Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo all let a lot of information fly at the E3 with regard to their new gaming consoles. The specs of these systems are awesome. They’ve got WiFi and wireless and downloadable systems, massive multiplayer options inside the home or over the network. The visual capabilities will be stunning with the HD graphics capability hooked up to a new Samsung HDTV designed for the gaming experience.
These mega-corporations have given nearly every detail about these incredible consoles save one: release dates. When are they coming? We’ve squeezed a little information out of Bill Gates, sort of. He said November is the release date, in time for Christmas. When in November? Sony has said the spring and Nintendo has said 2006. Tell us the time. Spring is any time between March and June of 2006. With Nintendo, who knows when it’s coming?
It’s funny that all the other information got leaked except for the release dates. People were wondering why Bill Gates couldn’t be quiet about the Xbox when all the other Microsoft people struggled to keep it under wraps. Sony let out the PS3 will have Blu-Ray technology in it. That’s great but we need to know when its coming. Nintendo even said all their old games will be downloadable on line with the advent of Revolution.
Remember the phrase, “I want my MTV!” Well, maybe we should pick up the new phrase, “I want my release date.” With the levels of information that has floated out for the last month and specifically the last week or so on these gaming consoles, one would think this information would be out there soon. Literally hundreds of stories from a myriad of sources float out each day about these new hi-tech toys. No one knows?
Leaks happen. They happen in the federal government, they happen in business, they happen in sports and everything else. Most of the time though, these “leaks” are planned and plotted. These “leaks” are tactical calculations designed to stimulate discussion and opinion one way or the other. Why did Gates let all the Xbox 360 info slide the week before the E3? Publicity is the name of the game on this stuff. What better way to generate more publicity than to make release dates available?
So when are they coming?
John Stith is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business.
