Archive for July, 2005

Playable PS3 at TGS?

At the PlayStation Meeting held recently, Ken Kutaragi said “We hope to use the Tokyo Game Show as a chance for everyone to get to know, or possibly experience, what next-generation entertainment is all about.”

Hmmmm. “Possibly experience”. Two little words, so chock full of meaning. Tantalizing, taunting, and ultimately… meaningless. We probably don’t know until the Tokyo Game Show actually arrives whether or not there will actually be playable demos, and by the time we find out, it won’t matter whether or not we heard this rumour anyway.

*SIGH*

That’s the problem with being a PS3 and next-gen website when the PS3 isn’t even out yet. Just too much speculation and not enough specification.

Link: EurogamerPS3 to be playable at TGS?

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Xbox 360 Packaging and Accessories

At the Xbox Summit 2005, Microsoft showed a packaging mock-up for the Xbox 360. The side of the box said that it would include a wireless controller, a hard drive, Xbox Live, headset, and ethernet cable. A pretty good list of inclusions, though by Xbox Live I guess they mean the hardware supports Xbox Live Silver out of the box. It’s nice to see the headset included, but what about audio/video cables?

They also announced a list of accessories that you’ll be able to purchase separately. Among them are hard drives, controllers, memory cards, extra batteries, charge units, headsets, faceplates, a remote control, and cables. Included in the list of cables are a VGA HD cable, component video cable, and S-Video cable. Gamespot says that you’d need the VGA HD cable to play HD, but I wonder why you couldn’t play HD over the component connection? It’s certainly capable.

Link: GamespotXbox 360 packaging, accessories displayed

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PGR3 Video

I’ve never owned a standard. I’ve always been more of an automatic kind of guy. My first car was an ’83 Buick Regal. I found it quite convenient to put my arm around my girlfriend while driving (the Regal had a middle seatbelt up front) and I liked it.

But recently I’ve had the urge to drive standard. I’m really enjoying driving my car more and more, and think that a standard would do me pretty well. I’m a family guy so we have a sedan and a minivan. But our sedan (a Malibu) is starting to get old so I’m fantasizing about what I could replace it with. The Mazda3 GT is looking mighty fine. Standard. 2.3L engine. Ooooh. One reviewer said that the stickshift was so nice, that’s how BMW would do it if they sold a car at this price. Nice complement.

What the? Maybe not. I can’t afford a new car right now. But I can look at the new PGR3 video shown in Japan recently. And it looks nice!

Link: team XBOXProject Gotham Racing 3: Tokyo WMVHD Trailer
Link: Xbox 360 IGNXbox Summit 2005: Project Gotham Racing 3 Update

Oh, and if anybody can find me a good deal on a charcoal Mazda3 GT, drop me a line. I’m in Ottawa.

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PS2 tops 91 Million

The PS2 has sold over 91 million units. From all indications, Sony will continue to support and make games for the PS2 long after the PS3 has hit the market. After all, they did the same with the PS1 after the PS2 hit.

The PS3 has sold exactly 0 units. But they’re coming! And when Mr. Kutaragi predicts that the Sony’s PS3 will last 10 years on the market, it’s not so hard to believe, given what’s come before.

Link: gameindustry.bizWorldwide PS2 shipment figures top 91 million
Link: engadgetPS3 expected to live 10 years in the market?

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Timing of Japanese 360 Games

Much of the Xbox 360 software announced at the Xbox Summit 2005 won’t wander onto the shelves until mid 2006. the INQUIRER says:

Interestingly enough an awful lot of these Japanese games won’t be launch titles for the Xbox 360 but are expected sometime around “Summer 2006″ which is, entirely coincidentally, we don’t doubt, around the same time as the launch of the PlayStation 3.

But I have a different idea. Not all these games were announced as exclusives. For example, I haven’t seen anything yet about Ridge Racer 6 being a 360 exclusive. So maybe these games are just coming out in the summer because the Japanese publishers plan on releasing them for both the PS3 and 360 at the same time. Simple idea, but I think there may be some truth to it. I find it hard to believe that so many Japanese developers would ditch the beloved Playstation for the foreign Xbox. It just doesn’t jive.

Link: the INQUIRERXbox 360 summit held in Japan

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