Wii Raincheck

Nintendo has decided to pull all UK television advertising spots for its most sought after Wii due to serious stock shortages! Perhaps Nintendo of Europe should take a leaf out of their counterpart's book across the pond?

To help assuage consumers' complaints that they can't find a Wii, Nintendo of America announced this morning that they will begin a 'Wii Raincheck' program. If you pay in full for a Wii before Christmas, you can get a raincheck that you'll be able to redeem for a Wii in January.

Fils-Aime said that the program will be run entirely through retailer GameStop, who he says has "many tens of thousands" of certificates.

The program, says Fils-Aime, is for people who want "something to put under the tree."

"A certificate needs to be matched to a specific Wii which needs to be matched to a specific store. Only this retailer has the ability to pull off such a program," said Fils-Aime in regards to why GameStop will be the exclusive partner for this initiative.

Reggie Fils-Aime also said this morning that Wii will be available this weekend in many stores, advertised in circulars for Best Buy, Circuit City, etc.

The 'Wii Raincheck' program recalls Kenner's Early Bird Certificate Package for Star Wars! Kenner, blindsided by the success of Star Wars, was unable to produce enough action figures for the lucrative Christmas market! So, in an inspired move, Kenner offered shoppers in 1977 empty boxes which contained a certificate promising a set of action figures, including Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and R2-D2, in the New Year! Thirty years later and Nintendo of America is doing the same thing!

New PS3 for the masses?

New PLAYSTATION®3 Model to Take Holiday Season by Storm

Aggressively priced hardware and a terrific software line-up make for an unbeatable combination New 40GB PS3 at €399

London, 5 October 2007 – Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) today announced details of its exciting new PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) model that will launch throughout the SCEE territories on 10th October 2007 at the highly attractive price of €399.

Providing an incredibly appealing entry point to the world of High Definition gaming and entertainment for the holiday season, the new PS3 brings the next generation of interactive home entertainment to homes all across Europe, Middle East, Africa and Australasia.

Along with an ever expanding line-up of PS3 titles (a total of 65 titles tracking across all genres by Christmas), the new PS3 is equipped with a 40GB HDD and includes all the features central to the High Definition entertainment experience; true next generation gameplay, stunning High Definition Blu-ray Disc™ movies, SIXAXIS™ wireless controller, Wi-Fi and HDMI connectivity, all powered by the Cell Broadband Engine™, the digital heart of PS3.

As with the 60GB PS3, the new PS3 features upgradeable firmware allowing new features and functionality to be added to the system as time progresses. A recent firmware update, for example, enabled PS3 to upscale DVD’s played on the system to full 1080P High Definition.

The introduction of the new PS3 has been determined following user feedback from thousands of existing PS3 owners as well as research into future potential PS3 owners. The new model features two USB 2.0 ports rather than four and no longer includes the multi memory card port.

The new model is no longer backwards compatible with PlayStation®2 titles, reflecting both the reduced emphasis placed on this feature amongst later purchasers of PS3, as well as the availability of a more extensive line-up of PS3 specific titles (a total of 65 titles across all genres by Christmas).

The existing Starter Pack*, comprising a 60GB PS3 with extensive backwards compatibility, an additional SIXAXIS wireless controller and two first party titles will be reduced in price to €499. Remaining on sale while stocks last, the 60GB model represents outstanding value for the keen gamer wishing to upgrade to the High Definition capabilities of PS3.

“The introduction of the new PS3 has been the result of extensive research into the entertainment needs and preferences of the next generation of PS3 owners,” said David Reeves, President of SCEE. “It has allowed us to deliver an extremely advanced, yet incredibly affordable High Definition gaming and entertainment system, configured to the needs of the next generation of European PS3 owners. PS3 has always been the device of choice for the discerning gamer and entertainment seeker, and the new PS3 is more than ever the perfect High Definition entertainment system.

*In the UK and Ireland, the Starter Pack will be replaced by a separate in-store promotion on the 60GB PS3.

PLAYSTATION®3 40GB Specification
Product name PLAYSTATION®3
CPU Cell Broadband Engine™ Processor
GPU RSX™
Sound Dolby 5.1ch, DTS 5.1ch , LPCM 7.1ch, AAC,
others *1 *2
Memory 256MB XDR Main RAM, 256MB GDDR3 VRAM
HDD 2.5” Serial ATA 40GB
I/O USB 2.0 x2
Communication Ethernet x1 (10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX,
1000BASE-T)
IEEE 802.11 b/g Included
Bluetooth 2.0 (EDR) Included
Wireless controller (Bluetooth) Included
AV Output
Screen size 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p
HDMI OUT x1 *3
AV MULTI OUT x1
DIGITAL OUT (OPTICAL) x1
BD/DVD/CD Drive
(Read Only) Maximum Read Speed BD 2x (BD-ROM)
DVD 8x (DVD-ROM)
CD 24x (CD-ROM)
Dimensions Approximately 325mm (W) x 98mm (H) x 274mm (D)
Weight Approximately 5 kg

*1 A device compatible with Linear PCM 7.1 Ch. is required to output 7.1 Ch. audio, supported by Dolby TrueHD or a similar format, from the HDMI OUT connector.
*2 This system does not support output from the DTS-HD 7.1 Ch. DTS-HD 7.1 Ch. audio is output from a 5.1 or lower channel.
*3 "Deep Color" and "x.v.Color (xvYCC)" defined by HDMI ver1.3a are supported.

PlayStation Plan

KAZUO HIRAI, PRESIDENT AND GROUP CEO OF SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT, OUTLINES PLANS FOR PLAYSTATION BUSINESS AT TOKYO GAME SHOW 2007 KEYNOTE SPEECH

Tokyo, 20 September, 2007 – At Tokyo Game Show 2007, Kazuo Hirai, President and Group CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI), today made a keynote speech that demonstrated the strength and new plans of the PlayStation® business.

- Further Expansion of the PlayStation®2 business

In the 8th year from launch, PlayStation 2 still sees steady demands particularly in North America and Europe. Reaching the remarkable milestone of the 120 millionth shipment in the 7th year from launch, PlayStation 2 will have longer-tail business compared to its predecessor, the original PlayStation. Targeting at further expanding the business into the emerging markets, SCEI will continue to vigorously promote PlayStation 2, by introducing more and more exciting new games.

- PSP® (PlayStation®Portable), a Key Driving Force for the Growth Strategy for Overall PlayStation® Business

Strong support from users worldwide as well as abundant exciting software line-up including million seller titles from publishers around the world, have resulted in PSP hardware shipment exceeding 26 million units worldwide by June, 2007. SCEI will further enhance its portability and convenience for users along with continuous cost reduction measures to boost the expansion of the PSP platform.

➢ Introduce color variations and popular software bundled products to meet the needs of variety of users around the world.

➢ Offer users new entertainment experiences that are only possible on PSP, by enriching network content and services in addition to introducing unique peripherals such as camera, GPS, and “１Seg” TV tuner.

➢ Deploy market oriented strategies in each region.

With PSP, equipped with an overwhelmingly powerful CPU and a high resolution large LCD screen for a handheld device, SCEI will further extend the boundaries of game experiences by fully utilizing “Remote Play”. The combination of PS3 and PSP Remote Play will offer PSP users more exciting and new ways to enjoy rich interactive entertainment content especially of sports, RPG, and shooting.

- Strengthening Software Development Environment for PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3®) along with the Introduction of More Software Titles and Unique Peripherals

SCEI will be even more supportive of third party developers by way of following measures.

➢ Share assets and know-how built up within Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios (SCE WWS).

➢ Hold advisory board in periodical basis to get feedback from publishers.

➢ Implement various strategies and sharing of information to enhance efficiency in games development.

➢ Share SN Systems tool chain.

In a strategic move to secure excellence in games development for current and future PlayStation platforms, SCEI have acquired leading game developer Evolution Studios Ltd. and its subsidiary Bigbig studios Ltd., to further expand its games development capability as part of SCE WWS.

Continuous cost reduction efforts including shrinking the chip size and reducing the number of components. Cost reduction of hardware is one of the most important challenges for our business and SCEI will further accelerate this effort.

SCEI will continue R&D efforts to accommodate to users’ demand. As part of such efforts, SCEI today announced DUALSHOCK®3 Wireless Controller, a new controller for PS3 incorporating a rumble feature, to become available in Japan in November as a separately sold accessory. It inherits the basic design and functionality of the popular PlayStation controller, while keeping the motion sensitive six-axis sensing system. Introduction to North American and European markets is expected in spring 2008.

- Creation of New Business Opportunities Suitable for the Network Era

More than 2.7 million users worldwide have gone on-line with PS3. The number of users that are on-line is steadily increasing, enjoying the latest PS3 network games as well as exchanging messages and video chatting on-line.

➢ Gran Turismo™5 Prologue will be available both on Blu-ray Disc and as a downloadable content from PLAYSTATION®Network on December 13th in the Japanese market. Gran Turismo™5 Prologue presents a new life style beyond traditional game experiences such as on-line car dealers and “GT.TV”, an in-game service for the distribution of car programs.

➢PLAYSTATION®Home

PLAYSTATION Home, a 3D on-line user community service, is currently under development to be launched in spring 2008.

➢ PLAYSTATION®Store in Japan offers more than 500 entertainment content including more than 30 of downloadable new games and demos, more than 300 of add-on game content, more than 100 “Game Archives” titles for PSP/PS3 and about 90 movie trailers.

➢ SCEI today opened PLAYSTATION®Store on PC in Japan which enables PSP users to download a wide variety of digital entertainment content available on PLAYSTATION Network via their PC.

- Future Possibility for PS3

With the participation of PS3 incorporating super computer-like powerful Cell Broadband Engine™ (Cell/B.E.)– and what will be even more powerful when connected to the network – , Stanford University’s Folding@home™ program achieved a total computing power of 1 petaflop at a single moment, of which 80% calculation was contributed by PS3 users.

With PS3, equipped with this powerful Cell/B.E. as well as other state-of-the-art technology such as full HD capability and Blu-ray, SCEI will continue to expand a new world of interactive entertainment.

Dualshock®3

DUALSHOCK®3 WIRELESS CONTROLLER WITH RUMBLE FEATURE TO BE INTRODUCED FOR PLAYSTATION®3

Tokyo, September 20, 2007 – Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) today announced that it would release DUALSHOCK®3 Wireless Controller, a new controller for PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3®) incorporating a rumble feature, in Japan in November as a separately sold accessory. It inherits the basic design and functionality of the popular PlayStation® controller, while keeping the high-precision, high response motion sensitive six-axis sensing system. Introduction to North American and European markets is expected in spring 2008.

The added rumble feature, combined with the highly realistic motion sensitive six-axis sensing system, takes gamers deeper into the world of interactivity, delivering a more intuitive, realistic and immersive game play experience. The new controller will also benefit PS3 content creators, by giving them the ability to further expand their creative imagination. PS3 titles that are already in the market may become compatible with the rumble feature through software update.

With DUALSHOCK 3 and the attractive lineup of PS3 titles incorporating the rumble feature, SCEI will introduce more new ways of enjoyment that can only be found on PS3, and will further redefine the world of entertainment.

LIST OF PLAYSTATION®3 TITLES COMPATIBLE WITH DUALSHOCK®3 IN JAPAN

As of September 20th, 2007

(in alphabetical order of company name)

Title Name Developer/Publisher

Vampire Rain -Altered Species AQ INTERACTIVE Inc.

BIOHAZARD® 5 CAPCOM CO.,LTD.

Devil May Cry® 4 CAPCOM CO.,LTD.

Dark Sector D3 PUBLISHER Inc.

Burnout Paradise ELECTRONIC ARTS K.K.

FIFA franchise (title name TBD) ELECTRONIC ARTS K.K.

BUMPY TROT2 IREM SOFTWARE ENGINEERING INC.

Dynasty Warriors 6 KOEI Co., Ltd.

Fatal Inertia KOEI Co., Ltd.

GI JOCKEY 4 2007 KOEI Co., Ltd.

METAL GEAR ONLINE Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.

METAL GEAR SOLID 4 GUNS OF THE PATRIOTS Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd.

IMABIKISOU SEGA CORPORATION

Blast Factor (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

echochrome Sony Computer Entertainment

Folklore (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

FORMULA ONE CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

Go! Sports Ski (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

Heavenly Sword (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

MotorStorm (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction Sony Computer Entertainment

Resistance: Fall of Men (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

Super Stardust HD (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

TOY HOME Sony Computer Entertainment

Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune Sony Computer Entertainment

Warhawk (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

LIST OF PLAYSTATION®3 TITLES COMPATIBLE WITH DUALSHOCK®3 IN NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE *2

As of September 20th, 2007

(in alphabetical order of company name)

Title Name Developer/Publisher

The Darkness 2K Games

Enemy Territory: Quake Wars Activision

Soldier of Fortune Activision

BIOHAZARD® 5 CAPCOM

Devil May Cry® 4 CAPCOM

N-Cube Creat Studios

Warbit Creat Studios

Dark Sector D3 PUBLISHER

Turok Disney Interactive

Highlander Eidos

Kane & Lynch: Dead Men Eidos

Burnout Paradise ELECTRONIC ARTS

FIFA franchise (title name TBD) ELECTRONIC ARTS

Legendary: The Box Gamecock

To End All Wars Ghostlight

RAGE id Software

WarDevil – Unleash the Beast Within Ignition Entertainment

Dynasty Warriors 6 KOEI

Fatal Inertia KOEI

METAL GEAR SOLID 4 GUNS OF THE PATRIOTS Konami

Blacksite: Area 51 Midway

TNA Wrestling Midway

Unreal Tournament 3 Midway

Wheelman Midway

Cops (codename, title name TBD) Pyro

Planet One (codename, title name TBD) Pyro

Heroes over Europe Red Mile Entertainment

Condemned 2 SEGA

Iron Man SEGA

The Club SEGA

The Crucible SEGA

The Incredible Hulk SEGA

Blast Factor (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

echochrome Sony Computer Entertainment

Elefunk Sony Computer Entertainment

Folklore (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

FORMULA ONE CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

Go! Sports Ski (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

Heavenly Sword (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

High Velocity Bowling Sony Computer Entertainment

MLB 08: The Show Sony Computer Entertainment

MotorStorm (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

NBA 08 (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

PAIN Sony Computer Entertainment

Rat Race Sony Computer Entertainment

Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction Sony Computer Entertainment

Resistance: Fall of Man (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

Snakeball Sony Computer Entertainment

SOCOM: Confrontation Sony Computer Entertainment

Super Stardust HD (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

TOY HOME Sony Computer Entertainment

Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune Sony Computer Entertainment

Warhawk (*1) Sony Computer Entertainment

WipEout HD Sony Computer Entertainment

GirpShift® Sony Online Entertainment

NBA 2K8 Take Two Sports

Destroy All Humans 3 THQ

Stuntman Ignition THQ

Assassin’s Creed UbiSoft

BEOWULF UbiSoft

HAZE UbiSoft

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 (*1) UbiSoft

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas (*1) UbiSoft

Prototype Vivendi Games

The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena Vivendi Games

*1　 Users will be able to enjoy the rumble feature through software update.

*2　Actual titles to be released may vary among countries and regions.

Super Paper Cuts

Nintendo of Europe released a statement today acknowledging the existence of a game-freezing bug in the newly released PAL Super Paper Mario.

When you are playing Super Paper Mario in UK English, German or Spanish, a problem can occur in a very specific situation. Since the situation where the error occurs is so specific, it’s very possible that you may not experience any issue at all.

At the start of Chapter 2-2, you will come across a character called Mimi. She will tell you to go to the farthest room on the first floor to meet a character called Merlee. Enter that room and press the green switch. A trap will be triggered, and a spiked ceiling will descend upon Mario. Before the ceiling reaches him, flip into 3D and jump on it to find a key.

If you pick up the key, you won't run into any problems. Use it to open the locked door to Mimi's right. However, if you talk to Mimi without picking up the key, the game will freeze. You will then have to turn off your Wii console and start again from your last save point.

Please note that your game freezing up will not do any damage to your Wii or the game itself, but we do sincerely apologise for this error and the inconvenience caused to your gameplay experience.

While you can avoid the problem as described above, we want to give you the opportunity to replace your Super Paper Mario game disc free of charge with a new version that doesn’t contain the error. Details about the replacement procedure will be announced shortly on this website.

We hope this problem doesn’t stop you from enjoying Super Paper Mario and would once again like to apologise for any inconvenience caused.

"PS3 Starter Pack" confirmed for Europe

PS3 STARTER PACK ANNOUNCED FOR EUROPE

Santa Monica, 12th July 2007. Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) today announced the availability of a high value Starter Pack for PLAYSTATION®3, comprising a PS3, two first party games and two SIXAXIS™ wireless controllers, at €599.

Rolling out across the SCEE territories from 13th July, and in all territories by 1st August, the new Starter Pack represents exceptional value for money as an entry point into the exciting world of High Definition interactive entertainment with PLAYSTATION 3.

The choice of first party games available in the Starter Pack will vary to suit the interests of entertainment enthusiasts in each country, but will include million sellers such as Resistance Fall of Man™ and MotorStorm™; titles specifically chosen to demonstrate the stunning graphics and enhanced gameplay of High Definition games on Blu-ray disc.

With an additional wireless SIXAXIS, motion sensitive controller provided for head to head and multi player gaming, the Starter Pack is sure to appeal to those seeking to enhance their entertainment experience with the best of 21st century technology.

“With sell through of over 1.2 million units in the SCEE territories to date, PLAYSTATION 3 has proved to be an instant and huge success”, said David Reeves, President of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.

“The exceptional value of the new Starter Pack will bring the excitement of PlayStation® gaming to a much wider audience. Add to this a stellar lineup of software titles for the second half of the year and we are confident that this amazing value Starter Pack will encourage many more keen gamers to join the PLAYSTATION 3 community”.

Firmware fillip for PS3

PS3 Firmware Version 1.80 Announced

Latest PLAYSTATION 3 Firmware Update Provides PlayStation, PlayStation 2 and DVD Upscaling Remote Play on PSP (PlayStation Portable) via the Internet and DLNA transfer of media content also enabled

London, 24 May 2007 – Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) announced today availability of the latest version of the PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) firmware. Version 1.80 features upscaling of PlayStation® and PlayStation 2 games, and DVD movies up to full 1080p HD resolution when viewed on a compatible HD TV set.

The capability to upscale DVDs to HD quality is a feature normally only associated with top range DVD players, and its inclusion in the latest firmware upgrade now allows PS3 owners with an existing DVD collection to dramatically enhance the viewing pleasure of their DVD collection when viewed through a compatible HD TV set1. Not only can DVD movies be enhanced to full 1080p HD quality but so too will PlayStation 2 and PlayStation games be upscaled to provide much improved gaming pleasure.

In a comprehensive update to PS3’s already impressive capabilities, Version 1.80 also allows users to enjoy Remote Play on their PSP across the internet, allowing them to access their PS3 anywhere in the world where a broadband internet connection is available2.

Version 1.80 also allows users on a home network to seamlessly view and play rich media content such as images, music and video on their PS3, that is stored on their DLNA3 enabled devices such as PCs and laptops elsewhere in the house, reinforcing PS3’s credentials as a home entertainment hub that truly deserves pride of place in the Living Room.

A host of other enhancements include the ability to print photo images stored on PS3’s hard disk or inserted storage media to a selection of Epson printers.

PS3 owners will be able to upgrade their PS3 with the latest Version 1.80 firmware from 24th May 2007.

In related news. The PlayStation 3 shot to the top spot on Amazon.co.uk's Hot 100, bolstered by last week's Sony Gamer's Day.

Notes

1. DVD-ROM (including DVD Video content) can only be upscaled with HDMI compatible TV sets.

2. Use of Remote Play requires a powered up PS3 with Version 1.80 as well as PSP firmware version 3.50 which will be available at the end of May.

3. DLNA – Digital Living Network Alliance.

Coke, Cannes and free iTunes

I'd meant to comment on the latest Coca-Cola announcement, but have been preoccupied with traveling arrangements for Sunday's Conference "play-off" final between Exeter City FC and Morecombe at the new Wembley Stadium! I'll be posting photos, on Flickr, for those of you who are interested.

Coca-Cola, not content with Nintendo's Get Up and Play bling-bling, is running another Coke+iTunes promotion this summer for all of us lucky Europeans!

As part of the promotion, Coke and iTunes will give away songs from the iTunes Store in over 2 billion promotional packs of Coca-Cola, Diet Coke and Coke Zero this summer. The on-pack promotion will also offer customers the chance to win free iPods and attend some of the 100-plus Coke and iTunes sponsored summer concerts across Europe. The promotion will be launched at the Cannes Film Festival with a special live performance from Faithless, who have recorded an exclusive track for Coke and iTunes and collaborated with designers Paranoid on a limited-edition, aluminium Coke bottle.

"Coca-Cola has a long and rich heritage in music, from memorable advertising tracks to grassroots support to big live events. In Summer 2006 we started an innovative new partnership with iTunes," said Chris R. Burggraeve, group marketing director for the European Union Group. "Coke+iTunes aims to reinvent the ways young people create, listen to, and experience music every day. Thanks to Coke+iTunes, European youth will enjoy this Summer 2007 the biggest pan European music experience ever. And what better way to build bridges among European cultures than through music?"

"iTunes is the world's most popular online music store selling 58 songs every second at a rate of 5 million tracks a day," said Eddy Cue, Apple's vice president of iTunes. "We've already had great success working with Coca-Cola over the past year and this new pan-European initiative gives music fans across Europe the ability to download free music all summer long."

American readers you'll have to write Pepsi!

Sayonara "Father of PlayStation"

The "Father of the PlayStation" is stepping down from his position of CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment.

"Kutaragi has said that he has been considering this decision for some time. He stated that, in the six months since the appointment of Kazuo Hirai as President in December, the new generation of management, led by Mr. Hirai, has continued to develop. With the March introduction of PS3 in Europe completing the successful launch of PS3 worldwide, Mr. Kutaragi has identified SCE's Annual Shareholders' meeting in June as the ideal timing to pass on the torch to the new generation of management. Mr. Kutaragi will now apply his extensive technological knowledge and leadership skills to take on new challenges beyond the world of PlayStation. Sony and SCE will continue to seek Mr. Kutaragi's input and ideas from a broad perspective, while continuing to support him as much as possible in the realization of his dreams."

Can Spider-Man 3 save Sony and its ailing brand equity?

The Price of PS3 Gaming

European PLAYSTATION 3 First Party Software Pricing Announced

London, 26 February 2007 – Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) today announced pricing details for its first party title launch line-up, to accompany the 23rd March 2007 launch of PLAYSTATION®3.

Providing details of the prices to be charged for first party software available on both disc and through the PLAYSTATION®Network1, SCEE confirmed that its five disc based launch titles, including the highly acclaimed Motorstorm™ and Resistance: Fall of Man™ will be priced at an RRP of €59.99 (£39.99, AUD 99.95, NZ 109.95).

In addition to the disc based games SCEE also announced that exclusive and innovative experiences developed especially for download from the PLAYSTATION®Network such as BlastFactor, flOw and Super Rub a Dub, together with iconic gaming brands such as Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection will be made available for an introductory period at prices which range from €2.99 to €9.99 depending on the specific title.

Other first party content available on the PLAYSTATION®Network such as game items and premium video content will be priced on an easy to understand sliding scale of charges starting as low as €0.99 and increasing depending on the scope of the product. This could range from a new SingStar track to a premium pack for MotorStorm, which would include a new track, additional vehicles, liveries and multiplayer modes.

In announcing these prices, David Reeves, President and CEO of SCEE said, “Not only will it be completely free to register on the PLAYSTATION®Network with no subscription fees and access to many free demos, but with these competitive prices for additional content we are able to offer the consumer both top quality games on Blu-ray discs and a whole range of downloadable content from the PLAYSTATION®Network. With over 30 first and third party disc and network games available at launch, we are confident that this will be one of the most successful launches of all time.”

Paucity of Emotionless Euro PlayStation 3 Pre-orders

This week's posts have been dominated by PlayStation 3 news!

Online rumbles suggest Sony's dominance of the lucrative console market is at end with the launch of PS3 permeate the blogosphere. This is purportedly indicated by low consumer demand due to the availability of the next generation console on Amazon.co.uk, Play.com and Gameplay (the latter two only offer expensive pre-packed bundles). Given the price of the PS3, GBP 425, it's hardly an impulse buy compared against Wii.

Anyway, I'm keen to share the following news directly from SCEE Press Office, which may add further salt to the wound:

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Announces Hardware Specification of PLAYSTATION®3 for Europe

London, 23 February 2007 – Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) today announced that PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) to be launched in Europe, Middle East, Africa and Australasia on 23rd March 2007 would utilise a new hardware specification.

The European PS3 will feature the Cell Broadband Engine™, 60 GB hard disc drive, Blu-ray Disc player, built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, SIXAXIS™ wireless controller. It also embodies a new combination of hardware and software emulation which will enable PS3 to be compatible with a broad range of original PlayStation® (PS) titles and a limited range of PlayStation®2 (PS2) titles.

“PS3 is first and foremost a system that excels in playing games specifically designed to exploit the power and potential of the PS3 system,” said David Reeves, President of SCEE. “Games designed for PS3 offer incredible graphics quality, stunning gameplay and massively improved audio and video fidelity that is simply not achievable with PS and PS2 games. Rather than concentrate on PS2 backwards compatibility, in the future, company resources will be increasingly focused on developing new games and entertainment features exclusively for PS3, truly taking advantage of this exciting technology.”

Some additional PS2 titles will become compatible on the PS3 system through regular downloadable firmware updates, which will be made available through the PLAYSTATION®Network, from http://www.playstation.com or via PS3 game discs, with the first update planned for the launch date of the 23rd March 2007.

Users will be able to check whether their titles are compatible with PS3 at http://faq.eu.playstation.com/bc. This site will be available on 23rd March to meet launch day.

1. A device compatible with Linear PCM 7.1 Ch is required to output 7.1 ch audio, supported by Dolby TrueHD or a similar format, from the HDMI OUT connector.

2. This system does not support output from the DTS-HD 7.1 Ch. DTS-HD 7.1 Ch audio is output from a 5.1 or lower channel.

3. Usability of all storage media types is not guaranteed.

4. Certain PlayStation 2 format software titles may not perform properly on this system. Visit faq.eu.playstation.com/bc for the latest information regarding compatible titles

Legal Notes:

l Storage media (“Memory Stick”, SD memory card, and CompactFlash®) are sold separately.

l “Dolby” is a trademark of Dolby Laboratories.

l “DTS” is a trademark of DTS, Inc.

l Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. is an authorized licensee of the CompactFlash® trademark.

l HDMI, the HDMI logo and High-Definition Multimedia Interface are trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing LLC.

l “Blu-ray Disc” is a trademark.

l The Bluetooth word mark is owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such mark by Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. is under license.

l “Memory Stick” is a trademark of Sony Corporation.

l “Super Audio CD” is a trademark.

l “PlayStation”, “PLAYSTATION” and “PSP” are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Also, “Cell Broadband Engine” and “RSX” are trademarks of the same company.

So, is the backwards compatibility 'issue' going to affect your purchasing decision? Limited PS2 gaming is not a "deal breaker" for me as I sold mine to a friend a couple of years ago. And Resistance: Fall of Man (PS3) is no poor man's Gears of War (Xbox 360)!

Please comment and I'll post a follow-up in a few weeks time.

Pre-order your PlayStation 3

The PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system unleashes a brilliant, high-definition entertainment experience with its Cell Broadband Engine that delivers a gaming experience that is beyond what you know today. Its built-in Blu-ray Disc drive delivers a whole new generation in high-definition gaming and unmatched digital media storage. Whether it’s gaming, Blu-ray movies, music or online services, PlayStation 3 will change your digital life.

Gian Luzio, head of games for Play.com, has revealed that they have taken 6 times more pre-orders for the PlayStation 3 than for the Xbox 360, and 15 times more than the Wii.

Play.com is offering one bundle, including first-party titles MotorStorm, Resistance: Fall of Man and Genji, for GBP 524.99.

Play promised they will deliver all pre-ordered PS3 units on launch day (unlike when the 360 and Wii were launched): "We have taken the necessary steps to ensure that customers will only be able to pre-order the system up until Play's allocation has been reached".

"We will always want more consoles to satisfy customer demand, however, we are satisfied that Sony are doing all they can to fulfil demand," Luzio said.

He added that the inclusion of a Blu-ray player in the PlayStation 3 will have a massive impact on the retailer's business.

"Figures from the United States show that Blu-ray movie sales are outselling HD-DVD by a factor of 2:1 since the launch of PS3 and we have similar sales expectations".

Not only Play.com is having so many pre-orders, according to Sony: "With an unprecedented day one shipment of 1 million machines into Europe and a software catalogue of over 30 titles available at launch, retailer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive".

The PlayStation 3 is due for launch in Europe on March 23, priced at GBP 425 / EUR 599 for the 60GB model.

Amazon UK is now taking PlayStation 3 (60GB Premium Version) pre-orders!

Amazon US now has restocks of PlayStation 3 (60 GB Premium Version).

Grab one whilst stocks last!

Blu-ray Bond

First 500,000 PS3 Registrants on PLAYSTATION®Network to be Rewarded with Casino Royale on Blu-ray

London, 12th February 2007 – Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) announced today that, in addition to the extensive line-up of games, the first 500,000 purchasers of PLAYSTATION®3 who registered on the PLAYSTATION®Network would receive a Blu-ray disc movie of Casino Royale, starring James Bond newcomer Daniel Craig.

Casino Royale, which has already grossed more than $560 million at the box office worldwide, and has established itself as the most successful Bond film of all time will debut on a 50GB dual-layer Blu-ray disc encoded in MPEG-4 AVC. With a ground breaking collection of added-value features in 1080P High Definition visual quality, and with uncompressed audio features for the best possible audio experience, Casino Royale not only demonstrates the exceptional visual quality of Full 1080P High Definition movies on Blu-ray disc, but is the perfect vehicle to highlight the broader entertainment credentials of the PLAYSTATION 3 system.

Explaining the offer, Darren Carter, VP Brand and Consumer Marketing said, “The PLAYSTATION®Network unlocks the broad range of interactive entertainment features of PLAYSTATION 3. It’s easy to set up, offers free online gaming, has great tools for staying in touch with friends and family, and includes a wide variety of content for download through the PLAYSTATION®Store.”

“All this, and more, will enable users to experience a whole new world of interactive entertainment, and that is why we are offering the phenomenal incentive of Casino Royale, on Blu-ray disc, to PS3 owners who register on the PLAYSTATION®Network. Casino Royale not only makes the most of the features and capabilities of the Blu-ray format, but is one of the most exciting and entertaining movies to debut on Blu-ray this year.”

Wii Buy

Supplies of Nintendo Wii remain relatively low in Europe! Certainly there's been no upsurge in inventory and eBay sellers continue to exploit the market. Purportedly more stocks will arrive in March. This coincides with the launch of Sony's PlayStation 3!

For those readers lucky enough to own a Wii. If you haven't already purchased a Secure Digital (SD) memory card, which is required for storing game saves (in addition to the built-in flash memory), photo editing and downloading Virtual Console games. Amazon.co.uk is selling SanDisk's SD 512MB Memory Card, officially licensed by Nintendo, for £8.87. That's a massive 56% reduction on the suggested retail price of £19.99! Mine arrived this morning and it's a bargain.

ATV

Whilst perusing YouTube, now owned by Google, I found the following video, which showcases Apple TV in all its diminutive gorgeousness.



Will Apple TV combine the small footprint of the Mac mini with iPod gaming and succeed where Apple/Bandai Pippin failed? I must confess that the idea of watching streamed episodes of Doctor Who, and listening to the soundtrack, via Apple's solution, would be compelling with the addition of built-in HDD and Blu-Ray support!

Still no sign of iTunes 7.1 or Mac OS X 10.4.9! However, if the rumours are to be believed, these updates are imminent as is the advent of movie and television content in Europe!

Euro PlayStation

Fresh from the SCEE Press Office.

Over 30 Titles for Launch Period

1 Million units forecast for Initial Launch Period

London, 25 January 2007 - Sony Computer Entertainment Europe today announced that PLAYSTATION®3 will be launched in the PAL territories of Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Australasia on 23rd March 2007 at a price of EURO 599 (GBP 425, AUD 999.95, NZ 1199.95).

Responding to retail and consumer demand, SCEE confirmed that initially only the 60GB model would be available, with the 20GB model to follow later in the year dependent on demand.

An expected one million PS3 units will be made available during the initial launch period.

SCEE also announced a stellar launch line-up of over 30 game titles for PS3, including eagerly awaited titles published by SCEE such as Resistance: Fall of Man™, MotorStorm™, Genji™: Days of the Blade, FORMULA ONE ™ CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION and Ridge Racer™ 7. An exceptional range of titles in every genre will also be available at launch from the world's leading third party publishers, including Electronic Arts, Activision, Namco Bandai, Sega, Take 2, Ubisoft, Vivendi Universal, and Sony Online Entertainment.

In addition to games on disc, an exciting range of fully-featured downloadable games will debut on the PLAYSTATION®Network. These will include gaming icons such as Tekken®: Dark Resurrection and Gran Turismo® HD Concept; the fully-featured PS3 debut of the best-selling franchise Gran Turismo, realised with full HD (1080p) visual quality. Created by Polyphony Digital Inc and published by Sony Computer Entertainment, Gran Turismo® HD Concept has been downloaded by more than 350,000 users since it was released in December 2006 in North America and Japan.

Also available on the PLAYSTATION®Network will be brainteasers such as Go! Sudoku and Go! Puzzle, and innovative games such as Blast Factor™ and flOw™, designed exclusively for PLAYSTATION 3 and delivering on the promise to provide original content created by non-traditional developers and publishers.

Concurrent with the European launch, a new System Update to further enhance the entertainment potential of PS3 will be issued.

Announcing the launch details, David Reeves, President of SCEE said, "Following the hugely successful launches of PS3 in Japan and North America, we are absolutely delighted to be able to bring significant numbers of PS3 to the SCEE territories. To be able to launch with over 30 titles across every genre shows that this is our strongest launch line-up in the history of PlayStation, and is what PlayStation fans in Europe have been crying out for."

PLAYSTATION 3 LAUNCH TITLE LINE-UP

PS3 Launch Title - Publisher - Network or Disc based

Resistance: Fall of Man™ - SCEE - Disc

MotorStorm™ - SCEE - Disc

Genji™: Days of the Blade - SCEE - Disc

FORMULA ONE™ CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION - SCEE - Disc

Ridge Racer™ 7 - SCEE - Disc

Tekken®: Dark Resurrection - SCEE - Network

Lemmings™ - SCEE - Network

Go! Sudoku - SCEE - Network

Go! Puzzle - SCEE - Network

Blast Factor™ - SCEE - Network

flOw™ - SCEE - Network

Super Rub'a'Dub - SCEE - Network

Call of Duty 3 - Activision UK Ltd - Disc

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance - Activision UK Ltd - Disc

Tony Hawks Project 8 - Activision UK Ltd - Disc

Gundam - Target in Sight - Namco Bandai Games - Disc

Full Auto™ 2: Battle Lines - Sega®Europe Ltd - Disc

Sonic the Hedgehog™ - Sega®Europe Ltd - Disc

Virtua Fighter™ 5 - Sega®Europe Ltd - Disc

Virtua Tennis™ 3 - Sega®Europe Ltd - Disc

World Snooker Championship 2007 - Sega®Europe Ltd - Disc

NBA 2K7 - Take 2 International SA - Disc

NHL 2K7 - Take 2 International SA - Disc

Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWll - Ubisoft Entertainment SA - Disc

Enchanted Arms - Ubisoft Entertainment SA - Disc

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent - Ubisoft Entertainment SA - Disc

The Elder Scrolls lV: Oblivion - Ubisoft Entertainment SA - Disc

Def Jam: Icon - Electronic Arts Ltd - Disc

Fight Night Round 3 - Electronic Arts Ltd - Disc

NBA Street 4 Homecourt 2007 - Electronic Arts Ltd - Disc

Need for Speed Carbon - Electronic Arts Ltd - Disc

The Godfather: The Don's Edition - Electronic Arts Ltd - Disc

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2007 - Electronic Arts Ltd - Disc

Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom - Electronic Arts Ltd - Disc

F.E.A.R. - Vivendi Universal Games Intl SA - Disc

Gripshift - Sony Online Entertainment - Network

PLAYSTATION 3 Peripherals Available at Launch Peripheral

RRP in Euros

SIXAXIS™ Wireless Controller - EURO 49.99

Blu-ray Disc Remote Control - EURO 24.99

HDMI Cable - EURO 24.99

AV cable - EURO 16.99

Component AV cable - EURO 24.99

S Video cable - EURO 16.99

You will be able to pre-order PS3 from my PlayStation Shop.

Wii-Envy You

Following the launch of the Wii across Europe at midnight last night, Nintendo UK has reported that 50,000 units of the console were sold in just 12 hours!

That equates to one sale every second, according to Nintendo - much to the satisfaction of UK boss David Yarnton.

"We are delighted with the amazing response to Wii and that people of all ages and gaming experience are embracing the way that we are turning the industry on its head," he commented.

"With so many units sold it is great to see that people will be enjoying Wii with their families this Christmas."

The official launch took place at HMV's flagship Oxford Street store, where 17 year old Londoner Marwan Elgamal became the first British gamer to pick up a Wii. Other shops opening at midnight included the GAME store down the road, which saw even longer queues and also sold all of its stock.

PC World Ipswich witnessed a queue of onlookers who wanted to participate in Wii Play! The glorious Gears of War point-of-sale wasn't enough to diminish Wii-envy!

Media Manager for PSP®

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Announces a Content Organiser for PSP

London, 1 November 2006 – Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) today announced the launch of Media Manager for PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) allowing users to easily transfer, share and manage their PSP content with their Personal Computer (PC).

Developed by Sony Media Software, the new Media Manager for PSP will enable users to transfer video, photos, documents, podcasts and music to and from the PSP system using the simple drag-and-drop method. Users will be able to simultaneously transfer multiple items from their PC to their PSP system and a media previewing function will also assist in the easy flow of content to and from the PSP system.

Media Manager for PSP will support a vast majority of file formats (see Notes to Editors) and will automatically convert files to allow users to easily view or listen to a massive library of content that is available to the PSP community. Along with simple management of content, users will also be able to transfer Internet Explorer favourites to their PSP system plus easily backup games saves and move game saves between Memory Stick Duo™.

''We are delighted to launch Media Manager for PSP in Europe. Media Manager adds a great deal to the everyday running of the PSP system and ensures that it will remain the ultimate entertainment companion for all present and future PSP users’’ said Stephane Hareau, PSP Senior Brand Manager for SCEE. ‘’Consumers will now be able to organise and manage non-game content like videos, music, photos and much more on their PSP with the utmost ease’’

Media Manager for PSP will be available to download for €9.99 (£7.99) from the 3rd of November (details at yourpsp.com) and boxed in store for €19.99 (£14.99) from the 8th of November. Vouchers to download Media Manager for PSP will be included with specific PSP bundles.

Bootylicious

Mark your calendars for two important dates this week!

Starting with Tuesday September 12th and the launch of iTunes 7 (surely this update will warrant more than an incremental number change), store overhaul and iPods... I'd like to see CD-Text, AAC Plus and Vorbis support added to iTunes.

On Friday September 15th Nintendo Europe will officially announce the launch date and pricing of Wii. Approximately the size of three stacked DVD cases, Wii's elegant design makes it an inviting addition to your entertainment setup without monopolizing it. Thanks to the Wii Remote, you're given more freedom to place the console where it best suits your lifestyle.

Will Wii become Nintendo's iMac and reverse their desktop console fortunes? The pre-order queue starts here.

Playtime postponed? (not on your Nelly Furtado)

This morning's SCEE Press Office announcement regarding the delayed launch of PS3 came as no shock!

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Announces New March 2007 date for European Launch of PLAYSTATION 3

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Announces New March 2007 date for European Launch of PLAYSTATION 3 No change in launch date for Japan and North America

London, Wednesday 6 September 2006 – Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) today announced that it would revise the launch date of its PLAYSTATION® 3 computer entertainment system in the PAL territories of Europe, Russia, Middle East, Africa and Australasia from 17th November 2006, as previously announced to March 2007.

Launch dates for Japan and North America will remain the same, which are November 11th and November 17th respectively.

The revision of the launch date in the SCEE territories is caused by the delay in the mass production schedule of the blue laser diode within the Sony Group, thus affecting the timely procurement of key components to be utilised in PLAYSTATION 3.

The previously announced PLAYSTATION 3 shipment forecast of 6 million units globally within the fiscal year ending 2007 is not changed.

Given the above, both Microsoft and Nintendo will certainly capitalize on this weakness during the lucrative holiday season! The Wii is far more compelling and can viewed as the 'wild card' in the next generation console pack!