EGM Interview with Sony

[Javokis]

I subscribe to EGM Magazine and found this latest issue quite interesting. EGM Had interviewed Jack Tretton, President of Sony Entertainment about the PS3 and a little bit of PSP. EGM asks Tretton the hard questions. I'll only give a few highlights. For the rest, you'll need the magazine. NOTE: I did not take exact quotes - no plagorism.

EGM asks Tretton what happened to the PS3. Why was it the worst launch sense the Sega Saturn?

Tretton said that it was society's fault and that people were simply waiting for Sony to fail. Tretton then seems to gloat about being the undisputed winner that can't loose.

EGM mentions the Time magazine article about the system being a bust.

Tretton responded by saying that Time magazine is NOT a gaming magazine and he does not see it as a credible source for game info.

-I happen to agree with him on that one as I mentioned in another topic.

EGM asked Tretton why the system is so high and why would people pay for potential rather than what the system can do NOW.

Tretton said that historically people have payed $299 for Sony's Playstations and those systems have lasted a good 10 years with constant support. He stated that Sony has a record of keeping their systems alive through changing trends and used the PS2 as an example in that Sony had been the first to keep compatibility towards old games during the transition to the newer system. Tretton says that 10 years later, people are still making games for the PS1 even though they no longer build the unit. Not to mention that the PS2 is going on its 7th year of life. Tretton says that the PS3 is priced to last in that Sony will support it like it has to its other systems.

EGM argues that the XBOX 360 has the same potential as the PS3, but at 200 dollars less.

Tretton defends by saying that people are paying for the Playstation BRAND in that unlike XBox systems, Playstation systems hold its record of longivity. He used the lack of full compatibility from the XBox to the XBox 360 as an example and goes as far as to suggest that the XBox is only a fad. Tretton says that no other system has lasted more than 5 years unlike the Playstation systems and he intends for the PS3 to have the same longivity as the other Playstation systems of the past, which he argues are still being supported software wise.

EGM asks why the cables for the HDTVs sets are of low quality

Tretton says that only 38% of consumers actually have an HDTV and so the Playstation3 used low quality cables to reduce costs.

EGM asked Tretton why the Sony Playstation3 does not have vibration in its 6 axis controller.

Tretton believes that vibration in the controllers is not seen as the future of gaming and says he was never compelled by the vibration feature. He goes on to say that he'll leave 3rd party developers to build vibration controllers if THEY feel the demand is there for them.

EGM wants to know what Tretton feels about the Wii.

Tretton recognizes the Wii's success, but questions its direction compared to Sony. Tretton is trying to figure out whether Wii is trying to acquire new consumers or expand its current consumer base. He does not believe that the Wii has enough horse power to hold ground in the long run.

EGM asks whether Sony can push the Blu-ray format.

Tretton states that Sony cannot do that single handedly. They will need the help of other companies to take the technology to the next level.

EGM asks why Sony hasn't been able to push the UMD format for the PSP.

In short, Tretton says it's Hollywood's fault. The studios are controlling the UMD prices for movies and typically charging around $30 bucks USD each. Tretton knows that this doesn't make any sense in that why would people pay $30 bucks for a little UMD movie when they can buy it for $20-25 on DVD. Tretton wants to push the studios to drop the UMD movie prices to $15-20 max and to stop making movies for the PSP that are 'out of touch' of Sony's consumers. No one is going to buy On Golden Pond on the UMD format.

EGM asks Tretton whether there will be downloadable PS1 games for the PS3.

Tretton says that due to the fact that it would be physically impossible to put every PS1 game on the retail market shelves, making them ALL downloadable to the PS3 is a far more exciting idea. Tretton wants ALL PS1 games available for download, even games that never launched outside of Japan and Europe.

-Hmm.... that sounds FREAKING AWESOME.

Well that's all the points that I got interested in. For the rest and full interview, get the EGM magazine for March... Wait a sec... I got this issue early. Hot damn! It was quite an interesting issue. I'm still going to buy a 360 because it looks like the XBox owns this year and maybe the next, but by next year I'll be wanting to see what the PS3 is doing.

[Old Fecker]

Playstation systems hold its record of longivity. He used the lack of full compatibility from the XBox to the XBox 360 as an example and goes as far as to suggest that the XBox is only a fad.

Well that's kind of stating the obvious. Sony hold the rights to the hardware inside the PS2 and PS1. Microsoft stupidly licensed the hardware inside the Xbox so are legally not allowed to put it inside the 360...hence the reason why all Xbox games are emulated on the 360. However, thats not exactly a bad thing as the free software updates are constantly adding more and more of the original Xbox's back catalogue to 360 functionality.

Tretton says that no other system has lasted more than 5 years unlike the Playstation systems and he intends for the PS3 to have the same longivity as the other Playstation systems of the past, which he argues are still being supported software wise.

Tretton is obviously a complete moron that hasnt bothered his arse to do any research whatsoever. The Sega Megadrive is the longest lasting machine ever made up to now. It was released in Japan in September 1989 and the last official Sega release of the system was the Genesis 3 which was released in 1998. Tec-Toy had success with the Megadrive in Brazil well into 1998 as well....so that's a good 2 and a half/3 years longer than the 5 years Tretton is blabbing on about

Tretton believes that vibration in the controllers is not seen as the future of gaming and says he was never compelled by the vibration feature. He goes on to say that he'll leave 3rd party developers to build vibration controllers if THEY feel the demand is there for them.

So read into that "we wanted to copy Nintendo so we built a half-arsed motion sensitive controller that's way inferior to Nintendo's. Oh, and because we did that we couldnt fit the two rumble units back into the PS3 pad because we havent changed the design of our Playstation pads for TWELVE years. Thats the future of gaming. Lack of innovation and relying on brand name/fan boysim to shift consoles.

EGM asks whether Sony can push the Blu-ray format.

Tretton states that Sony cannot do that single handedly. They will need the help of other companies to take the technology to the next level.

Read into that "we think Blu-Ray is fantastic. But the reality is that its too expensive and unreliable. We cant even iron the manufacturing problems out and we created the format! Blu-Ray will probably go the way of the dodo along with MiniDisc, Betamax and UMD!"

EGM asks why Sony hasn't been able to push the UMD format for the PSP.

In short, Tretton says it's Hollywood's fault. The studios are controlling the UMD prices for movies and typically charging around $30 bucks USD each. Tretton knows that this doesn't make any sense in that why would people pay $30 bucks for a little UMD movie when they can buy it for $20-25 on DVD. Tretton wants to push the studios to drop the UMD movie prices to $15-20 max and to stop making movies for the PSP that are 'out of touch' of Sony's consumers. No one is going to buy On Golden Pond on the UMD format.

So basically its somebody else's fault again. Not the mighty Sony fucking up yet again. I do believe they blamed other industry's for the fall of Minidisc and Betamax. I bet they'll do the same when Blu-Ray doesnt take off.



I used to really like Sony until the fiasco of the PS3 reared its ugly head. I still think the PSP is a great bit of kit. But i wish theyd just own up and say that the PS3 is an overpriced mess with no killer games either out or coming out soon. Their so-called exclusive title Metal Gear 4 wont stay exclusive for long. Just like the "PS2 only" Metal Gear 3 which came out on the Xbox. Their so-called exclusive Virtua Fighter 5 is coming out on the 360 now as well. I think companies are realising that the PS3 is doomed to living in the shadows of its older brothers.

I read something the other day about PS3 Oblivion. The article blabs on about how the game is so much better than on the 360 with better graphics etc. Apparently the draw distance has been extended for the high res textures...wow, im impressed. A game has been improved technically a YEAR after it was first released (its not due out til March)....well done Sony. Still, i'll be happily playing the expansion pack (Shivering Isles) which hasnt been confirmed for PS3 while PS3 Oblivion players do the exact same dungeon-crawling i did a year ago with their all-important longer draw distance for high res textures. Personally, im looking forward to Bethesda's new game, Fallout 3....which coincidentally has only been announced so far for PC and 360.

[Bloodywolf]

Tretton said that historically people have payed $299 for Sony's Playstations and those systems have lasted a good 10 years with constant support. He stated that Sony has a record of keeping their systems alive through changing trends and used the PS2 as an example in that Sony had been the first to keep compatibility towards old games during the transition to the newer system. Tretton says that 10 years later, people are still making games for the PS1 even though they no longer build the unit. Not to mention that the PS2 is going on its 7th year of life. Tretton says that the PS3 is priced to last in that Sony will support it like it has to its other systems.

Aculy theres still lots of people who play the sega even now, not just old skoot types. the thing is that some games are ledgendary (like sonic) people play it thousands of times and still enjoy it, can you say that bout most games these days?

[Javokis]

Has games these days truly gone down hill?

[English TomTom]

I just think they can be doing so much more with games, a lot of the games out today, is just the same game recyled and gets more shity everytime

[Javokis]

Well the cost to develop new games has gone up considerably compared to back in the old days. Companies are finding out that returns are not always matching expenses so they become more cautious than in the past when things were more inexpensive. Most of the costs are in the form of artistry and that artistic capability has reached movie level quality in thus we have games trying to be movies rather than what they used to be - just games.

[Bloodywolf]

Yeah, best to use a sequel then to try new things. altho once in a while a new thing pops up and becomes a classic, many don't and thats scare even for a big compagny like EA games.

[EtaYorius]

You want to get a PS3 to play each single PS1 games on it? hahaha... get a damn Emu hahaha.


Sony PS3 is Doomed, why? too damn expensive, no innovations, who needs good graphics when the lack of good games is big?  no games worth playing now or in the next 2 years (least for me) and the Exclusive games are not exclusive... and sony lost a couple hundreds bucks each time they sell a PS3... that means theres gooooona be a while till we see a drop of prices in PS3... in the contrary 360 will drop its prices in less than a year now... so that means Microshit will rape Sony right from behind.

[EtaYorius]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GG1G1-h3gfo

[Javokis]

I think this whole console war euphoria is immature and at this point, I'll stick with pc and my current consoles. Thank you.