Sony Warns of Glitch in New Game System

Sony Corp. said some games developed for its best-selling PlayStation video game console may not work properly on the next-generation system to be released next month. At midday today in Tokyo, Sony shares were down 2.9%. Executives of the Japanese company said they were not sure why certain software may not run on the PlayStation 2, nor did they name any specific titles. Sony has heavily promoted the PlayStation 2’s ability to play older games, thereby encouraging consumers to keep buying games for the original system as they wait for its successor. The new console is a key component of Sony’s plan to link its appliances to one another and to a much larger network of programming, entertainment and financial services. Sony’s American depositary receipts closed down $5.88 at $267.63 on Wednesday on the New York Stock Exchange. The problem was reported late Tuesday by Jiji Press, and Sony later confirmed the report. “It’s not a huge black eye, unless there are some major games that don’t work,” said John Davison, editor in chief of Electronic Gaming Monthly, published by Ziff-Davis Inc. “Sony’s probably covering their backs in case someone wrote some programs in a certain way that they won’t work.” Probably 99% of existing software will work on the new system, Davison said. Sony will start selling the new game console March 4 in Japan as planned.