Sony to steal virtual console concept?

Sony Computer Entertainment International may host a press conference this week and reveal more details about its upcoming console PlayStation3, Ferrago reports. The event is rumoured to take place in Tokyo on March 15th.

The conference (...) was hinted at by a Koei executive at an unrelated event. Koei chief Kiyoshi Komatsu stated that 'some details' might be made available then (at the conference on the 15th).

This showing would come less than two weeks after the PS3 was notably absent from SCEA´s recent retail event in Florida. Also, the wording merely suggests the possibility of such an event. If it is to take place at all, it may still only be for developers and may not include any news that will be made public.

Whenever news about Sony´s newest offering is heading our way, we are sure to be presented with an online service eerily similar to Nintendo´s virtual console, GamesIndustry.biz has learned.

Reports from development sources close to Sony Computer Entertainment are indicating that the firm is planning a major digital distribution service for game content, which could be a key element of PlayStation 3 - or even of a relaunched PS2.

Several senior developers have confirmed to GamesIndustry.biz that they have spoken informally with Sony about the question of digital distribution on consoles, although these discussions were described as being "purely about technology, not business models" by one source.

However, even the technology discussed could be very revealing regarding the Japanese giant's plans for the coming years - with one source from the development arm of a major third-party publisher claiming that Sony has been discussing the technical feasibility of providing PSone and PS2 titles over digital distribution with them.

This move would quite obviously be an attempt to copy Nintendo´s announced download service of games from its first three home consoles, dubbed as the ´virtual console´. Of course, all console manufacturers have stolen ideas from one another at some point. The virtual console could even be compared to Microsoft´s ´Xbox Live Arcade´, which was announced at the same time as the virtual console. But Microsoft´s concept is based on minigames, whereas Nintendo´s is offering their entire back catalogue. If Sony would copy Nintendo´s specific idea, they might lose credibility as a market innovator (which they undoubtedly are, given ´Eye Toy´ and ´Singstar´ for example). Well, we will all be wiser by the 15th, that´s for sure.

EDIT The SCE event is confirmed. GamesIndustry.biz reports that SCEI confirmed that such a conference is to take place and will be open to media and analysts as well as developers.

The conference, which has been widely rumoured to be the venue for new PS3 announcements since last week, will take place at 3pm local time (6am GMT) in Tokyo tomorrow, and will be open to media and analysts as well as to Sony's publishing partners.

Sony Computer Entertainment president Ken Kutaragi is set to address the conference, which will be the last possible venue for major PlayStation announcements in Japan before SCE's worldwide studios chief Phil Harrison's keynote at the Game Developers' Conference in San Jose next week, and probably the last chance for the firm to reveal PS3 details before its year-end on March 31st.

Although some commentators have suggested that the event may not include exact launch details since it is a relatively low-key conference, Sony can hardly afford to wait until E3 to announce further information regarding PS3, since it has as recently as last week claimed to be sticking to a launch timescale which will see the console appearing in Spring.

Further, the release of press material (screenshots mostly) for a number of PS3 games seems to have been scheduled for tomorrow, obviously in sync with the conference. So games are likely to be shown.

Source: Ferrago, GamesIndustry.biz
Thanks to: Joystiq