The Japanese manufacturer had promised a true “fireworks” at the time of this Games Convention. In spite of a profusion of advertisements, the conference will undoubtedly not remain a long time in the spirit of the players more aguerris.
It is David Reeves, president de Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, which acted as master of ceremonies at the time of the press conference of the giant of electronics. And to say as much that the interested party will not have been miserly in advertisements. Sony, from now on in tail of group of the manufacturers, does not have any more an other choice but to pass to the offensive, although the strategy of the group is clearly centered on the long term.
As the tradition wants it, it is by figures that the conference opened. Sony would envisage thus that, from here 2010, Europe will count a base installed of more than 140 million PlayStation consoles. PlayStation 3 ran out on the old continent to 1,3 million specimens, being based on successes of Resistance: Fall of Man and MotorStorm, which respectively reached 531.000 and 469.000 sold units. The Pack Choke, which includes/understands these 2 plays besides, would have made climb the sales of Rolls of the consoles of new generation of 61% during the first three weeks having followed its launching (with a rise of 240% for Germany at the time of the 1st week). 65 titles should be marketed from here Christmas. Lastly, PlayStation Network would currently count 645.000 European subscribers, and would have recorded a total of 7,6 million remote loadings of any kind.
Reeves then announced launching for the beginning of 2008 of a new peripheral for PlayStation 3, PlayTV. Genuine instrument of multi-media convergence, it acts of a numerical recording tuner/, which will allow, by a simple connection USB, to receive, read and record video programs in low or high definition. It will be also possible to store the latter on the hard disk of the console, by putting in pause if need be its emission constantly. A programme of 7 days recording is designed besides anything to miss its favorite series. It is supposed that the apparatus will make it possible moreover to reach the service Video one Demand house, new numerical war-horse of Sony and Microsoft. Moreover, PlayTV will be able to carry video flow on the PSP by the means of a Wifi connection. This service will be in one the 1st time set up at the United Kingdom, in France, Italy, Germany and Spain, knowing that the other territories STAKE will follow during the year 2008. “The launching of PlayTV still will increase the already broad potential of entertainment offered by PlayStation 3, and makes of it an exceptionally gravitational proposal for all the family”, comments on David Reeves.
Sony as will make the happiness of the owners of PSP, and fits more as ever in a step “connecting people”. The manufacturer, via a simple update of the firmware announced for January 2008, will equip his portable with a complete succession of software of communication, Go! Messenger. With the program, vocal cat, videoconference and instantaneous transport, the whole free, even if if naturally, some peripherals, paying (micro helmet, and the Go camera! Camwood), will be essential to benefit from it. Sony will market moreover a GPS (Go! Explore), which will offer a representation in 3D of the urban landscapes, and will support 11 languages in audio. 7 versions, according to the locality of the user in Europe, are envisaged. It is not all. Sony will launch also a service of VOD for the PSP, Go heading! Video, in collaboration with the English operator Sky. This service, which will be set up only at the United Kingdom in one the 1st time, promises its batch of programs of entertainment (sport, films, music…). To finish with Portable PlayStation, will know that the new model, “Slim & Lite”, will be launched next on September 5 with the tariff of 169€. The 3 colours suggested will be Piano Black, Ceramic White and Ice Silver, for which it will be necessary to add 2 editions limited to the colors of Spiderman and Simpsons. There is no doubt that this avalanche of advertisements should give a serious blow of whip to the sales dying women of the PSP, which undergoes the yoke of the very popular DS Lite.
And plays, in all that? Sony first of all announced the arrival on PlayStation 3 of convivial and popular Buzz series which counts already 9 episodes on PS2. Buzz heading! Quick TV, this opus will once again make it possible to create its clean quizz, but also to download contents on PlayStation Network. Side of Gran Turismo 5, you will be able to always flatter your retinas by enjoying this new trailer cardof the Prologue version, waited before the end of the year in Europe. Kazunori Yamauchi, president de Polyphony DIGITAL, was present besides especially for the occasion. Sony confirms also the arrival on PSP of incredible Echochrome, headache 3D in black and white which defies the prospects. Hideo Kokima, other guest of the conference, did not however deliver any information, and will present its Metal demonstration GEAR Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots during the living room.
In addition, Electronic Arts, by the means of Chuck Glazer, confirms that the owners of PlayStation 3 will be able to take share with the Interactive FIFA World Cup 2008, which will see to clash players of the whole world on FIFA 2008. The qualifications will proceed on line, and the competition will be spread out October 2007 at April 2008, for a great final envisaged in May.
In conclusion, a conference turned towards the services, and not the play, which will have confirmed the intentions of Sony to place PlayStation 3, multi-media tool with to do everything, in the center numerical leisures. It will have also replaced Europe and the living room of Leipzig in a right place in the world hierarchy of the video game, and by not making once more European consumers the last wheel of fits with body. If the advertisements of new plays were quite thin, guarantee that the manufacturer will probably concentrate his software offer to come on Tokyo Game Show.