Sony Considers 2005 PS3 Release

[diOndOrAntt]

A company rep hints at the possibility of a release this year.
by Anoop Gantayat

May 12, 2005 - In a surprising twist on the next generation hardware race, a Sony representative has stated that a year 2005 release for the next generation PlayStation is a possibility. Responding to questions from Jiji news service, Sony Chief Financial Officer Takao Yuhara states, "For the year end sales season, simultaneously building up both the PlayStation Portable system in America and Europe as well as the next generation PlayStation is one option that we have."


Most industry speculation calls for a next generation PlayStation release in 2006. Sony's third party developers have backed this assumption up with a strong list of PlayStation 2 titles planned for the rest of the year and early next.
The state of the next generation PlayStation software shown at next week's E3 show should reveal if a 2005 release is a possibility for the new system, or if Yuhara's comments were designed to take some steam out of Microsoft's Xbox 360 unveiling later today.

Source: http://ps3.ign.com/articles/612/612985p1.html?fromint=1

[lilkoy123]

They should release it this year.

[diOndOrAntt]

Yeah they should :lol:

[the legendary ice man]

They should release it tomorrow :D - but it won't happen :(

[Junox50]

They should release it when its ready and not just rush it out.

[FerrianX]

I highly doubt that a 2005 release date is possible. At best maybe an early early 2006 release like March.

[Last-Element]

yeah funny would be if they release it on March 24, 2006. one year following the release of the PSP. but they better not release it this year just to keep up with xbox. itll be like what happened with the DS. Nintendo seemed to be worried bout being forgotten in the only thing they had left (handhelds) and needed something that seems to b a flop in respect of games. so Sony should release the PS3 when and ONLY when they are 100% accomplished with the console and dont just rush it out. then it would seem as if Microsoft has really gotten them.

[Viper]

FerrianX, I fully agree.


yeah funny would be if they release it on March 24, 2006. one year following the release of the PSP. but they better not release it this year just to keep up with xbox. itll be like what happened with the DS. Nintendo seemed to be worried bout being forgotten in the only thing they had left (handhelds) and needed something that seems to b a flop in respect of games. so Sony should release the PS3 when and ONLY when they are 100% accomplished with the console and dont just rush it out. then it would seem as if Microsoft has really gotten them.You do know the DS was planned well before the PSP was ever announced, don't you?

Games are few simply because the system is totally different and developers are nervous to try something unproven for profit yet.

[indiekid4]

Anyways, back on topic.....I think it would be a bad move by Sony to release PS3 this year. like mentioned above, wait till the PS3 is all done, don't rush it!! Sony has a lot of loyal fans who are willing to wait for the PS3 and not rush on over to xbox 360. I mean, comeone people, the PS2 has some great games coming up this summer and fall...PS3 can wait till 2006. I really am not concerned at all about the 360 coming out first...and nor should any of you.

[xbdestroya]

I don't think that quote really amounts to much.

A statement like that would probably have to be something fairly coordinated as far as a corporate move, and likely come through an SCEI group representative. His statement:

"For the year end sales season, one option that we have is to focus simultaneously on the PlayStation Portable system in America and Europe and the next generation PlayStation."

Doesn't exactly scream 'PS3 might launch this winter!' to me. :)

Rather, it seems like an answer from a corporate executive (CFO after all) at the parent company who has a lot on his mind and is fielding financial questions from reporters.

[Viper]

He could also be referring this fiscal year which ends March of 2006.

[xbdestroya]

He could also be referring this fiscal year which ends March of 2006.

I was thinking that also, originally - but then I thought I remembered from their timelines they had planned their launch for May, which falls outside of that; during the time of Japans 'Golden Week' holiday. I mean, he could still actually be refering to the fiscal year and actually be pretty in the know - but it's not surprising when executives in any large company mispeak - or sometimes don't even know - with regard to what teams in another group are doing.

[bRoNx]

Well, whatever they decide to do, I just hope we get the PS3 that KK had in mind...not some rushed out job...

BTW, there's alot of good titles for the PS2 right now (and coming soon) so I'm sure they won't release it earlier than already expected. But talk like this should keep M$ on their toes...

[Gegenki]

Hasn't Sony been silently rolling out dev kits? Cell was done a while back wasn't it?
Maybe PS3 is near complete and the companies with kits are under a strong no leaks deal.
I was talking to a friend earlier and just thinking about Sony's free transport to the Xbox conference. Maybe they are so confident as they are planning to annoced PS3 is further than expected. It sounds like an unlikely idea but some people may remember a quote back in November saying that PSP pricing was not known even to the high ups at Sony until about a few days before it was annouced.

i'm just some random optimistic teen :D
Cell has been around for a while! So I figure that it could be near

[xbdestroya]

Hasn't Sony been silently rolling out dev kits? Cell was done a while back wasn't it?
Maybe PS3 is near complete and the companies with kits are under a strong no leaks deal.
I was talking to a friend earlier and just thinking about Sony's free transport to the Xbox conference. Maybe they are so confident as they are planning to annoced PS3 is further than expected. It sounds like an unlikely idea but some people may remember a quote back in November saying that PSP pricing was not known even to the high ups at Sony until about a few days before it was annouced.

i'm just some random optimistic teen :D
Cell has been around for a while! So I figure that it could be near

It's not impossible, but... considering that the Nagasaki fab isn't even in production at this time, the format wars aren't over, XDR production in the module size needed hasn't begun en masse, and we're not even sure if the GPU has taped out, Sony would have to be incredibly ambitious to attempt a Christmas release. But who knows, you always have to hold out the possibility of massive, concurrent press releases to et the Sony hype going! :)

[Gegenki]

Well if you want to be ambitious...! Lets say 2 and a half months now to get fabs into full speed production - thats until July then August, September & October to create 3million units. Simultaneous US & Jap release.

Now thats optimism :D

[indie85]

Well id be all for it being launched this year, im currently console-less (and no im not getting a PS2) and my pc's playing up and neither do i feel like shelling out on $400 just to upgrade graphics card. So basically im going to be gameless until the PS3 comes out so basically the sooner it comes out the better! So all you guys saying nah theres all these good games coming out on PS2 and its too soon etc, well think of people like me, bored and in need of something new like PS3, over n out. :)

[Viper]

Well if you want to be ambitious...! Lets say 2 and a half months now to get fabs into full speed production - thats until July then August, September & October to create 3million units. Simultaneous US & Jap release.

Now thats optimism :DDon't forget the whole Blu-Ray/HD DVD situation. You're timeline might be possible if Sony ends the talks and pushes Blu-Ray right now. the longer the wait and time in talks, the longer before the format is finalized and drive production can begin.

[nesman]

There is the GPU to worry about as well. The format war ending is one thing but the system being finalized is another. There haven't been any news on PS3 dev kits as of yet. Or Sony and the devs are keeping very tight lips on everything. Sony is calling Xbox 360 and Xbox 1.5. If they're that confident they better be sure they can back themselves up.

[MLittle577]

March 2006 or October 2006

[Gegenki]

October! :shock:
i say March it sounds like sony.
new fiscal year, new console

[nesman]

I'd vote for March-May 2006 for the PS3 release. Sony could wait till Xbox 360 gains a lot of momentum then suddenly kill it with PS3 :lol:

[anthonyp0696]

Cmon Sony, my first prediction is coming to frution, don't let me down now. Late 2005 in Japan, another march release in the US? Sony is on the ball.

[Pina]

March 2006 Japan
September 2006 USA
November 2006 Europe

Who wants to bet?

[Gegenki]

I want to bet!
March 2006 Japan
September 2006 USA
March 2060 Europe

Yes 2060 - we are gonna get shafted!

[The_One]

I want to bet!
March 2006 Japan
September 2006 USA
March 2060 Europe

Yes 2060 - we are gonna get shafted! I'm in on the bet. How much are you willing to bet :P?
Don't forget the whole Blu-Ray/HD DVD situation. You're timeline might be possible if Sony ends the talks and pushes Blu-Ray right now. the longer the wait and time in talks, the longer before the format is finalized and drive production can begin. For all we know, the new format "could" have been finalized, but it's simply kept under covers. Not too much chance of that, but it's still a possibility to hold out on Microsoft, so that they won't change to this newer medium at the last second.

[Gegenki]

lol - sony and toshiba probably finalised it a few months ago and are putting on a show! :D

[eggyoke]

March 2006 Japan
September 2006 USA
November 2006 Europe

Who wants to bet?


LOL... sorry couldn't help but laugh at the "Euro Nov 2006" date. Personally I'm ordering my PS3 from US. All my PS2 games are NA version anyway... sweet, sweet Ebay.

Waiting extra 6 months for a game which is already out is NOT fun.

But I agree about the March 2006 Japan release. :)

[diOndOrAntt]

I see the 2005 rumor on a lot of sites now so i go for 2005 Japan 8)

[raVen]

I dont think it is possible, I read that sony wont be mass producing the Cell until 2006 and also I think there gonna use what the see from xbox 360 and the early response to tweak some of the finer aspects of the ps3.

[The_One]

I dont think it is possible, I read that sony wont be mass producing the Cell until 2006 and also I think there gonna use what the see from xbox 360 and the early response to tweak some of the finer aspects of the ps3. They're not going to start producing the CELL at the last minute, I'm sure they'll start production before the end of 2005. The other thing to note is that nVidia said that the GPU should be finalized at the end of 2005, so mass producing the GPU could be the real problem, not mass producing the CELL.

[xbdestroya]

I see the 2005 rumor on a lot of sites now so i go for 2005 Japan 8)

Yeah but it's still the same rumor from the same source. 8)

unless you find some sort of *new* 'leak', then it doesn't matter if it's posted all over the world - doesn't make it any more true. :)

[verticalslik]

if sony decides to release this year, that would be good for us people wanting it real bad...(well we all want it real bad, but those real crazy people) it would be nice to have it out this year, and also be good in the "race" but think if they held it back, it would be that much better. i think sony should do something like what M$ is doing tonight, and then they could slowly reveal prices and release dates. i think they should wait till early next year, to work out the bugs n stuff, and utilise the latest technology

[Viper]

I still think that rep was referring to fiscal year making it March 2006 at the latest.

[xbdestroya]

I still think that rep was referring to fiscal year making it March 2006 at the latest.

Well we'll see, in any event. 8)

I still say it was just a slip-up;

There can be only one!!!! :P

[axia777]

There is the GPU to worry about as well. The format war ending is one thing but the system being finalized is another. There haven't been any news on PS3 dev kits as of yet. Or Sony and the devs are keeping very tight lips on everything. Sony is calling Xbox 360 and Xbox 1.5. If they're that confident they better be sure they can back themselves up.

Actually PSM had an article in issue #98 that had info on the PS3 dev kits. Supposidly IBM has rigged up dev kits with a Cell processor and a dual SLI NVidia GPU set up. It runs on Linux too. :D That rules. 8)

[THE PS2 INFORMANT]

This is the kind of talk I feared would start up after Microsoft showed off it's new machine. I don't I really, really don't think that Sony should even be considering rushing development on this machine.

I don't know about anyone else but I would like to see a PS3 thats the best it can be, in features, reliability, and performance. Not some rushed product that could possibly be missing key features in a bid to compete with another rushed product from a company that failed last time out.

Sega got beat by Nintendo when they released their 8 bit machine after Nintendo's. They got beat when they released their 16-bit machine before Nintendo's.

Sony is in the same position Nintendo was at that time, they have the mindshare, they have the best chance of victory no matter if they release the machine this year or later on. Despite the fact that their machine was underpowered when compared to the last X-Box they still managed to pull away in sales. This was not nearly entirely influenced by the fact that they launched early.

They had more of the best content out there and thats one of the many reasons why they not only beat Microsoft in sales but also pulled away from them only loosing the sales leadership crown for one month when the X-Box was selling for cheaper.

If they do this again (which I think they will) they will likely win this generation too regardless of what Microsoft tries. And thus I see no need for them to potentially sacrifice their new product's potency to (as i've said) compete with something that they should be able to best anyway.

[jongaleo]

Hi, I've been here for quite a while just reading posts not bothering to answer or get myself into the arguements and thoughts but now I catched one that I had an opinion on, so here I go:

stop reffering to the past, the reason why some consoles have been beaten on showing up early was simply because they weren't creative enough to keep us happy. the poster above mentioned he feared a rushed release, but I don't think this is the case because their machine might have probably been very close to being completed if not already. it was just a question of time and when to release it. had everyone decided to release their consoles in summer 2006 sony would have waited because then they could simply just earn money on the ps2. to me this seems very appealing if not logical.. but then again I could be all wrong. what would sony possibly rush? their bluray/hd dvd player? what if their deal is already set and they are already working on it which probably doesn't need an entire year itself but just a couple of months, no? It shouldn't be too much of a difficult task to complete the new disc type. :) I could write a book about what I think sony is doing especially since its my first post but I'm gonna avoid that. anyway I've said what I wanted to say. hope I was able to open some logical doors! xD

[indie85]

One thing I do think Sony could take from Microsoft, is their announced near simualtaneous launch around the world (europe 7 days behind US launch), now if sony did this then I'd be real happy, I'm tired of having to wait 4 months for no good reason while the US has had the console for eons already.

[Z]

you have to keep in mind a very important aspect of a console launch: games.

PS3 could be technically ready by the end of 2005, but will the games be as well? if you don't have a line up to sell a system, it won't be going of shelves quickly. people would just wait to see must-haves in stores. so why not just wait yourself and maybe tweak the thing here and there untill you devs have enough time to offer you something.

my suggestion is that launching anytime before Q2 2006 is a mistake. it would be very wise if Sony waited a bit to make those games actually 'look' next-gen -unlike X2 embarrassing show.

[Red_Eyes]

Sony: The King of On Demand Console Release.

Release, anytime, anywhere, on demand.

Lol.

Hey, it could happen.
Sony could release it this year.
I mean, come on, Sony is gonna show a proto type version at E3.
That means PS3 is very very close to completion.