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After the intervention of the Cabinet’s Consumer Protection Commission, Sony Computer Entertainment Asia has agreed to replace PlayStation 3 game consoles if they have “serious defects,” according to the Central News Agency. The commission was cited by CNA as saying that some of the PS3 game consoles launched in Taiwan had defects such as a tendency to overheat or jammed memory cards.

After a recent meeting between the commission and Sony, the vendor has agreed to replace PS3 game consoles that are determined to have “serious defects,” CNA said.

According to CNA, Sony has so far replaced two PS3 game consoles that had problems with the power switches.

News Source: Chinapost.com

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Yes, it will be free for download on the PSN, and we are thinking of charging—but doubt it. For now it is free.

Polyphony Digital’s Gran Turismo 5 promises to possibly be the most exacting and detailed racing video game ever. The Gran Turismo 5 Prologue gives you an online-enabled sampler of the GT5 experience. In the Prologue, will be dozens of different cars, and a few variety of environments to explore before the official games grand debut.

New Source: Gamespot

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You have a PlayStation 3 R&D room here, but there doesn’t seem to be an Xbox 360 room. Why is that?

Actually we have one, but it’s separate. PC and 360 are in one room. The PS3 room is separate because we have some secret technologies being developed there which are not related to CryEngine 2. Our PS3 development is going deeper than many people assume right now.

There are competitors right now who have PS3 technologies up and running. We had our initial version up and running, but we said there are too many compromises.

Yes, we could have commercialised the engine business et cetera, but we felt that if you want to make console games one day – if you want to get groundbreaking results and do things people think are impossible, you need technologies and solutions for that.

The platform itself has a lot of power, but the technology has to provide a framework for the developer so we can unleash that kind of gameplay.

Do you have a room for Wii R&D?

We have Wii development but it’s very small, it’s more like testing ideas. We don’t have a project at this stage.

We have a console game in development right now which won’t be announced for a while. It’s a complete departure from Crysis and Far Cry, it’s not a first-person shooter. For that, we’re optimising technology, but for another reason, the future in general, there is a dedicated PS3 team.

Nintendo Wii is certainly on the radar. We will do something for Nintendo Wii – the question is when. I think some time maybe in three or four years, but nobody knows when.

News Source: Gamesindustry.biz

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Announced at Leipzig, the incredible new HD PVR accessory for the PS3 looks to hit retailers some time in the beginning of 2008, after the holiday rush. In an interview with GI.biz, SCEE head David Reeves revealed the difficulties of bringing the PVR system to PS3. “The PVR – it looks simple, but within it there’s a lot of licences that you have to obtain. Sometimes you’re just not sure if you’re going to get that licence … you know what Europe is like – we have to get safety compliance on a thing like a black box from, I don’t know, fifteen or sixteen independent bodies.”

Because of the difficulties facing licensing, Sony wasn’t sure if building a system for PS3 was even possible. With all the pieces in place, it appears Sony will release the PVR in Europe early next year, after focusing on their key games this holiday. “We’d build up the installed base to Christmas, and then we’d put it out in January-February, which is what we’re going to do, and people would then be able to buy it.”

News Source: ps3fanboy

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I’m pretty skeptical it’s going to show up anytime soon and I have my doubts that converted 2D content is going to look all that great in 3D. But the 3D movement is gathering more momentum as other companies like Samsung and Philips continue working on ways to bring 3D into the home. Ideally, you wouldn’t have to wear glasses (Philips is trying to integrate 3D right into the display), but I have a feeling you’re only going to get a true Imax-like 3D experience with some eyewear.

While Mitsubishi wasn’t ready to get into pricing, one would expect to pay a premium a special-featured Blu-ray player. That said, Mitsubishi hinted that it was in discussions with one game console manufacturer to integrate the 3D technology into the system. The Wii’s not capable of such feats and Microsoft’s in the HD DVD camp, so one would have to assume it’s Sony and the PS3.

News Source: Cnet.com

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“We are committing funds for PS2 … we encourage third parties to continue development for PS2. If they bring a PS3 version out, they can bring a PS2 version out as well,” David Reeves, head of Sony’s European games unit, told Reuters on the sidelines of the Leipzig Games Convention on Thursday.

“There is a lot of money still. What happened last time with PS1 is that they left a lot of money on the table by making the transition too quickly,” he said.

Reeves said he expected games development for the PlayStation 2 to continue for three to four years. Other industry executives gave more cautious estimates of two to three years.

News Source: Reuters.com

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“Sony’s PS3 is a wonderful example of a powerful media centre, thanks to its inclusion of an audio-video-photo player as well as a web browser to navigate, download, play and chat on the Internet,” the judging panel said. “In addition there’s a 60GB hard disk for content storage, plus Ethernet, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, and four USB interfaces allowing connection of external hard-disk storage and USB accessories such as keyboards.

“However, the most important function of the PS3 is the built-in Blu-ray disc player, which also reads DVD, CD and Super Audio CD, as well as embracing the new surround sound formats. Top-notch 1080/24p resolution is available from Bluray Discs via a HDMI Ver.1.3 interface with x.v.Color; better still, the PS3 up-converts any DVD movie to 1080p resolution and it accommodates users who prefer to use a traditional remote control – one’s available as an option. Last but not least, PS3 is of course a very advanced game console and a worthy heir to the grand PlayStation heritage.”

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The decision to keep PlayStation 2 alive is largely a commercial one. It still has the highest user base and game developers are still making money from it. Plus, many of the marketing highlights that were touted at its initial launch still apply: it’s backwards compatible and it’s a cheap DVD player (something the Wii can’t do and which the Xbox 360 requires an add-on to progress beyond).

Hardcore gamers who have high definition televisions and have already signed up for next-generation gaming have tacitly accepted the commercial reasoning behind the PlayStation 2, but only because they accept that there are companies still making money from it. But where is the line drawn? When will the PlayStation 2 be ‘not good enough’? Is it destined to become the Amiga 500 of the console industry, or will it take the realisation that it might be hurting the industry’s progress into next-gen gaming for something to happen? Here are the top ten reasons we believe the PlayStation 2 should be retired.

News Source: Gameplayer.com.au

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David Reeves, president of SCEE, has announced that 275 new titles across all of Sony’s platforms are in the pipeline for launch by this Christmas.

The chief, who received rapturous applause after his announcements at the Leipzig Games Convention, also said he expects Sony to have sold 140 million PlayStation consoles in Europe by 2010.

Reeves added that the PlayStation 3 is on track to match early sales of PS2, claiming that 1.3 million had been sold in Europe with Resistance: Fall of Man the top selling title with 531,000 copies sold.

News Source: Digitalspy.co.uk