SCEA president, Jack Tretton, has been speaking about long-term strategy, strapping himself to a mast, and the fact that Sony could have presented a PlayStation 2.5 for $299 or less... he's also had a wii go at any unnamed competitor.
On the PS 2.5, he tells, Kevin Ohannessian, "We could've come out with a PlayStation 2.5 for $299 or less, and in the first two or three years it would sell extremely well."
So, why didn't you? "...there would be a point where people would be going, 'I am not really seeing the incremental leap.' We feel that we're sacrificing the short term to pay dividends in the long term. People are having short-term thinking--the platform is not even three years old."
Surely, however, with a PS3 'Fat' and the 2.5 on the market, people would still have had the choice.
Moving on, Tretton also has the tiniest of stabs at the tried and tested meme against Nintendo's Wii. "There are a lot of technologies where people say, 'I don't even bother pulling it out anymore. I was excited when I first got it, but I have kind of moved on.' And that's sad.
"It costs a lot to invest in rolling out new technology, and if the consumer walks away before the lifecycle's over... you can talk about the install base of hardware, but how many of those machines are still active, how many people are still playing them?"
So, install base is the not the be-all and end-all after all.
On the PS 2.5, he tells, Kevin Ohannessian, "We could've come out with a PlayStation 2.5 for $299 or less, and in the first two or three years it would sell extremely well."
So, why didn't you? "...there would be a point where people would be going, 'I am not really seeing the incremental leap.' We feel that we're sacrificing the short term to pay dividends in the long term. People are having short-term thinking--the platform is not even three years old."
Surely, however, with a PS3 'Fat' and the 2.5 on the market, people would still have had the choice.
Moving on, Tretton also has the tiniest of stabs at the tried and tested meme against Nintendo's Wii. "There are a lot of technologies where people say, 'I don't even bother pulling it out anymore. I was excited when I first got it, but I have kind of moved on.' And that's sad.
"It costs a lot to invest in rolling out new technology, and if the consumer walks away before the lifecycle's over... you can talk about the install base of hardware, but how many of those machines are still active, how many people are still playing them?"
So, install base is the not the be-all and end-all after all.
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Comments
LordChris915 8 Jul 2009 09:13
1/8
We love you Jack <3
B 8 Jul 2009 09:52
2/8
He didn't say a PS3 2.5, that doesn't make sense. He was referrring to a PS2.5, an incremental update to the PS2. Journalism should be about paying attention to the details, but so often they're wrong on Spong.
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anonymous 8 Jul 2009 12:56
3/8
@B You're a frickin' moron he never said 'PS3 2.5'. Learn to read before you bad mouth the author.
B 8 Jul 2009 13:07
4/8
@anonymous
Because he changed it after my comment. No need for insults. Sheesh, the internet, huh?
Because he changed it after my comment. No need for insults. Sheesh, the internet, huh?
TimSpong 8 Jul 2009 13:21
5/8
B wrote:
Because he changed it after my comment. No need for insults. Sheesh, the internet, huh?
Sorry to cause a fight chaps.
So, firstly, to B - you were right, we were wrong in letting those errant "3s" get into the public. Hence, I've not changed this thread title as an object lesson to myself and the writers. I personally appreciate it when someone takes the time to comment on any of our stories whether positively or negatively.
Second to LordChris915 - thanks for coming to the defence and I'm sorry for having made that defence unnecessary in the first place.
SPOnG readers can always get hold of me directly at tim@spong.com - it's where the buck stops no matter who has written the article. So, feel free to use it.
Once again, apologies to all.
Tim
Anon 8 Jul 2009 13:51
6/8
Amusingly enough he talks as if people walking away from a console is Games Design Tragedy at work, yet really he's being somewhat Freudian in that it's only sad when the cost of manufacture is disproportionate to the retail price, so in the case of the Wii, I doubt Ninty could care less if people didn't use it, they got their manufacture cost back and profit, whereas with Sony, every person to walk away would be a loss in games sales and peripherals which would make back the money they lost in selling it below manufacture cost
Mike 8 Jul 2009 17:00
7/8
He has a point, the Wii, while selling like crazy, and making tons of profit, does not have the active users as say...the Xbox does.
In the shorter term, it doesn't matter, Nintendo is still making loads of cash per Wii sold, still selling millions of WiiPlay games with offer of free controller, and generally tearing up the money books.
But as the competition increases (Natal, and Sony's eye motion thing), people will begin to get their kicks elsewhere. Add that with the traditional gamers who are more active on systems with conventional options, and Microsoft and Sony will start seeing an increase in profits and the hardware install base will start to level out.
This probably won't happen for a few more years...But the Wii is not going to sustain it's popularity unless they mix it up, and Wii Motion Plus doesn't count.
In the shorter term, it doesn't matter, Nintendo is still making loads of cash per Wii sold, still selling millions of WiiPlay games with offer of free controller, and generally tearing up the money books.
But as the competition increases (Natal, and Sony's eye motion thing), people will begin to get their kicks elsewhere. Add that with the traditional gamers who are more active on systems with conventional options, and Microsoft and Sony will start seeing an increase in profits and the hardware install base will start to level out.
This probably won't happen for a few more years...But the Wii is not going to sustain it's popularity unless they mix it up, and Wii Motion Plus doesn't count.
wiifan 14 Jul 2009 14:50
8/8
Amazing after 3 years you fanboys still spout the same crap that the Wii's popularity can't be sustained. 3 years and 50Mill consoles shows it's a crap statement. And where's your documentation for the fact that Wii owners don't play the Wii's often? I'm a happy gamer with my PS2 and Wii and the Wii get's more gaming time daily. You fanboys can just keep kissing tretton's arse all you want because after all the media citations of Sony saying Wii is no competition, they sure can't shut up and quit complaining about it.