Cruising around the ‘net waiting for the Nintendo keynote to start I came across this on Evil Avatar. Basically what is says is that the “cheap” PS3 will not support HDMI. HDMI is needed for HDCP copyright protection. Copyright protection is needed to play Blu-ray movies. You see where I’m going with this? Without HDMI, the low end PS3 may not be able to play Blu-ray movies at all. I can’t imagine Sony shooting themselves in their collective feet so blatantly, so let’s chalk this one up to speculation for now. If it’s true, all I can say is wow.

UPDATE—contibutor SuicideNinja (no relation) has a better explanation. Apparently, if the copyright protection is imposed, it would limit the resolution on non-HDMI connections. Check out the comments for the full story.

Okay, obviously I haven’t been covering this thing live, being the non-paid, recreational blogger that I am. I’ll leave that to Joystiq. The stuff you care about is this:

• US $499 for the 20GB model
• US $599 for the 60GB
• Controller looks just like the Dual Shock, but with motion sensing abilities (not sure if it has actual position detection a la Wii)
• US Launch date of November 17th

So, PS3 is playing catch-up with Nintendo and coming in a full $200 dollars more expensive than the cheapest version of the 360. Meanwhile, Microsoft is left in the dust with no motion sensing control. Some actual demos were shown, many being promised as playable at the show. Cool.

Microsoft and Nintendo keynotes tomorrow. I am giddy.

Check out the Joystiq link above for more details.

—if anybody wants to change my “non-paid blogger” status, contact me immediately :)

Well, it’s nearly here. E3 starts in a mere two days. Keynotes will soon flood the internet. Announcements will be made. Awards will be handed out. The hype for upcoming games will begin. Some will rise to the occasion upon delivery, others will be miserable piles of excrement. This is the time of year when journalists look at games in development. These games will have promise. Reporters will look at them and say that the controls need work, but that the developers have plenty of time to work that out. We all know that never happens though. When the game comes out the controls will still suck. Sigh… So, what am I looking forward to? Let’s find out:

• Halo 3
• Too Human
• Any and all things Wii related
• Super Smash Bros. Wii
• Zelda (Gamecube and DS)
• Phantasy Star Universe
• Some Japanese RPGs for 360
• Nintendo sending me a free DS Lite (Please!)

There’s probably a few more things I could put up there, but that’s the big list. You may notice my lack of excitement for the PS3. Well, I’ve learned not to get too excited about Sony when it comes to trade shows, at least not when they’re talking about upcoming hardware. I’m sure there will be some real-time offerings this year, but I’ll wait and see. For me, this year is all about the Wii. It’s the only thing that’s really exciting. There are some potentially great games coming to 360, but the Wii really has a chance to bring something entirely new to the table. We all sit with bated breath to see what Nintendo is going to do.

 Ah…who am I kidding. I just want my new Smash Bros.

—oops. Fixed a spelling mistake.

In the seemingly never ending string of press releases, SEGA announces The Club for next gen systems. The Club is a collaboration between SEGA and Bizarre Creations. The release describes an underground culture where criminals are paid to stage gun battles. Spectators place bets on the outcome of these battles. Sounds kind of like Fight Club with a gangsta twist. I wonder, will players be able to wager Microsoft Points? Console gambling with real value? Doubtful, but interesting. So far SEGA has posted no media for the game.

On a side note, I’m not really sure I like the direction that SEGA is taking these days. It seems like they’re just trying to play catch up with EA. I have trust in Bizarre, but SEGA’s direction makes me nervous. However, that is a topic for another much longer post.

IGN has posted a short interview with Huxley developer Webzen. While it doesn’t divulge too much new information about the project, I am so thirsty for any info regarding this game that I will post anything. Anything. The juiciest bit in the interview is the statement that there will be massive 100 vs. 100 battles. That’s a lot of players in a single battle. Also, when asked about the cross-platform play between the PC and 360 versions, the developer failed to answer with a simple yes or no, saying that it goes “beyond mere connecton.” I don’t know what that means, but it’s good, I guess.

SEGA has released some new screens of Sonic for the next gen platforms. For some reason, however, this is not the subject of today’s Road to E3 ‘06 press release, which is in fact about Charlotte’s Web. Go figure. Click here to check out the screens.

Update: I just noticed that Sonic isn’t wearing his SOAP shoes anymore. Does that mean no more grinding?

—via the ever vigilant Gamebrink

Nintendo announced today that the DS Lite will hit US shores on June 11th for “as low as” $129.99—hence the asterisk above. Start stockpiling those extra dollars now. If you don’t have a nice view of the world under that rock of yours, here is a list of features:

• It’s less than two-thirds the size of the original Nintendo DS and more than 20 percent lighter.
• Its two bright screens can be adjusted to four levels to adapt to different lighting conditions and to extend battery power.
• The microphone sits in the center of the unit, and the LED lights are clearly visible whether the unit is open or closed.
• The stylus is 1 centimeter longer and 1 millimeter thicker than the stylus of the original, and slides into a side storage slot.
• The Start and Select buttons were repositioned for easier access.
• A removable cover keeps the Game Boy Advance cartridge slot clear from dust and debris when it’s not in use.
• It’s awesome.

Okay, that last one was mine, but it might as well be a feature. Reggie Fils-Aime also notes, “DS Lite and New Super Mario Bros. represent a double shot of gaming excellence.” Can’t wait.

SEGA has attached some screenshots to yesterday’s announcement off Full Auto 2 for the PS3. Why they weren’t there yesterday is anybody’s guess. Click the thumbnails below to see embiggened versions. I didn’t play Full Auto beyond the demo, but these shots don’t indicate a huge leap in visual fidelity. I fear any hopes of Full Auto 2 not being a port may be dashed. Click on the thumbnails below to see the embiggened versions.

SEGA keeps on rollin’ with the press releases. Today’s release announces Sonic Rivals for the PSP. 2D gameplay on 3D maps looks to bring Sonic back to his early days. Those who have picked up Sonic Rush on the DS know how refreshing that can be. Sonic Rivals offers both single player and multiplayer options. However, the press release doesn’t specify if the single player is based on racing or more traditional Sonic. Also not specified is whether the game offers online multiplayer or only ad hoc—the release merely refers to “wireless play”. It’s also interesting that Sonic Rivals is being developed by a studio called Backbone Entertainment. What, no Sonic Team?

Sometimes, I wish that I still had my PSP.

I try not to pull too many stories from the Joystiq empire, but this one is a doozy. The headline says it all: the DS Lite is to be dated and priced on May 4th. Nintendo seems to be revealing a lot of E3-type info prior to E3. Kind of makes you wonder what they will say at E3.

As are most, I’m guessing a price right at $149.99 US. Maybe $10 cheaper. If it comes with a game, I’ll get it no questions asked. Without one, it becomes much harder to justify. It’s so hard to choose between games and paying for a wedding, you know?