PS3: 'Still a Pain in the Ass' for Developers

[Final-Fan]

Kynes said:

Darc Requiem said:

Cypher1980 said:

Oh I should add the 360 memory architecture is probably the biggest fluke in the world.

I am lead to understand that shortly before launch Microsoft feared the PS3 would launch with 512 MB of memory as the original 360 had been planned to only have 256 MB.

In a panic not to be outdone MS shifted to a 512 MB architecture but the only memory commerically available at such short notice was fast 512 MB DDR3. In order to counter anything SONY could manage they went for a unified architecture.

So there you have it, Microsofts stroke of genius was the result of blind paranoia.

I thought the reason the 360 has 512MB instead of 256MB was because of Epic Games. Didn't Cliffy B say the begged MS to up the RAM to 512 when they developing the first Gears of War?

That's what I read at Beyond3D forums some time ago.

But it doesn't mean that his begging was the reason they did it.  I have no idea how much influence he (and Epic) had in MS, but doubling the RAM would have been a significant decision.  It could also have been due to both reasons.