Sony Reveals PS2 Successor!

[Oriadin]

Just got this from computerandvideogames.com

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SONY REVEALS PLAYSTATION 2 SUCCESSOR!

Built in DVD writer, hard drive and TV tuner to come as standard, late 2004 release planned

11:07 Sony Computer Entertainment has announced a brand new model PlayStation for release in Japan by the end of 2003. The hardware, billed by Sony as "PSX", will release with a DVD writer, hard drive and TV tuner, forming a comprehensive home entertainment system.
But despite knee-jerk reports from other sites, this is not the first details on PS3, with a Sony Europe spokesperson confirming to us a few moments ago: "This new model features exactly the same chipset as PlayStation 2".

According to sources, PlayStation 3 itself is not set to ship until late 2005, and with Microsoft repeatedly asserting Xbox 2 will be first to the market in the next generation of hardware, industry watchers are alerady branding PSX nothing more than a "filler" product to help Sony remain competitive with the rapidly increasing success of Xbox.

But having recently posted its biggest losses for almost a decade, while issuing further profit warnings, this new hardware model is likely to provide a further financial hit to the company as it works to get its PSP handheld console and PS3 to the market.

And considering the features built into PSX, pricing will obviously be a massive issue for the console, although Sony has currently made no announcement regarding this.

The PSX is unlikely to release in the US and Europe until deep into 2004, which will surely have a knock-on effect on Sony's intended release date for PS3. And this could lead to the rather startling outcome of Sony entering the next-gen race on the back foot. Microsoft will doubtless be viewing this move with interest, to say the least, but a spokesperson for the company was unavailable for comment at the time of writing.

We'll keep you posted on all the latest developments.


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Why does it come with a TV tuner? Doesnt it plug into the TV??? Seems a bit odd.

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

So, in other words, worthless?

I mean, I like the PS2, but, I think they need to focus their energies on making more games and pumping all their hardware attention into a new model with upgradable video RAM.

[Gurney Devries]

I assume this is the model I read about which is supposed to be for DVD enthusiasts. The PS2's current DVD playback capabilities are pretty lacking and by no means a replacement for a real DVD player. This is supposed to correct that.

But why would it be able to write DVD-Rs? I mean, what're you going to do... copy all of your saved games onto disc?

[Marcus Telcontar]

Why does it come with a TV tuner? Doesnt it plug into the TV??? Seems a bit odd.

Now I think of it.... your right. HOW STUPID. And whoop-de-doo about the burner and HDD. Despite the PS2 fanboys assertions, the XBox is the better system - even a dumb non gamer like me can see it.

Usually, MS thakes at least three tries to get it right. I'm amazed they came out out of the box with somethign good first time around. But, then again, Microsoft branded hardware has always been very good.

[Droo]

I want to burn my PS2. I'll never buy another Sony POS games console. I will have a Gamecube ASAP.

[Darth Viscera]

This sounds like a waste of a perfectly good DVD writer. The kinds of TV tuners they're talking about are by definition crap, anyhow. I've never seen an analog-to-digital converter that can live up to the sharpness and good contrast ratio that you can find on a good old fashioned TV set.

Sounds like they're going for some sort of PS2 TiVo.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I might get it depends on the cost, I like the PS2 better than the X-Box and the games have been better as well so far. Also isn't the PS2 the #1 system? Up till last year it had sold more than 2x amount of units than the X-Box.

[Marcus Telcontar]

The gap is closing. It's pretty clear the XBox is closing in on the BS2.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Well I don't care I will never buy an X-Box I hate Microsoft and I hate Gates I won't buy any more of their crap.

[Gurney Devries]

Originally posted by Jedi Master Carr
Well I don't care I will never buy an X-Box I hate Microsoft and I hate Gates I won't buy any more of their crap. :rolleyes

[Jedi Master Carr]

LOL I know I was a little harsh I have I think all the problems I have had with windows came out in that statement :p

[Charley]

XP should've made more than enough amends to kill all that asinine "Micro$oft" bashing :rolleyes

Not to mention, as far as consoles go, Xbox is about the best out there, IMO.

Some people are insatiable in their MSbash, though.

[Jedi Master Carr]

XP is still not perfect I still have some problem, if it wasn't for the lack of software for the Mac I would switch in a heartbeat. Actually I am planing on buying a Mac notebook when I do get around to buying one.

[Darth Viscera]

*grinds teeth* I..hate..Macs.

They are useful in some rare uncommon cases, I admit, but in general, I'd rather drink 2 gallons of oil, stick a sparkler bomb up my butt and light the fuse than use a Mac for another 16 years.

[Charley]

What problems are you having with XP?

And Macs are good for task-oriented work, like graphics design, scientific use, etc. But WHY WHY WHY would you buy one for some other reason?

[Jedi Master Carr]

MACs are just easier they don't crash at will, I am going to buy a notebook one mostly because all I will use that for is WP so I don't have to worry about software. The reason why MAcs aren't good for anything else IMO is lack of software, not sure why they have never dealt with this problem. Well for my problems with XP well it still crashes sometimes and there are a few other bugs I have found in it, it is not perfect, IMO though it is better than 98.

[Figrin D'an]

Originally posted by Jedi Master Carr
MACs are just easier they don't crash at will...


HAHAHAHAHAHA!

That's probably the funniest thing I've heard in the past week!

Macs have had just as many bug, glitches and crashing issues as any PC running Windows. I've worked with Macs regularly. I've had to solve all kinds of crazy problems with the piece of crap excuse for an operating system that Apple has used for years. Apple has only recently managed to put something useful together. OS X works quite well... it's stable and has some great features. And you know what? All it took was for Apple to scrap the core of it's OS and build their new one around... dum de dum dum... UNIX! :p

Microsoft did a good job with XP, and Apple finally did a good job with OS X. Before that... both Windows (minus the NT line) and the Mac OS sucked donkey bottom.



The reason why MAcs aren't good for anything else IMO is lack of software, not sure why they have never dealt with this problem.

Because it's not up to them. It's up to the software production studios, and if they don't see a financial benefit to writing for the Mac, they're not going to do it. Many of the smaller software producers simply can't afford to take the time to make their software native for the Mac platform.

[Morgan Evanar]

The reason why MAcs aren't good for anything else IMO is lack of software, not sure why they have never dealt with this problem. Miniscule installed target user base. ~90% percent of PCs run Windows.

Also, the vast majority of the problems with XP I've encountered lie between the chair and the keyboard.

[Pierce Tondry]

The only thing I don't like about the X-Box is that I can't bench press it.

Okay, that was a joke, but any X-Box owner knows what I mean. It's a bit like a huge, clunky PC just for games. Even if they do put out some good games, I find many X-Box 'hits' to be lacking.

I much prefer the more portable GameCube, which can be taken over to other people's houses where I squash them in Super Smash Bros. or Super Monkey Ball.

[imported_Grev Drasen]

Xbox is by far the superior console at the moment. Best games, best graphics, and just an all around good machine. I used to watch dvds with my PS2 and listened to that awful humming forever, but I bought the remote for the Xbox and it plays dvds better than my original dvd player to begin with.

The only thing that PS2 has going for it is the GTA series and online play.

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

X-Box just does not have a single game that makes it worth buying an X-Box for. I'll jsut wait for them on PC. After all, that's what an X-Box is: a PC that only plays games and movies.

Even with better video processiong, the games aren't as FUN. Nintendo has the fun factor nailed. I love Nintendo, even though my latest Nintendo console is an N64, which I still play regularily. Behind Nindendo for fun games is Sony, then Dreamcast, then X-Box. The X-Box might be technically great, but until they are fun, I see no reason to buy one.

[Gurney Devries]

Nintendo games are just so formulaic. And unoriginal. Yeah, I'm sure Windwaker is a great game and all that... but isn't it basically the same as OoT? And Link to the Past? And Mario Sunshine = Mario 64 = Super Mario Bros 3 (Actually, I prefer SMB3 over either of the new ones). Nintendo's mantra seems to be "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".

The X-Box... doesn't really have any stand-out, exclusive titles that I can think of off the top of my head. However, practically every big title is being ported to every system these days. That said, it only makes sense to pick up the one that looks the best. I wouldn't even consider playing through Splinter Cell on the PS2, for example.

However, in its defense: I really don't get all the general sentiment that the X-Box is just a "Mini-PC". Why? Because it has a built in harddrive (which is a good idea)? The PS2 has a HD/Ethernet adapter, but it makes you buy them seperately. In fact, the PS2 more resembles a PC than the X-Box, what with its USB and Firewire ports (which never get used).

The PS2 does have some good, exclusive games. However, that's because it has the largest installed user base. In layman's terms, it has the most fanboys, which means the most money for game developers/publishers.

[Morgan Evanar]

The PS2 also has the dirtiest renderer since the Voodoo series running in 16 bit color. The X Box is hardly a PC except that it shares all of the same technology. Guess what! OLD HAT! Arcade machines have used Voodoo graphics chips for years. The Dreamcast used Imagine Technologies Power VR 2nd Generation video chip with 8 mb of memory.

Art-X made the Gamecube's chip, and was bought by ATi just as development finished. Before that, they made 2d accellerators. The CPU is furnished from Motorola/IBM's Power PC line, most closely resembling a G3 (see iMac).

Anyway, from what I've been reading, its a TIVO with a PS2 shoehorned in. It wasn't developed by SECA, but rather one of Sony's other divisions.

[Pierce Tondry]

Gurney: Well, now that's a quirky point. Gaming has been around for about twenty years now. They've come up with a lot of games and a lot of genres, but nothing really outstandingly new has hit the market for several years now. Mostly it's just be an older genre with a twist, rather than a completely new and different game type. So the question it seems to me is "What truly is not repetitive in the gaming market?"

I think that is an interesting question, even if it isn't one I intend to explore. Too much potential for circular argument, I think.

[Droo]

As far as I am concerned, Nintendo are the true innovators of the gaming industry and that's in every way I can think of - the look of a game, the look of a console and control pad, the style and gameplay in a game, etc. etc. - the quality is far superior. But the nail has already been hit squarely on the head, it's all about fun and Nintendo dominate the games console industry when it comes to fun - again, this is in my opinion - but I can't abide the PS2 and I'm not particularly fond of the X-Box. That console just looks attrocious. But that is that.

[Morgan Evanar]

Uh, only if you're talking consoles, and I hate the Gamecube's controller.

If you're talking PC games, id Software (first FPS) is one of the innovators, as is Westwood Studios (first RTS), and Lucas Arts for adventure games, not to mention numerous companies making flightsims.

The only controller Nintendo really got right was the SNES. Everything since has been weird.

For controllers, I like
Sega Master System > Nintendo
SNES > Genesis
Sony Dual Shock > Saturn > N64 > PS1 non-shock
I like Dreamcast over the PS2/ Dual Shock.
X-Box (big one) > PS2 > Gamecube.

[Droo]

Yep, I was only talking consoles and I agree with you about the PC games but completely disagree when it comes to controllers! >_<

[Sejah Haversh]

Hooray for controller adaptors that let me use a Dual-Shock analog PS2 controller on an X-Box!

Sony invented the perfect controller, there is nothing better than the PS2 controller. All the buttons in all the right places, and comfortable to hold. Two top buttons that you can hit with indivitual fingers, and pressable thumbsticks. I love that controller. Now I'm waiting for an adaptor that makes me able to use it on a Gamecube...

[Darth007]

The N64's controller was the greatest ever in my opinion. It was perfect for first person shooters, which were the highlight of that system. Then I would rate Gamecube's 2nd and PS2's 3rd.

There really isnt a controller that is "best". It all depends on what you played first and what you got used to. For instance I played N64 for a year or so before I even got aroud to playing PS1, and by that time the Playstation controller felt so odd to me.

[Morgan Evanar]

Only the mouse and keyboard are perfect for first person shooters, which were the highlight of that system. Fixed it for you.

Sejah: I'd agree except I have huge hands, and the Xbox gen1 controller is like a huge Dreamcast one, which I love dearly. If the PS2 controller was bigger I'd like it a lot more. From a design standpoint its pretty much ideal.

[Darth007]

Yeah the mouse and keyboard the best, but I'm comparing it to other consoles only.

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

You can get a Chubbo-size PS2 controller, you know. Even with fans built in and stuff to keep your hands from getting all sweaty and other nonsense like that.

[Morgan Evanar]

You had me till you mentioned fans. Thats absurd.

Also, I'd care except every time I fire up a PS2 my eyes water, with one exception: Soul Reaver. And then, they wince, since it looked so much better with a Geforce 2 GTS.

I'm not even going to say how it looks with a Radeon 9700 ;)