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Kutaragi: PlayStation 3 "is an expensive toy"
Ah, in the grand tradition of taking execs' statements totally out of context, we present to you the latest bit of hubris from PlayStation father Ken Kutaragi. Speaking -- once again -- in defense of the PS3's, um, luxurious price, Kutaragi-san apparently told game magazine Famitsu, "PlayStation and PlayStation 2 were both ¥10,000 [about $90 US] more than their competitors at launch. Yet they both sold to shortages." Yes, well, it looks like the PS3 is going to be a little more than $90 more expensive than the Wii. But he's not done yet: "If you consider the PlayStation 3 a toy, then yes, it is an expensive toy. However, it is more than a toy. It is a PlayStation 3. And it is the only PlayStation 3. I hope that those who understand this will gladly purchase it." And there you have it; those who understand the PlayStation 3 is the PlayStation 3 -- and the only PlayStation-freaking-3 that there is -- should gladly want to purchase one. We're hoping something got lost in translation there. We really are.
Kutaragi: PlayStation 3 is "too cheap"
In a disturbing twist, Ken Kutaragi has gone on record stating that the PlayStation 3's $600 price tag is "too cheap." The SCE president has again compared the forthcoming console to a fine dining experience. His argument is that no one calls into question the price differential between some slop at the cafeteria and a meal at an upscale restaurant. From his (deep pockets) point of view, "If you can have an amazing experience, we believe price is not a problem."Does Sony's braggadocio excite anyone? Because it's turning us off.After a paltry E3 showing - from a games perspective - it's hard to see the PS3 as anything more than a Trojan horse for sneaking (relatively) cheap Blu-ray devices into consumers' homes. The PlayStation brand is being pimped, and gamers are paying for it, literally. It's ridiculous for Kutaragi to suggest that his company is doing us a favor by launching the PS3 for $600. It's also disrespectful. Who else gets the feeling that Sony is looking down on us?
"Probably too cheap" says Kutaragi on PS3
If you're like many gamers, you're probably trying to hold back from doing something rash in response to Sony's price announcement. The general reaction was of astonishment during E3. But if you think that's surprising, what do you say to Ken Kutaragi's statement of the PS3 being "probably too cheap?"There are probably a few gamers out there who would beg to differ. But that's not all he had to say. He compared the PS3 to a fine restaurant as opposed to a company cafeteria. It's still hazy about whether or not gamers are looking for a pricey meal or a cheap deal though. Whatever the case may be, he believes that the PlayStation 3 and its components (we're looking at you Blu-ray) are worth its price.
4D Kutaragi "live" and unhinged
Sony's Ken Kutaragi, whose last name means "PS2 graphics like Toy Story" in Japanese, was up to his old tricks at the Playstation Business Briefing in Tokyo. Not to be outdone when it comes to confusing, poorly chosen buzzwords, the hype-happy Sony Computer Entertainment President claimed that PS3 games are "live" and that the Playstation Network Platform concept is "4D":[Kutaragi] claims that games have gone from 8-bit to 16-bit planes, to the "space" that you saw on the PS1/PS2, and now PS3 will be "live"Hmmm...Live. Where have we heard that lovely market-tested word before? The Xbox developement teams delivers the smack down with the smarmy incisiveness of a pre-Tommy Boy David Spade: Kutaragi-san, games have been "Live" since 2002. Please find your own buzzword, kthx. As for "4D," I can't process that term without thinking of "Smell-O-Vision" and those 3D movies at the amusement park where they spray water in your face. Maybe I'll understand what the hell Ken is talking about once I purchase these REAL PS3 4D GLASSES off Ebay.[Thanks Anon.]
PlayStation 3 spreading itself thin?
The PlayStation 3 is being packed full of bleeding-edge, next-gen technology. It promises 1080p gaming, HD movies, TiVo functionality, iTunes-like content distribution, and an Xbox Live-killing online service. BusinessWeek is running an article titled, "This PlayStation May Play Too Much," covering the fear that, with a glut of admittedly expensive features, consumers may be intimidated by the PS3. He compares it to a similarly ambitious Sony project that met just such a fate upon its release: "Exhibit A: the PSX. Released in Japan in 2003, it was designed to appeal to a broader audience than the hard-core gamers attracted to the PS2. It comes with a 250-gigabyte hard drive and a simple Web browser and plays games, movies, and music. But the PSX bombed as consumers were confused by the hybrid and put off by its $800-plus price tag."There is a fear that the system may prove more popular as a multimedia device, like the PSP, resulting in a lower attach rate for games, then lower licensing income. With the expected cost of the console, that could prove disastrous. "But since the PSP also plays music and movies, fewer people are buying games designed for it. In the PS2's initial year on the market, players bought more than three games for each machine that was shipped. For the PSP, that ratio slipped to 2 to 1."More reading:Engadget points out that BusinessWeek's writer reveals that the PS3 "boasts a huge hard disk to store photos, music, and TV shows." Although the bundling of a hard drive has not been announced, it was widely considered to be an optional feature.BusinessWeek has a companion story about Sony Computer Entertainment chief Ken Kutaragi, titled "Can Sony's Kutaragi Score Big?" It covers his rise to the top of Sony, his subsequent return back to the games division, and what's at stake with the PS3.[Thanks for all the tips]
