Ubisoft financial report: PS3 to launch Late Fall 2006

[gosh]

In a 2004 - 2005 annual report today, third-party video game publisher Ubisoft estimated the U.S. Playstation 3 to launch in Q3 of 2006. Sony previously said at the 2005 Electronic Entertainment Expo that the Playstation 3 would be released in spring 2006.

Video game publishers like Ubisoft are among the first to know specifics related to hardware production schedules in order to coordinate development time for upcoming games. However, Ubisoft's estimation will have the Playstation 3 launching close to one year after Microsoft's Xbox 360.

Microsoft is scheduled to release the Xbox 360 in November 2005.

A launch one year after the Xbox 360 would cement multi-million units sold for Microsoft before the Playstation 3 even reaches store shelves. Such a gamble is unlikely for Sony, which is determined to continue next-generation console domination.

Sony's Playstation 2 has sold 90 million units to date, far past Xbox's estimated 21 million and Nintendo's GameCube.

Microsoft blamed less accumulated units sold on the launch date of the Xbox, which debuted one year after the PS2. The company was determined to start the next-generation ahead of Sony and will have Xbox 360 on stores shelves in the U.S. and Japan for the holidays.

The annual report also estimated a Q4 2006 U.S. launch for Nintendo's next-generation console, code-named Revolution. Nintendo has said that Revolution would see a 2006 release, but did not give further launch specifics.

http://news.punchjump.com/article.php?id=1003

 

[Carl B]

In a 2004 - 2005 annual report today, third-party video game publisher Ubisoft estimated the U.S. Playstation 3 to launch in Q3 of 2006. Sony previously said at the 2005 Electronic Entertainment Expo that the Playstation 3 would be released in spring 2006.

Is this sentence supposed to imply a contradiction or something?

What does a Spring 2006 launch have to do with a Fall 2006 US launch, and why are they somehow in opposition to one another?

 

[Titanio]

A Spring Japanese launch, Fall US launch would be unsurprising. I'd like a Spring launch in the West, but I'm not holding my breath.

And yes, Sony did not say what region Spring 06 was referring to at E3. I think Japan is a given, but the US and/or Europe in the same timeframe seems a little unlikely to me.

 

[gosh]

It means Sony said it will launch in Spring but as the article says Publishers get inside information and thats what they just said, Fall 2006

 

[phat]

Q3 != Fall. Fiscal quarters aren't necessary calendar quarters--they differ for every company. We also don't know if Ubi is refering to their fiscal quarter or Sony's (probably theirs).

 

[mckmas8808]

I think its more of an estimation. Well they kind of saying it themselves right in that sentence. I think if Sony ships in Spring they should try to put the word out a little better so devs can actually make launch games for it. *shakes head* I don't understand Sony sometimes. :?

 

[gosh]

looks like Sony will bring power hardware PS3 vs 20 years of Gaming Revolution

 

[jvd]

A Spring Japanese launch, Fall US launch would be unsurprising. I'd like a Spring launch in the West, but I'm not holding my breath.

And yes, Sony did not say what region Spring 06 was referring to at E3. I think Japan is a given, but the US and/or Europe in the same timeframe seems a little unlikely to me.

It makes sense that they launch in japan first. As i've said japan will buy the system even with lack luster games , in the usa the system will die . They can also produce less units and sell higher with the knowledge that 65nm will be ready for a usa launch or shortly after that

 

[Carl B]

It means Sony said it will launch in Spring but as the article says Publishers get inside information and thats what they just said, Fall 2006

No, you're wrong. It says a US launch in Fall. So whoever wrote the article is just trying to misconstrue the information on purpose, as they must know a Spring launch does not necessarilly equal a launch in the US at the same time.

 

[Titanio]

Q3 != Fall. Fiscal quarters aren't necessary calendar quarters--they differ for every company. We also don't know if Ubi is refering to their fiscal quarter or Sony's (probably theirs).

The chart seems to be working on the calendar year, they show X360 as Q4 05.

I think its more of an estimation. Well they kind of saying it themselves right in that sentence. I think if Sony ships in Spring they should try to put the word out a little better so devs can actually make launch games for it. *shakes head* I don't understand Sony sometimes. :?

There's been a surprisingly large amount of western games in development revealed. If you look back at the number of western games revealed at PS2's first announcement...there were none. I actually think Sony could launch in the US in the Spring if they wanted from a software POV, but certainly, if they aren't launching until later in the year, devs will have had plenty of time to work on games, and I'd expect a very comfortably large and quality lineup from US/European devs in that case. From a western game-dev point of view, I think Spring is possible, but Fall is peachy.

If some of the games revealed at E3 won't be released till a Fall US or Euro launch they'll have been in dev for quite a long time. For example, Heavenly Sword will have had almost 3 years of development time if they were targetting late 06 (?) I guess at any rate that can't be bad in terms of potential quality and polish.

 

[gosh]

will xbox 360 have 2nd generation games in 2006 fall

 

[jvd]

will xbox 360 have 2nd generation games in 2006 fall

yea anyway u count it they should be second gen games , its a full year after launch at that point

 

[gosh]

what is specifically the meaning of 2nd generation games. does it mean better understanding of the hardware or better looking games

 

[Wunderchu]

does it mean better understanding of the hardware or better looking games

both

 

[orfanotna]

what is specifically the meaning of 2nd generation games. does it mean better understanding of the hardware or better looking games

Both. Better understanding of hardware means more efficient use of it means better looking games.

 

[jvd]

Well really they are the first games to be made with final hardware close to the start of making the game

 

[RancidLunchmeat]

Huh?

Did you really just ask if the X360 would have "second generation games..." and then when jvd answered "yes", you then asked "what are second generation games?"

So you didn't even know the meaning of the first question that you were asking?

 

[gosh]

because at first i thought 2nd generation games meant the second games by a developer on the system

 

[Titanio]

because at first i thought 2nd generation games meant the second games by a developer on the system

Sometimes a dev's second game could be classed as second generation. Usually there seems to be about a year or so seperating generations of software.

 

[Almasy]

A Spring Japanese launch, Fall US launch would be unsurprising. I'd like a Spring launch in the West, but I'm not holding my breath.

And yes, Sony did not say what region Spring 06 was referring to at E3. I think Japan is a given, but the US and/or Europe in the same timeframe seems a little unlikely to me.

It makes sense that they launch in japan first. As i've said japan will buy the system even with lack luster games , in the usa the system will die . They can also produce less units and sell higher with the knowledge that 65nm will be ready for a usa launch or shortly after that

Of course, that´s asuming PS3 actually HAS lackluster launch games. I´d say we should wait and see who´s developing what for PS3. I expect a MUCH better launch this time around considering PS3´s ease of development and a few quick X360 ports.

I´m curious though, why does everything that involves Sony is always worst case scenario with you and the other way around when it involves MS? Oh, don´t answer.