Hirai Talks PSP2 Possibilities, PlayStation Phone Challenges
Touch panels? Marketing difficulties? Existing?
Sony PlayStation chief Kazuo Hirai has dropped some pretty big hints about the company's forthcoming handheld devices, essentially confirming that both a PSP2 and PlayStation Phone are in the works.
In an interview with the New York Times, Hirai was said to be "coy" on specifics, but teased possible control features that could be found on a new PSP, as well as the challenges in marketing a PlayStation Phone device alongside a potentially competing product.
"Depending on the game, there are ones where you can play perfectly well with a touch panel," Mr. Hirai said. "But you can definitely play immersive games better with physical buttons and pads. I think there could be games where you’re able to use both in combination."
In response to the threat of Apple's iPhone - which the NYT reports has helped sell 50 million copies of Angry Birds compared to the PSP's 3 million of Monster Hunter - Hirai was welcoming of new audiences. "We’re seeing people who never had an interest in games join the gaming population. That means that the gaming industry pie is getting bigger."
However, while Sony intends to broaden its horizons with the 'blue ocean' strategy, Hirai said that the company did not intend to abandon its core gamer userbase. "The games being played on Android and Apple platforms are fundamentally different from the world of immersive games that Sony Computer Entertainment, and PlayStation, aims for."
So with that, you'd think Hirai had just debunked the PlayStation Phone rumours, right? Not quite.
“We don’t want gamers to be asking, what’s the difference between that and a PSP,” Hirai added. “We have to come up with a message that users will understand. It would have to be a product that keeps the PlayStation’s strengths intact.”
Sounds like it's all but confirmed then. Of course, Ericsson is keen to hype up any potential phone tie-in as much as possible - rumours flared back up about a PlayStation Phone device just yesterday.
In an interview with the New York Times, Hirai was said to be "coy" on specifics, but teased possible control features that could be found on a new PSP, as well as the challenges in marketing a PlayStation Phone device alongside a potentially competing product.
"Depending on the game, there are ones where you can play perfectly well with a touch panel," Mr. Hirai said. "But you can definitely play immersive games better with physical buttons and pads. I think there could be games where you’re able to use both in combination."
In response to the threat of Apple's iPhone - which the NYT reports has helped sell 50 million copies of Angry Birds compared to the PSP's 3 million of Monster Hunter - Hirai was welcoming of new audiences. "We’re seeing people who never had an interest in games join the gaming population. That means that the gaming industry pie is getting bigger."
However, while Sony intends to broaden its horizons with the 'blue ocean' strategy, Hirai said that the company did not intend to abandon its core gamer userbase. "The games being played on Android and Apple platforms are fundamentally different from the world of immersive games that Sony Computer Entertainment, and PlayStation, aims for."
So with that, you'd think Hirai had just debunked the PlayStation Phone rumours, right? Not quite.
“We don’t want gamers to be asking, what’s the difference between that and a PSP,” Hirai added. “We have to come up with a message that users will understand. It would have to be a product that keeps the PlayStation’s strengths intact.”
Sounds like it's all but confirmed then. Of course, Ericsson is keen to hype up any potential phone tie-in as much as possible - rumours flared back up about a PlayStation Phone device just yesterday.
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