DivX Coming Soon to a PS3 Near You

We asked freelancer Nick Mediati what today's announcement of DivX support for the Sony PlayStation 3 means. Here's what he told us:

"If you spend too much time playing with your Sony PlayStation 3 as it is, rejoice, and prepare to lose even more productivity to your favorite toy (Is that really such a bad thing?).

"The announcement that DivX video support is on its way to the PS3 makes this gaming console much more interesting. For the uninitiated, DivX is a popular video format; the company currently makes a player for both Windows and Mac OS X. DivX is also supported on a number of consumer electronics, such as digital cameras, DVD Players, and cell phones.

"The PS3 can already play DVDs, CDs, and Blu-ray discs, as well as numerous other audio and video formats, so it can already serve as more than just a gaming console. DivX support only solidifies the console's role as a media center, especially if you already have a collection of DivX-formatted videos.

"DivX support goes beyond simple playback support on the PS3. Not only will you be able to play DivX files on the Sony game console, but developers will be able to use DivX in their games as well (likely for in-game cinematic clips). Developers will need to upgrade to version 2.00 of the PS3 Software Development Kit (released November 2) to take advantage of DivX.

"When can you expect to get your hands on a PS3 with DivX support? Right now, DivX isn't saying much, aside from the fact that they are "currently working to certify PS3 and deliver a superior digital media technology to consumers in the near future." I know that this sort of thing can be unpredictable, but I would sure like to get a better idea of when we can expect a release. Come on, guys.

"If you currently own a PS3, don't worry, you won't be left out in the cold. DivX support will be made available to current PS3 owners via a future system software update. Again, no release date or date range has been specified.

"Personally I?m just a casual gamer, so gaming capabilities and horsepower aren?t the biggest draw for me. If you can develop a gaming console that is also a great media center, though, I?m there."

Thanks, Nick!

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