Console wars III: Sony sets launch date for next-generation PlayStation

COMPUTER game console giants Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo are on the verge of a consumer war as bloodthirsty as any of their all-action games.

Sony yesterday unveiled the latest version of its best-selling PlayStation console — and the wonder machine is due to hit Ireland’s computer games-mad market in November.

Sony’s PlayStation 3 is set to go head-to-head this Christmas with rival consoles such as Microsoft’s Xbox 360, which has been out for six months, and Nintendo’s forthcoming Wii games machine.

With the Irish already owning more PlayStations per head than anywhere else apart from Japan, trade experts are predicting an all-out battle between Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo for games-mad teenagers and adults.

Sony’s PS3 comes with top-class sound and graphics, can link up to broadband and can play CDs, the new Blu-ray high-definition DVDs through a television, as well as all the old PlayStation games.

Its main rival is Microsoft’s Xbox 360, which is already on sale, with top-class graphics and media features such as email, but which sports a different high-definition television DVD format and has had problems playing old Xbox games.

Allen Wilson, commercial manager for Ireland with the Game chain of stores, said: “Microsoft’s Xbox 360 came out last Christmas and they had a great jump over Sony and Nintendo by getting their machine out there first.

“It is revolutionary and it is an excellent piece of kit but Sony have been very careful.

“They have launched later and have learned lessons from Microsoft to make the PS3 better.

“Everyone is getting into the home entertainment market, particularly Sony with the PlayStation 3 and Nintendo with the Wii.

“The PlayStation 3 is going to be well positioned as the machine to have in your living room because it has something for all the family.”

The machine is also capable of hooking up to high-speed broadband internet, making home video-conferencing possible, he said.

The PS3, unveiled in Los Angeles yesterday at the E3 computer games industry convention, was due to be launched early this year.

But production was delayed because of problems over the disc technology, giving Microsoft’s Xbox 360 a head start.

Computer industry analysts at Merrill Lynch reckon this delay could cost Sony dear and mean the Japanese electronic giant is overtaken by Microsoft in console sales.

A new Merrill Lynch report said: “Microsoft is finally getting on top of the problems with Xbox 360 availability and we think that Microsoft is in a position to take the lead, materially, in the [next] generation game console fight.”

Now all eyes are on the Christmas market when the battle between Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo will be at its fiercest — particularly in Ireland.

Mr Wilson said: “There are a lot of people in Ireland with disposable income and who are very orientated towards computer games.

“It will be a hard-fought battle at Christmas; 30% of the industry’s sales every year happen in those 12 [shopping] weeks.

“Whatever they come up with at the E3 convention in Los Angeles is really, really important.”