Sony and Namco Bandai form Cell-centric company

Cellius will develop "new entertainment content" for the Cell Broadband Engine; PS3 development not specified.

Sony Computer Entertainment International (SCE) today announced the formation of a new venture in conjunction with Namco Bandai. The goal of the company, called Cellius, will be to develop "new entertainment content" for the Cell Broadband Engine, the parallel processor architecture at the heart of the PlayStation 3.

Namco will invest 51 percent of the funds necessary to start the company, with Sony picking up the remainder. Cellius will be headed up by Namco Bandai's Isao Nakamura, a producer on the publisher's Ridge Racer series of games. Three of the company's directors were also named today, with those chairs going to SCE's Ken Kutaragi and Akira Sato, as well as Namco Bandai's Shin Unosawa.

While the PS3 is the first mass-market entertainment product on the market to use the Cell processor, Sony has said the chip will eventually realize uses far beyond its own console. Today's announcement didn't specify whether or not Cellius' work would be focused on the PS3.

This is not the first time Sony has worked with other company's on the Cell processor. It originally developed the chip in conjunction with IBM and Toshiba, the prime supporter of the HD-DVD format, the high-definition rival to Sony's Blu-ray technology.

243 Comments

  • Draker696

    Posted Nov 11, 2008 9:28 am PT

    Wow, awesome news.

  • AnFangs_Endes

    Posted Nov 8, 2007 9:57 pm PT

    Still waiting to hear what they're working on..

  • miiiguel

    Posted Mar 26, 2007 8:59 am PT

    bamf03: how do u know those games suck ? Table Tennis is an abslolutly amazing game. You should try it before saying it sucks.

    note: I can't see myself arguing with a guy named sony_doomsomething... just can't...

  • DOOM_SONYMAN

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 9:35 pm PT

    I'TS FUNNY that people are comparing PS3 TO 360 so directly after the first 2 months of sony's relese.....sounds to me like you regret hatEing on sony And.....!!!!!!! WANT DESPRITLY TO BUY A PS3...lol

  • rarson

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 7:25 pm PT

    "sounds to me like you regret hatEing on sony And.....!!!!!!! WANT DESPRITLY TO BUY A PS3...lol"

    The only way I can form a sentence using both the words "regret" and "Sony" is to say that I regret expecting so much from Sony's newest console. I was pretty happy with how the PS2 did, and I was expecting the PS3 to do at least as well, or better. Sony CONTINUES to botch things with the PS3. It seems like MAYBE with some of the new updates and all that they may be working to fix that, and I hope so. I'd like to see the PS3 do well. But the way they are going, I don't think it's possible unless they clean up their act.

  • rarson

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 7:19 pm PT

    Pfff... I have to agree with thekey, all the games he mentioned were good. I absolutely LOVE Table Tennis, and I play it every time I go to a Best Buy.

    And anyone that has a problem with review scores needs to open their eyes and realize that each individual has their own tastes. Naturally, a Sony fanboy is going to think that a good 360 score is biased. The key is to not feel so insecure in your console choice that you have to constantly belittle the competition and remind yourself how "great" your system is. Instead, just play the games and enjoy the good ones.

    As far as comparing games that WILL come out, that's half-retarded. The first reason being that the games aren't out yet, so obviously you're not getting to play them. Do you have fun thinking about how GTHD or Halo 3 isn't out yet? I bet you'd have a lot more fun actually playing a game, whether it's Halo 3 or another, quality title. Secondly, the fact that the game isn't finished means it's still in limbo. It could still get the axe. Is Warhawk still coming out? Who knows.

    Or the game could just plain suck.

    Discussing upcoming games is fine; basing a console purchase on games that haven't been released yet is stupid.

    I buy a system for the games that it HAS, not the games that it MIGHT have. Maybe that's why I haven't bought a next-gen console yet. Because nothing out right now makes me HAVE to have the console. I think a lot of people who bought the PS3 bought into Sony's hype about what WILL be and now are trying to justify their purchase to themselves by talking about games that WILL come out. Sucks for you guys, because the videogame industry has a LONG history of unfulfilled promises.

  • DOOM_SONYMAN

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 6:46 pm PT

    I'TS FUNNY that people are comparing PS3 TO 360 so directly after the first 2 months of sony's relese.....sounds to me like you regret hatEing on sony And.....!!!!!!! WANT DESPRITLY TO BUY A PS3...lol

  • Chief_Kuuni

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 6:41 pm PT

    well hopefully they can come up with some good games, sony needs them that's for sure

  • BILLNYE6983

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 6:36 pm PT

    Uh ok a while back I guess Nikefreak said I was 'ldksparda21' which I just found adorable, I rarely even laugh when on a computer but I smiled. I assure you I am not 'ldksparda21' the only thing we have in common is that we have MGS avatars (and I'm not even really a big MGS fan, just too lazy to change it) and POSSIBLY we both like DMC (sparda?). If for some reason someone did do that, wouldn't they change the avatar first... and also 'ldksparda21' don't lump me in with you, nothing personal but don't put me on your side involuntarily, that's messed up.

    That being said I don't feel very much like being nice to you after you made such a lame accusation, I feel you honestly don't deserve that for taking such elementary tactics (also wouldn't I type like him also...). You talk about 'facts' but not only do you not have any, 'facts' are not the issue, it's about opinion, and you should respect other's and you really don't, your ignorant (and for anyone out there who doesn't know, that is not a mean thing to say, I'm only saying that he doesn't know what he is talking about... which is a FACT). To the people talking about good exclusive games OUT one the 360 (cause if you talk about games that are 'going' to come out, the PS3 probably has an advantage) the only one's I can really give are Dead Rising, and Gears. Lost Planet is not that good so I really can't include it, I personally think GS overated Kameo. The other reviewers gave it .7 less, and I am the last guy to think conspiracy but damn a lot 360 games were overated, compared to the other reviewers scores that is. It's the opposite for the PS3 scores, I'm just saying GS and it's community seem to have something against PS3 without much of a good reason, it is pricy and the game selection is weak, but it's the same for the Wii, a good chunk of the games are like Spongebob and Disney games, which come on... are gauranteed to be bad... I'm just saying be fair.

    Also both sides stop talking about games that aren't out yet like they are already there, I can see saying, "good games are coming", but don't include them in list's of good games for the sysyem.

  • thekey

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 3:05 pm PT

    bamf03 "Shouldn't it be fair to wait for a year before naming the 5 games that sold over 1 mill. Table Tennis, PGR3 and PDZ suck. It wouldn't make sense for COD 2 to come to PS3 and Lost Planet got less than expected reviews."

    At the rate the PS3 is going it won't have more then 5 titles that will sell over a million copies in a year.(There 9 more months left in the PS3's 1st year cycle.)

    He said name 5 360 games that I enjoyed that won't be on the PS3. And I did and lost planet sold more units then Zelda dreamed of in two days.(Who cares about the reviews? And more then 5 titles sold over a million copies on the 360, so when you make an argument make sure it makes sense before you come on here, thinking you proved a dull point. PGR3 DOESN'T suck and COD 2 is better then the current one thats out now, and many agree with me.

  • bostick

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 2:38 pm PT

    Is this the answer to all the rumors of Tekken 6 going multi-platform?

  • rarson

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 1:40 pm PT

    "But what else does namco do other than gaming stuff? its definately gaming related"

    Namco Bandai, not just Namco. Remember all those intellectual properties Bandai owns, like DBZ. Is Power Rangers still on TV?

  • rarson

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 1:35 pm PT

    "But 2 of the best publishers slash developers in the world just joind teams.........................................sweet dreams microsoft!!"

    Holy crap is THAT an overstatement! Sony one of the best developers in the world? Of hype, maybe, but games? F#CK NO!

  • rarson

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 1:29 pm PT

    "Wow i didn't know that it was required to write proper english on here. to many haters on GS. oh well to each out own i guess."

    No, you aren't required to write proper English. That is, unless your goal is communication. For instance, I have no idea what "to each out own" means.

  • JimmyChalice

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 1:02 pm PT

    Once again you say it and i repeat, this never gonna end, wonder why ?

    BECAUSE STUPID FANBOYS ALWAYS GONNA BE STUPID FANBOYS.

    In my opinion i just say play it, you like it you bite it, thats all. Just stop ruining the beautiful essence of video gaming.

  • williamwu1985

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 11:42 am PT

    he is right, i am RPG fan, sony supportor, but i will like to see cell running in the PC market.

  • Pyromaniac8705

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 11:29 am PT

    I'm kinda tired of all this, 360 is better...no PS3 is better **** Buy what you want and don't critize everyone who has a different opinion then you. Personally, I don't like FPS, I am an RPG'er so thats why I go the Sony route. You really can't compare librarys of the 360 and the PS3, because of the year difference. Wait till at least January 2008. Then start the arguements

  • JUGETONN

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 11:28 am PT

    Look at what it read "new entertainment content"...remember bandi also makes anime...so could it be a anime series like Naruto...with game application...?

    makes me wonder...

  • JimmyChalice

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 10:48 am PT

    Fanboys always will be fanboys !!!

  • manolobrown2

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 10:46 am PT

    well if sony is going to have a good future with consoles, they must make their online gaming much more appealing because right now it's very lame compared to xbox live!

  • SumerianDaemon

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 10:35 am PT

    Poor MS get ready to eat SONY'S DUST!!
    NEW GAMING ERA=NEW PLAYSTATION ERA

  • bamf03

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 10:33 am PT

    Shouldn't it be fair to wait for a year before naming the 5 games that sold over 1 mill. Table Tennis, PGR3 and PDZ suck. It wouldn't make sense for COD 2 to come to PS3 and Lost Planet got less than expected reviews.

    You have to ask yourself whats better, having a few games that sell over a mill or having loads of games that didn't reach a mill but sold very well? Zelda sold millions for the Wii and is the only decent game for the Wii. I would prefere to have a console where all the games sell well than have a console where a few sell over a mill but the rest do poorly. It means that there isn't a very good variety of top games on the Wii or 360.

  • dennmann29

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 10:30 am PT

    Should be interesting to see what kind of projects come out of this little venture!!

  • GFofgaming

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 10:09 am PT

    It must be related to gaming in a way as its Namco after. But looks interesting.

  • thekey

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 10:03 am PT

    DOOM_SONYMAN "thekey name FIVE GAMES that you liked on the 350 that arn't coming back on the PS3................................. NAME FIVE" Gears of War Dead or Alive 4

    Rockstar presents table tennis(which may come on the PS3 next century)

    Project Gothem Racing 3

    Call of Duty 2(Ps3 will never get it)

    Kameo

    Perfect Dark Zero(which out sold the PS3 period)

    lost planet

    Dead Rising(there is no way MS is going to let Dead Rising 2 even touch the PS3 with out it coming to the 360 first)

    And Oblivion might be comming to the PS3, but the New Oblvion exspansion pack is coming to the 360 first.

    Thats 9 for you. Do you need more?

    NAME FIVE PS3 GAMES THAT YOU ENJOY THAT that sold over million copies?.................... NAME FIVE. DOOM_SONYMAN

  • MaNN86

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 10:00 am PT

    Kind of sad when looking at how 'fanboyism' twist logic and the way you think. I admit that all 3 main consoles have their own fanboys who will protect the console that they prefer but looking at the comments, personally (I repeat, PERSONALLY) I think that ps3 fanboys have the weakest basis for their arguments. For example; @flawedenigma, Shadow of Colossus is a ps2 game, while Project Offset which you said yourself will be an awesome fps fantasy game is for xbox360 and PC and NOT for the ps3. As for the other games, they're not out yet, so you can't really say that they're a must buy until they're out. And even if those games are proven to be great when they're out (I personally can't wait for FF13), then you should only buy the ps3 that time and not now when its overpriced and still has lots of bugs.

    @DOOM_SONYMAN
    'FIRST OF ALL!!!!........... you named games that were either bad, already cam to the PS2,,, or are coming to the PS3. You took what i said a little personal, mabey if you had confidence in the 360, you would'nt have got so angry.....AND BY THE WAY here's my FIVE STRATE FROM SONY... RESISTENCE FALL OF MAN..............HEAVENLY SWORD...................MOTORSTORM...........F1................UNREAL TOURNMENT 2007'

    FIRST OF ALL, most of Xbox360 games named down there are not bad, and most of them will not be coming to ps3 in the near future as well. And out of the 5 games you named, only one is actually out while the other 4 only God knows when. So how come you can like or say that they're great for something that is not even out yet unless you're a time traveler from the future.

    But before most of you flame me, as I said in my previous posts, I don't have anything against the ps3 and I also believes that sooner or later it will produce great games comparable to what the xbox360 has now. It is just that CURRENTLY, Xbox360 is a better choice with quite a number of good/great games, while the ps3 only have 1 (resistance), so there's really no point in buying a ps3 NOW.

    One last thing everyone is free to disagree with me but please give good and logical reasons and not just saying that 'ps3 is teh sh*t' like some 'ldksparda21'.

    Well then, hope you guys will have a nice day.

  • nikefreak

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 9:53 am PT

    "lol mad fan boys in here but i will back up sony even though i think their overpriced, all you 360 fanboys are wrong though, "

    Lets not start that again flawed... We already had a discussion, and you failed misserably to convince anyone of anything. You typically seem to just spout insults and the name of a few games that are coming sometime down the road, as a justification for your CURRENT game system, and the things Sony has done (and messed up on) not what is out, and you certainly cant use what was out for the PS2.

  • nikefreak

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 9:44 am PT

    "Ok, so you may have been interested at the start, and you did youre research so you know what you're talking about instead of just guessing. But now that you know, and you've obviously made up your mind to hate Sony and PS3, and you're not about to change it no matter what good points you might hear to the contrary,"

    Wrong... You are assuming that I think the way you do on things. No, instead I continue to look at it and if and when the console starts looking better, Sony takes a few steps back and corrects their mistakes, some updates to the console, etc. I dont pass judgement and hold my position regardless of the current market or situation.

    "why do you continue, to put so much of your time, effort, research and witty banter into something you allegedly have no interest in. "

    I have an interest in all games and consoles.

    "Do you want everyone to change their minds and come around to your way of thinking? Are you trying to rally support? Or do you just like arguing you've been doing it for so long. "

    No, I enjoy discussing things, not arguing. Further, of course I hope that the information that I give is taken into account by the people who read, but I cant make them listen. All I can do, is continue to speak the truth, back it up with facts and logic, and hope that people understand where I am coming from.

    "Tell me, I'd really like to know what goes throught the mind of someone like you."

    You know, thats a hard question to answer... But I am sure it is similar to you, I can just put my thoughts into words better it seems.

    "i have a favourite as you know but I dont waste my time putting down the other because I actually like them too."
    "The only possible problem I can see is if something like what M$ just did happens. Bricking systems." EDIT - mmm... Having some problems atm, it cut part of this post and didnt post the next at all... Regardless, this will due...

  • dodgyd55

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 9:25 am PT

    so sony may not take such a loss in the development of the ps3 then if the chip is gonna be used for other stuff........interesting

    oh and the future for the ps3 aint look that hot. poor exclusive line up, bad price tag, late launch in euroupe as well wont help we have the wii and the 360 instead of waiting to play the 1 game i thought looke decent (resistance fall i think)

    oh yeah shut up doom you git. that name just screams of blind fanboy judgment, maybe if you had faith in the ps3 you wouldnt get so angry, pff getting all offended cause he could name games that were good

  • flawedenigma

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 8:31 am PT

    lol mad fan boys in here but i will back up sony even though i think their overpriced, all you 360 fanboys are wrong though, sony still has Shadow of Collusus (great game) Shirokishi (among alot of rpgs) Grand Turismo, Heavenly Sword, Killzone, Project Offsett (awesome fps fantasy game) as well as a horde more i could list, it all comes down to what you like to play, so dont bash a system cause it doesnt have YOUR game, it might have others but thats what OTHER people like to play. so if you dont like sony then go play with your micro soft wii wii's

  • Konfusion

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 8:27 am PT

    I'm not sure how to interpret this. In a way, good news becauser hey, Cell can do a lot. On the other end, it sounds like wasted ressources, because Cell is also crap to work with, and the talent could be doing something else.

    Umm... *head explodes*

  • Dante565

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 8:04 am PT

    Wow this could be a pretty interesting investment if they manage to corporate enough and do a good job working together. Maybe they can both make some good profits from this. Nice little story.

  • AbrahamPenaloza

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 8:00 am PT

    jebril........ your such a loser

  • gerardinsito

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 7:48 am PT

    This is useless... the programmers still don't know how to program in Cell...

  • DOOM_SONYMAN

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 7:22 am PT

    FIRST OF ALL!!!!........... you named games that were either bad, already cam to the PS2,,, or are coming to the PS3. You took what i said a little personal, mabey if you had confidence in the 360, you would'nt have got so angry.....AND BY THE WAY here's my FIVE STRATE FROM SONY... RESISTENCE FALL OF MAN..............HEAVENLY SWORD...................MOTORSTORM...........F1................UNREAL TOURNMENT 2007

  • Jebril

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 6:45 am PT

    That was for that DOOM guy's post BTW!

    Also I don't have to mention Guitar Hero 2?
    Dance Dance Revolution Ultimate
    Banjo Kazooie

    Those are all games exclusive to the 360 that are good.

    NOW!! You name me 5 GOOD GAMES OUT FOR THE PS3!!

    Ha It's harder than thinking about exclusives also isn't it? Yeah I know that bull with it just came out but in all reality 360 had a ton of good games in the first 2 month period.

    -PGR3
    -Kameo
    -Perfect Dark Zero
    -Oblivion
    -Dead or Alive 4

    That's 5 right there that were good and all available exclusively to the 360 at the first 2 months of launch. PWNAGE!!!!! TO MAXXX!! Triple Hardcore ACTION!

  • Jebril

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 6:42 am PT

    Lost Planet
    Dead Rising
    (Saint's Row)?
    Project Gotham Racing 3
    Gears of War
    And just in case of that ? mark I'll put Amped 3

    And the future looks better:
    Lost Odyessey
    PGR4
    Forza 2
    Fable 2
    Blue Dragon
    Eternal Sonata
    Tenchu Z
    Bioshock
    -_-
    I haven't mentioned Halo 3 or Gears 2 yet......oops.

  • jackfatal

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 6:06 am PT

    now sony has a good back-up games that will be exclusive for sony! this will also motivate other companies to trust sony and make exclusives!! namco is very good company!! although they didnt make an super games like konami or capcom etc but always their games are high ranked close to anime manga cartoons! this is a big bonus and clever move from sony!! i feel sorry for M$ they got refused by capcom!!! i hope M$ fans dont start to cry now! u still have a little hope!

  • striker2k3

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 5:40 am PT

    ObiKKa you must be high on crack... take a chill pill... xbox360 is still alive for now...

  • DOOM_SONYMAN

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 5:39 am PT

    ObiKKa ......... HA HA............... NAME FIVE

  • ObiKKa

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 5:33 am PT

    This is definitely a desperate move to avoid losing money on Namco Bandai's behalf. The Cell CPU is a joke. It's damn way too hard to compile codes to function on it in the game's data. It should've been symmetrical for the sake of games. That is why, Sony fanboys, you'll forever be seeing massively extended development time for the exclusive PS3 games, and even especially the PS3 multi-platform games that have to be delayed while the other versions simply swims over to the stores & cheers on the atigated gamers with those funny "I'm so angry, I can't wait" with the fast raising & dropping eyebrows movements & gritted teeth expressions. LOL!

    Waiting for each good PS3 game = you'll get demented aka Jack Nicholson in The Shining! Ooh, be very careful of that! Just look at what happened to Homer Simpson - it can happen to everybody else. Lol.

    Time is money to the developers & publishers. REMEMBER THAT very importantly!

    I'm so glad that Microsoft's entered the console market, coz they're the ONLY ONE who still makes high-powered consoles that are PERFECTLY SENSIBLE in terms of the economics & everything else when thinking about the game developers!

  • DOOM_SONYMAN

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 5:24 am PT

    Name FIVE GAMES that you liked on the 350 that arn't coming back on the PS3................................. NAME FIVE ...THAT YOU LIKED

  • Riverwolf007

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 5:22 am PT

    So, does this mean games for the system, or am I going to have to start listening to my refrigerator tell me i'm out of milk, because "new entertainment content" does not sound like games. It sounds more like interactive menus on my appliances.

  • Reetesh

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 5:21 am PT

    Where do they get the ideas for the names so creative..

    But what else does namco do other than gaming stuff? its definately gaming related

  • cornelle123

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 5:17 am PT

    And people were thinking that Namco Bandai had a problem with working with Sony's costly technology (ie. NB had to sell a half million units to make a profit).

  • chrisdojo

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 5:15 am PT

    meh.

  • Seafury0000

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 5:13 am PT

    Wow, after reading a few of these comments, I gotta say...some of you guys are such huge haters. I know this has been asked so so many times, but why hate a console? I just don't get it.

  • DOOM_SONYMAN

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 5:12 am PT

    thekey name FIVE GAMES that you liked on the 350 that arn't coming back on the PS3................................. NAME FIVE

  • thekey

    Posted Jan 25, 2007 4:58 am PT

    DOOM_SONYMAN 'it's over for you 360.. you may have epic games doing your dirty work,, But 2 of the best publishers slash developers in the world just joind teams.........................................sweet dreams microsoft!!........ haha ahahahah a ahahha ahahahahah ahahah:" RIIIIGHT!!!! When you start seeing PS3 games going platnum(1 millin copies) in the first week, like great 360 games, then we'll see about that.

    BIGboss600 "THIS JUST MEANS THAT SOUL CALIBUR 4 AND NEXT GEN DBZ WILL BE EXCLUSIVE TO THE PS3 THATS ALL SORRY 360 (U FAT BIYCH)"

    Who cares, these titles aren't the greatest selling titles anymore.

    And the "cell chip" just look at it were's the so called "8 cores"

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