Via CVG

If you winced in disbelief at the 289 GBP price of an Xbox 360, you'll be shocked beyond all reason when you visit your local GAME in November...

410 GBP for a games console? Then there's the broadband fees to get online, the additional pads and the HD TV to make your games look nice. Your girlfriend certainly won't understand why you cancelled the holiday and spent a small fortune on a shiny black box instead of that week in Venice...

It's clear from the outset that PS3 is set to be the Rolls Royce of games consoles, offering better performance (and a higher price) than any other console to be launched in the UK. But have Sony gone a step too far? Nintendo Wii is due to launch this year at a price which is expected to be around the 150 GBP mark, which makes it less than half the price of a PlayStation 3. Then there's the Xbox 360 to consider. A core system costs just 209 GBP and that's before the inevitable price drop to combat the PlayStation 3 launch in November.

What do you think? Are you saving already? Let us know your thoughts and you could see them appearing here over the next few days... ...

Via CVG

You know how you get air conditioning in cars, and it comes as a standard? If the car's all new and shiny at least? Well Kaz Hirai, chief of Sony activities in the US, has used this poetic metaphor to explain the relationship between PS3 and online functionality - it's hardly Keats, but I guess we can forgive him.

Gamers expect online stuff like they expect rain and the man himself states that networking "is as essential as the air we breathe". Playstation 3 will therefore come with all the friends lists, player profiles and messaging that a gamer could need - a self proclaimed "virtual society". What does it have over Xbox?

Well the video chat certainly sounds pretty sexy, although Microsoft's EyeToy-style camera should be revealed properly tomorrow. Apart from that it sounds very similar to Xbox Live's Gold/Silver split, since the promise that basic services will be "free of charge".

The online microtransactions system also sounds very similar to Xbox Live's Microsoft Points system, but on PS3 you'll be able to get games, music and movies. The PSP will also feed into this system, with downloadable PS1 games available to play on the go.

Where does payment start? Well, they haven't announced that just yet... ...

Via CVG

Gran Turismo creator Kazunori Yamauchi comes clean and spills the beans on PS3 Gran Turismo.

After Gran Turismo 4, Polyphony Digital went straight to work making PS3 Gran Turismo. Or so we thought. It appears that the development team aren't quite ready to show us what they've been up to and will be working on a proper next-gen sequel for quite some time. GT HD will be released "soon after the PS3 launch", according to Yamauchi, but it's not quite the real deal.

Taking the cars and tracks from Gran Tursimo 4, GT HD will be super charged in visual terms and will take full advantage of the hard drive and online play. But,essentially, it's a better looking take on Gran Turismo 4 with some much anticipated online play modes. Kazunori Yamauchi has also included the bikes from the recent PS2 racer Tourist Trophy, meaning you'll be able to race super bikes against muscle cars.

There's no doubt that GT HD looks great and will no doubt be THE game to play online on PS3 but it means the next instalment could be a long time coming. After all, the first PS2 Gran Turismo took over a year to appear after the launch of PS2. We'll be covering future Gran Turismo developments from the E3 show floor and give you a hands-on GT HD report just as soon as Kazunori lets us challenge him to an online game...

Screenshots Here ...

Via GIBiz

Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, Incog Inc.'s Dylan Jobe has emphasised the importance of utilising the PS3 controller's motion-sensing capabilities only where appropriate, stating: "We're not going to force it."

Jobe joined Phil Harrison on stage at Sony's pre-E3 press conference to present WarHawk, a military combat game which sees players battling it out over land, sea and air. The pair demonstrated how players can fly a plane by maneouvering the controller, tilting it to arc and roll through the air.

In an interview conducted after the event, Jobe said he was unable to explain how the controller works, stating: "It's crazy Sony magic."

"I don't know - it's a special little black box inside there. For us it's very seamless. Sony provided API, and we get signals back from the orientation, so that's it. So the magic inner workings of it? I've no idea."

Jobe went on to observe that the controller boasts an impressive battery life, though he was unable to clarify exactly how long it will run for on a single charge: "The guys from Sony Japan told us that's a ten-plus-hour battery life. We've had the controllers for... I've seen it run for at least six hours and it can probably keep running. We haven't tested it fully."

Incog will be sure to make use of the controller's motion-sensing technology only where appropriate, according to Jobe: "We're not going to try and force controller functionality somewhere where it doesn't belong."

"It just happens to be that it's great to fly the WarHawk around this way, but in another game mode - let's say on the ground or something else - if it doesn't feel right we won't use it, we'll just use the stick. We're going to make sure the controller feels good in the player's hands, and we're not going to force it."

Of course, the new DualShock won't be the only motion-sensing controller on show this week - Nintendo is expected to reveal exactly what players can do with the Wii's unique "freestyle" remote controller at its own pre-E3 press conference later today. When asked how the two controllers compared, Jobe said: "I've never held the Wii controller, so I'm not sure."

However, he did go on to echo Phil Harrison's observation that the PS3 controller requires no external sensors - unlike the Wii remote. "I think that one of the most exciting things about this controller is that it is completely contained. There are no additional reference points, you don't have to put up any registration marks. It's a completely contained Sony kinetic sensor. That's the whole unit - battery, rumble, kinetic sensor. Everything is in that unit."

A release date for WarHawk has yet to be announced, so it's not known whether the game will appear as a launch title when the PS3 goes on sale in November. ...

Via GIBiz

Consumers who purchase the 20GB version of the PlayStation 3 will find themselves with less options than those who buy the 60GB model when it comes to data storage and Wi-Fi functionality.

According to Sony's latest spec sheet, the 20GB PS3 will not feature inputs for memory sticks, SD or compact flash cards. Nor will it offer any Wi-Fi options or any HDMI output.

The 60GB PS3 will come with a single HDMI port - and not two, as the prototype shown at last year's E3 suggested. The prototype also featured three Ethernet ports and six USB ports, but the console unveiled yesterday has just one Ethernet and four USB ports.

The 20GB model will retail for EURO 100 less than the 60GB version, at EURO 499. The PlayStation 3 is set to go on sale in Japan on November 11th, with US and European launches to follow on November 17th. ...

Via Games industry

Legendary Gran Turismo development head Kazunori Yamauchi has issued a statement following last night's viewing of his Gran Turismo HD demo in Los Angeles, outlining the visual specifications of the software and hinting that a full Gran Turismo game for PS3 may arrive soon after launch.

The demo was shown at Sony's pre-E3 press conference, and included tracks from the Grand Canyon and Tokyo. Visual comparisons were shown between Gran Turismo 4 running on PlayStation 2 and Gran Turismo HD to dramatic effect.

"At this year’s E3 2006, I am excited to provide you a glimpse of our vision for Gran Turismo by showcasing the technological capabilities of PlayStation 3 with a special playable demo titled 'Gran Turismo HD,'" said Yamauchi in a statement, before emphasising that "this product does not represent an official product and is merely a prototype.

"With the power of PlayStation 3, 'Gran Turismo HD' has been prepared in full HD resolution (i.e. 1920 x 1080p) and is displayed at a refresh rate of 60 frames per second. As you may know, this is the highest possible performance available on the latest high definition television and is three times higher in quality than the average high definition quality broadcast where HD-CAM capabilities are at 1450 x 1080i.

"Comparatively, the visual quality in 'Gran Turismo HD' is 12 times higher than Gran Turismo 4 on PlayStation 2, allowing for a world of true high definition, not possible in any other visual format today."

He finished with a teaser. Yesterday's demo was built specifically for this year's show, and no details were given on the next full Gran Turismo game.

"The wait for the next generation of Gran Turismo, post launch of PS3, may not be as long as you think," he said. ...

Via Gamesindustry

Sony's PlayStation 3 controller, a new version of the beloved DualShock, will not include a rumble function, the company has confirmed. The device will instead feature a full motion-sensing system.

The controller will sport a "six-axis sensing system" according to Sony - three for roll, pitch and yaw, and three for "3 dimension acceleration information" along the X, Y and Z axes.

DualShock 2's rumble feature has been dropped, says Sony, as the vibration "interferes with information detected by the sensor".

Other features of the controller include Bluetooth functionality for linking to the console itself. The L2 and R2 buttons have been enlarged, and now have "increased depth in stroke for more subtle control in games". The angle of the two joysticks has been slightly broadened.

The controller also features a USB port for wired control and charging. According to Sony, the cable can be attached and detached at any time, presumably during play.

The new DualShock incarnation replaces the "boomerang" prototype Sony showed at last year's E3 when first announcing PlayStation 3 itself.

The announcement of the controller last night was one in a lengthy series, which included prices and release dates for the console in all territories. The system will launch in Japan on November 11th, followed by US and European launches occurring simultaneously six days later on November 17th. The US Dollar and Euro prices correspond exactly with the 20GB model priced at USD 499 / EURO 499, while the 60GB model is USD 599 / EURO 599. ...

Via Gamesindustry

Sony has confirmed that the next instalment in the SingStar series will launch alongside the PS3, together with a new download service that will give players access to a huge back catalogue of songs.

Players will be able to visit the new in-game SingStore and purchase extras such as menu skins, new voice effects and artist images as well as music videos. It's not yet known how much each song will cost, but Sony is considering letting people who own existing SingStar titles use their discs to unlock relevant tracks in the back catalogue.

A new online feature, My SingStar, will let users upload and share audio feedback, performances recorded with the EyeToy camera, snapshots and high scores. Playlists can be stored on memory stick or the console's hard disk drive, and players will receive regular alerts when new material is released plus recommendations based on their previous purchase decisions.

There are no technical changes to the game other than an overhauled interface and the use of high definition videos where available, but new silver microphones will come bundled with the game.

SingStar for PS3 will launch in Europe alongside Sony's next-gen console on November 17th. It will also be the first SingStar game to get a release in the US, despite the series' huge success over here. ...

Via CVG

PSP will soon let you use voice-over-IP services, with a future upgrade adding voice chat support that'll let users cyber each other for free using the popular internet chat tool.

Sony is planning to launch 'RSS Video' for PSP too, letting you watch online video streams through the PSP browser. E3 will feature download pods where PSP owners can test this out by streaming a video of this very conference.

Finally, it also confirmed the much-rumoured PSP camera peripheral along with a GPS system, with Sony clearly copying the massively successful Gizmondo console's lead there.

PSP will not be seeing a redesign - these enhancements will be done via hardware and software upgrades. There is no "PSP2".

As for games to help counter the massive Nintendo DS popularity... Killzone Liberation was about the best of the bunch on show, bolstered by the announcement of a new budget range - for America at least - consisting of re-releases of Ape Escape, ATV Off-road Fury, Hot Shots Golf, Twisted Metal and Wipeout Pure.

Almost certainly in rubbish-looking boxes stamped "Greatest Hits". ...