Robert Garriott, CEO and President of NCsoft has elaborated on the company’s recent partnership with Sony Computer Entertainment, which will see a number of properties released on PlayStation 3 from 2008 onwards.
As detailed in a recent statement on the PlayNC.com website, Garriott stated, "We don’t want to limit ourselves to the PC, especially while the console market continues to grow by leaps and bounds with every new generation…and console makers want to get into the online space.”
Garriott attributed Sony’s online plans for the PS3 as the ideal opportunity for NCsoft to tackle the console market: “The ideal system would be an extremely capable, stable platform, with the best Internet connectivity and greatest freedom of web access and interaction available to the user," he explained.
"This combination of access, openness and ability to bring NCsoft to the console market is very attractive. In this case, we felt like Sony fit the bill."
Elsewhere, he also touched on plans for PSP, expressing interesting in taking advantage of connectivity features between the handheld console and PS3, though did not go into any specific detail. Furthermore, Garriott stated that the first product should arrive in time for the Christmas 2008 holiday season, and that the firm “won’t just be porting our games over."
"We want to make new products using our current, popular intellectual properties that will take advantage of the console, specifically in terms of user interface, connectivity, and play styles," he said.
Lastly, Garriott confirmed that PS3 NCsoft games would include "traditional subscription models, micropayment systems and free-to-play games with membership options.”
Stay tuned for more developments on NCsofts plans for PS3 as they break.