Friday launch for PS3 in SA

“2007 promises to launch one of the most exciting eras in terms of the future delivery of entertainment and media content for consumers,” said David Hadassin, CEO: Ster-Kinekor Games.

Announcing the launch details, David Reeves, president of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) said, “Following the hugely successful launches of PS3 in Japan and North America, we are absolutely delighted to be able to bring significant numbers of PS3 to the SCEE territories.

“To be able to launch with numerous titles across every genre shows that this is our strongest launch line-up in the history of PlayStation, and is what PlayStation fans in Europe have been crying out for.”

Highly anticipated

The PS3 has been one of the most highly anticipated home entertainment systems to hit the international gaming market. Launching in a sleek black casing designed to enhance the contemporary home entertainment-lifestyle, the PS3 enables games and multimedia to be viewed and experienced in a High-Definition (HD) environment with top-end audiovisual potential through BlueRay DVD. The system’s sensor-sensitive Sixaxis controller can connect up to seven gamers wirelessly via advanced Bluetooth technology.

Apart from being able to play games with the BlueRay DVD system – the next generation of DVD created for HDTV systems – the PS3 also acts as a standalone high-end BlueRay DVD player (with a 60GB harddrive), provides storage space for personal photos, videos and music, allegedly has more speed than the best PC available commercially and also links to the Internet for downloads and gaming interaction.

PS1, PS2 and PSP games (linked via the PSP console) will be compatible with PS3.

The confirmed launch line-up of game titles includes eagerly awaited titles published by Sony Computer Entertainment such as Resistance: Fall of Man, MotorStorm, Genji: Days of the Blade, Formula One Championship Edition and Ridge Racer 7. An wide range of titles in every genre will also be available at launch from third party publishers including Electronic Arts, Activision, Namco Bandai, Sega, Take 2, Ubisoft, Vivendi Universal, and Sony Online Entertainment.

Downloadable games

In addition to games on disc, a range of fully-featured downloadable games will debut on the Playstation Network. These will include gaming icons such as Tekken: Dark Resurrection and Gran Turismo HD Concept, the fully-featured PS3 debut of the best-selling franchise Gran Turismo, realised with full HD (1080p) visual quality. Created by Polyphony Digital and published by Sony Computer Entertainment, Gran Turismo HD Concept has been downloaded by more than 350 000 users since it was released in December 2006 in North America and Japan.

Also available on the Playstation Network will be brainteasers Go! Sudoku and Go! Puzzle, and exclusively designed games such as Blast Factor and flOw, which deliver on the promise to provide original content created by non-traditional developers and publishers.

Selected Sony movie titles are already available in the BlueRay DVD-format, which is expected to be the preferred format for delivering media in the future. BD-ROM (Blu-ray Disc ROM) has a maximum storage capacity of 54GB (dual layer) which stores 77 times more information than a CD and six times more than a double layered DVD, which means it can hold over 50 000 high resolution photographs, 15 000 music tracks, store full HD movies and games, enabling delivery of entertainment content in full HD quality, under a secure environment made possible through the most advanced copyright protection technology.

Responding to a major retail and consumer demand, it has been confirmed that initially only the 60GB model would be available, with the 20GB model to follow later in the year dependant on demand. Concurrent with the launch, a new System Update to further enhance the entertainment potential of PS3 will be issued.

Various peripherals will be available at launch: SIXAXIS wireless controller, Blu-ray disc remote control, HDMI cable, AV cable, component AV cable and S video cable.