In the never-ending quest for heightened realism in computer game graphics, Sony Computer Entertainment has raised the bar another few notches. At last month’s SIGGRAPH expo, the company unveiled GScube, a real-time content development system that’s based on a souped-up version of architecture already available in the PlayStation 2 vid game console. Providing 10 times the performance of PSX2, GScube can also be hooked up to a high-end broadband server to access a community for computer content creation and distribution. Sony is touting the initiative as a major escalation in the evolution of e-cinema, which might be a bit of an overstatement right now. Nevertheless, with 16 sets of graphic units from the EmotionEngine CPU, image quality of 1920 x 1080 resolution, and scan speed of 60 frames per second, the GScube prototype will certainly intensify the realism, speed and clarity of the digital entertainment consumer experience. In addition, the system will eventually make it possible to map out multilayered special effects on-screen in real time before they’re shot on film, reducing the overall cost of TV and movie production. Working in collaboration with a group of content partners that includes PDI/DreamWorks and Warner Bros., Sony plans to fine-tune GScube in the coming months, with an initial rollout scheduled for winter.