PS3 Fanboy

You've been waiting for it. Firmware 2.00 is finally coming out this week: tomorrow, to be precise. This update, which has been a year in the making, was supposed to herald a new era of functionality for PS3. Many expected in-game XMB, additional video codecs, and more. However, we're saddened to say that none of that made the cut for this update. Here's what you'll be seeing tomorrow:

• Remote Start - As hinted by the last PSP firmware update, Remote Play has been enhanced with a brand new feature. Using Remote Start, PSP owners will be able to turn on and access their PS3's content from any wi-fi hotspot. For example, while vacationing, you may find out about an excellent Thursday Store update. You'll be able to turn on your PS3 and start downloading content to your PS3 while you're away. When you're done, you can turn the system off as well.
• Information Board - On the upper right-hand corner of the XMB, you'll see a scrolling list of headlines, hand-picked by Sony. Currently, these will all be related to video games and PlayStation. If a specific headline is particularly interesting, PS3 owners will be able to access Information Board from Network and see the content in greater detail. Importing your own RSS feeds is something that's planned for a future firmware upgrade. This feature can be disabled in Settings.

Square Enix is just laying down the smack this week. After confirming yersterday that FFVII isn't being made, they've come out and stated that they are not working on a single Final Fantasy game for the Xbox 360. In an interview with the Japanese Business website Nikkei BP, Square Enix executive Hashimito dropped the bomb. When the site asked if the Wii or The Xbox 360 are going to get any Final Fantasy games, Hashimito responded, "For the Wii, we have FF Crystal Chronicles in production. As for FF on the Xbox 360, it's currently a completely blank page."

Ouch -- well that pretty much debunks the ongoing 'Final Fantasy XIII OMGZ Xbox 360' rumors right there. While it seems unlikely that the Xbox 360 will never get another FF game, it appears that for the foreseeable future the PlayStation 3 will be getting all the big name Final Fantasy love. This is fantastic news for Sony and the PlayStation 3, since not only is there a 'slight' dearth of big name third-party exclusives, but also both Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy X both helped skyrocket the sales of the PlayStation systems that they were on. And it seems very likely that the same thing will happen with PlayStation 3 sales once FFXIII is released.

Mmm ... the idea that FFXIII is being built exclusively around the PS3 and Blu-ray is pretty exciting. That just makes the wait until next year that much harder though!

There's been some question about whether or not TimeShift was going to be coming to the PS3, but after Sony's Gamer's Day it's clear that it is definitely coming. The sci-fi first person shooter is based heavily on the utilization of time manipulation as a gameplay element. Check out these two brand new screenshots to see some great shots of the previously Xbox 360 exclusive title.

This is an undeniable truth of the gaming industry: it's all about the games. Sony's multimedia approach to PS3 is certainly novel, but many have felt that Sony has neglected its gamers by abandoning high-profile potentially exclusive games, such as Grand Theft Auto IV and Assassin's Creed.

Phil Harrison put it quite succinctly: "There wouldn't have been an economic sense in keeping GTA as an exclusive." When exclusive deals are made, someone has to pay for the potential difference in install base and sales. Considering how the PS3 install base won't be as large as the Xbox 360's for a while, the economic ramifications of such a deal would've cost Sony quite a pretty penny--and considering how they're losing money on every PS3 sold, it didn't seem too worthwhile.

Sony seems to be taking an approach that's been long-familiar to Nintendo fans. Harrison notes that Sony will have a "greater investment in first party [games] than third." Sony maintains the largest collection of development teams, and certainly it has some truly significant franchises: Ratchet & Clank, God of War, just to name a few.

There was a time when Virtua Fighter 5 was considered a strong candidate for an arcade port to the Xbox 360, but that multiplatform hope's been dashed with the official announcement that VF5 will appear only on PS3 in the spring of 2007. Sega's technical fighter is a Sony exclusive once more.

While home-console online play remains doubtful at this point, next-gen PlayStation owners can now securely look forward to facing off as El Blaze and Eileen (the new luchador and monkey kung-fu artist, respectively) along with the other 15 fighters, decked out in all sorts of items purchased in the in-game store with prize money earned through in-game matches.

VF5 will support up to 720p HD resolution and will be featured in game footage in the SEGA booth at E3 (South Hall, Booth #946) later this week.

[Thanks, Matt; also via Joystiq]

According to 1UP, the May issue of EGM contains a rumor that Final Fantasy XIII will be showing up at next month's E3 for "a brief teaser video and confirmation from [Square Enix] that the RPG will be a PS3 exclusive." RPG fans, rejoice!

What's a little shocking is that FFXIII would be unveiled before FFXII is even released outside Japan, but "rumblings" have apparently also been picked up that "Final Fantasy XIII is practically close to being finished" already. With all the delays to XII, it's certainly more than possible that a second team working on XIII's already got something to show by now.

It wasn't exactly surprising that FFXIII would show up as a PS3 exclusive--despite certain misquotes to the contrary--but you know that a new Final Fantasy is just what the next PlayStation needs (judging by how previews of FFX elevated the PS2's platform profile). Hopefully this little tidbit isn't EGM's way of stretching its April Fools' coverage to another issue (and another month).

[Thanks, Spatlase Disexia]

An executive VP with Vivendi Europe feels that retail confidence in the original Xbox is flagging with MS needing to work with publishers "to help generate some impetus."

With Microsoft's primary and first-party focus squarely set on the next generation, the 360's predecessor may be feeling some neglect since saves aren't transferable and exclusive titles are elusive.

The Vivendi VP also noted that the PS2 still has a lot of life left in it, which we're inclined to believe with all the triple-A games still to come to the West, including Kingdom Hearts II, Okami, Final Fantasy XII, and God of War 2. You gotta love the PS3's 100% backward compatibility (or 99.9% BC, give or take a couple of titles). Emulation profiles can only do so much.

[Via Evil Avatar]