The likely future...

[CARTIER90]

In my eyes the following is what will happen,

1) There will be a hardware shortage at launch - very likely considering
the lessons that history has taught us.

2) Launch games will suck - perhaps not graphically, but i can see how many of them will be little more than graphical upgrades to PS2 games, ala 360. Of course AAA games once they arrive will rock, having had a longer development time.

3) We will be disappointed after we get the console - again until AAA games come along i dont expect to see games better than the current 360 catalogue.

Now most of you know i am Pro Sony , all the way, perhaps this is my self defense mechanism, so as too prepare me should the PS3 launch be underwelming....All i can think is, with final dev kits having been delivered only recently, what can we truly (and be honest !) expect come launch day.???...why would PS3 games be any less rushed than the 360 ??

I am however certain than with time the PS3 will stun us all once 2nd , 3 rd gen games arrive. So not all doom and gloom :)

[Danji]

I expect amuch better launch than the 360 a la PS2. The PS2 had some launch titles that just weren't possible before that hardware arrived and were actually interesting from a gameplay standpoint. The 360 didn't have any games like that..and I think that it really is the only console to ever launch like it has.

[xbdestroya]

Well I have to say that the PS2 launch didn't do anything for me really game-wise. So in that sense Cartier90 I'm right there with you on your predictions. We'll see though, some of the PS3 games - depending on what's launch and what's not - do have me intrigued.

But it's the other stuff on PS3, the blu-ray, possible Linux, media serving(?), that guarantee I'll buy it straight-off. I have no doubt I'll still be playing PS2 games for a while on it as well.

[CrumCon]

i agree with most of your predictions.

But i think PS3 wont launch to Europe and North Amercia, not until fall 2006. which means European and North Amercian could see good looking games, killer apps by launch.

but im 100% sure sping would be ps3 launch in Japan

[CARTIER90]

'the blu-ray, possible Linux, media serving(?)'


True, those are great additions,....if the term 'future proof' had to be applied to hardware, the PS3 sure is it. What would be great , would be the option of upgrading the PS3 in the future to a dual RSX set up - not gonna happen, and would alienate casual gamers......watcha gonna do :)

[Domination]

In my eyes the following is what will happen,

1) There will be a hardware shortage at launch - very likely considering
the lessons that history has taught us.

2) Launch games will suck - perhaps not graphically, but i can see how many of them will be little more than graphical upgrades to PS2 games, ala 360. Of course AAA games once they arrive will rock, having had a longer development time.

3) We will be disappointed after we get the console - again until AAA games come along i dont expect to see games better than the current 360 catalogue.

Now most of you know i am Pro Sony , all the way, perhaps this is my self defense mechanism, so as too prepare me should the PS3 launch be underwelming....All i can think is, with final dev kits having been delivered only recently, what can we truly (and be honest !) expect come launch day.???...why would PS3 games be any less rushed than the 360 ??

I am however certain than with time the PS3 will stun us all once 2nd , 3 rd gen games arrive. So not all doom and gloom :)

I can't say I disagree too much with you. I, too, am expecting this, always have. What I have been back and forth with, however, is the continuous supply of consoles. With Sony trying to push Blu Ray out into homes as quickly as possible, one part of me believes the supply will be greater than last time while the other side believes Sony is going to hit a few bumps, due to limited parts, while trying to replenish the market.

As far as disappointment, let's just say this has never happen to me before. ;)

[woundingchaney]

In my eyes the following is what will happen,

1) There will be a hardware shortage at launch - very likely considering
the lessons that history has taught us.

2) Launch games will suck - perhaps not graphically, but i can see how many of them will be little more than graphical upgrades to PS2 games, ala 360. Of course AAA games once they arrive will rock, having had a longer development time.

3) We will be disappointed after we get the console - again until AAA games come along i dont expect to see games better than the current 360 catalogue.

Now most of you know i am Pro Sony , all the way, perhaps this is my self defense mechanism, so as too prepare me should the PS3 launch be underwelming....All i can think is, with final dev kits having been delivered only recently, what can we truly (and be honest !) expect come launch day.???...why would PS3 games be any less rushed than the 360 ??

I am however certain than with time the PS3 will stun us all once 2nd , 3 rd gen games arrive. So not all doom and gloom :)


Yeah going to have to agree with you Cartier, although as previously stated the NA and European launches may fair better (with the speculated additional time frame). Infact we have heard previous comments not to get our hopes up for anything overly impressive with the PS3 launch. Console launches for me arent necessarily about drastic graphical improvement or new gameplay varietys, they are more about anticipation and euphoria associated with the new console (maybe that was a little too poetic :help:).


Danji Im going to have to disagree, I think that the 360 launch follows the typical console launch. The only instance I can recall of a system launching with something never before done was the N64 and Mario 64. If you look at the statistical ratings of the 360 launch in comparison with the PS2-Dreamcast-Xbox- etc they are all remarkably similar. Even when the PS2 did hit shelves there were Dreamcast titles that were more graphically impressive.

[RzrWire]

Ditto CARTIER90

[liver_kick]

Launch games will suck - perhaps not graphically, but i can see how many of them will be little more than graphical upgrades to PS2 games, ala 360. Of course AAA games once they arrive will rock, having had a longer development time

I dont think the 360 launch comparison is totally applicable, at least on the US/Euro side of things. You have to factor in that A) PS3 devs will actually have had their final hardware much longer than 360 devs did (final 360 kits didnt go out until late August/early September, only two months prior) and B) Next-Gen 3rd party development is really starting to ramp up now that the PS3 launch window is coming into view. A lot of the reason 360 is seeing 3rd parties merely tart up ports of their current gen games is the fact that the previous market leader hasn't arrived yet. Hirai wasn't being totally facetious when he said "next gen starts when we say it does". ;)

Also a big contrast compared to the PS2 launch is the much improved development SDK for PS3. PS2 had very poor documentation compounded by a very quirky architecture. Sony's rectified this in a big way. Not only are devs working with much friendlier hardware this time around they also have much better tools to go along with it. The Nvidia partnership is a huge boon in this case.

But beyond all that I think the biggest potential Sony has for a quality launch is their 1st party is looking surprisingly strong early on. 1st party devs typically have the most familiarity with the hardware as well as the most resources at their disposal, and subsequently their games are usually among the most polished. Games like Warhawk, Lair, I-8, and possibly Heavenly Sword have proven studios behind them that are all trying to establish new IP for the platform. I think their chances of producing quality titles right out of the gate are very good indeed. Compare that to the PS2 launch which hardly had any 1st party contribution of significance and its a very different picture we're looking at.

Of course all launches are rushed, there's unavoidable vagaries to deal with when launching a new platform and the best is always yet to come. But I think at the very least Sony will have a solid base to start with compared to previous efforts.

[kaphwan]

The ps3 has had an above average window for people to prepare their games. However, most of that time has not been with the final kits, so while killer-app games may not be available at launch, the delay will be less than ever with ps3.

Just my two cents.

[xbdestroya]

Good point though Liver Kick that the first and second-party titles look especially strong for this launch. Assuming they have better access to documentation and advance hardware, could turn out fairly well development-wise (relatively). We'll just have to see.

[Handycrap101]

Meh... My launch expectations are 1 KILLER title and a few other decent titles.. then a 1-1.5 month drought... then things will get rolling. Although I don't think I want launch to come too soon. I just figured out how to get Gran Turismo online :). But yea.. in regards to PS3 launch I expect atleast one REALLY good game (PS2-Tekken Tag, 360- Kameo.. atleast I think so).

Oh and what do you guys think of the new avatar, yay or nay?

[Metal Sphere]

2) Launch games will suck - perhaps not graphically, but i can see how many of them will be little more than graphical upgrades to PS2 games, ala 360. Of course AAA games once they arrive will rock, having had a longer development time.
3 rd gen games arrive. So not all doom and gloom :)

I agree with most of what you've got up there, but not this. The PS2's got equipment from 1999 in it, and we're getting the PS3 in 2005. Needless to say, we're going to get far more than the meager improvement over Xbox graphics that the 360 got. PS2 owners are in for a treat, especially those that were exclusive to the console (ie: most PS2 owners).

[edofall]

i know people say the ps2 lineup was kinda lousy with graphics and gameplay. but i will never forget when i got my ps2 on launch day and went to gamestop to pick up armored core 2. the graphics were stunning and the game had a good plot. that is what im expecting when i get my ps3 on launch day. and getting my first launch title that i will remember all the way to the point i get the next next generation console. AH, and i just remembered. On launch day i got jurassic park 2 on dvd because ps2 was the 1st dvd player in the house and the case said "Fully compatible with Playstation 2". Wonder what movie i will get on BD-DVD?