Sony's Harrison on Sony Arrogance

Joystiq had the chance to exchange a few words with Sony's Phil Harrison at the UK Develop Conference. They asked him some hard questions about the crazy comments that have been coming out of the company since E3. From the article: "There's always going to be a risk when you are market leader for ten years that we start to lose perspective; and we have to make sure that we don't lose perspective. But I don't think we're arrogant, I think we have to recognize that we're in a highly competitive industry and that anything that we say will be eternally editorialized by professionals and consumers alike. So we're always in the spotlight." After the tape was off he snarked that he hadn't been asked very nice questions. Poor guy, having to answer questions that aren't 'How awesome is the PS3 going to be?'

Comments

Dear Zonk

[Anonymous Coward]

Dear Zonk,

You are not a journalist nor a competent editorial writer. Please post your snarky comments (in response to others' snarky comments) in the comments section like I'm doing, so that they may be voted "+5, Taking potshots at the market share leader in a given field."

Re:Dear Zonk

[tfurrows]

And yet, in spite of Zonk's apparent lack of writing skills, hundreds of /. readers will take this opportunity to get their energy out concerning yet-another arrogant industry-leader... None of us uses slashot for the quality (or grammar) of the writing, but for the chance to participate in the mele of the comments :)

Not about the PSP, they're not.

[Rachel Lucid]

Hard to be arrogant when you just shelved your main media distribution...

Re:Not about the PSP, they're not.

[monopole]

And instituted a yet infinitely stupider format in its place. Dropping the UMD in favor of a $60-120 memory stick which will only play one movie (out of a choice of Hitch, S.W.A.T., The Grudge, or XXX: State of the Union) at 240x320 resolution! We can rule out arrogance at this point in that it implies self preservation.

Have you stopped beating your wife?

[jharv13]

Any answer Sony gives is "wrong."

"We're not arrogant" yields, "see?! Seeeeee??"

"Ok, we're arrogant" is just as stupid.

I can't imagine how joystiq figured that'd be a useful question, except in the context of badgering Sony. Why he'd set out to do that intentionally is clearly up for debate. When you're a hammer, everything looks like a nail, I suppose.

So, joystiq, "have you stopped badgering Sony?"

\harv
-
no sig today, maybe tomorrow

Re:Have you stopped beating your wife?

[oahazmatt]

Any answer Sony gives is "wrong." "We're not arrogant" yields, "see?! Seeeeee??" "Ok, we're arrogant" is just as stupid. I can't imagine how joystiq figured that'd be a useful question, except in the context of badgering Sony. Why he'd set out to do that intentionally is clearly up for debate. When you're a hammer, everything looks like a nail, I suppose. So, joystiq, "have you stopped badgering Sony?

The question is relating to how he felt regarding comments of Sony's arrogance. The question moved on to how the negative comments are affecting Sony.

I don't see that as badgering Sony. It is asking relevant questions. Had the question been "Why are you so arrogant" it would have been a different story. The questions were asking for responses to accusations, not accusing in themselves.

Re:Have you stopped beating your wife?

[Jeff DeMaagd]

I don't know, I'd call the CD spyware thing arrogant. Selling portable audio players that required users to convert their entire libraries to ATRAC in order to play them is pretty arrogant. Sony thinking they could sell movie UMDs at nearly the price of the DVD counterparts was pretty arrogant, in my opinion. The DVD "+" writable standard was pretty arrogant, IMO, they didn't get accepted so they joined HP in making it anyway. I don't think the Blu-Ray standard counts as it's not a Sony format, but a format co-developed by at least a half-dozen major companies like Pioneer, Matsushita (Panasonic, JVC), and all the other hardware makers on the DVD consortium save two.

^^ Phil Harrison

[Jakhel]

log in you arrogant bastard

Re:Arrogant?

[Anonymous Coward]

No, Confident is releasing a console at $400 knowing that no successful console in history has ever sold for more than $300; confident is charging $10 more for games knowing that no market leading system has had $70 games in modern times. What Sony is, is beyond words; "stupid and cocky to the level which everyone will take pleasure watching them fail" comes to mind but seems to need a little more.

The facts are that the best hardware does not lead to the market leading position (something Sony should know being that they've had the worst hardware 2 generations in a row and were still successful). The PSP is a much more powerful system than the Nintendo DS yet the DS is raping the PSP in worldwide sales; the XBox and Gamecube were dramatically more powerful than the PS2 and were raped in sales by the PS2; and the N64 was far more powerful than the playstation but (once again) was raped in sales by the Playstaion.

The system that wins is (always) the system with the most high quality sofware, at an affordable price with affordable hardware. So far Sony has 0 of those three components.

Now Shut up Anonymous Coward Sony Fanboy Troll!!!

One "zonked" tag to go please

[SuperKendall]

And can I get a few comments from the people that think Slashdot has no console bias on the side please?

Re:One "zonked" tag to go please

[NonSequor]

What bias? How do you expect him to report anything good about the PS3 when there isn't any good news about it available?

Re:One "zonked" tag to go please

[MBCook]

No kidding. Delays in the system, delays in the cell, delays in Blu-Ray, the price, last-minute half-features (the controller tilt), feature removal (Ethernet hub, rumbling), cell yields of 10-20%, and low laser diode yield. Sony hasn't had ANY good news. Even at E3 when they were expected to make a killing they didn't show a ton of impressive stuff. Sure it looked good, but they didn't look as good as the target renders and they didn't have a large variety of games. They also didn't have much in the big name department (GTA, just a video of Jak and Daxter).

Compare that to MS who while not great did show a wide variety of games and had some good announcements (GTA no longer exclusive to PlayStation for one).

Then there was the "little guy", Nintendo. A fantastic showing of tons of games that got tons of press. People were interested in much of it. Wii Sports, Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, Red Steel, Wario Ware: Smooth Moves, Super Smash Brothers Brawl, and more. Name 7 big upcoming games off the top of your head for either other system.

I've gotta say, I thought the PS3 would be a scarce but big hit with great graphics. Now I'm starting to get much more interested as it seems the PS3 will be overpriced with great graphics and a fair helping of "what are they doing now."

Re:One "zonked" tag to go please

[Kohath]

What bias? How do you expect him to report anything good about the PS3 when there isn't any good news about it available?

This isn't a negative story. This isn't a story at all. This is 100% content free. The non-biased thing would be to ignore it.

And that's my comment on your comment on zonk's bias for posting an article about a Sony exec's comment on joystiq's question about the feeling that there was arrogance percieved in Sony execs' previous comments. Write a blog post about it. It's sooooo relevant to whether the PS3 games will be fun or not (which doesn't matter until they are available anyway).

$599 is fine

[rsilvergun]

for launch. I don't know why people are surprised. The last 3 console releases (ps2, Xbox and Xbox360) where all scalped on ebay for way more than that. Sony's just responding to that. Expect the price to come down pretty quick as sales drop.

Re:$599 is fine

[MBCook]

On the one hand, you're right. I think MS should have done that. Just put all the console up for bid in one giant eBay auction and let people pay what they are willing to.

That said, it doesn't have to be that way. I bought TWO PS2s on launch day in a major metro area for the launch price without having to sit in line from 2:00 AM or something. I could have easily done the same for the 360 launch or the XBox launch without any problem.

But with the PS3 instead of having a choice of trying on my own or paying $1000 on eBay, I will be FORCED to pay $600 if I get it at retail (which I won't until the price is half that).

Re:$599 is fine

[rohlfinator]

The last 3 console releases (ps2, Xbox and Xbox360) where all scalped on ebay for way more than that.

But to how many buyers? 50k? 100k? The Xbox 360 had a pretty weak launch as it was. If Microsoft had sold it at $600 retail, it would have been plain embarrassing.

The eBay market can give the impression that hardcore gamers are willing to pay a lot for a new toy, but it's not entirely accurate. If money was not a concern to gamers, people would have purchased the $300 360 Core system (which was readily available) and upgraded it with the HD and wireless controllers. It might have cost a bit more, but it would have been cheaper than buying on eBay. Instead, most people waited until they could purchase the full bundle at a fair price.

Expect the price to come down pretty quick as sales drop.

A price drop within the first six months would be seen as desperate, especially if it was due to a lack of sales. Typically, the oldest console leads the price drop wars, so Sony probably won't make the first move unless sales are really weak. Plus, Sony has been using the PS3's price to imply a certain degree of value. It would be tacky for them to turn around and drop the price so soon, effectively telling early buyers that they paid too much.

Thanks for playing FUD

[Yvan256]

Your rival Nintendo has given up trying to compete technologically with you in their next console and is turning to gimmicks like the Wii's pointing device.

Nintendo hasn't "given up trying to compete technologically", they never did in the first place. Nintendo is about games, not marketing numbers or CPU/GPU power like Microsoft or Sony. Anyone remember the PS2's "emotion engine"?

As for calling the Wii controller a "gimmick" or even a "pointing device", you don't even know what you're talking about.

Pot...Kettle...Black?

[DeadMilkman]

Dear Sony shrill, you forgot:

60-70% of the Japanese retail find your competitor more interesting/capable.
65-70% of the Japanese develoupment houses interest rests with your competitors.
65-75% of Japanese consumer market interested in buying your competitor's product citing the #1 reason as "cost" against your product.

And in Famijitsu, THE japanese gaming mag...you are pulling 5% more popularity in Japan than the Xbox 360... (* That right there alone should be causing panic!)

Sources:
http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_conte nt&task=view&id=3403&Itemid=2
http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_conte nt&task=view&id=3162&Itemid=2

Re:Arrogant?

[Aidski]

And the Wii's other gimmick... fun games. Shame Sony rarely thinks of that one. (and I bought a PS2 and not a gamecube, yet own 2 games for the PS2 and have spent more time playing gamecube at friends' places)

General Motors execs used to sound like that

[Animats]

He comes across like a General Motors exec from the glory days.

Re:Arrogant?

[happyemoticon]

Your rival Nintendo has given up trying to compete technologically with you in their next console and is turning to gimmicks like the Wii's pointing device.

What, and a seven-way processor isn't a gimmick?

Have you stopped r00ting your customers?

[NickFortune]

"Ok, we're arrogant" is just as stupid.

Well, Sony have given some world class stupid answers lately. I think the ones that did the most damage were.

• "Rootkit? What rootkit?"
• "That's not a rootkit"
• "The customers don't even know what a rootkit is why should they care?"
• "This program removes the rootkit"
• "OK, that was a bug. This program really removes the rootkit"

Now that was arrogance.

Is it surprising if their other business interests get tarred with the same brush? I know it changed my mind about buying a PS3. .

And $500 is better

[SuperKendall]

A correction, the base price that contains everything a gamer would need is $500, not $600. There has been a lot of confusion around this because many people like to pretend the $500 model does not exist even though it offers all the features of the premium 360.

$500 is also very expensive, no need to raise the figure any to complain about price.

That said, I totally agree with your point. Pretty much all through December I don't think a 360 sold on eBay (any model) for less than $800 - Sony I think is just being smart about collecting some of the money that would otherwise be going to eBay. A lot of people in lines at midnight were there just to get a 360 to scalp, I can't help but think it would be nice to reduce the occurence of this.

Company spokesman says company is doing fine

[Cryptnotic]

This is news, how? This guy would be fired if he said something like, "Sony is in trouble. We really have to get our act together or we will lose lots of market share to Nintendo and Microsoft. BlueRay really worries me too." Reporters ask the questions they do because they know the answers that they will get, but because they need person A to say it so they can quote them in their article or record it on audio or video for their program.

Well there's a story

[SuperKendall]

last-minute half-features (the controller tilt)

Well now that you mention it, there was an interview with the same Warhawk developers that were the ones that stated they got the controllers just a few weeks before E3 - in the interview it said the statement had been misconstrued; Sony in fact had let them know about the tilt feature much earlier but had only delivered physical controllers with the tilt sensors built in a few weeks before E3. The exact words:

Actually, Incognito has secretly been working with Sony on the tilt technology for a while, but it wasn't until the last few weeks before E3 that they received a working controller.

So the combination of a developer talking about what looks to be a pretty good PS3 game (how meany Gears of War stories has Slashdot seen?) along with a debunking of one of the more commonly held myths about the PS3, you'd think would be newsworthy. No mention of that on Slashdot though...

Dear Anonymous Fanboi,

[Anonymous Coward]

> Taking potshots at the market share leader in a given field

I don't give a damn if they're #1 or #100, frankly I don't like Sony due to all the crap they've been pulling of late like the rootkits.

And I'm sick of fanbois who act like "oh no, our precious Sony! they gave us the Playstation, you can't criticize them!"

Face it: Sony sucks. And I don't care how good their games are, or even if the PS3 lives up to the hype. I won't buy it because I won't endorse the things Sony has done. They "promise" not to use the patent that kills our ability to rent (or even loan!) games to others, but don't explain why they hell they bothered to patent it if that's true (umm, yeah, so our competitors can't sue us for infringing upon it when we're not, umm, going to do that! suuuurrre....) or how we can ever trust them again after the rootkit?

Here we go again.

[stonecypher]

I'm honestly getting a little tired of these fanboy reporters wasting what could have been productive interviews by instead parroting the rantings of a clone-factory also-ran. There's a reason nobody can name a game of Jeff's that isn't a sequel or a ripoff: they don't exist. Why is Sony arrogant for not tipping their hand? They've cornered what was a thoroughly dominated market in under two years and held it for more than a decade. Yes, the price is high, but Sony knows how to handle markets; their seven year old PS2 is outselling Microsoft's brand new XBox360 in every territory, even though the 360 is the only one of the next-gen consoles available, and probably will be so until at least Christmas.

News flash: Jeff Minter is Nobody. Film at never.

(His two famous games are a Robotron ripoff and a sequel to someone else's game which is essentially a graphics upgrade and a speed boost. Most people have to look him up online to even come up with another one of his games. C'mon. Arrogant means to exaggerate your own worth in an overbearing manner, and here's some guy who has released 40 games, the sum total of which don't outsell even one game in the Playstation2 Top 100, talking about Sony's full of it because he doesn't like their new price line? Pots and kettles, man.)

If they REALLY want to ask tough questions...

[FSWKU]

...then I've got one that should cause him to sweat a bit.

Quoth Phil Harrison to Spiegel Online:

On one level I understand why people say that. But it's a little stupid, if you don't mind me saying so. When we launched Playstation in 1994 we introduced the concept of real-time computer-generated 3-D-graphics for the first time.

This was part of his response to a question relating to the tilt controller, specifically wanting a response to those who thought they stole the idea. My question is two-fold: First, what are you hiding? It should be easy to relate the design process that ended with having a tilt controller (needing a feature now that they can't have dual-shock would have been more than sufficient). However, you simply called the allegations "stupid" and tried to move on as quickly as possible.

My second question (and the most pressing): Why are you LYING to the public about Sony's achievements? And before you get upset about the question, let me point out my proof:

• 1980: Atari releases Battlezone. This game featured real-time, computer-generated 3D graphics, and was also (technically) an FPS.
• 1992: Sega releases Virtua Racing in the arcades. The game was composed almost entirely of real-time 3D graphicsf.
• February 23, 1993: Nintendo releases Star Fox for the SNES. The major selling point of the game was real-time, computer-generated 3D graphics.
• November 22, 1994: Sega debuts the Saturn, which is fully capable of providing real-time, computer-generated 3D graphics. Titles such as Daytona USA sell extremely well among owners of the system. This same year, Virtua Racing is ported to the Genesis, and Virtua Racing Deluxe is released for the 32X.
• December 3, 1994: Sony releases the Playstation, which was originally to become a CD add-on for the SNES to compete with the SegaCD.

This clearly shows your assertion that "...we introduced the concept of real-time computer-generated 3-D-graphics for the first time..." to be flat-out wrong. This is all commonly available information, which someone authorized to speak on Sony's behalf should know off the top of their head. So I ask again, why the lying? If it was intentional, then you have only proven the arrogant desperation of your company. If it was a mistake, then you are proving yourself unqualified to speak for an entire company. Unfortunately, I am inclined to believe that it was intentional in light of Kaz Hirai's statement of "...With our original PlayStation, we ushered in the era of the CD-ROM and 3-D..."

So to conclude, you may not think of yourselves as arrogant, but your words and actions say otherwise.

Re:Confusing the enemy

[geminidomino]

This is despite my best efforts to drop it onto pavement, into puddles, and so on.

Best efforts?

If you try to drop your PS2 onto the ground, and miss, I think it says more about you than the PS2's quality. ;)