GDC to sport PS3, PSP kiosks

Phil HarrisonSony announces booths at event will showcase “latest hardware and development tools for the next-generation console” and demos for portable; no games mentioned.

In February, Sony Computer Entertainment announced that Phil Harrison, chief of its Worldwide Studios, would deliver a keynote address at the 2006 Game Developers Conference. While the title of that speech, “PlayStation 3: Beyond the Box,” promised a look at the company’s next-generation console, it was unclear if any actual hardware would be on display. Those doubts were exacerbated last week, when Sony announced that the PS3 would go on sale worldwide in November 2006 instead of its previous “spring” launch window.

On the eve of Harrison’s address, however, Sony has announced that there will definitively be some form of PS3 hardware on display at the event. In a carefully worded statement, the company proclaimed that, as part of its “widespread presence” at GDC 2006, it would have booths showcasing its next-gen console. Sony promised “PlayStation 3 kiosks, showcasing the latest hardware and development tools for the next-generation console, including Unreal Engine, COLLADA, PlayStation Graphics Library (PSGL) and performance analysis tools” would be on-hand at its booth.

Sony promised to hold “demonstrations of games that highlight the new and unique features of the PlayStation platform” at its booth. It did not identify any PS3 titles as being present, however, preferring to issue comments of a broader nature. “The Game Developers Conference gives us an opportunity to collaborate with the development community and demonstrate new technology, business models, and our vision that will help fuel the growth of the computer entertainment industry,” said Harrison in a statement. As of press time, Sony had not responded to requests to clarify whether PS3 games would be on display at GDC.

Sony did say several PlayStation Portable games would be on playable display, including Loco Roco, Me and My Katamari, and Field Commander. Indeed, the company promised a whole range of PSP functionality would be shown off at its booth, including the PSP Spot game-download service, as well as peripherals such as the PSP headset.

Come back to GameSpot tomorrow for complete coverage of GDC 2006 as a whole and Harrison’s speech in particular.

Phil HarrisonSony announces booths at event will showcase “latest hardware and development tools for the next-generation console” and demos for portable; no games mentioned.

In February, Sony Computer Entertainment announced that Phil Harrison, chief of its Worldwide Studios, would deliver a keynote address at the 2006 Game Developers Conference. While the title of that speech, “PlayStation 3: Beyond the Box,” promised a look at the company’s next-generation console, it was unclear if any actual hardware would be on display. Those doubts were exacerbated last week, when Sony announced that the PS3 would go on sale worldwide in November 2006 instead of its previous “spring” launch window.

On the eve of Harrison’s address, however, Sony has announced that there will definitively be some form of PS3 hardware on display at the event. In a carefully worded statement, the company proclaimed that, as part of its “widespread presence” at GDC 2006, it would have booths showcasing its next-gen console. Sony promised “PlayStation 3 kiosks, showcasing the latest hardware and development tools for the next-generation console, including Unreal Engine, COLLADA, PlayStation Graphics Library (PSGL) and performance analysis tools” would be on-hand at its booth.

Sony promised to hold “demonstrations of games that highlight the new and unique features of the PlayStation platform” at its booth. It did not identify any PS3 titles as being present, however, preferring to issue comments of a broader nature. “The Game Developers Conference gives us an opportunity to collaborate with the development community and demonstrate new technology, business models, and our vision that will help fuel the growth of the computer entertainment industry,” said Harrison in a statement. As of press time, Sony had not responded to requests to clarify whether PS3 games would be on display at GDC.

Sony did say several PlayStation Portable games would be on playable display, including Loco Roco, Me and My Katamari, and Field Commander. Indeed, the company promised a whole range of PSP functionality would be shown off at its booth, including the PSP Spot game-download service, as well as peripherals such as the PSP headset.

Come back to GameSpot tomorrow for complete coverage of GDC 2006 as a whole and Harrison’s speech in particular.

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