been outlined
Finally in response to a previous "review" the reason of the "low" quality game content at E3 was that most games weren't more than 50% complete, and were not outputting true high-def. Also at this time games only are using about 20% of the cell processor (so I read), and it will take awhile for developers to get used to the system and its capabilities. I expect that in the future games will become much better.
As a quick side note I would like to mention that the PS3 is reportedly to be extremely silent, compared to the 360 which is extremely noisy.
Still it is a matter of opinion, and this is only mine. The PS3 is not only a game machine, it is a multimedia device. Compared to the price of normal blu-ray players, which will most likely be priced in the thousands, a fully functional one will be within the PS3 for only $600.
All the facts that I said are true since I got them from Google and other sure sources. Hope I helped to clear a few things up, or to pursue some that were on the fence. Personally I cannot wait to get my hands on a PS3.
Look at this source:
The Playstation 3 Value Proposition
The console may be expensive - but it's not overpriced.
By Carl Bender - May 21, 2006
Out of all the announcements Sony made during their pre-E3 conference two weeks ago, probably none has resonated more loudly than the announcement of the price for the upcoming console. Starting at $500 the system is not cheap, and even longtime Sony loyalists are waking up to the fact that when November rolls around this year, there will be decidedly less expensive alternatives to consider should half a grand seem a little too rich for their blood.
But now that the dust has begun to settle and people are starting to get over the initial shock of the announcement, it's time to look a little more closely at what exactly Sony is offering the consumer for the price being asked.
We'll start with the base console.
Called 'crippled' by many, the truth is the base model can be considered crippled only when compared to its more expensive sibling. When compared to its nearest rival on the other hand - the premium XBox 360 - the basic Playstation 3 matches it feature for feature... and then goes farther.
The most obvious addition over the XBox 360 is of course the Blu-ray drive. The favored next-generation optical format among the majority of movie studios, it's inclusion in the Playstation for a $100 premium grants the consumer a feature that would otherwise cost roughly a thousand dollars to obtain via a standalone player. In addition, the PS3 supports DTS audio for the audiophiles out there (not to mention SACD), whereas the XBox 360 is limited to Dolby.
Lack of HDMI and the possible use of ICT-flagging on next-gen media does, however, remain a cloud over the BD playback capabilities of the base PS3. On any Blu-ray films that were to utilize ICT, output would be limited to a 960x540 image (DVD is 720x480) instead of Blu-ray's potential maximum of 1920x1080. At the moment though, no film studio has announced an intent to use ICT-flagging in their shipped products. In fact, Sony has already come out as saying they will not use ICT on their own Blu-ray video releases (Sony owns Columbia, MGM, and Sony Pictures). If other studios follow Sony's example, then for the next several years there would be very little shortfall in owning a component-equipped PS3 vs an HDMI-capable unit.
Over on the gaming side of things, the promise of an online network emulating many of Live Golds key features - while at the same time remaining free from a service charge - will present consumers with the opportunity to save the $50 per year charged by Microsoft for subscription-based Gold service. For those who game online, this savings alone would pay for the price difference between the two consoles after just two years; calculated five years out, this would actually provide a savings relative to the premium 360 of $150. And with a hard drive present on all SKUs, the Playstation 3 allows developers the freedom to build games around the hard drive and with the hard drive in mind. Though still useful on the 360, the requirement that all games shipped for the system work on non-HDD equipped systems puts a limit on the maximum potential of the 360 hard drive in a gaming environment.
When moving up to the Playstation 3 'luxury' edition, for the additional price of an XBox 360 WiFi adaptor or an extra 20GB hard drive, owners of the upgraded Playstation gain not only high-speed wireless, but a tripling of the hard drive size, a multi-format card reader, and the next-generation of HDMI interface. Superior to the HDMI solutions available today, HDMI 1.3 will raise the color information carried per channel to 16 bits from the present 12 bits, and allow audio to be carried via the HDMI cable as well. A compatible HDTV set will be required to make full use of this added functionality though, and for a lot of people this will essentially render HDMI 1.3 no more or less attractive than HDMI 1.2 for the next several years. Still, on a high-end A/V device, forward-compatability is always appreciated.
In the end, the launch price of the Playstation 3 puts the system out of the reach of many consumers that might otherwise desire one. Luckily for Sony, this does not look like it will greatly effect the demand for the console during the launch window itself. After that period, it will be up to Sony to take advantage of falling processor and Blu-ray component costs to drop the price of the console as rapidly as possible for the benefit of the mainstream consumer.
For those that can afford a Playstation 3 at launch, however, the system represents a compelling value across a number of fronts. On top of that, when factoring in certain accessory prices and possible online gaming fees, in several scenarios the PS3 may actually come out ahead in total cost of ownership relative to the XBox 360.
For the capabilities offered in the PS3, the word "overpriced" is certainly misused when applied to it.
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
whheeee
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
For me its $800 plus expensive games and the download charges are yet to be announced
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
From PS3 Portal:
Sony told EB and GameStop that they would be supplying 3 million consoles at launch worldwide, 1 million more than they claimed at E3. They also broke it down by region: an even cool million for each Japan, NTSC and PAL. Please note that Sony informed retailers that these were launch day figures.
Sony Computer Entertainment America reportedly stated that gaming would be free, stating: "Please note that online gaming will be free right out of the box."
Sony has touted free online as an advantage over Microsoft's free XBox LIVE account, called a "Silver" account, which does not include online gaming as one of its services. The pricing structure for premium and downloadable content has still not been outlined
....
See that’s another thing that justifies the 500$ or 600$ for the PS3.
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
FACTS ARE FACTS, the PS3 is syperiour than my 360. Period.
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
what the hell are u talking about again? Half-life isn't even announced. And HL2 is coming to the PS3.Saints row is just another GTA clone. FF13 is not coming to the 360. From where did u get that if Activision bought Red Octane that it's coming to the 360? U dreamed of it or what?... i played F.E.A.R. on pc so no need of it on my 360. Plus it's not coming on the 360. See how there aren't as much amazing exclusive games on the 360 as on the PS3.
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
Come on GTA4:Episodes, Counter strike, Half-life 3, Alan Wake (now 360 exclusive buyouts rule), Forza 2,DOA, Activision bought the Guitar Hero developers and the game so now coming to 360, Lost Odessey (I love you Mistwalker), F.E.A.R, Chromehounds, House of the Dead, Ninja Gaiden 2, 2 confirmed Square RPgs (my guess Dragon Quest and FFvsXIII), Saints Row, Too Human and many many more and four more confirmed Capcom titles
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
Did any Devil May Cry come to the Xbox? So don’t expect DMC4 in the 360. And even if by any hazard it came which I don’t think would happen, look at all the other PS3 exclusive tittles.
Look at these amazing exclusive PS3 games already: MGS4, Devil My Cry 4, FF13, Resistance: Fall Of Men(which looks way better than Gears of War), Naughty Dog project, 8 Day(which look amazing probably the next GTA), The Getaway, KillZone 2, Grand Tourismo, Tekken 6, Heavenly sword, Virtua Fighters 5, Warhawk(look amazing specially with the new motion sensor thing), Coded Arms:Assault (which also looks better than Gears Of War), SingStar(I love singing loll). Assassin’s Creed is till now only announced for the PS3)… and don’t forget all the amazing series that are Playstation exclusive: GOD OF WAR(game of the year 2005), Kingdom Hearts, Guitar Hero, Dragon ball Z, Socom US navy seals, Shadow of the Colossus(it was going to be the game of the year in 2005), Zone of the Enders(by Hideo Kojima), Jak and Daxter, Ratchet & Clank and many many more...
And don’t start telling me Gears Of war cause only Resistance: Fall of men look better than it. And Don’t tell me Halo3 or Fable2 cause MGS4 and Final Fantasy13 are equal or even better than those first ones.
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
Blu-Ray costs £35 ON ITS OWN I can get dozens of DVDs for that price the PS3 over hear is £425 that's £145 more than the most expensive 360 and we get no 20GB sku on Devil May Cry 4 the producers have stated they expect to appear on 360 and developers don't need the space that Blu-Ray provides Elder-Scrolls only takes up 80% of the DVD capacity by the way check the top of your 360 near the harddrive you'll find an eternet port there Microsoft are reading 60 and 100GB harddrives and Kojima has stated he likes 360 and what Microsoft are saying that will probably lead to a gear title and dont get me started on Sony's blatant rip offs I'm surpirsed Nintendo aren't suing
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
1 ) DEVIL MAY CRY 4 is not going to be released in the 360 so stop ur crap... neither is going to be MGS4 or FF13...
2 )About the Blu-ray high price thing, who told u? does ur father work with Sony? so we dont know how much will it cost. Period.
3 ) I have XboxLive Silver and it's not as good as Sony said the basic PSnetwork platform will be.
4 )if Built in Ethernet is so 3 years ago then why doesn’t my freaking 360 has it? and do i have to pay extra 100$ to have it!? an other rip off by M$!
5 ) U just couldn’t say anything about my 5th point cause u know that the PS3 is going to be the only console to support Bluetooth.
6 ) PS3s HDD is upgradeable while im stuck with my 360s 20GB detachable HDD.
7 ) Linux doesn’t suck. Actually it will be better for the customers that Linux becomes bigger so that Microsoft won’t be anymore a monopoly.
And let me mention that PS has the largest gaming library in the world!! so forget low-graphic-aged games of Live Arcade. Period
Facts are facts the PS3 is superior to its competitors. And even if i have the 360, i wont defend it by lies or by downing PS3s high capabilities. The PS3 is for now and the future, while the 360 is for now or 2 years max. Sony sees long term and that’s why it won’t win now but in 1year it will surpass any console. Period.
Don’t forget that technology is fast moving these years especially in 1 or 2 years when the HD will be something 100% required! So think, Choice 1: is it better to buy it with the PS3/blu-ray player with a price as low as 600$? Or choice 2: is it bette