It's not too bad. I just hope they don't use blue plastic like I've seen so far. The one thing I don't like is that blu ray logo that takes up that needless space up on the top. Put it in a corner on the back or something. Jeez. I mean at least for a PS3 game you shouldn't need it considering you aren't buying it b/c it uses blu ray media. You're buying it for the game.

I liked the idea of changing the Blu-Ray header color from blue to black. It gives the box more of a Playstation look, and it should help people differentiate from movies and PS3 games.

Well as long as it doesn't make all the characters on the cover look like smurfs and is just the header I guess that's cool. I always thought clear blue plastic was silly.

But everyone is correct, the top Blu-Ray header thing is retarded.

It kind of reminds me of those 'Super-Bit' DVDs. While they may be higher quality, I wont touch the damn things because they put that lame metal frame around the original box art. The case may be of higher quality, but that header is still grossly idiotic.

That actual box art is so 1997-ish. Here's a game about strolling around a fantasy world throwing barrels or whatever at monsters and the cover is all "BUT GUYS THE GAME HAS SOME TITS COME ON, LET'S MAKE SOME CAAAARAAAZY MONEY".

I don't think I'll be buying a PS3 for a while, so dam expensive :E.
Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii (not the toilet)...

However, the cell platform is very dam powerful, I'll give them that. Only matter is price =(.

-QJ.net

Whether or not Sony keeps its promise and delivers a sufficient amount of units come launch day, I have a question.

I understand there's going to be the usual crowd of people who will line up for hours on end to get the system, but what about someone who reserves the system in advance (even though last I checked, pre-orders still aren't being taken at GS or EB)? Will that person also have to wait in line, and if so are their chances of securing a system guaranteed on account of the pre-order, or just merely increased?

I've never been in a situation like this before (my dad got me the N64 in christmas, and I purchased the PS2 during its post-christmas run, around March), so I'm wondering how it works for someone who reserved the system in advance versus someone who will brave a ridiculously long line.

Well if the store's not run by a bunch of crappy morons, your reserved unit should be safe. I imagine they'd call for people to show their pre-order dockets in the line, then those left over fight for the remaining two and a half PS3's.

Sounds about right. Does this mean, in theory, that I wouldn't have to show up exceptionally early, since my reserve would be "safe" as long as I show up within the day? Well I suppose that depends on the number of systems that store would receive, so I should ask the workers about that beforehand.

I'd stick it out in a large line if I had to, but it's so much better if I didn't have to.

In theory, yeah. But who knows. ;_; Over here places like EB will hold any pre-order for up to two days, no matter what. But it's pretty hard to compare as our market is piss small. I guess your best bet would be to slog it out in line.

last time I got to EB games O ask them the release date of the PS3 in Canada and they have the same date as the US (yay!) but they didn't really know if they will accept pre-order and the guy said that there will probably have to refuse any pre-order...so I guess it's first on spot, first served...

I already plan to take my friday off from school XD (I only have one class in the mornig and I can manage to miss one day XD) so I'll still get up early to be first at the opening of EB games XD

Then allow me to clarify for you right now.

EB Games/Gamestop will be taking pre-orders for the PS3 (and Wii). The pre-orders will likely begin sometime in early October. Why so close to the system's launch? Let me explain.

Due to several asshole customers, complaints, and the fact that Microsoft severely lied to us about the number of Xbox 360s we'd be getting/allowed to take pre-orders for, the company has decided to not offer pre-orders until we know the exact number of units available to each store.

I had a lot of people accuse me for their lack of a 360 even though they reserved one. Not my fault, dickheads. In any case, to prevent that sort of thing from happening again, this was Gamestop's resolution.

Now, for those of you who think you can just appear at midnight or opening launch day and get your PS3? Think again. Let's browse through the numbers, shall we?

Microsoft had approximately what, 260,000 360's available in the US. at launch? Sony has stated 400,000 will be going to the US., slightly more than half. The store I worked at during the 360's launch received a mere 12 out of a promised 40 360s, so I'd imagine a store like mine would receive somewhere around 15/16 units. And you can bet every. single. one. will be reserved.

So unless you wanna fight through hordes of people at Wal-Mart, Best Buy, whathaveyou, pre-order your system.

I know that ... it's just that the store here said that they will probably not accept pre-order(not that they don't take them now, but that they will probably never take pre-order...) so if they do change they mind and start to take pre-order, I'll be sure to reserve one >.> if not then I'll go at the opening (there's really nothing else to do...)

or i'll wait till christmas because apparantly there will be around 1 million ps3 more by the end of the year...

so in all will see, I still have to buy some game in october, so I'll ask again and again when they'll start to take pre-order XD

In other news, apparentely the only (and thought to be exclusive) Xbox 360 J-RPG -- Enchanted Arms -- will be making its way to the PS3 as a port of the 360 verison.

yeah I saw that, can't say it's bad it's just that on ps3 I think enchanted arms will have a fierce competition...

True, people with 360s (including myself) are lucky when they get an RPG, especially a J-RPG so we can't be all that picky. When you talk about the PS3 though you know it's just going to get caught in the wash. With better more exciting PS3 exclusives at launch, and the fact that Sony has the largest RPG library of any console I don't think that [EM] will even be noticed on the PS3. Especially if Bethesda manage to get Oblivion out the door for the PS3 in the launch window.

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3153547

Sony plans to integrate an xFire system for the PS3. Impressive move! xFire is by far the best "friends" list program for games I've dealt with so far.

This will be really sweet. To see friends whether they be on their PS3 or on their PC and also chat with them either way, that's cool. I know that MS has already pitched a feature like this for vista but;

1. New MS OSs take about 4 years to become stable
2. Sony + Xfire... c'mon!

Vista won't be stable for another year to year and a half. Even then what you'll be getting is a memory whore of an OS with DRM things left and right and very little of the promised changes.

It seems like we'll have to wait for Blackcomb to roll around for some substantial change. Whoops, back to your regularly scheduled PS3 news.

Wait and see, on my side, to all of this. Sony's fumbled the PS3 too much for me to just jump right in.

Fumbled??? Launches never go smooth, and to expect otherwise is unrealistic. As for the price, seeing how I am even today playing my PS2 about 3X the amount of my 360 I'm more then confident that the PS3 while a bit pricey, will be more then a worth while investment. But hey, if we didn't have opinions, or competition companies wouldn't have the motivation to do better and the price of things would be through the roof if the market were monopolized. ;)

I don't know exactly what xFire is, but PennyArcade was saying that suposedly it'll only be for one game (so far?).

Its more than just the launch. PS3 following the same market strategy as PSP is a bad plan.

The only problem with the PSP market strategy is that they're trying to use the same strategy for a handheld that they would use for a console. When applied to a console though, there's not as many flaws.

But if you can be more specific then perhaps I will understand more of what you mean.

That's right, the PSP was definitely marketed incorrectly, because there are not too many people who want a multimedia powerhouse as a handheld. If you wanted multimedia, you'd watch it on a stationary entertainment system with the comfort of your couch and TV. Watching a movie on a Computer Screen isn't too bad, but watching one on the PSP? That's a bit too small to enjoy. People expect a handheld to play games as a primary function. If you market a handheld to be an entertainment system, not many people are going to buy it. People who want to watch movies have a portable DVD player. People who want to listen to music have an MP3 player. If you're going to buy a PSP, you're going to be gaming on it.

What Omnislash said.

The only reason I'm interested in the PS3 is as a game player. However, I can't see paying 600$ for it. Same reason I didn't go for the PSP.

You are correct though, its not as bad of a strategy on a console. I'm still watching the PS3, even though I have no current plans of owning one. I lost all interest for the PSP when I first heard about all their plans for it.

Like I said, if you were even thinking of getting a Next-gen console (not including Wii, we'll save that discussion for later) then the extra $50 for a PS3 is definatly worth it if you're a fighting, RPG, or Metal Gear fan, because these are things that you won't get near as much of on the 360. And if you want sports and tons of generic shooters including Halo then you have to get a 360. My point is that the price really isn't that big of a deal, while it may be expensive, what's the point in spending $500 for a 360 if you wouldn't use it as much as you would a PS3 for $550??

Also for thoes who think that you have to buy the $600 PS3 to make it worth while you're wrong. It's been proven that HD does not make THAT much of a difference for gaming yet seeing as there's not enough texture detail yet to utelize this feature unlike TV or movies, and if you have an HDMI TV then I don't think that money is really that big of a deal for you so stop bitching.

Also if you think about it, if you would get a 360 and LIVE and buy a PS3 instead just think of the difference as a one time payment for the online portion seeing as how it's free unlike X-box LIVE. Therefore the $57.00 difference (after taxes) works out to be 6 months of X-box LIVE fees... but you only way for 6 months not 12 months times 5 years ($540).