Even though this isn’t HD news per-se, the next generation PS3 will support HD, and will use the Cell processor. Sony has made slides available about the Cell.

Link: Sony

The rumors say that some PS3 development kits are making their way to PS3 software developers. And they even include hardware. Not all the hardware, just some of the hardware. What I’d like to know: is there an HDMI connector on the back?

Link: gameindustry.biz

One of my friends (let’s name him, oh, Steve), a GameCube owner, is probably wondering why I haven’t written about the next Nintendo system (codename: Revolution) yet. Am I biased? Do I hate Nintendo? Some conspiracy of some kind? Nope, none of the above. I just haven’t gotten around to it yet. (But then on the other hand, Steve’s so laid-back that maybe he’s not thinking any such thing.)

But there’s not a lot to get around to. Nintendo has been pretty quiet about the Revolution, and even when they DO talk (like in this GameSpy article), not much is revealed. We don’t even know if the Revolution will support HD or not. We know the Xbox 2 has it and developers must support it. We know the PS3 has it. But we know nothin’ about the Revolution. Not yet at least.

[Update: here’s a link about Sony’s plans for BD drives. A device like this will be in the PS3. ]
[Update: Here is the formal announcement of the PS3’s support for BD-ROM.]

While this article at PS2 IGN contains no facts, it certainly does contain a lot of conjecture. It takes a look at what kind of technology may get stuffed into the PS3. The PS3, of course, is the next-generation PlayStation gaming console from Sony, which will compete head-to-head with the next Xbox, whatever it’s name may be. (Oh, and while I called the next gaming console from Sony the “PS3″, that name is not official. That’s just what everyone is calling it now.)

We know that the games for the next Xbox will support HD. Which is a great thing. (Really!) So is the same going to be true of the PS3? The PS3 will have a Blu-ray drive as its optical storage format. Blu-ray discs can hold a LOT of data. 25GB single layer, 50GB on two layers (see the Blu-Ray FAQ). Blu-ray was conceived to play HD movies, though nothing is stopping people from putting out standard definition content on Blu-ray discs (as far as I know). It looks like HD games are possible on the PS3. So some developers will be publishing HD PS3 games. But the question then becomes: will Sony mandate developers to support HD in all their games? I certainly hope so. I have a nice HD television whose abilities will be wasted if that’s not the case. If you know anything, please reply to this topic.

We all thought this was coming. We all hoped this was coming. We all crossed our fingers and pleaded to the powers that be (ie, Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo) to please please please make it happen. But finally we’re starting to get a little confirmation of what we were all hoping for.

Yup, the next Xbox will support high definition. Details were revealed at the GDC (Game Developers Conference) and are documented at the xbox.com website. You can read the keynote transcript, or details about the box, or both! The great thing is that HD will be a MINIMUM, according to this article at gamespy. Every developer must support at least 1280×720 resolution. This is great news for us HDTV owners.

And what’s Sony’s stance on HD and the PS3? We’ll have to see…

In an effort to appear like they’re not one step behind Sony, Microsoft is not going to be naming their next-gen, hi-def supporting, Xbox the “Xbox 2″. “Xbox Next” is too much of a tongue twister and “Xbox Xenon” I think was just a code name. So how about “Xbox 360″? The Xbox that’ll spin your head around. That’s some double-take! In this article, SPOnG speculates that the name is going to be just that.