The Evil Genius Posted May 28, 2003 Share Posted May 28, 2003 Sooner than later. Sony Unveils New 'PSX' Game Machine, Mum on 'PS3' Wed May 28, 7:32 AM ET Add Technology - Reuters to My Yahoo! By Edmund Klamann and Daisuke Wakabayashi TOKYO (Reuters) - Sony Corp (news - web sites), under pressure to cut costs and roll out hot new products after dismal earnings news, unveiled a game machine on Wednesday, the "PSX," that puts a TV tuner, DVD recorder and game player in a single box. It marked the second announcement in two weeks of a new gaming gadget by the world's largest consumer electronics maker, which is eager to inject some of the pizazz of its best-selling PlayStation 2 (news - web sites) into its languishing home electronics line-up. But Sony remained coy on when it might unveil a whole new generation of game devices to succeed the PlayStation 2, which will finally recoup its huge investment costs this year and has become a profit driver for the company. "That will be a business decision," Ken Kutaragi, Sony's executive deputy president and head of its game unit, told Reuters when pressed on the subject after a media briefing. Speculation has heated up on when a new game machine, which many presume will be a "PlayStation 3," may debut. Several analysts are talking about late 2004 or early 2005, but the company faces some complex calculations as it seeks both to wring profits from the PlayStation 2 for as long as possible and to stay ahead of rivals like Microsoft Corp's Xbox (news - web sites). The PSX, which will include a hard-disk drive and broadcast satellite tuner, is due for launch in Japan this year and in Europe and the United States early next year as an all-in-one entertainment device for games, music and moving pictures. Earlier this month Sony unveiled the "PSP" hand-held game machine, to be launched by the end of 2004, which spurred a tumble in the shares of GameBoy maker Nintendo (news - web sites) Co TO PS3, OR NOT PS3? Wednesday's strategy briefing with Sony's top brass offered no new clues, however, on possible factory closures or job cuts to yield the cost savings Sony has promised from its vast manufacturing base in Japan. "We hope to come up with comprehensive details before speculation gets out of hand," Sony President and Chief Operating Officer Kunitake Ando told the briefing. "We would like to announce final plans before October." Analysts and investors say such restructuring efforts are as vital as hit products if Sony is to secure respectable profits. "The ball is firmly in their court because I think they can do a lot on the cost side, which they haven't started doing," said Jeremy Hall, associate director of Japanese equities at Henderson Global Investors (Japan) KK. "If they started surprising on that front, then you could easily make a much more bullish case on Sony." Sony rattled investors a month ago by posting its biggest quarterly net loss in more than eight years, far worse than the market's expectations, and warning that operating profit in the year to next March would slip to its lowest in nine years. Sony lost one-fourth of its market value in the two days after the April earnings announcement and its share price has since languished near seven-year lows. The shares ended Wednesday trade unchanged at 3,000 yen, underperforming a 1.7 percent rise in the Tokyo Stock Exchange's electrical machinery index IELEC. The briefing began after the Tokyo share market closed. Sony Chairman Nobuyuki Idei said his company ended talks with overseas firms, which included Dutch insurer Aegon NV, on a possible equity stake in its life insurance unit. He added Sony would consider splitting its financial businesses, which include an online bank, into a separate unit for possible alliances or an initial public offering Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffSchmeff Posted May 28, 2003 Share Posted May 28, 2003 So this 'PSX' box is going to have PS2 guts, right? I think they are going to release this thing to the consumer electronics market. I think they are trying to delay the release of the PS3 because they are still making cash off of the PS2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbooma Posted May 28, 2003 Share Posted May 28, 2003 Originally posted by JeffSchmeff So this 'PSX' box is going to have PS2 guts, right? I think they are going to release this thing to the consumer electronics market. I think they are trying to delay the release of the PS3 because they are still making cash off of the PS2. Don't forget the dvd burner, now that is sweet. Sony better hurry with the PS3 since Xbox2 I believe comes out this winter, and is going to be one bad a$$ machine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opiate-Zeo Posted May 28, 2003 Share Posted May 28, 2003 As far as I know, nothing has been announced about either xbox2 or PS3. They usually start announcing this stuff at least a year, if not more before they are going to come out. I have been hearing rumors about MS getting xbox2 ready to come out before the PS3. I have also heard that xbox2 will have a Tivo in it, plus some other neat home entertainment stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickens Posted May 28, 2003 Share Posted May 28, 2003 Can't wait for the new X-Box. Hopefully it will be smaller. I have to wonder what the future of Nintendo is. They seem to be going the way of Atari at their current rate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavyDave Posted May 29, 2003 Share Posted May 29, 2003 If you have cable there is talk about the Xbox2 and PS3 on Techtv and in PSM magazine. www.techtv.com and www.psmonline.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavyDave Posted May 29, 2003 Share Posted May 29, 2003 The show is called extended play and comes on at 4pm and 11:30 pm They have been showing games from E3 doing a best and worst of the past two days with me having to upgrade to play some of the new PC games. I'll post a list of their must haves for all platforms Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavyDave Posted May 31, 2003 Share Posted May 31, 2003 Well watching Extended play and they gave their opinion of the platforms best games. Best Game X Box Halo 2 Best Game PC Half Life 2 Best game GameCube F Zero GX ( I agree with it being hit by a pretty stick and the speed) Runner up Game Mario Cart (gorgeous graphics) Metal Solid the Twin Snakes (impressive remake Star Wars Rebel Strike (I'm a Fan) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeletor The Invincible Posted May 31, 2003 Share Posted May 31, 2003 So, the new playstation will do everything a computer does.. but be cheaper? hmm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavyDave Posted May 31, 2003 Share Posted May 31, 2003 Oops left a few out Best Playstation Game EA sport online lineup??? Hockey, B Ball, Racing, Golf and Madden (all have online voice chat) Play Station runner ups Gran Turismo4 Star Ocean 3 ( A RPG with no time/turn based fightin yep realtime brawlin) Maximo Army of Zin ( grown up version with impressive visuals) Best Multi Platform XIII (a shooter) (I'd Take LOTR) Runner ups Lord Of The Rings - Return of the King StarCraft Ghost New Original game Beyond Good and Evil (Ubi Soft) Runner up Geist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamebreaker Posted May 31, 2003 Share Posted May 31, 2003 Most speculation has Microsoft launching the XBox 2 sometime in 2005. Sony's next system may not even make it out by 2005, because the Cell technology they have patented and want to include in it may not be ready. I'm not too impressed with the PSX, and with what they're including in it, it will likely cost over $500. No thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Punani2 Posted May 31, 2003 Share Posted May 31, 2003 I'm hyped about the Xbox 2 as well. The DVD burner is an awesome idea. I will now be able to save Skins games in digital quality!! Whoo Hoo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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