Even before the noise created by the launch of PSP, Sony's hand-held game machine, had died down, the Japanese giant announced another ambitious new project. The PSX, a new console which will integrate a TV tuner, DVD recorder and games console into one box, will be released in Japan before the end of this year and in N. America and Europe in early 2004.
The PSX will feature a a hard-disk drive and broadcast satellite tuner, and will be promoted as an all-in-one entertainment device for games, music and video.
The introduction of a new all-in-one unit is no surprise if Sony's overall earnings are considered. Sony are going through a hard spell as far as their profits are concerned, last month they announced their biggest quarterly net loss in more than eight years, one which was far worse than the market had expected. It makes sense that they would want to exploit their biggest, if not currently only, money maker; you guessed it the video game unit. Both PSP and PSX were introduced to do just that, ride on the PS2's success. With the experience Sony have in the field, accompanied by factory closures or job cuts, Sony hope that the move could prove to be the first step in a financial comeback.
What everyone was expecting to hear however, was a clue as to when PS3 will be available but Sony did not even hint at a date for the highly anticipated successor to PS2. While under intense pressure to give some information about PS3, Sony's executive deputy president and head of its game unit, Ken Kutaragi said That will be a business decision.
In fact he makes a very powerful point. Sony's PS2 is facing Microsoft's XBox and Nintendo's GameCube, both considered next generation consoles, and is still fairing extremely well. Sony are bound to attempt to squeeze the PS2 for all it's got, before they introduce their own next-generation unit. Analyst estimates suggest PS3 will not surface until late 2004 or early 2005.
