Ray Maguire: Yes. We’re investing a huge amount of money here to get this entry-level price-point. And I think it’s worth it, because loads of people will enjoy what is available already. But PlayStation 3 is such a complex machine with so many features that you only start to unravel them after you’ve been playing on it for some time. I think once people have got through Christmas and the early months of next year, they’ll be ready for some of the new games and features that will start to bring it even more to life.
SPOnG: Sony has taken flak on the Internet for the PS3’s price – even from people who were committed to the PlayStation brand. Do you think this price-drop will help bring them back into the fold?
Ray Maguire: Yes I do. But price is a big issue for everyone. You only commit to something once you decide it’s worth it. For the early adopters, they are the ones who understand every part of our product and what it can do. For the people who are one step behind on their understanding of what PlayStation 3 can do, price is a big factor. But we’ve listened to that, we’ve reacted to it, and we’ve produced a product which addresses all those needs.
SPOnG: And the two new PlayStation 3s will be in the shops next Wednesday (10 October)?
Ray Maguire: Yes.
SPOnG: Will it be obvious in the shops that there are two different PS3s on sales?
Ray Maguire: Yes. They come in different boxes, and they’ll be clearly differentiated.
SPOnG: Will people be able to choose which two games they get with the 60Gb version?
Ray Maguire: Where retailers can, that will be possible. They have a list of games from which consumers can pick and mix. But some retailers don’t have the ability to do that, so they will formulate their products and deal with two defined games. The retailers are thrilled, because this year had an amazing start. But this is our first Christmas with PlayStation 3, and it’s exciting to be going into Christmas with a competitive and aggressive price-point.
Already, the year was shaping up to be the biggest ever year for gaming, and I think with this news, it will definitely now be the biggest year in gaming history.
SPOnG: Nintendo has said that there may be shortages of Wiis at retail this Christmas. But you’re not anticipating any shortages of PS3 inventory are you?
Ray Maguire: We’ve always had the right amount of stock – we came into criticism for having the right amount of stock at launch, bizarrely enough. But again, this is about doing the right thing for the consumers.
SPOnG: Thanks for your time, Ray.