Publishers welcome PS3 launch news

Following the announcement of the European PS3 launch details earlier this week, big name publishers have been showing strong support for Sony's next-generation console.

Adam Roberts, MD for Vivendi Northern Europe, told GamesIndustry.biz, "Confirmation of the European release date for the PlayStation 3 is excellent news for the industry as a whole.

"We at Vivendi Games are very excited to be a part of the launch plans, and also about bringing F.E.A.R to a fresh audience at the start of 2007," he continued, referring to Vivendi's PS3 launch title.

"We're equally enthusiastic about the prospects this new platform will bring to the UK market in the future."

Square Enix CEO John Yamamoto confirmed that company has two Final Fantasy games in development for PS3, observing that the series has been highly successful on Sony platforms in the past.

"We are developing Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Versus XIII using the full power of the PlayStation 3 and hope to make them the best games we have ever released," he said, adding, "We expect the PlayStation 3 to sell very well in the UK, Europe and other PAL territories."

Meanwhile, Ubisoft UK managing director Rob Cooper welcomed confirmation of a March launch date for PS3, stating, "We are looking forward to fully exploiting the PS3's technological advances to deliver ever more immersive and creative gaming experiences to our fans.

"It's now our job to offer games that explore the new creative landscapes the PS3 has opened to us." Ubisoft will publish four PS3 games on launch day - Blazing Angels, Enchanted Arms, Splinter Cell: Double Agent and Oblivion.

Konami has no titles down for a release on March 23 and has so far kept quiet about its PS3 plans, with the exception of confirming Metal Gear Solid 4. However, UK PR and marketing manager Jon Murphy told GI.biz that the publisher is will offer full support for all three next-gen platforms.

"Konami naturally hopes for a successful launch for any new hardware," he said.

"The release of PlayStation 3 will see a number of exciting projects over the coming months, including the highly anticipated MGS4, and Konami's commitment to creating exciting games for PlayStation 3 is as strong as it is for the Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii systems."

The PlayStation 3 will launch in Europe on March 23, priced at GBP 425 / EUR 599 for the 60GB model.