14 DAY TRIAL // Despite PlayStation 3's being scheduled for a mid-November launch, Atari has no plans for any PS3 titles until 2007. According to Bruno Bonnell, the CEO of Atari, in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, part of the reason is Sony which hasn't been very forthcoming with details about the PS3. "It's just that we're lacking information about the PS3 at this stage, because we have basically a rough release date and a high retail price point."
However Atari will fully support both Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii this year, for which it will have new titles on the market, including Test Drive Unlimited for Xbox 360 and DBZ on the Wii. "We are just accelerating some of the Wii titles, because with the technology being so close to the GameCube, we are able to effectively convert teams faster than on PS3" said Bonnell, mirroring Microsoft's Richard Teversham remark that the Wii is basically just a Gamecube with a DVD drive.
Concerning the PS3's price, Bonnel feels that it is justified and that the console's standard Blu-ray reader and full support for HD will be enough to retain the hardcore gaming audience, to which it seems to be addressed. "All this is driving me to think that Sony is picking up the high-end of the market, the hardcore, passionate fans. There will be a time they can reduce the price and access more people, but clearly that's a technical choice that Sony has made to be selective on the field at stage one," stated Bonnell.