14 DAY TRIAL // Sony put on a big show at the Tokyo Game Show, showcasing both the results of the recently launched PlayStation 3 Slim and the prospects for the future, with an emphasis on the possibilities of the Sony motion-tracking wand. Kaz Hirai, who is the chief executive officer and the president of Sony Computer Entertainment, revealed that the new and cheaper Slim had managed to move no less than one million units in the first three weeks of sales and that Sony was ready to offer fans more of the games and excitement that had thrilled them since the original PlayStation era.
The new motion-tracking controller was demoed in Japan for the first time, with Hirai claiming that the design team took into account both the necessities of the hardcore gaming crowd and an increase in accessibility to attract new gamers. Hirai again mentioned spring 2010 as being the scheduled release period, even hinting that the PlayStation 3 Slim package might include the wand and the PlayStation Eye camera as a “second standard controller.”
Another focus for the future of the PS3 seems to be 3D gaming, with Hirai claiming that the company is working on some concepts and that, “For PlayStation 3 as well, we would like to push forward 3D.” The technology is still in its infancy and, as long as glasses are still around, it might not attract enough gamers to reach a commercial critical mass.
Kaz Hirai also talked about the PlayStation Portable Go! and the PlayStation Network, emphasizing how Sony was aiming to offer much more than games as content to those who owned its devices. The video store that the company has for the North-American market is being opened up for Europe, while the upcoming handheld device will get a comics store and the ability to get all its content via digital distribution, which is a first in the industry.