UK developer Evolution Studios is already planning for opportunities on the PlayStation 4, according to chief executive Martin Kenwright.

With the racing specialist readying Motorstorm for launch on the PlayStation 3, Kenwright believes that it's important to think far ahead as the industry is set to change monumentally in the future.

Speaking in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, part one of which is published today, Kenwright said, "The market place will be changing beyond all recognition in the next five years. We've anticipated that.

"I know people are looking at PS3 now, and I'm not being glib, but we're actually looking at PS4. I'm thinking where will it be in five years, how will we get there? What will the marketplace be like, the games, and who'll be buying them?"

Kenwright believes companies that settle into a routine are more at risk than those who experiment with original IP - with sequels to popular games merely dividing the market.

"Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but sticking to what you're best at can be more of a risk than reinventing yourself," said the studio boss.
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It's arguably the most visually impressive of the all the PS3 launch games, so we thought we'd bring you some more jaw dropping images of Sony's off-roader, MotorStorm. The new shots focus on the dramatic crashes that occur in the race, something you should prepare yourself for. MotorStorm is a particularly tough challenge thanks to the rugged terrain and uncompromising AI ...
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Mail order retailer Littlewoods has gone live with its PS3 pre-orders, though the inconsistent range of bundles listed online suggest that its launch day details are far from finalised.

Spong reports that gamers desperate to pre-order their next-gen Sony console ahead of the expected UK March launch are able to do so via Littlewoods Online right now. But the retailer's prices may cause some to think twice.

Leading the pack is a bundle featuring a 60GB PS3 console and a copy of Motorstorm priced at £549. With the RRP of the console expected to be £425, this suggests the game itself carries a price tag of over £120. Despite this, however, gamers wanting to buy the game on its own need only pay £55.
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Bad news for PlayStation 3 importers: MotorStorm's Japanese release date has been pushed back a week until 14th December.

The game had been due to make its first appearance in Japan on the 7th, and Sony's reportedly blamed the delay on production-related hiccups, but it doesn't sound like much to worry about.
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GDC boss Jamil Moledina has told GamesIndustry.biz that many studios are holding back on starting PlayStation 3 projects due to the challenges of developing for Sony's new console.

Speaking in an exclusive interview, Moledina said, "It's a relatively complex platform to develop for, considering it has a very unique multi-core processor with the Cell. A lot of developers are new to figuring out how to work with that structure, as well as the RSX, the graphics processor.

"A lot of the developers I know are waiting out on the first round and focusing on handhelds; they're creating DS and PSP titles because that's actually a much simpler migration from the current-gen," he continued.

"It's always a challenge for developers to dedicate resources to next-generation titles like this - consider the cost, resources, and time it takes to make these games."

But according to Moledina, things will change as third-party developers get more support from the platform holder. "A lot of Sony's effort has been focused on helping first party understand how to develop games for it," he stated.

"I think you're going to see that knowledge shared more robustly now that those first-party titles are in the can, as it were, or close to being complete."

Moledina said he is confident that the PlayStation 3 will be a success, despite the fact that, "A lot of the games that I really wanted to play aren't launching right now, like Heavenly Sword, Lair, MotorStorm... It reminds me very much of the original PlayStation 2 launch, where there were a hatful of pretty good titles.

"I've had a chance to play around with the PlayStation store, that looks pretty cool too. I think it's going to build up very nicely. So I'm generally optimistic about the platform's prospects," he concluded.

Moledina is currently busy organising GDC 2007, which will take place in San...
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This batch of new images for MotorStorm, Evolution Studios' mud-tastic racer and one of PS3's brightest and nicest looking games, is a neat close-up look at several of the dirt-splattered vehicles you'll be tearing around in this holiday season. Plus, just for good measure, a nice image of a guy flipping himself off a cliff. Hit the Images tab to see 'em all ...
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A day before the console is available in North America, PS3's online functions are ready for registration; demos for Resistance, Motorstorm downloadable.
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Sony's PlayStation 3 is set to arrive this week on November 17th. With just 400,000 units available at launch in the USA, and an unknown number of game consoles arriving the rest of year. The total is expected to be below 1 million units in 2006, as a result many publishers have decided to delay their games so more time can be spent polishing them.

From minor delays like Need for Speed: Carbon being delayed until November 20. To big launch lineup losses like MotorStorm which was delayed to March, 2007. The PS3 launch will now have 13 titles including Resistance: Fall of Man and Ridge Racer 7.
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A pamphlet included in the US retail PlayStation 3 hardware bundle has shed some light on the release dates for a few of the next-gen system's upcoming exclusives.

According to IGN, the pamphlet reveals that despite MotorStorm enjoying a December release in Japan, where the PS3 goes on sale today, it won't be released in the US until February.

Meanwhile, Factor 5's dragon-'em-up Lair (which smacks a bit of Dynasty Warriors in our early build) is down as March, along with Heavenly Sword from UK-based Ninja Theory.

The good news, we suppose, being that those games could all wind up as European launch titles - if they stick to the proposed dates. Ha.
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Destructoid's Robert Summa, surely en route to scope out Tickle Me Extreme Elmo's to shill on eBay this holiday season, got some footage and photo snaps of the freshly installed PlayStation 3 kiosk at the flagship Toys "R" Us in Times Square. The video shows that the kiosks are equipped with (at the very least) a Motorstorm demo, but not all are currently operational.
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