Exclusive: PS3 HUB; September Launch

By Colin Campbell Print | Send to a friend | Email the editor

Next Generation can reveal that Sony is planning to launch an online games service, largely modelled on Xbox Live, currently called PlayStation HUB. We also understand Sony is aiming for a September launch for PlayStation 3 in Japan and North America.
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According to well-placed industry sources, PlayStation HUB will offer PlayStation 3 owners much the same services as Xbox Live, including chat, downloadable demos, independent games and online play. The service is also designed to support PSP online play as well as PS3. It's a departure from PlayStation 2's online strategy, widely regarded as vastly inferior to Microsoft's.

PlayStation HUB is being described to developers as a 'subscriber service' suggesting a monthly charge. We understand the service is being created by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, although this is unconfirmed.

Sony boss Howard Stringer is pushing for all media content to be available for distribution over PlayStation HUB, such as music and movies, thus opening up a powerful iTunes-like distribution network for Sony.

September launch

Developer sources are also suggesting that PlayStation 3 is currently scheduled to launch in September. A launch games release schedule seen by our sources states a September launch. Although the schedule does not explicitly state a hardware launch date, nor a launch territory, we understand Japan and U.S will both see the machine in September.

Some in the industry have taken this as a lead to speculate that September 16 would be a launch date in Japan (a Saturday before a national holiday) followed by September 21 in the U.S. These dates are not confirmed and, as always, launch dates are subject to constant revision.

A spokesperson for SCEA said the company does not comment on rumors. However, we understand Sony is preparing to announce HUB some time in the next few weeks.

http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?op...=2270&Itemid=2

I reaaaaaaaaaaaaaaly it's gonna be true

 

so much for the 1st quarter i read somewhere then

 

I read somewhere that it was in either May or June.

 

It is being launched in the UK in March 2007 and that is official from sony. There is not even a single in game screenshot on the ps3 yet so thats how you know its nowhere near finished yet, remember how the Xbox 360 was showing screen shots from game footage months before offical release.

 

Sony to showcase PS3 at Taipei Game Show 2006

Kaddy Chung, Taipei; Steve Shen, DigiTimes.com [Thursday 9 February 2006

Sony will showcase the PlayStation 3 (PS3) at the upcoming Taipei Game Show (TGS) 2006, which takes place between February 16-20. This will be a first Taipei showing for Sony’s new game console, prior to the official worldwide launch of the unit, although Sony has already shown the PS3 in the US and Japan.

Sony’s exhibit will occupy a total of 80 booths at the TGS show, including 20 booths allocated exclusively for the PS3, according to a February 9 report in the Chinese-language Commercial Times.

The Taipei showing is a move, by Sony, in a marketing campaign against its rival Microsoft, which will begin to market its Xbox 360 in Taiwan, starting March 16, the paper said.

In addition to a recent announcement of lower prices for the Xbox 360 when it first goes on sale, Microsoft Taiwan also stated on February 8 that it will market a total of 19 game titles for the Xbox 360, to coincide with its official launch in Taipei, instead of 15 titles as originally planned, according to the report.

The 19 titles include PGR 3 (Project Gotham Racing 3), designed by Microsoft Game Studios, NBA 6 by Electronic Arts, Call of Duty 2 by Activision, Ridge Racer 6 by Namco, and Dead or Alive 4 by Tecmo, the report stated.

http://www.digitimes.com/systems/a20060209A8050.html

 

Little book of knowledge you are!

 

It's just that I want this machine soo freakin' bad

 

Bugger...so it looks like it is gunna be next year

 

i bet after its released " IT ALSO HAS HEAT ISSUES "

like the 360

 

I mean actual in game footage from the games not the pre pc rendered intros and cut scenes, actual aspects of the game you can control. I would love for them to release it this year but I cant see it happening, not britain anyway! We will be purchasing a PS3 when it comes out unless its £300+

http://www.gamespot.com/pages/forums...ic_id=24327270

Check out www.gamespot.com for unbiased info on all the consoles.

Bad Company, we have no heat issues with our 360 and its used daily for at least 3-4 hours and we have all the accessories, ie.. hard drive, usb adaptor, ethernet cable mem card and headsets running on it. It sits below the tv on the stand with the psu placed behind it.

 

I know what you mean with ingame footage m8... That's why I posted that link.. They hope that Sony will reveall inside game footage on the Tapei show

 

Sony may show some of the hardware running but I doubt they will have a running box for the Tapei Show, initial reports suggest that the box they made is too small to fit everything in.

A good insider article on the PS3 here http://games.kikizo.com/news/200602/065_p1.asp however it probably will disapoint a lot of people as it suggests that in its present format the PS3 isnt going to be the leap forward from Xbox360 that everyone expects, but still looks good

The other bad news thats just come out is no built in HD and its a purchase seperate option like the 360, guess they are trying to keep the initial cost down http://www.maxps3.com/2006/02/15/ps3...ut-hard-drive/

 

http://rsch1.ml.com/9093/24013/ds/276873_0.PDF