This week's LB rumour

[Nesh]

Isn't that the same exact argument that was used against MS's HDD-less X360 as well as MS's possible HD-DVD X360?

If MS somehow believes these things are possible or have value, why wouldn't Sony believe the same thing?

Also.. as far as quality/size of games go, what? Half (?) of the games next generation will be X360/PS3 ports. Are those cross-platform games going to be designed for BR and then "downsized" to DVD for the X360? Or is it more likely, they'll be designed around the storage capacity of the DVD to begin with?

So all you'd be losing in terms of game quality are the PS3 exclusives that might like the extra space of the BR. A loss, sure.. but not a console killer.

And I agree with Qroach.. Sure, Sony wants the PS3 to have BR for reasons we all know. But the argument has also been discussed that the timeline of the PS2/DVD isn't the same as the PS3/BR. BR isn't close to being in the same level of adoption as DVD was, the user base that can benefit from BR isn't close to being the same level as the user base that could benefit from the DVD in the PS2.

Maybe Sony has realized that including a BR in the PS3 isn't really a selling point, and will just make the console more expensive and delay its launch unacceptably.



He's also repeatedly said how expensive the PS3 has been and the reaction from gamers and analysts has been "No way.. it can't possibly be that expensive, it'll never sell!"

You fail to see that Sony sees value on Blue Ray generally and not specifically BR value on the game department.

They invested on BR.Removing BR from the PS3 ensures reducing value from the BR investment.They have the need to do anything possible to promote it.If they fail to make BR a succesful medium will mean that money were invested for nothing.That they threw money just like that.

 

[Kryton]

Ooops sorry for the double post but I forgot to mention..

Having 2 products one with BR and one without doesn't make any sense at all for the long-term. KK said this was supposed to have a 10year lifespan and compression technology has pretty much reached its limits. Yes we can do things like better motion estimation, procedural content generation but this is not going to stop the cases where you need to compress something losslessly which in the Hi Def era is what people will want. Why buy a huge TV to display degraded content (though you can argue with this and question why people buy MP3s and play them on stereos)? To have one product that will reach its expiry date far quicker is irrational and though it may make sense to early purchasers (I buy a PS3 with no BR cheap now, then I buy one with BR when the price drops in 3 years) it would simply piss a lot of people off having to ditch a console to buy a game.

MS with hard-disks has this base covered as you can buy a drive to plug in. The same could be done with PS3 using a laptop-esque solution but this doesn't make sense.

 

[Alpha_Spartan]

I can't believe that some of you actually buy this "ten year" BS. Next gen console technology will be obsolete at the end of 2006 much less 2016.

 

[Carl B]

I can't believe that some of you actually buy this "ten year" BS. Next gen console technology will be obsolete at the end of 2006 much less 2016.

Alpha, my simple friend - how long was PS1 sold for? How long will PSTwo be sold for? See where it's going? PS3 around for ten years doesn't mean that PS4 won't debut five years from now. It simply means PSThree's will still be being sold.

 

[valioso]

as much as they have been saying that the xbox can't be next gen cause is still using dvds for games... it would be quite a blow to their loyal following arguments against MS

 

[MoeStooge]

I could see either this rumour and/or LB's previous rumour about a single layer Bluray drive being true. If Sony has to go up against a new Nintendo console that is priced much lower in Japan and against a Microsoft console that is already somewhat entrenched in the U.S. (with a timely strategic price drop possible), then they might feel some pressure to keep a low price option available. They have a lot of Cell and Bluray R&D costs to get back too.

 

[Xenus]

I am starting to get the impression of the blind leading the blind and l-b laughing as they all walk off the cliff.

 

[Bobbler]

I am starting to get the impression of the blind leading the blind and l-b laughing as they all walk off the cliff.

LB is leading the way though -- he'll be the first to hit the ground!

 

[Xenus]

No he just figured out he has enough cred to start rumors so he just decided to throw one out there and see where it leads. He then proceeds to watch what happens.

Oh and just because he may be fed rumors doesn't mean he himself believes them.

 

[TrungGap]

It's not fair the l-b gets immunity (for being the messenger).

First of all, I don't think there's any indication that BR will cause the PS3 launch delay. So, the second point which is cost.

Okay, BR is expensive in term of R&D. The actual cost to manufacture the drive isn't going to a fold more expensive. The BR stand alone play are expensive is because of the manufacturers need to recoup the cost of development. Okay, MK will reduce the cost to manufacturers, but it's not something they can recoup with the sales of software or royalty. Which is something that Sony can get. Cost difference could easily be done by the harddisk along. IMO, PS3 will be no more +$100 than 360, though it probably isn't the same PS3 announced at E3.

Okay, for argument sake, let's say BR is delayed. Will it delay the PS3 or should the PS3 launch without BR? Personally, I don't think Sony need BR in PS3 to make BR successful. BR has practically won the war, there's no need for a Trojan plan. However, Sony must not loose too much ground to MS. They can't afford to delay the PS3. They will probably do a Japan release only (without BR), and follow up to US and Europe by the year end or (at the lastest) early next year (with BR). That should give them plenty of time to prefect BR for those two market and reintroduce PS3 with BR back to the Japanese market. The limited PS3 without BR to the Japanese market is a symbolic release, to buy them time. Trust me, the japanese market is used to getting half-baked product.

Of course, all this not going to happen, because BR won't delay the PS3's launch.

 

[typoEDR]

Blu-Ray has to be in the PS3, or else it loses one of the advantages the system has over the X360. In all honesty, these rumours are incredibly stupid. I'm going to take a guess and say some launch games will go over 9GB in storage (HD video, for example), so a Blu-Ray-less PS3 would mean that you're buy a cripped system that can't play games.

Sony may be 'desperate', but they are not 'incredibly stupid'.

 

[_phil_]

i heard there's a sku without gpu ,it's called 'Budget"