QuickOverview

PlayStation 3 (abbreviated PS3) is Sony Computer Entertainment's seventh-generation video game console, third in the PlayStation series. It is the successor to the PlayStation and PlayStation 2.

The console was released on November 11, 2006, in Japan and on November 17, 2006, in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Hong Kong and Taiwan. It will be released March 23, 2007 in Europe, Australia and Singapore. It is available in two initial configurations, the 20 GB Basic model and the 60 GB Premium model.

Overview

History

Sony officially unveiled the PlayStation 3 to the public on May 16, 2005, during the 2005 E3 conference. A functional version of the console was not present at E3 2005 nor the Tokyo Game Show in September 2005, although at both events demonstrations were held on devkits (e.g. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots) and comparable PC hardware, and video footage based on the predicted PlayStation 3 specifications was also shown (e.g. Mobile Suit Gundam). It was not until E3 2006 that games were shown on actual PlayStation 3 systems. At E3 2005, Sony said the PlayStation 3 would have two HDMI and three Ethernet ports. This was later reduced to one of each, presumably to cut costs. The PS3 is capable of HD video output at resolutions of up to 1080p (1920 by 1080 progressive). The PS3 is the only console with a built-in "high-definition" optical drive — both models come with a Blu-ray drive that runs at 2x speed. In preparation for launch, Sony demonstrated 27 playable PS3 titles during the Tokyo Game Show in September 2006 on final hardware.

Marketing

In what could be its first big advertising campaign, the PlayStation 3 was featured in the advertising boards of 16 stadiums across Europe, during Matchday 1 of the UEFA Champions League 2006–2007 Group Stage, on 12 and September 13, 2006. However, on the other matchdays, the advertising was replaced by PSP, perhaps as a result of the system's launch delay. Just until the First Knockout Stage Matchday (Matchday 7), on 20 and February 21, 2007, the PS3 ads return, even with the Europe launch delay, but mostly because the console has been officially launched already. Television advertisements also began airing in the United States, carrying the slogan "PLAY B3YOND - l l l 7." The 3 that replaces the E in "BEYOND" (an example of leet) hearkens back to the launch slogan of the PlayStation: "u r not e".

Originally, three ads aired for the console, none showcasing actual games. One simply featured a baby doll staring at the PS3 and making gestures and sounds — some of which is eerie laughter — as tears stream from its eyes. Another had the PS3, in the same white-walled setting, sitting across from a Rubik's cube, which suddenly levitated, solved itself, and exploded into colors on the four walls. The third ad used the same white backdrop and, unlike the other two ads, portrayed the motion-sensing controller by showing eggs rolling across the floor. There were also two ads between one and two minutes long, which used the same backdrop as the others, focusing on the capabilities of the Cell microprocessor and the Blu-ray Disc. Another advertisement starts off in the same setting before a wall bursts open and we are shown gameplay of Resistance: Fall of Man.

System configuration

The basic configuration of the console has a 20 GB internal hard drive. The "premium" version of the PlayStation 3 comes with an internal 60 GB 2.5" Serial ATA hard drive, IEEE 802.11b/g Wi-Fi connectivity, multiple flash memory card readers (SD/MultiMedia Card, CompactFlash, Memory Stick) and features a chrome-colored trim. Both consoles now feature a silver-colored text logo on the top face of the system. The hard drive is upgradeable, using the standard Serial ATA interface. No official Wi-Fi or flash memory card adapters have yet been released by Sony, although plans for such add-ons are in place. Nevertheless, as both models feature four USB 2.0 ports, wireless networking and flash memory card support can already be obtained through the use of widely available external USB adapters. No high-definition video cables are included; instead, a composite video/stereo audio cable ships with the system. While Sony will soon release an official PS3 component cable, their official PS2 component cables are compatible with the PS3, as both consoles use the same AV Multi Out jack.

Release data and pricing

The PlayStation 3 was released in Japan on November 11, 2006, at 07:00. There were reports that many of the initial consoles were obtained by businessmen who paid mainly Chinese nationals to buy the console without any software to resell on eBay. According to Media Create, 81,639 PS3 systems were sold within 24 hours of its introduction in Japan. Sony has opted to go with an open pricing scheme for the 60 GB model, allowing retailers to set a price point themselves.

The PlayStation 3 was released in North America on November 17, 2006. Reports of violence surrounding the release of the PS3 include a customer shot, campers robbed at gunpoint, customers shot in a drive-by shooting with BB guns, and 60 campers fighting over 10 systems. In California, two GameStop employees fabricated a robbery to cover up their own theft of several PlayStation 3 and four Xbox 360 consoles.

On January 25, 2007, Sony announced that the launch date for the Australian and European release of the PS3 will be March 23, 2007. However, like the European launch, the Australian launch will only feature the 60GB model for AU$999 (including GST).

The official Singaporean release will be on the 7th of March 2007, with the price for the 60 GB version set at S$799, without any games. It is expected that Sony Singapore will sell it bundled with some games, so a price of approximately S$1000 is expected.

The initial production cost is estimated to be US$805.85 for the 20 GB model and US$840.35 for the 60 GB model.

On January 7, 2007, Sony confirmed they met their goal of shipping over 1 million units to North America. Just over a week later, on January 16, Sony confirmed they had shipped 1 million units in Japan, bringing the worldwide total to 2 million shipped.

It is not yet easy to draw meaningful conclusions from early sales data. Some journalists have judged the relative ease with which it is possible to buy a PlayStation 3 in stores in America and Japan, compared with the scarcity of the Nintendo Wii, as evidence of lukewarm consumer demand for the console. There have also been reports that some Japanese retailers are already discounting the console to stimulate demand. Sony, however, has countered that comfortable levels of stock in store are evidence of its efficient supply chain.

Games

The PlayStation 3 launched in North America and Japan with 15 titles by November 17, 2006. Resistance: Fall of Man had sold the most units after 5 days, and was heavily praised by many gaming websites, including GameSpot and IGN, who awarded it their PlayStation 3 Game of the Year award. Several planned launch titles were delayed, such as F.E.A.R. and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. The European release of the PlayStation 3 will launch with a further 22 titles, including Virtua Fighter 5, Splinter Cell: Double Agent and Enchanted Arms.

Major first party titles include the upcoming MotorStorm, an off-road racing game; Heavenly Sword, an action-adventure game that won several awards at E3 2006; Killzone (working title); the sequel to the popular first-person shooter for the PlayStation 2; Eight Days, a third-person shooter and driving game; Lair, a fantasy adventure game that sees you take the role of a dragon rider; and Warhawk; a third-person flying shooter that makes extensive use of the PlayStation 3's SIXAXIS controller’s motion-sensing capabilities.

There is also an array of third party titles that are scheduled for release exclusive to the PlayStation 3, such as Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, reportedly the final chapter of Hideo Kojima's tactical espionage epic; Devil May Cry 4, the third sequel in Capcom’s fast-paced gun-slinging/sword-fighting series; Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Versus XIII, a dual installment of the hugely popular Square Enix role-playing franchise; Tekken 6, the continuation of the popular fighting series; and Heavy Rain, an innovative yet unorthodox adventure title from Quantic Dream.

Legal Issues

Agere Systems filed a patent-infringement lawsuit against Sony over a number of Sony products. According to court documents, Agere (which has a pair of offices in Texas) has filed suit against Sony and a number of its divisions for willful infringement of eight patents in a number of its products, including the PSP, PlayStation 2, and based on announced specifications, the PlayStation 3. Sony VAIO computers, Handycams, Walkman players, Memory Stick Duos, and Location Free TV are also named as infringing offerings on some of the patents. The patents in question run from a "wireless local area network apparatus" to "barrier layer treatments for tungsten plug."

Fenner Investments, a Texas company, is also suing Sony (along with Microsoft and Nintendo). Fenner claims the big three are in violation of their "low-voltage joystick port interface" patent and is seeking both damages and an injunction against the three companies.

Game development

The PlayStation 3 is based on open and publicly available application programming interfaces. Sony has selected several technologies and arranged several sublicensing agreements to create an advanced software development kit for developers. In addition, in 2005 Sony purchased SN Systems, a former provider of Microsoft Windows-based development tools for a variety of console platforms; including PlayStation 2, GameCube, PSP and Nintendo DS to create additional GNU development tools.

Open standards for OpenGL, matrix algorithms, and scene data are specified by the Khronos Group, and are intended to work with nVidia's Cg programming language. Scene data are stored with COLLADA v1.4, an open, XML-based file format. Rendering uses PSGL, a modified version of OpenGL ES 1.0 (OpenGL ES 2.0 compliant except for the use of Cg instead of GLSL), with extensions specifically aimed at the PS3. Other specifications include OpenMAX, a collection of fast, cross-platform tools for general "media acceleration," such as matrix calculations, and OpenVG, for hardware-accelerated 2D vector graphics. These specifications have GPL, free for any use, and/or commercial implementations by third parties.

Sublicensed technology includes complete game engines, physics libraries, and special libraries. Engines include Epic's Unreal engine 3.0. Physics libraries include AGEIA's PhysX SDK, NovodeX, and Havok's physics and animation engines. Other tools include Nvidia's Cg 1.5 (a C-like shading language, which HLSL was based upon), SpeedTree RT by Interactive Data Visualization, Inc. (high-quality virtual foliage in real time), and Kynogon's Kynapse 4.0 "large scale A.I.".

Sony has considered using IPv6, the next generation of the Internet Protocol.

Some titles, such as Genji: Days of the Blade and Ridge Racer 7, allow users to install 4–5 GB of game data to the hard drive, which dramatically improves load times. In Genji, for example, the cached data apparently reduces load times from 15 seconds to 4 seconds.

Backward compatibility

Sony stated that every PlayStation and PlayStation 2 game that observes its respective system's TRC (Technical Requirements Checklist) would be playable on PS3 at launch. SCE president Ken Kutaragi asked developers to adhere to the TRC to facilitate compatibility with future PlayStations, stating that the company was having some difficulty getting backward compatibility with games that had not followed the TRCs. It has been confirmed (image) that initial PS3 units include the CPU/rasterizer combination chip used in the slim PS2 (EE+GS) to achieve backward compatibility. European launch units will ship without this combination, instead relying on software emulation. The backward compatibility function is region-locked.

The PlayStation 3 does not include interfaces for legacy PlayStation peripherals, though IGN.com tested a legacy controller using a PS2-to-USB adapter, finding that it is compatible, though most other devices (such as the Guitar Hero controller) may not be compatible. USB devices for PlayStation 2 may be compatible with PlayStation 3. The PS3 supports both the USB EyeToy camera/webcam and SOCOM Headset for video and voice chat. A memory card adapter is available so users can save their PS/PS2 data to a virtual memory card on the hard drive. The PlayStation 3 can also use Memory Sticks to store save data for PlayStation and PlayStation 2 software.

Initially, at launch, approximately 3% of Playstation and Playstation 2 titles had minor compatability issues, such as dropped audio, freezes or controller malfunctions. Popular games reported to have these glitches included Tekken 5 and Gran Turismo. Many games had also been reported to have problems with garbled or unreadable text on-screen and generally blurry image quality, but the January 24, 2007, firmware release, which updated the system to version 1.50, has fully resolved this issue.

In a recent press release by SCEE Europe, the PAL version of PS3 will utilize software emulation for some of the functionality that was originally taken care of by dedicated chips, which means initially, fewer PlayStation 2 (PS2) games can be played on PAL PS3 compared with the NTSC PS3 models. In the same press release, David Reeves, President of SCEE Europe, stated that rather than concentrate on PS2 backwards compatibility, Sony will focus on new PS3 contents.

System software

Firmware

Similar to the PlayStation Portable (PSP), Sony has added the ability for firmware updates to be downloaded and used on the PlayStation 3. The updates can be installed via System Update, HDD, or a Game that requires a firmware update.

The latest version of firmware for the US and Japanese PlayStation 3 is version 1.51, released February 2, 2007. This update fixes graphical issues for PS1/PS2 games, adds additional security options, adds Edy payment options for Japan, and includes other minor XMB updates.

PlayStation Network

In response to Microsoft's Xbox Live network, Sony announced a unified online service for the PlayStation 3 console at the 2006 PlayStation Business Briefing meeting in Tokyo. Sony has confirmed that the service will be always connected, free and include multiplayer support. However, developers are permitted to charge a subscription fee, as is common with MMO games.

The Xfire client can be integrated into games to provide various match-making facilities, at a cost to the publisher.

At the Tokyo Game Show on September 21, 2006, it was revealed that users will be able to download some of the thousands of PlayStation 1 and PlayStation 2 titles from the PlayStation Network for about $5 to $15, starting with those with the smallest game data. The reason to allow this kind of functionality is that Sony wants to allow the users to choose the games of their preference. Ken Kutaragi also announced functionality with other consoles, similar to Nintendo's Virtual Console, including confirmed Sega Genesis and TurboGrafx 16 functionality. However, Sega has replied that Sony has been too hasty with calling it a fact. Sega is currently reviewing the possibilities, but has not yet made a decision on it.

The registration interface can only be accessed through the PS3 system interface. The on-screen input method for the system is a T9 "dial pad" system (similar to writing a text message on a mobile phone) that predicts words as they are typed. This is the only method of input available out of the box (that is, without a compatible USB keyboard). The predictive text does not predict any capitalized words, causing users that want to make use of this feature to input all words in lowercase and then go back and capitalize the first letters (if needed). An alternative is to add words to the system’s built-in predictive text dictionary; also, the unit automatically keeps track of any inputted terms.

PlayStation Portable connectivity

The PlayStation Portable can connect with the PlayStation 3 in many ways, including in-game connectivity. For example, Formula One: Championship Edition, a racing game, was shown at E3 2006 using a PSP as a real-time rear-view mirror. In addition, it is possible to download PlayStation 1 games to the PlayStation 3 from the PlayStation Store. These games are not playable on the PS3; however, they can be sent to a PSP, where they can then be played using the PSP's PlayStation Emulator. Sony has been criticized for making this feature exclusive to the PSP, given the limited supply available compared to the number of PSP units on the market.

Sony has also demonstrated the PSP playing back video content, including 1080p content from the PlayStation 3 hard disk across an ad-hoc wireless network. This feature is referred to as Remote Play.

PlayStation 3 cluster

Given the computing capabilities of the machine, there is some interest in using PS3 to build supercomputers for high-performance computing (the NCSA has already built a cluster based on the PlayStation 2). Terra Soft Solutions has a version of Yellow Dog Linux for the PlayStation 3 and even sells PS3s with Linux pre-installed. In addition, RapidMind is pushing their stream programming package for the PS3.

Hardware

Unless otherwise noted, the following specifications are based on a press release by Sony at the 2005 E3 Conference, and slides from a Sony presentation at the 2006 Game Developer's Conference.

Central processing unit

The PS3's 3.2-GHz Cell processor, developed jointly by Sony, Toshiba and IBM ("STI"), is an implementation to dynamically assign physical processor cores to do different types of work independently. It has a PowerPC-based "Power Processing Element" (PPE) and six accessible 3.2-GHz Synergistic Processing Elements (SPEs). A seventh runs in a special mode and is dedicated to aspects of the OS and security, and an eighth is disabled to improve production yields. The PPE, SPEs and other elements ("units") are connected via an Element Interconnect Bus which serves to connect all of the units in a ring-style bus. The PPE has a 512-KB level 2 cache and one VMX vector unit. Each SPE is a RISC processor with 128-bit SIMD GPRs and superscalar functions. Each SPE contains 256 KB of non-cached memory (local storage, "LS") that is shared by program code and work data. SPEs may access more data in the main memory using DMA. The floating point performance of the whole system (CPU + GPU) is reported to be 2 TFLOPS. PlayStation 3's Cell CPU achieves 204 GFLOPS single precision float and 15 GFLOPS double precision. The PS3 has 256 MB of Rambus XDR DRAM, clocked at CPU die speed.

The Cell microprocessor allows programmers to assign SPEs different work by running individual programs on them. Programmers may also arrange data flow in different ways, for example using parallel, pipelined or streamed processing data flow models. As an example for parallel processing performance gains, one core could work on decoding and multiplexing audio, another core may perform computations on realistic projectiles ballistics, while another might govern the activities of the main character. The programmer still has three more cores not yet assigned but the only remaining tasks are to collect the work performed and display the results on the screen. Since the program code on each SPE core is executed from its local store memory, much more Element Interconnect Bus bandwidth is available to transfers of work data. An obvious downside to this is that there is a 256-KB size restriction on SPE programs, which may present a challenge for certain programming tasks.

Graphics processing unit

The Graphics Processing Unit is based on the NVIDIA G70 (previously known as NV47) architecture, which focuses on maximizing per-pixel computation in favor of raw pixel output. The GPU will make use of 256-MB GDDR3 VRAM clocked at 700 MHz and the XDR main memory via the CPU.

Connectivity

The PS3 supports numerous SDTV and HDTV resolutions (from 480i up to 1080p) and connectivity options (such as HDMI 1.3 and component video). In terms of audio, the PS3 supports a number of formats, including 7.1 digital audio, Dolby TrueHD, and others; audio output is possible over stereo RCA cables (analog), optical digital cables, or HDMI. For the optical drive, a wide variety of DVD and CD formats are supported, as well as Blu-ray Discs. A 20 GB / 60 GB 2.5" SATA 150 hard disk is pre-installed. In the 60 GB configuration, flash memory can also be used — either Memory Stick, CompactFlash, or SD/MMC. For communication, the PS3 has one Gigabit Ethernet port, four USB 2.0 ports, and supports Bluetooth 2.0 EDR.

Form factor and power consumption

The console has many ventilation holes, a single large fan, and uses heat pipes. Physically, the PlayStation 3 is approximately 5 kg (11 lb), 32.5 cm (W) × 9.8 cm (H) × 27.4 cm (D) (12.8 in. × 3.9 in. × 10.8 in.). The power supply is built into the console and a standard 3-pin IEC connector is present at the base of the console. All current PS3 power supplies are Universal 100V-240V/50–60 Hz and will work worldwide, external power markings only relate to the intended market area . The power consumption ranges from 150–200 watts during normal use.

Accessories

The PlayStation 3 SIXAXIS is a controller that is nearly identical to that of the predecessor's DualShock 2. The SIXAXIS features finer analog sensitivity; more trigger-like R2 and L2 buttons; a PS (“home”) button; and a USB mini-B port for charging the internal battery and for wired play. The PlayStation 3 supports up to 7 simultaneous controllers over Bluetooth. The SIXAXIS is named for its ability to detect motion in the full six degrees. However, unlike the PlayStation 2's DualShock, the new controller has no vibration feature. The controller retails for US$49.99.

The PlayStation 3 Memory Card Adaptor is a device that allows data to be transferred from PlayStation and PlayStation 2 memory cards to the PlayStation 3's hard disk. The device has a cable that connects to the PS3's USB port on one end, and features a legacy PS2 memory card port on the other end. The adaptor is available at a price of US$14.99 in the United States and JP¥1500 (including tax) in Japan.

Using Bluetooth, the PlayStation 3 BD Remote allows users to easily control videos and music on Blu-ray Disc and DVD. In Japan, the device was available starting December 7, 2006, and costs JP¥3,800. The device is also currently available in North America for US$24.99. However, the PS3 will accept signals only via its Bluetooth Remote, as the console does not have an infrared receiver. This prevents the use of universal remotes with the system. The Blu-ray Disc movie Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby was included with the initial 400,000 release copies of the PS3 in North America, while the first 500,000 European PlayStation Network activations after launch will receive a free copy of the Blu-Ray release of Casino Royale.

Official PlayStation 3 HDMI cables retail for US$60. No HDMI cable is included with the PlayStation 3 system. An official component AV cable is available for US$24.99.

Reception

Initial reaction to the PlayStation 3 in the mainstream media has been very mixed. Some commentators have praised the console’s technical ability; CNET, for example, awarded it a high score of 8.8 out of a possible 10 and voted it as their number one must-have gadget, praising its robust graphical capabilities and stylish exterior design while criticizing its limited selection of available games. Also, both Home Theater Magazine and Ultimate AV have given the console's Blu-Ray playback very favorable reviews, stating that the quality of playback exceeds that of many current standalone Blu-Ray and HD-DVD players.

Criticism

Nonetheless other journalists have been sharply critical of the console, often citing its high price compared to other seventh-generation competitors (faulting its strategy of bundling the expensive Blu-ray format with the machine), as well as corporate arrogance from some Sony officials in pre- and post-launch statements. Todd Howard, the executive producer of Bethesda Softworks, in an interview with Electronic Gaming Monthly magazine criticised the Blu-Ray Disc drive’s read speed for being too slow: “Drive speed matters more to me [than capacity], and Blu-ray is slower.” Bethesda Softworks' Pete Hines however stated that "reports of data duplication on the PS3 Oblivion disc have been exaggerated."

The PS3 was given the number eight spot on PC World magazine’s list of “The Top 21 Tech Screwups of 2006,” where it was criticized for being “Late, Expensive, and Incompatible.”

The February 2007 issue of EGM featured a main story titled "BattleStation!" in which the magazine voiced much of the gamer, analyst, and developer criticism against the PS3 (to be fair, they also included an interview with Sony's US Chief of Operations, Jack Tretton, who defended the console.) Much of the criticism was previous criticism bundled into one package.[100]

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