Sony Computer Entertainment Europe CEO David Reeves says many key PS3 titles will miss the November 17 launch window and will now release in 2007 but he adds that PS3 would sell 5 million units, at its current price, even if it had no games available for it.
The question of which games will be available for the console in November for its launch has been troubling journalists and gamers alike and Sony has been pretty vague on that subject. Talking to computer and video games during E3, Reeves mentioned that key titles such as Heavenly Sword, Formula One and Motosport will miss the PS3 launch but he stressed that Sony will have launch titles for all tastes and will focus on social gaming. As a result a PS3 SingStar will be available before Christmas 2006 and EyeToy games will begin surfacing around March 2007.
So Sony plans to target non-hardcore gamers as well while Nintendo Nintendo promises it won't be all kid's staff this time around; what's this world coming to?
So which launch titles can gamers expect to get on November 17? Reeves confirmed that Resistance: Fall of Man, Insomniac's shooter, will be a launch title but he refused to confirm any other games. Kaz Hirai, we assume he knew about the delayed games at E3 2006, mentioned 15 launch titles, so we have 14 unconfirmed games.
According the SCEE CEO, Sony believes that the next-gen battle will be decided six months following the PS3's release when ...all those hardcore gamers have bought PS3, they have also bought Xbox 360 and they have probably bought Nintendo Wii as well. I'm not sure which gamers he is thinking about but we doubt that many will opt for all three consoles just in order to decide which one they like best.
The final comment made by Mr. Reeves is the one which stands out and raises some doubts over Sony's state of mind when they were devising their next-gen strategy. We have built up a certain brand equity over time since the launch of PlayStation in 1995 and PS2 in 2000 that the first five million are going to buy it, whatever it is, even it didn't have games. We certainly hope that Sony has got its facts wrong as it wouldn't say much about gamers if that proved to be the case.
