Early buzz surrounding the PlayStation 3 was rampant, with rumors swirling even before its release. One such rumor, centered on the game ‘Theseis,’ caused considerable confusion. Gaming news outlets buzzed with speculation, release dates, and reviews, fueled by the hype surrounding the PS3’s Blu-ray capabilities. This particular rumor involved the supposed cancellation of ‘Theseis’ for the PS3 due to high development costs.
The story began when Track7 Games, developer of ‘Theseis’ for PC and Xbox 360, allegedly informed PS3 Land of the cancellation. PS3 Land published an article quoting Vicky Valvanos, managing director of Track7, stating that development would only resume with Sony’s assistance.
This news quickly spread across gaming sites and forums. However, some gamers pointed out the absence of any ‘Theseis’ announcement at E3 or on official product lists. Adding to the confusion, ‘Theseis’ appeared on several retailers’ websites as a PS3 title, a listing Track7 denied authorizing.
Track7 then attempted to clarify the situation, dismissing the cancellation announcement as a “joke” and labeling the PS3 Land article “erroneous.” PS3 Land updated their article with Track7’s statement. According to Track7, no version of ‘Theseis’ was ever planned or in development for the PS3. This raised the question: what was the nature of the original announcement to PS3 Land?
A misunderstanding between Track7 and PS3 Land seems likely. The retailers’ database listings further muddy the waters. Since Sony never included ‘Theseis’ in their official lineup, the knowledge resided solely with Track7. A plausible explanation is that Track7 considered a PS3 version of ‘Theseis’ and floated the idea as a “joke” to gauge market interest and potentially attract Sony’s attention. Regardless, the PS3 gaming market was, and remains, a highly desirable target.