Jeff's in the news

teamonkey · Post by **teamonkey** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 9:07 am 0

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5156938.stm

UK video gaming stalwart Jeff Minter has criticised Sony for being "smug" about its PlayStation 3 console.

Mr Minter, who founded Llamasoft in 1982 and developed a light synthesiser for the Xbox 360, said the machine was "expensive" and lacked launch games.

His comments were published in the respected video game magazine Edge.

Sony chief executive Howard Stringer recently defended PS3's price - of about Â£400 - saying it was "high" but that the console was "future proof".

Mr Minter, writing in his regular column for Edge, said: "They seem absolutely certain that even when they say it's going to be considerably more expensive than existing consoles... nevertheless us eager customers will rush out in droves to buy it because it's, hey, a new PlayStation."

'Arrogant'

Mr Minter, who is famous for his 1980s games Llamatron and Gridrunner, said Sony was "incredibly arrogant".

The PlayStation 3 will have a global launch in November with most analysts expecting the initial delivery of two million consoles to sell out immediately.

Sony has said it hopes to ship four million PS3s by the end of the year.

Last month Mr Stringer said: "The price of the PS3 is high but you're paying for potential."

He added: "Obviously, it's a higher-risk strategy - as all new inventions are - but if the PS3 lives up to its total potential, then I don't think anyone will be worried about Nintendo or Xbox's cheaper price."

The new PlayStation comes with a Blu-ray high definition DVD player inside and Sony is hoping that its inclusion will prove attractive to gamers moving into the HD era.

The Japanese company has invested hundreds of millions of pounds in a new processor called Cell, which is at the heart of the new console.

Microsoft has said it will soon sell an external HD-DVD player, which is a rival format to Blu-ray, but has not specified a price.

Makes it sound like Jeff's a Microsoft spokesman!

benedictw · Post by **benedictw** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 9:12 am 0

I can just imagine Jeff being interviewed on the Lunchtime News...

WiredWorm · Post by **WiredWorm** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 9:19 am 0

Video game legend? Nice to see the BBC reporting a fact for once

And I think Jeff's hit the nail on the head - I certainly won't be shelling out Â£400 for the PS3 - think i'll wait a while until the price drops - and I don't think i'll be on my own.

Post by **Muttley** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 9:19 am 0

How long until an unmarked van turns up at the barn and he's bundled away for re-programming?

arron · Post by **arron** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 9:28 am 0

Muttley wrote:How long until an unmarked van turns up at the barn and he's bundled away for re-programming?

I've got one scheduled to turn up at 11am this morning Muttley.

Colonius · Post by **Colonius** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 9:36 am 0

benedictw wrote:I can just imagine Jeff being interviewed on the Lunchtime News...

They'll take him away to do some data cleaning though . . .

Markie · Post by **Markie** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 10:05 am 0

benedictw wrote:I can just imagine Jeff being interviewed on the Lunchtime News...

That would be ace! About time somebody went on telly and said cunt! :-)

Yak for PM! :-)

Post by **Snakey** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 10:25 am 0

Markie wrote:That would be ace! About time somebody went on telly and said cunt! :-)

Jim Bowen beat him to it. But hell, it'd be nice if somebody did it AGAIN

Loada · Post by **Loada** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 11:08 am 0

Well, if you watch Deadwood on Sky One (new series started last night, btw) then you'll regularly hear Lovejoy saying it (and worse!)...

GREAT show too. A word of warning though, if you've never seen it before, don't watch it with your granny* in the room. They really don't hold back on the swearing. EVERYTHING is in there.

* or your mum/children/vicar/easily-offended mate etc etc

gilesgoat · Post by **gilesgoat** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 11:13 am 0

The only thing I am *REALLY* looking forward to is the Wii, with a new
improved Animal Crossing

If they do a really good one that "pays" for all the console, mind you it
could well be in ending up the only game into that console played 365/365
and I'd need a second console to see "something else"

[edit] Jeff next time can you "slip" something in some article saying
Nintendo that we *WANT* Animal Crossing plusies ? How comes they are
still NOT making some ? I want to buy a big Tipper plush !!!!

D.J.Fudge · Post by **D.J.Fudge** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 12:13 pm 0

I have a K.K. plushie

http://www.animalxing.com/toys.php?mode=gallery

Yak · Post by **Yak** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 12:19 pm 0

It's true though, there are what, 2 or 3 million AC users out there, now who *wouldn't* want plushies of their favourite villagers?

Definitely potential for some serious plushie shifting there, Ninty should get on it!

Ratsoap · Post by **Ratsoap** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 12:28 pm 0

It's on C&VG too.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/ar ... 5&skip=yes

Kon-Tiki · Post by **Kon-Tiki** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 1:14 pm 0

He's right, too. I can't give a rat's arse 'bout consoles or handhelds nowadays. Latest one I got, was either the big, gray gameboy (kid bro got it for his first communion, I think) or a Supervision (which may be a bit older). I couldn't be arsed 'bout the games after those, but now with Animal Crossing on the DS, I'm so tempted to buy one. It's not too expensive too. Still alot of money, but at least not 400

If a console or handheld doesn't offer any games that'll make you want to buy it in order to play that/those games, then nobody'll fork out the cash for it.

That's exactly why I say that Wii's going to beat the rest. The 360 pretty much seems to have the same games as its predecessor, the GC, PS2, etc. the PS3... does it even have games?

The Wii offers games you can't get on other platforms, so to play them, you can't just get an old game for your old console out, and actually have to get a Wii

(Btw, I'm not a Nintendo fanboy. Ever seen me fanboy Nintendo? Nosirree)

WiredWorm · Post by **WiredWorm** » Fri Jul 07, 2006 1:24 pm 0

Yak wrote:It's true though, there are what, 2 or 3 million AC users out there, now who *wouldn't* want plushies of their favourite villagers?

Definitely potential for some serious plushie shifting there, Ninty should get on it!

Surely it's got to happen sometime soon?

I notice that the toy manufacturers are all over the movies now - even producing toys relating to films that most kids shouldn't really be watching (the Terminator action figures being a prime example).

So seeing as Video Games are rapidly becoming the main source of entertainment how much longer before we see more and more toys and stuffed figures relating to video games? I have a feeling Viva Pinata may well just kick things off........