sony unveils its next gaming behemoth- take that X Box!

This year’s E3 is a big one, for one reason: new consoles. With all three of the big gaming companies pushing their new entertainment systems on the world, a lot of rumors and false information are being tossed around. Here are the facts on Sony’s upcoming platform, the PlayStation 3.

The heart of the PlayStation 3 is its Cell processor, which Sony promises gives the console 35 times the power of its predecessor, the PlayStation 2. The primary game medium will be Blu-Ray storage devices, which hold significantly more data than a DVD. Despite this, the PlayStation 3 will be backwards compatible with both PlayStation 2 and PlayStation titles. The controllers will be wireless, using Bluetooth wireless connectivity; seven receivers will be present in the system. The receivers will not only allow for single-platform multiplayer, but also for linking multiple systems. Sony’s handheld system, the PSP, will also take advantage of this wireless connectivity, allowing the handheld to act as a controller or second screen, much in the way Nintendo’s GameBoy Advance can be connected to the GameCube console. The PlayStation 3 will be able to display on multiple screens, utilizing one or the other for multiple purposes both in-game and on-line. The system will support the sharpest style of HDTV, 1080p. On-line connectivity and the ability to access digital audio, video, and photography mean that the PlayStation 3 will begin to bridge the gap between consoles and PCs. The console will include a built-in gigabyte Ethernet port, handling both 802.11b and 802.11g wireless Internet access.

Several tech demos have been made available to the public, most notably to Final Fantasy fans a short remake of the opening of Final Fantasy VII rendered with the PlayStation 3’s more-powerful processors. The video, along with others, can be found at GameTrailers.com.

Sony claims the PlayStation 3 will be available in roughly one year’s time, Spring 2006. Whether it will appear first in Japan, like its two predecessors, is unknown.

Sources: money.cnn.com, www.gametrailers.com