- 12:25 PM EST Sony To Enter Digital Satellite Data Broadcasting
Sony is really into the fat bandwidth thing :)
"TOKYO--Sony Corp. plans to enter the digital satellite data broadcasting business, The Nihon Keizai Shimbun learned Thursday. Through the service, Sony will distribute data of videos, game, music software, and other information to television sets at home.
Sony will apply to the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications for a license Friday.
The digital satellite broadcasting service is slated to start toward the end of next year.
Sony will set up a wholly owned subsidiary, capitalized at about 500 million yen, to handle the business. The firm abandoned a plan to operate the business on its own because the move may violate the broadcasting law, as some 45% of Sony's outstanding shares are held by foreign investors."
- 10:35 AM EST New Ridge Racer V pics
Namco released some new pics of their PS2 game Ridge Racer V.
They look really good so check them out: Pic #1, Pic #2, Pic #3
Sony Stock Draws Strength From PlayStation 2 Hopes
This was posted in The Nihon Keizai Shimbun Thursday morning edition:
"Despite declining profit in the first half, shares of Sony Corp. (6758), which fell to the 7,000 yen range in the latter half of 1998, are now trading firmly at around 15,500 yen. Investors see earnings potential in networking operations anchored by the company's PlayStation 2 next-generation home video game console.
Sony's video game division posted 45.5 billion yen in consolidated operating profit for the six months ended Sept. 30. The figure was down 15% on the year but off modestly compared with those of other divisions, and was nearly equivalent to the 47.4 billion yen recorded by the all-important electronics division.
Given dropping retail prices on the original PlayStation, as well as the rising depreciation and initial marketing expenses associated with the PlayStation 2 launch, the video game division's profit is highly likely to keep declining through next fiscal year, analysts say. The markets nevertheless give Sony high marks. "The current share price already reflects the decline in profit," said Hitoshi Kuriyama of Merrill Lynch Japan Inc., adding, "There are growing expectations for Sony's networking business in the future."
PlayStation 2 will enable users not only to play video games but also to use it as a network terminal for downloading music and movies. Sony, which sold a cumulative 65.21 million PlayStations worldwide as of Sept. 30, could possibly secure a big share of the multimedia terminal market with the new machine, analysts say."
Kessen preview
PSX.IGN put up a fat preview of Kessen. Check it out
3D Golf pics
T&E Soft (Japanese developer) will release a 3D Golf game 4th March next year. This was reported yesterday on most sites (except here:)
Anyway, we have a few new pics that was released today:)
Check them out: Pic #1, Pic #2, Pic #3, Pic #4, Pic #5, Pic #6, Pic #7, Pic #8, Pic #9, Pic #10, Pic #11
Four Square PS2 games next year?
According to The Magic Box Square announced that they will have two Playstation 2 titles ready at the PS2 launch (The Bouncer and another game), and that there will be two more titles coming out around next summer.
Koei to bring 2 PS2 games to the US next year
Found this over at PSX.IGN:
"In an phone conversation today, Koei told IGNPSX that it has intends on bringing both Kessen, its first PlayStation2 DVD game, and Shin Sangokumusou (a game within the Dynasty Warriors series) to the US on the PlayStation2." Full story
- 5:20 PM EST Munch's Oddysee movies & info
Oddoworld Inhabitants released a press kit yesterday with some info and movies on their PS2 game Munch's Oddysee Click here for an "interview" they did.
- 10:50 AM EST New pics
We have a few new high-res Tekken Tag Tournament pics, which looks stunning. Also a few new Kessen shots. TTT #1, TTT #2, TTT #3
Misc info
Temcos PS2 Ninja Gaiden game will be released in the US late 2000 :)
PSX.IGN posted some interesting rumors.
Some of it:
"Evil Dead is the company's potential new franchise and the producer, without actually saying, "It's coming to PlayStation2!" in so many words said, "It's coming to PlayStation2!" His exact words were rather a dismantling of the English language, "We definitely look forward to franchise this game in the future..." Painful by helpful.
Halo Storming to PS2
The most wanted game on the planet? Perhaps not, but at least one of the most hype a game can receive from a single video. The video at large demos a long, involved chase scene via futuristic vehicles and long-shot sharp-shooters -- and all of it is rendered in realtime, in-game polygonal goodness." Full article
- 3:17 PM EST PS2 ISS Soccer game
scored two movies and two screenshots of Konamis upcoming ISS soccer game for the PS2.
The movies and pics are from a very early version and are running on a PS2 dev. kit using graphic assets and chunks of code from the PlayStation version. Movie #1 - Movie #2 Pic #1 - Pic #2
Driver 3 for PlayStation2
Again it is that has some new info:
"Driver 3, probably titled something along the lines of Driver 2000, is already in production for PlayStation2.
In addition, high-powered gossip told of an internal Sony project in a very similar vein to Driver, but details here were extremely sketchy - bear in mind this could be a project 18 months down the line planned for PlayStation2."
Also, Ridge Racer 5 is now a launch game for the Japanese PS2 launch :)
Some more info
Remember the information I posted from the Japanese gaming magazine a few days ago?
Apparently there was some more ..
So here is the full list (from PSX.ING):
"HPSX: Exactly how will the logo appear on the PlayStation2 software?
SCEI: The current PlayStation logo appears on the black PS discs, but a different logo design is being prepared for PlayStation2 software [CDs and DVDs].
HPSX: When someone inserts a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM, will the PS2 automatically play it, or will there be a menu screen?
SCEI: When you turn on the unit or press reset, the machine will automatically detect what type of disc has been inserted.
HPSX: The PlayStation2 has a 24X speed CD-ROM. How will that affect the first read speed for the PS discs?
SCEI: When running PS discs, the CD drive will read at 2X speed. The initial read speed will be the same as that of the current PlayStation unit.
HPSX: Will the read speed of Memory Card data be any faster than it is now?
SCEI: The read speed for the current Memory Card will not change. For the 8MB Memory Card, the read speed is approximately 250 times faster than the current Memory Card.
HPSX: There is an on/off switch at the back of the PS2. Is there another method for turning it off?
SCEI: If you press and hold the reset button, the PlayStation2 will turn off.
HPSX: The PlayStation2 does not have a link cable port. Does this mean it will not be compatible with the link cable?
SCEI: The PlayStation2 will not be compatible with the link cable.
HPSX: Can PlayStation games switch from PS1 to PS2 modes?
SCEI: No, there are no switch modes from PS1 to PS2.
HPSX: Can we use the new Memory Card for current PlayStation games as well?
SCEI: No, the PlayStation2 Memory Card can only be used for PlayStation2 games. The only exception is the PocketStation.
HPSX: Will there be a new PocketStation with more memory?
SCEI: For now, we intend to keep the same memory.
HPEX: Will the new Memory Card still use "blocks" as the current one does?
SCEI: No, the PlayStation2 Memory Card will use units in "bytes" instead."
Interviews Gaming Age scored an interview with Dave Perry from Shiny Entertainment.
A few lines:
"Q: Now that the Playstation 2 has been officially unveiled, what are your thoughts towards the machine?
A: It's just what we have been waiting for. Finally an arcade machine at home costing a few hundred dollars instead of 10-20 thousand! It's also got an full analog controller, again something we have been begging for, I am VERY happy. :)
Q: Do you see the PSX2 as a technological revolution or evolution?
A: It's a revolution. The Dreamcast is evolution. Sony shot for the stars on this one and got really close! :)" Full interview
Gamespot also posted a new interview with Ichiro Sugiyama of ASCII, Hiroshi Kobayashi of Polygon Magic, and Jeff Barnhart of Crave.
They talk about their upcoming PSX game Galerians and about the PS2.
Some of it:
"GSN: Will any parts of the movies show up in the PlayStation2 game?
Ichiro Sugiyama: Actually, we've found that we can make the gameplay look better than the CG movies found on the PlayStation - and run it all in real-time. Galerians 2 is going to be a bit of a hurdle at this point because we have to figure out the hardware. By the time we start working on Galerians 3, it'll be so much easier to put together (laughs).
GSN: What do you think of the Dreamcast and PlayStation2 hardware?
Ichiro Sugiyama: We find the Dreamcast is five times as powerful as the PlayStation. However, we find the PlayStation2 is ten times as powerful as the Dreamcast. In doing Berserk on the Dreamcast we've found that we can normally run around one or two light sources on the Dreamcast. Under the same conditions we can do ten or more on the PlayStation2. Easily."
Full interview
- 12:35 PM EST PS2 C&C title?
I was just checking the net when I stumbled upon some info over at Tiberiumsun
They posted a bit from the latest EGM issue.
Heres what they say:
"Rumor: The Command & Conquer series is drawing to a close, but the next installment will be designed with PlayStation 2 in mind.
Truth: This isn't strictly true. Yes, the final 'real' installment of the Command & Conquer series, C&C Tiberian Twilight, is in development right now, and is far enough ahead that it's out of its 'design' cycle. It won't however be coming to any consoles. The rumored PS2 title is a first-person perspective shooter set in the C&C universe titled Command & Conquer Renegade. Nicknamed 'Up Close and Personal' by the development team, Renegade looks set to be a Quake-like blaster that makes use of all the weaponry and heavy artillery that is familiar to C&C fans. Expect some amazing-looking graphics (apparently it makes Quake III look outdated) that make use of all the fancy effects the PS2 is capable of producing. EA and Westwood are confident that Renegade will be a U.S. and European launch title for the system, with a PC version preceding it by several months."
Ubi Soft Formula One game for PS2
Ubi Soft announced today that they are working on a Formula One title for both the DC and the PS2.
The game will feature all the official statistics from the year 2000 season and should be released by the end of next year.
RenderWare3 for PlayStation2 FGN scored some info on a development toolkit for the PS2.
Heres what they say:
"RenderWare3 is a third generation 3D game development toolkit which has been created by TrickStyle and Deep Fighter developer Criterion. The UK-based developer has been optimising the technology over the last six months to take advantage of Playstation2's architecture. RenderWare3's gold release for Playstation2 will be available in November 1999
"We have mastered the incredibly powerful and complex Playstation2, so that game developers can now focus on developing their content, rather than first having to develop a 3D engine," promised Criterion's VP of marketing Mike King. "This head start, together with the raw power of RenderWare, will ensure they're successful in what really matters to them - building great games on a great platform."
Fiona Sperry, producer on Dreamcast racer TrickStyle, said, "RenderWare's cross-platform capability was tested by porting TrickStyle from the PC to Playstation2 platform - and it took one programmer just one week to complete the initial port. Thanks to RenderWare, we were able to start optimising in a matter of days."
Full story
Site stuff
Might have seen that I added some "vote for us" stuff to the page.
I'll have it up a few weeks then it's history, so please vote for us now and help the site grow.
Also, don't forget to check out our forums!
If your into the Emulation thing be sure to check out Pure Emulation
- 4:59 PM EST PS2 info
Hyper Playstation (Japanese gaming mag) says:
When playing PS1 games, the drive is operating at 2x speed. Thus, the load time for PS1 games will remain the same.
Dual Shock 2's buttons have 256 levels of sensitivity.
When playing PS1 games on PS2, Dual Shock 2 will act exactly like a normal Dual Shock.
The new 8Mbit memory cards cannot be used on the PS1. On the other hand, the normal memory card will be useable on the PS2, however, the save games will not work on the PS2 because PS2 uses the unit Bits instead of Blocks.
Pocketstation can be used on PS1 and 2, but there is no announcement for larger capacity Pocketstations at this point.
Because PS2 detects whether it should be in the normal mode or PS1 mode during bootup, games can only be in either mode and not both, unless the games are on seperate discs. Therefore, the rumored "hybrid PS1 & PS2 disc" to make PS1 games look better when playing on the PS2 is false unless the game comes with both versions on seperate discs.
There is no communication port on the PS2, therefore, PS1 link games will not be linkable on the PS2.
- 1:58 PM EST News
AsiaBizTech wrote up a fat and spicy article on the PS2.
Some it:
"The widespread use of game machines is due to the relatively low prices set for such machines. SCE's PS2 will be sold for 39,800 yen. (106.98 yen = US$1)
Some major chipmakers question the viability of such a price, saying that a microprocessor and a graphics chip together will cost about 40,000 yen or more. Even so, SCE will seek to reduce the price even further.
"SCE will cut the price of the PS2 at the same pace as seen for the previous machine," said a staff member responsible for research and development at SCE.
Market observers even anticipate that the price will fall to around 20,000 yen in the autumn of 2000, when the volume production system for PS2 is running smoothly.
The game machine's hard disk drive will have a capacity of 50GB or more. Initially, it will have an external hard disk drive. SCE said it is considering equipping the PS2 with a built-in drive, later.
SCE announced it will produce 1 million units by the release on March 4, 2000, and it will have a monthly production capacity of 600,000 units by the spring of 2000. However, an industry analyst has expressed concern. He said that such efforts may not be enough, because when the product is in short supply in the market, it may put a damper on a PS2 boom." Read the full article
The Big Fight - DC vs PS2
Gamespot posted an article where they compare the DC and PS2.
Here are a few bits:
"Buy now or wait a year? The Dreamcast is available, but sneaky Sony spoilt the party by not only dropping the price of the PlayStation to that of Nintendo's Game Boy handheld, but by announcing the forthcoming arrival of the PlayStation2, the specifications for which outdo Sega's offering.
Programming for a new console is always extremely difficult, and it may be some time before we really see the fruits of Sony's new toy. Be assured, however, that EVERYONE is going to be making games for this machine."
Full article
If you're into the PC game Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun, be sure to check out tiberiansun.org
PS2 Poll
Noticed that Gaming Age posted the results of Famitsu's Weekly Poll (Japanese gaming mag).
Here are a few result:
"Would you buy a PlayStation 2?
34.3% I will buy it the day it is released.
38.1% I want to wait and see how it turns out first.
14.4% I will wait until the price drops.
2.3% I will not buy it.
6.0% I don't know.
4.9% No Answer.
Who do you think will be most popular after 3 years?
Gamers
79.2% Sony
8.2% Sega
5.2% Nintendo
4.7% Other
2.7% No answer
Developers
67.7% Sony
4.8% Sega
3.2% Nintendo
6.4% Other
17.9% No answer
Distributors/Stores
83.5% Sony
2.9% Sega
5.4% Nintendo
2.9% Other
5.3% No answer " Check out the full article
- 9:20 PM EST PS2 News Short Core posted some interesting PS2 news.
Some of it:
"SCEI insiders have confirmed that the next big PlayStation2 event is scheduled for February 2000 in Japan. From what we've been told, Sony wants to showcase the system and all associated launch software and peripherals shortly before the system hits retailers next march.
SCEI representatives recently responded to the most frequently asked questions regarding the PlayStation2. As released this week in Tokyo, company representatives has confirmed the following new tidbits regarding the PS2:
- The PlayStation2 is mainly meant to be operated while in the vertical position." Full article
- 1:45 PM EST Tose to develop three PS2 games
The Japanese developer Tose is planning to make three games for the PS2.
Tose?
Tose has developed games for publishers like Ascii, Atlus, Capcom, Enix, Jaleco, Konami, Namco, Square, and Sega.
Thanks to Videogames for the info
Kessen "Demo" Core reports that a video demonstration of the PS2 game Kessen from Koei will be included with their latest PSX game: Sea Navigation IV. Sea Navigation IV is scheduled for a December release in Japan.
So if you want a sneak peek of Kessen be sure to import Sea Navigation IV for your PSX.
October 14, 1999
- 12:38 PM EST The Bouncer preview
A preview for The Bouncer is up. (Expect more info to be added to it after Squares Millennium event in Yokohama, Japan, November 23rd) Check it out
First Metal Gear Solid for PlayStation 2 details
posted some info on the MGS game for the PS2. Some of it:
"The protagonist will remain as Solid Snake, although the rest of the character list is unknown. Instead of plumbing the depths of nuclear bunkers, Snake gets the full run of a major city in the PlayStation 2 version, although whether or not the location is Japanese, American or European is being closely guarded by Konami"
Acclaim & PS2
Looks like Acclaim is developing (a) launch (US launch) game(s) for the PS2. Pretty many ( ) ;)
Here are a few bits from todays pressrelease:
"In fiscal 2000 we will introduce four new brands, continue to capitalize on existing brands, and expand our release schedule by more than 40% as we position ourselves for the launch of new hardware platforms," said Fischbach.
Additionally, the company is one of the only publishers developing launch products for all three of the next generation platforms. Acclaim has engines, tools and technologies underway for PlayStation 2 and Nintendo's Dolphin as well as the already released Dreamcast. And, as console platforms prepare to enter the online gaming arena, Acclaim established a separate division dedicated to driving an Internet strategy for the company's website and online games."
Sport games for PS2
The Japanese developer Mahou will release three sport games for the PS2. The games are:
2000 Kousien (baseball), Pro Golfer and Catch Bass Club 2 (fishing game)
The games will be released (in Japan), next year in July August and October, respectively. Pic #1 - Pic #2 - Pic #3
Official page
Revolution Talks PS2 Core scored some info from the developer Revolution Software.
A bit of it:
"According to Mr. Warriner, Revolution recently attended a private PlayStation2 development conference in August. While he couldn't give us specifics regarding their respective projects, he told us that Revolution is intrinsically involved with the PlayStation2 due to their ongoing collaboration with SCEE. Thereby, Revolution is currently working on a PlayStation game called In Cold Blood, and researching new 'emotion' development techniques." Full story
Interview with Dave Perry
TVG scored an interview with Dave Perry (Shiny entertainment). Although he is working on the PC game Messiah right now, the interview covers mainly PS2.
Some of it:
"TVG: Now we've sorted out what you think of the aesthetics of the machine we move on to the internals. Is the machine as powerful as people are making out, and what is it like to develop for?
DP: It's powerful any way you slice it. That said, the interesting twist is that to harness it's hidden prowess you need to be a very low level programmer. (Low meaning deep within the bowels) That means the newbie programmers that just finished "C++ programming for Dummies" are screwed on this one. We are all gonna be fighting over the old school guys again.
TVG: As a developer which would you be more interested in working on, PlayStation2 or Dreamcast ?
Found a pressrelease/news story, covering the PS2 and the Sony workstations.
Pretty interesting reading:
"The systems based on the Playstation2 chips will initially be targeted at developers writing applications for the console, and they will not compete directly with current workstations. However, over time, Sony hopes to roll a line of workstations to penetrate various specialized markets where digital content is created.
In an effort to maintain an edge in graphics, Kutaragi said that between now and 2005, Sony plans two enhancements to its Playstation2 chips that will be specifically aimed at its workstation line. That's when the company hopes to launch a new generation of Playstation chips for its consoles. The company is just beginning to search for new partners for that design effort.
Meanwhile, "we are going to raise the performance of these workstations " quickly, Kutaragi said. "So at a certain stage, it will have enough capability [to function] as a server for a [digital] theater and at another stage it will have the capability [to function] as a [digital bit-stream] transmitter."
Sony Computer Entertainment and Sony together invested $1.1 billion on two fabs to establish a 0.18-micron process for the Emotion Engine and the Graphic Synthesizer. About $472 million was spent on the Emotion Engine's facility, which is a joint venture with Toshiba. About $660 million was spent on the fab in Nagasaki for the Graphic Synthesizer. "This investment will be recouped by [selling Playstation2] on the consumer market," Kutaragi said." Full pressrelease
October 11, 1999
- 12:40 PM EST Championship Motocross game coming for PS2
Missed this last Friday.The PSX game Championship Motocross Featuring Ricky Charmichae, will get a sequel on the PS2, among other formats.
A few lines from the pressrelease:
The multi-platform line of "Championship Motocross" games is scheduled for release in fall 2000. Pacific Coast Power and Light will also develop a PlayStation 2 version of "Championship Motocross."
With the technical possibilities of the PlayStation 2, we intend to make the definitive motocross game." Full pressrelease
The Playstation 2 FAQ has been updated with 3 new questions and answers.
Sorry for the lack of previews on the site. I'm going to add some soon.
We are still looking for writers, so if you want to help us out send a mail.
No "regular" news yet, if anything happens I'll update later today.
October 7, 1999
- 11:55 AM EST Animation Science teams up with Electronic Arts
Animation Science Corp., the leading provider of real-time interactive 3D animation, effects and behavior simulation technologies, and EA today announced their agreement to jointly develop a first-person shooting game (X-Fire) for the PS2.
Animation Science is proud to deliver its rules-based technology to noted leaders in the worldwide market for game software and devices," said Eyal Cohen, President of Animation Science. "This new title will take the interactive game genre to a new level of fantasy. Sony has raised the bar with a more powerful game device architecture. EA's advanced game engine will take full advantage of the new PlayStation capabilities to enhance the gaming experience. Animation Science provides the critical middleware link, with TV/film broadcast quality ambience created by its physics particle technology. Full pressrelease
PS2 technology to be used for workstations
I found a nice article at EE Times.
Heres some stuff:
"The Creative Workstation effort at present has three phases. For Phase 1, SCE intends to develop a workstation with about 10 times the performance of the development tool workstation, and to complete that work in 2000. The workstation will have the capability to handle graphics of 1,920 x 1,080/60p (progressive). SCE will not have time to develop new chips by 2000, so it will achieve the performance by using in parallel faster versions of the Emotion Engine and Graphic Synthesizer found in the Playstation2.
The Phase 2 workstation, scheduled to be introduced in 2002, will have 100 times the performance of the development tool workstation and will feature the Emotion Engine 2 and Graphic Synthesizer 2, each with an enhanced architecture over the current chips. The CPU will have 40 million transistors and will be fabricated on a 0.13-micron process. The workstation will handle the same 1,920 x 1,080 pixel graphics, and will have a flexible frame rate ranging from 24 to about 75 frames/second.
The Phase 3 workstation, scheduled to appear around 2005-2006, will have the Emotion Engine 3 and Graphic Synthesizer 3, which will have drastically changed architectures. As a result, the workstation will have 1,000 times performance of the development tool workstation, and will handle 4,000 x 2,000-pixel pictures at 24-to-120p. At this stage, Playstation3 will be taking a shape, Sony said." Full story
Gaming-Age posted an article on the same stuff, check it out.
A new poll is up, be sure to vote.
October 6, 1999
- 12:55 PM EST
Since every site has a PS2 FAQ except psx2central we decided to write one. We will make it really fat and juicy :) But we need your help.
So if you have any questions then and we'll try to incorporate them into the FAQ.
Now some news....
Titus announces lauch game
Titus has announced Roadsters Trophy 2000 as a lauch game for the Japanese PS2 lauch. That makes Titus the only non-Japanese publisher with a PS2 lauch title.
"We are projecting initial sales of 200,000 units of Roadsters for Playstation2 in Japan and it is very unusual for a non Japanese publisher to achieve such results," said Eric Cane co-founder and president of Titus Interactive. Full press release
Display for the PS2? Core have some info on a special display for the PS2.
Here's a bit:
"SCEI has reportedly unveiled plans for a special 'liquid crystal display' for the PlayStation2 in Japan. The official unveiling of the display/peripheral was reportedly made earlier this week at the 1999 Japanese Electronics show. Described as a video terminal, SCEI officials reportedly stated that the 'input' device would be compatible with the PlayStation, and seemingly the PS2 as well." Full story
Interview with Ken Kutaragi
Nikkei Industrial Daily spoke with Ken Kutaragi about the PS2 and networks:
Q: Why hook up PlayStation2 consoles to cable-television networks?
A: Cable-TV networks are very promising because they have the best compatibility with TV sets among broadband systems. They have far bigger capacities than digital subscriber lines or wireless networks. Some 5 million households in Japan already subscribe to cable-TV services. I believe that the Internet will become accessible to 5-10% of the population via cable TV by around 2001.
Q: What do you plan to distribute online?
A: Any content that can be digitized. Game software, to begin with, and then music and movies. Although current electronic-commerce technology allows only electronic orders and purchasing, it is already bringing a great change to the structure of our industry. When the products themselves are digitized and distributed over the Internet, that will revolutionize our way of life. We call this e-distribution.
We have already created a superb content archive for online distribution in cooperation with software developers. E-distribution is no longer a dream. Distributing music over the Internet will become ordinary practice by the end of this year.
Q: How do game machines function as a terminal for such services?
A: Game machines are increasing in number at a rate far outpacing the growth in other consumer electronics. PlayStation has an installed base worldwide of some 60 million units. The console is supported by a wide range of fine software. When PlayStation2 is connected to broadband networks, immediately several thousand software titles will be accessible.
Q: What is your idea of new online-distribution business?
A: The industry will be supported by three layers of people: creators, publishers and distributors. Creators develop content, which publishers put into commercial form and market through sales channels developed by distributors. The industry will be shaped like a pyramid, where the numbers of people involved decline at each level from creators to publishers to distributors. Anybody who is talented can become a content designer. But the number of publishers will eventually be consolidated to around a dozen, and distributors will likely be even fewer in number.
CD-ROMs, which are used as storage media for PlayStation software, have changed the ways game software is distributed. Almost everyone has viewed CD-ROMs as multimedia or large-capacity media, but we have always been aware of their potential as a distribution medium. The same is true of e-distribution. It is a grand experiment to realize our vision of an ideal distribution method.
Q: Will PlayStation2 become an exclusive terminal for online distribution?
A: When hooked up to TV sets, PlayStation2 is the best candidate in terms of user-friendliness to become a standardized terminal for e-distribution. TV sets have a unified standard and interface, making it possible for PlayStation2 to be connected to any model. This simplicity and unity is one of the crucial features for future home-electronic devices. Rapid evolution in personal-computer designs has started to break down such uniformity in the PC standard.
Q: Any particular reason for distributing entertainment content online?
A: Games are a culture. I think there can be as varied and as many cultures as there are people. As Amazon.com has succeeded in selling books through the Internet, we would like to expand our online business by exploiting the variety of content we handle. However, conventional compact discs and digital versatile discs will remain important sales channels for mass distribution.
Q: What about movies?
A: Movies will be distributed in digitized form directly to movie theaters in the near future. Our next dream is to achieve the integration of movies, music and game software.
PS2 and the Masses FGN put up a story about mass production of the PlayStation2 chip.
Take a bite:
"Speaking to Games Business Harrison said, "The $1.2 billion of investment that we've committed in partnership with Toshiba and other Sony plants ensures that we will be able to meet the massive anticipated consumer demand for this product."
Full story
Capcom talks about the PS2
Found this at Core:
"Biohazard series creator, Okamoto-san speaking about the power and polygon performance of the PlayStation2 as compared to the Dreamcast, Okamoto-san stated that the PS2 is capable of approximately 15X the power of the Dreamcast. He went on to say that early demonstrations showcased at TGS are still nothing compared to the actual power of the system." Full story
Matrix on PS2? GameFan posted some interesting info:
"The newest issue of Weekly Famitsu has published a photograph with three of the most highly sought-after creators, in their respective fields, having a sit-down interview with the magazine. While it was clear that all parties held each other in high regard, the most interesting prospect discussed in the conversation was a PlayStation 2 game based on The Matrix."
The game hasn't been announced yet.... Full story
Spawn for PS2?
Ehehe, lots of "?" now.
Anyway, PSX.IGN posted an article about Spawn coming to PS2.
Here a bit of it:
"The confirmation was spotted on Todd McFarlane's site, spawn.com earlier today. "Later this year, Capcom will introduce a stand-up arcade game based on Spawn. The game, 'Spawn: In the Demons Hand,' will be translated into a Sega Dreamcast version for release in 2000 and a PlayStation 2 version for release in 2001," the site reads.
Capcom officials would not confirm the information with IGN, explaining that many of its games come to the home market, but didn't rule out the possibility, either." Full story
- 6:55 AM EST 3rd Armored Core2 movie out!
Just got hold of the movie, haven't seen it on the "big" sites yet. So here it is: Amored Core2 Movie [4.9 MB]
I'll update later today with news.
If you wonder how I can update as early as 6:55 AM, the reason is that I'm swedish.
So right now it is almost 1:00 PM swedish time, and I'm home on lunch from college.
October 4, 1999
- 4:55 PM EST FGN scored some cool info about PS2 and the videogame industy.
Here's some of it:
"Game machines are increasing in number at a rate far outpacing the growth in other consumer electronics," said Kutaragi. "PlayStation has an installed base worldwide of some 60 million units. The console is supported by a wide range of fine software. When PlayStation2 is connected to broadband networks, immediately several thousand software titles will be accessible.
SCEI's president also promised the Nikkei Industrial that PlayStation2 will be very easy to use as a distribution terminal as he said,"When hooked up to TV sets, PlayStation2 is the best candidate in terms of user-friendliness to become a standardized terminal for e-distribution. TV sets have a unified standard and interface, making it possible for PlayStation2 to be connected to any model. This simplicity and unity is one of the crucial features for future home-electronic devices"
Full article
- 12:13 PM EST Some new Onimusha detials...
This game from Capcom will be a japanese survival horror game. And according to Capcom there will be battle fields with over 2000 characters simultaneously!
The game will hopefully be released summer 2000 in Japan.
I cleaned up the front page, moved the old news to the archive, which can be reached from the bottom of this page.
I also added all movies posted on the main page to the Downloads.
So go there if you missed a movie.
I'll try to update later today if any news hit the net.
PSX.IGN posted an article about a poll that Japanese developers took.
Heres some of it:
"Q: Will software development focus mainly on the PS2 or the PS from here on out?
Currently researching (what to do): 58.3%
Will focus on the PS2: 20.1%
I don't know: 11.7%
About the same: 6.6%
Will focus on the PS: 3.3% Full article
October 1, 1999
- 2:35 PM EST Oddworld interview Master Gamer has an interview up with Oddworld Inhabitants.
Heres some stuff from it:
"Ivan O'Brien: How is development of Munch's Oddysee coming along and when should we expect it to be released? Lorne Lanning: I don't think I would be exaggerating if I said that Munch is the most ambitious game project ever put into motion by any company. It's coming along extremely well, but it's huge and we still have tons of work to do. However, it is our goal to release simultaneously with Sony's 128-bit system.
IO: What systems is Munch's Oddysee planned for, and why did you choose those systems? LL: The PlayStation 2 and PC's that don't exist yet. We chose the PlayStation 2 because it had the minimum specs to achieve what we wanted to build. This is an extremely ambitious project." Full interview
Namco to specialize in PS2 RPGs PSX.IGN posted a story yesterday about Namco creating a separate software subsidiary to create its role-playing games on PS2. And hear this: president of Monolith Soft is no less than SquareSoft's own leading game creator, Hirohide Sugiura!
Very interesting :) Full Story
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