EA expects the PS3 to arrive in mid 2006

[Domination]

Electronic Arts' CFO Warren Jenson has told an investment conference in the USA that the company currently expects the Xbox 2 and PS3 to launch within six months of each other, in a window beginning in late 2005.

Speaking at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia XIII Conference earlier this week, Jenson said that EA is expecting to see Microsoft launching Xbox 2 for the holiday season in 2005, with PS3 following no more than six months afterwards.

While Jenson did qualify his statements by saying that EA doesn't have all the information about the launches as yet, and that the information they do have isn't perfect, his comments will be seen as further confirmation of the widely rumoured Xbox 2 launch timescale.

They also place the PlayStation 3 closer on the timeline than some had expected; confusion over Sony's development plans for the console has led some commentators to push their guesses on the date out as far as winter 2006, but Jenson suggested that the firm may even launch as early as late 2005 to avoid giving Microsoft a significant headstart.

Aside from his comments on the next-generation platforms, the bulk of Jenson's presentation focused on Electronic Arts' performance within the games industry and on comparisons with similar market-leading companies in other media and technology industries.

He told the conference that EA has consistently grown the number of titles selling over a million units, from 13 titles in 2001 to 27 titles in 2004, and said that as of August 2004, EA has three franchises which have generated over a billion dollars in cumulative revenue - Madden NFL, FIFA Soccer and The Sims - and seven further titles which have generated over $500 million.

In comparing EA with other companies, Jenson showed that EA has a higher share of international revenue as a percentage of total revenue than News Corp, Disney, Time Warner or Viacom, proving that the firm's franchises have global appeal.

Source (http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=56843)

This should not be a surprise at all to you unless you were one of the ones hoping that the console would fail. Like I said months ago before Microsoft released their dev kits for the Xenon, at max, Sony will allow Microsoft an eight month advantage on market shelves.But most likely, the console will launch Q1 or Q2 of 2006. I'm guessing it will somewhere around Q1.

[Omega Blue]

As far as i am concerned he is correct. I can not see Sony giving Microsoft no more then 6 months headstart if even that. Im going out on a limb and saying Sony will release the Ps3 3 months after the XB2 if the XB2's date is Winter 05 for the US, then a Ps3 launch in Japan in March 06. You know and I know Microsoft can not secure even a fraction of a good enough market in Japan within 3 months of the XB2's release date to combat the onslaught of Ps3 consoles sold in Japan. Especially if Sony is waving around tech demo's and launch release titles that make peoples mouths water.

[rev>thanu]

As far as i am concerned he is correct. I can not see Sony giving Microsoft no more then 6 months headstart if even that. Im going out on a limb and saying Sony will release the Ps3 3 months after the XB2 if the XB2's date is Winter 05 for the US, then a Ps3 launch in Japan in March 06. You know and I know Microsoft can not secure even a fraction of a good enough market in Japan within 3 months of the XB2's release date to combat the onslaught of Ps3 consoles sold in Japan. Especially if Sony is waving around tech demo's and launch release titles that make peoples mouths water.

well to tell you the truth Sony shouldn't really care about what time they should release the PS3 in japan. I mean Sony basically owns japan in the sence of entertainment and media. So i don't see japanese people giving into xbox 2 or gamecube 2 that easily. Japanese are too loyal to Sony. If sony were to release the ps3 they should release it first here in the US and europe because these 2 areas are the shaky grounds. that's what i would do but i know that this is not happening any time soon because sony will always release first in japan.

[Xeno]

Now that it's announced that Nintendo will launch revolution in the same time frame as PS3 it leaves Xbox2 all alone with an early release and possibly with less powerful hardware.

I think next gen will be similiar to the Saturn, Playstation, N64 generation. Saturn was first out and not many people bought it because they decided to wait a few months to see the competition, the PS, which had better hardware because of the later launch and people scrambled to get it.Then came the N64 which attained a good user base because it was slightly more powerful than the PS and had the classic titles.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=4853

Nintendo's Revolution will follow PS3 timescale, says Fils-Aime
Rob Fahey 16:20 11/10/2004
Slams Microsoft again for moving too quickly towards next generation

Nintendo of America's charismatic VP of sales and marketing Reggie Fils-Aime has confirmed that the company is aiming to launch its next home console in the same timeframe as Sony's PS3, and attacked Microsoft's "rush" to the next generation.

"Our focus is this: we will bring Revolution to the marketplace roughly at the same time as the competition," Fils-Aime told US website IGN. "We are driving our timetables based on what we believe Sony will do."

While Nintendo may be watching Sony to work out when to jump on the next generation, the company is less sold on Microsoft's approach. "Not that I want to ignore the Xbox," Fils-Aime qualified, "but certainly we believe that a rush to a new system is a mistake."

This is the second time in recent months that a senior Nintendo executive has attacked Microsoft's seeming haste in moving to a next-generation platform - speaking at the ELSPA Game Summit in London last June, former Nintendo Europe boss David Gosen said that "in every cycle, some manufacturer not profiting from the current cycle is eager to kick-start the next one," and suggested that profitability was not Microsoft's "key motivation" with the Xbox.

Fils-Aime also confirmed that the forthcoming Nintendo DS handheld could potentially be used to link up with the GameCube console, and will almost certainly boast link features with the Revolution platform.

"Could there be interactivity with GameCube?" he said. "Potentially. Depends on the software and accessories needed from a GameCube perspective. But it's certainly possible. Could there be interaction with the Revolution? Certainly possible. Certainly capable."

[Marjoh]

Gamers may be interested to know that during Niermann's presentation, he showed a screenshot of FIFA Soccer 2006 for the PlayStation 3, currently being developed--at least in part--at EA's Vancouver studio. The screenshot showed a smoothly rendered image of a soccer player in hot pursuit of the ball. The image was shown only for a few seconds, but in the badly lit hall, it hardly counted for much, save for the fact that it might have been the first time a screenshot from PS3 development was shown to the press.

Doesn't the 2006 season starts at 2005? I don't know since I don't know anything about soccer. Care to fill me up on this?

[Domination]

Now that it's announced that Nintendo will launch revolution in the same time frame as PS3 it leaves Xbox2 all alone with an early release and possibly with less powerful hardware.

Microsoft had better have a good plan on hand because when the hype starts rolling in, the tables may take a turn.

[The_One]

Now that it's announced that Nintendo will launch revolution in the same time frame as PS3 it leaves Xbox2 all alone with an early release and possibly with less powerful hardware.

Microsoft had better have a good plan on hand because when the hype starts rolling in, the tables may take a turn. True True. I wonder how M$ will fair once both of the competition is on.

[julps31]

When the PS3 makes its debut thats probably when the hype will really start to come in. Especially if the graphics live up to our expectations.

[Domination]

When the PS3 makes its debut thats probably when the hype will really start to come in. Especially if the graphics live up to our expectations.

I very much like the way you put that. But, I'm sure it will be the two of them that will most likely stir the biggest storm.

Concerning the overall power of the machine, it's possibly a given fact that this console's architecture may have been well in progress long before the year 2000. Rather it lives up to the hype or not, one thing we will be able to say about it when it launches is "It looks good". :wink:

[julps31]

No doubt that it will look good. I guess we'll be waiting until early next-year to find out. Not too long of a wait but long enough. Those first tech demos should give use a good idea of what the PS3 has in store graphics wise.

[The_One]

-[()619]what has better graphics XboX or the PS2 :?: I don't like your sig dude. "Let the nerd die first"? That's an personal insult to many of us here on the board.
As for an answer to your question, quite simply, the XBox owns in the graphics department. It can crunch out approx. 32 million polygons with two layers of textures whereas the PS2 can only crunch out approx. 18 million polygons with two layers of textures.

[Domination]

I think it's a little more than that, but I may be wrong. Anyway, after almost two years, I find that to be an incredible accomplishment for such an old console.

[Junox50]

I think it's a little more than that, but I may be wrong. Anyway, after almost two years, I find that to be an incredible accomplishment for such an old console.

Yeah look at the games on PS2 like Devil May Cry 3,MGS3,Ace Combat 5, GT4,Killzone,Tekken 5, Wanda and the colusus.

Even though the PS2 is the oldest console out it still can produce good graphics.

[The_One]

I think it's a little more than that, but I may be wrong. Anyway, after almost two years, I find that to be an incredible accomplishment for such an old console.

Yeah look at the games on PS2 like Devil May Cry 3,MGS3,Ace Combat 5, GT4,Killzone,Tekken 5, Wanda and the colusus.

Even though the PS2 is the oldest console out it still can produce good graphics. My theory on GT4 and Ace Combat 5 being really good is one simple fact: those games are only using 1 layer of textures. Which improves it's polygon performance beyond the XBox, at 37.5 million polygons. However, if you have actually played Ace Combat, the graphics aren't actually that good overall, because it's very aliased at times (due to the fact that PS2 doesn't have FSAA).

[Junox50]

I think it's a little more than that, but I may be wrong. Anyway, after almost two years, I find that to be an incredible accomplishment for such an old console.

Yeah look at the games on PS2 like Devil May Cry 3,MGS3,Ace Combat 5, GT4,Killzone,Tekken 5, Wanda and the colusus.

Even though the PS2 is the oldest console out it still can produce good graphics. My theory on GT4 and Ace Combat 5 being really good is one simple fact: those games are only using 1 layer of textures. Which improves it's polygon performance beyond the XBox, at 37.5 million polygons. However, if you have actually played Ace Combat, the graphics aren't actually that good overall, because it's very aliased at times (due to the fact that PS2 doesn't have FSAA).

Are you talking about a demo you played, the one?

[The_One]

Yeah, the October issue of OPM contained a demo of Ace Combat 5, and the November issue contains a demo of MGS 3 :lol:. It's all good :D.

[Junox50]

Well if its only a demo how are you certain that the graphics wont look any better in the final version?

[çä§Ñ]

Yeah, the MGS 3 Demo was taken when the game was at 40% completion and it still looks sweet, but will probably be more polished when the final version is released next month.

[The_One]

Well if its only a demo how are you certain that the graphics wont look any better in the final version? True enough... However, I do know that the PS2 doesn't support FSAA, so the aliasing problem won't really get any "better" even in the final version.