Sony today unveiled the final specs for their next-generation
PlayStation 3 (PS3) video game console, which yet again confirms that the PS3 will adopt Blu-ray technology to meet the high requirements of 1080p HD, the standard resolution for games and movies on the PS3. "We want to pack everything in today and future-proof this as much as possible." said Kaz Hirai, President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America. The decision to adopt a next-generation optical disc format has been welcomed by leading game publishers such as EA Games and Vivendi Universal Games, as it will allow game developers to create stunning high-definition (HD) games without having to worry about the additional storage requirements of HD. The Blu-ray drive will support all Blu-ray formats (BD-ROM/BD-R/BD-RE) and be fully backward compatible with current CD/DVD formats to enable PS1/PS2 games to be played. The PS3 is scheduled for release in early 2006.