James Delahunty
10 Nov 2006 7:41
After constant delays, reports of problems at Sony and public relations nightmares over the past couple of years, the device that many describe as being crucial to bring Sony back on top is finally going to get into the eager hands of gamers in Japan. As expected, the PlayStation 3 console has created a huge buzz in Japan with gamers flocking to get their hands on their own. Gamers in the U.S. will also get their chance next week.
European gamers however are being forced to sit on their hands again as the territory has been left out of Sony's Christmas plan. Still, the buzz around the console in the UK and the rest of the continent has prompted many enthusiastic PlayStation fans to consider attempting to import a console before the March 2007 launch date.
Sony, of course, is strongly against retailers attempting this and seem poised to even take on Santa Claus if he dares try to deliver a PS3 to a European kid this Christmas. Lik-Sang, a source many would have chosen for a PS3 import, folded to pressures on the company it blamed on multiple Sony lawsuits over PSP imports in the UK last year.
Never-the-less, even with problems surrounding Sony recently, the PS3 has still been labeled as the console war favorite by many sources. The advancement of the PlayStation franchise sports hardware capable of displaying new standards in graphics and the much touted Blu-Ray capabilities that make way for high definition movies and capacity-demanding games.
While some express doubt that the price point will be able to hold, it is important to point out that Sony faces huge losses initially by producing this feature-packed machine. Microsoft's Xbox 360 also has a year over the PlayStation console, and the recent announcement that high definition videos of TV shows and movies will soon be available has boosted its appearance of being a powerful entertainment hub and not just a game console.
Sony, of course, is going the same route with its PS3 by attempting to create a powerful entertainment hub for consumers. The Blu-ray format (for which Sony headed development) is currently fighting with HD DVD to win consumer interest and become the standard to replace DVD. In the portable area, Sony is seeing its attempts to market the PSP as an all-around portable entertainment device slow down dramatically. The failure of the UMD format for movie content is an example.
It is fair to say however that both Sony and Microsoft are touting their entertainment support a bit too much, and forgetting that the audience majority cares mainly for the games and always will. Game trailers and information for the PS3 is in high demand right now and the content has been sufficient to ensure a successful launch of the console worldwide. Good luck to all the gamers who plan to fight for their PS3 this Christmas.
Source:
Guardian