Valve's Gabe Newell has been pretty open about his displeasure with the PS3 in the past, and it's clear from a recent interview that time has not softened him, calling the system "a waste of everyone's time" in Edge magazine last week. Newell continued, saying, "Investing in the Cell, investing in the SPE gives you no long-term benefits. There's nothing there that you're going to apply to anything else. You're not going to gain anything except a hatred of the architecture they've created. I don't think they're going to make money off their box. I don't think it's a good solution."

Though Newell is one of the few developers in a position to speak out on the system (we would too if our game was rocking a 98 on Metacritic), a slew of PS3 game delays have us wondering: Is he speaking the minds of more than we know?

[Via CVG]

MTV's Multiplayer blog has posted answers to frequently asked questions regarding the corporate fustercluck (MTV/EA/Harmonix) published rhythm game Rock Band. We could bother to put the question and the answer, but if y'all can't figure out what the original question was you can hit up Multiplayer:

• No other hardware combinations have been announced yet beyond the standard (guitar, drum, mic) bundle. And yes, the bass guitar is just a second guitar controller which you probably have lying around ...
• ... because Harmonix will keep an "open platform philosophy" and games will be compatible with third-party controllers "that conform to the various platform controller standards."
• If you're short on guitars but want to play head to head, the online play will be both cooperative and competitive.
• The Xbox 360 gee-tar will come with a USB hub (remember the guitar in the bundle is wired).
• A Wii version has not been announced ... yet.

Now, we don't have insta-access to Rock Band like MTV's Multiplayer blog, but we can try to get some questions answered too -- we're scrappy like that. So if you have some lingering Rock Band questions (and there are plenty good ones still left), leave 'em in the comments and we'll try to get some answers. And automatic name calling to the people who ask questions already answered by bullet points above.

Karaoke lovers who had Nov. 13 circled on their calendars for the next-generation of SingStar to arrive -- um, just ignore that announcement was ever made. SingStar PS3 has been delayed and is currently residing in limbo until further notice. Sony told GI.biz that the game needs further testing and no specific "release period" will be given.

Reasons for the delay are not given, but the prominent theories are licensing issues and PSN problems. Sony says this delay will give them more time to test the SingStar PSN content "to ensure that it is as rich, simple and accessible a SingStar experience as possible." Don't fret Euro SingStar faithful, by the time the PS3 version comes out you'll be able to purchase a cheaper PS3 model and play all your PS2 SingStars on it too ... oh wait, no you won't. Oh well, there's always the SingStar PS2 bundle.

Jesse Divnich, an analyst at prediction market simExchange, believes the rumored $399 40GB PS3 will have little impact on the sales of Xbox 360. He says the new Xbox 360 bundles and "teh Haloz 3" will keep momentum going on the console for a while. Although he does believe there will be a slight dip in October sales as consumers wait for the new bundles which won't release until late in the month.

Divnich believes the buzz around the Xbox 360 is high enough now to deflect any effects if a cheaper PS3 is introduced to the market. Divnich says, "The cheaper price point will only be drawing customers who already planned on purchasing the PS3 but were deterred by the price." We'll get a better feel for the real impact of a 40GB model once Sony officially announces it for the North American market and see how it does at retail.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, an "industry source" of theirs says the North American 40GB PS3 model will release on Nov. 2 at $399. Another source reveals Sony has been asking stores to try and clear out existing PS3 inventory by the November date. Just like the controversial European 40GB PS3 model, the North American model will also allegedly not be backwards compatible with the PS2.

Now that it looks like the NA 40GB PS3 will have the same issues as its Euro counterpart, we can't wait to hear Sony America's rationale on this, considering the European explanation was a bit lacking. Aeropause had a strong piece this weekend on their issues about this new PS3. They said, "So why is this the worst idea to ever come from Sony? Because it basically brings the PlayStation 3 back to its absolute zero starting point with its biggest unserved fan base -- the PS2 owners who have held out because of price ... It's no longer an 'upgrade' or a 'replacement' for the PS2, giving them pride in their brand loyalty, it's a brand new machine that stands alone and doesn't replace anything at all." Now we wait for the official announcement from Sony America and watch how they'll craft the message that gamers should focus on the "65 titles" for the PS3.

[Via GameDaily]

In separate interviews today both Sony UK boss Ray Maguire and Sony Europe spokesman Nick Sharples spoke about how the 40GB PS3 lacking backwards compatibility is fine. How is it fine? Maguire tells Eurogamer that by this Christmas the PS3 will have a whopping 65 games and so they feel "there's sufficient choice in the marketplace and that we're still better off using that money that we'd put into backwards compatibility in either investing in new games or using that money to help support bringing the price down." Meanwhile, Sharples tells GameDaily, "We have made clear on many occasions that our priority is on developing innovative new features and services for PS3 and not on backwards compatibility."

We really hate to do this, but we swear Sony must honestly think consumers and the press have the memories of goldfish. Let's just take it back to the PlayStation brand for two seconds. Sony's own Phil Harrison clearly and distinctly said in a 2006 interview with GamePro, "Backwards compatibility, as you know from PlayStation One and PlayStation 2, is a core value of what we believe we should offer. And access to the library of content people have created, bought for themselves, and accumulated over the years is necessary to create a format. PlayStation is a format meaning that it transcends many devices -- PSOne, PS2, and now PS3." A little over a year and "core values" go right out the window. Who needs backwards compatibility anyway when you've got 65 games to sell?

[Via PS3 Fanboy]

Read: Maguire explains PS3 BC loss
Read: 40GB PS3 Confirmed for Europe; Sony Gives Up on Backwards Compatibility

Sony has announced that the 40GB version of the PS3 will enter the European market on Oct. 10th, for a price of €399 ($565). The unit sports only two USB ports (instead of four) and does not include the multi-memory ports. And, in a move we absolutely cannot understand, the new model is not backwards compatible with PS2 discs. Seriously.

Since BC is handled by software emulation (in the 80GB model), why is it gone from the 40-gigger? It's not that DVD support has been removed from the Blu-ray drive, as Sony continues to hype DVD movie upscaling. But the official line is, "the new model is no longer backwards compatible with PlayStation 2 titles, reflecting both the reduced emphasis placed on this feature amongst later purchasers of PS3, as well as the availability of a more extensive line-up of PS3 specific titles." Extensive? Don't even get us started...

If BC's on your checklist, you best scoop up a Starter Pack (now €499) "while stocks last."

[Via PS3 Fanboy]

Even though GamePro France said there would be a "big bang" announcement on Oct. 12, Sony says it's not happening -- well, at least Sony Europe does. Eurogamer spoke with Sony Europe and they say there's no "press conference" scheduled for next week. We'll believe them, especially if they chose their words perfectly as to remain truthful.

We have no idea about what date Sony will announce the 40GB PS3 model or if it's going to go on sale in Europe, but we are pretty sure at this point it exists -- almost positive. Could be announced next week, could be announced in a month. At this point its just fun to watch Sony keep a lid on it.

[Via PS3 Fanboy]

While expectations continue to build regarding Sony's probable, yet still unconfirmed 40GB PlayStation 3, Italy's Gamestore magazine has stoked the fires of speculation by reporting that Italian gamers will be able to purchase the 40GB model on October 10 for the lower (in relation to PS3's current European retail value) and more consumer-friendly price of €399 ($564).

Additionally, the report also makes mention of a €499 ($705) 'starter pack' SKU, which according to the mag will include two unspecified games and an extra controller. This latest news comes on the back of a string of rumors that simply refuses to die. If accurate, how much longer can Sony pretend to keep a lid on this?

GamePro has put together a graph showing the NPD data on Nintendo's Gamecube and PlayStation 3 sales for their first 10 months after launch. The chart shows how in North America the PS3 sold 1.7 million units in its 10 months since launch compared to the GameCube's 2.2 million. Those that have already sent their rage into overdrive see the implication of this graph as the PS3 will "fail" like the Gamecube. Last week it was a 3DO comparison, this week it's the Gamecube. Although one can easily argue that the PS3 is neither.

Sure the PS3 started rocky, lost assumed exclusives left and right, and Sony can't seem to craft a solid message to save its life. But the PlayStation is still a strong brand that should be able to rectify itself with a competitive price adjustment and some solid titles creating a base for the gaming console. Hopefully Sony can get that line on the graph to start moving up again. They're in no rush, they've got ten years.

[Via PS3 Fanboy]

Japan's Enterbrain says the Wii outsold the PS3 four-to-one in the country between April and September. Nintendo sold 1.6 million units while the PS3 sold 385,492. Although this shows recent figures between the two systems, a report from early September showed the Wii outsold the PS3 three-to-one since their launch last year. Don't even bother asking about the Japanese Xbox 360 sales figures.

So, when will the PS3 find redemption, considering Heavenly Sword and Lair obviously didn't hit the spot? Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter says it's Little Big Planet that will resonate with the Japanese market and be the "console seller." Now it just needs a street date. Time is ticking and Wii is on the march.

We received a tip that a UPC database website is now listing a UPC for the "Sony PlayStation 3 40GB." Apparently the site gets its info from GS1 sites, which give UPC information to the public. We're not certain how reliable the database is, so we're tacking "rumor" on this story for now. Interestingly, we did test various UPCs we had lying around, like the one on our copy of BioShock (710425299636) and another on a carton of Half & Half (075457427007), and all showed up correctly -- the website claims not to allow user generated data.

If the PS3 40GB UPC listing is correct (we're attempting other avenues of verification at the moment), it would be another log on the rumor-fire that just won't die. The key "feature" of the 40GB PS3 model would be its alleged $399 price tag, bringing the system into much more financially-friendly waters, and hopefully increasing system sales. If this UPC code holds up, it'll be hard for Sony to keep a lid on the 40-gigger much longer, but for now it's still very much in rumor territory.

Update: Engadget's got word of the 40GB model appearing in Best Buy's internal inventory.

Update 2: PS3 Fanboy shows Play.com has it now too.

[Thanks J. Jenkins]

It's official folks, Rock Band will be $170 for Xbox 360 and PS3 and release Nov. 23. A Friday ... wait, Black Friday? Yes, more on that in a second. The PS2 version will release Dec. 10 for $160. Our spidey sense started tingling that something was up when we received info that Amazon was listing Rock Band for $169 -- a $30 reduction from the $199 they've had listed for months. Turns out that they received the official price today. The bundle includes the game (reg. $60, $50 on PS2), the guitar (reg. $60, but wired on Xbox 360, wireless is separate and $80), the wired drums (reg. $80), and wired microphone (reg. $30).

Now the big question: What were the powers that be thinking with November 23rd? Nov. 23rd is Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, the high holy "oh my gawd we're going to get trampled when the stores open" day of the year. Can you imagine what it's going to be like trying to pick up your game at retail on that day? Don't know about the rest of you, but if there were ever a time to get your game by mail -- this would be that time!

[Thanks to all those that sent info in]

With Activision gobbling up Project Gotham Racing developer Bizarre Creations, the future of the Microsoft's racing series seems to have a lot of question marks attached. Interestingly, lead designer Ged Talbert has already been talking about what they could do to improve on the series, telling CVG, "Obviously Gotham 4's about to come out and we're really happy with it, but behind the scenes we've already started ripping our game to pieces. We know where we failed in certain areas."

Bizarre's going to be popping out a new racing IP for Activision now, so we'll have to wait and see if the improvements Talbert wants will be implemented in PGR 5, or in some new series. That said, are we the only ones who are a bit more worried about the future of Bizarre's other property, Geometry Wars? Traditionally, it's been a part of PGR, so will it be in someone else's hands too?