Sony CEO Stringer Slams Father Of Playstation As 'Renegade"

Stringer blasts Kutaragi

Posted by Staff
Kutaragi: The face of a renegade
Kutaragi: The face of a renegade
Sony's CEO Howard Stringer has opened up about Ken Kutaragi's time as head of the PlayStation Division. The word “renegade” crops up, as does the phrase “stumbling block” in a Wall Street Journal interview.

Kutaragi, it seems, was less than communicative with his bosses. The article reports:

In developing the PlayStation 3 console, the device's latest iteration, Mr. Kutaragi went over budget on development costs without informing Mr. Stringer, according to a person familiar with the situation. When Mr. Stringer urged Mr. Kutaragi to have dinner with the heads of the electronics division, he did so just once a year, this person said. A spokeswoman for Mr. Kutaragi declined to comment.


It wasn't just a case of not enjoying fine cuisine, either. Kutaragi was "notorious within the company for his reluctance to communicate with his bosses of other units."

Stringer tried being patient with Kutaragi, dealing with him on a one to one level. "I've had dinner with [Mr. Kutaragi] more times than I've had dinner with my wife, and that's not really healthy," notes Stringer.

Stringer also indicates that the Japanese PS3 price slash was taken under duress. "It wasn't financially one of my best moments," Stringer admits. "The budget implications were self-evident. [But] I agreed because I wanted the launch to be successful." SPOnG's reminded of a teenage girl who's just a bit too eager to please...

It's reported that the price cut will help double Sony's videogame-related loss for the year ending March 31st, taking it to a hefty $2 billion. "I think it's fair to say that any time you're aiming for the stars, you're running the risk of falling a bit short on your timetable," Stringer comments.

Well, SPOnG hopes Kutaragi's enjoying his nice little corner desk, tucked away from any and all responsibility.

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