philharrison
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Google is reportedly working on a video game streaming service
It sounds like Google might be working on a game streaming service. According to a report from The Information, the tech juggernaut has been floating the idea for a streaming service (like PlayStation Now or NVIDIA's GeForce Now) for around two years. The service is codenamed "Yeti" and Google is apparently even testing hardware for it as well. The Information's sources say that the service might stream to a Chromecast, and that hiring Phil Harrison last month as VP of hardware -- formerly of Microsoft and Sony's gaming divisions -- could point toward a standalone gaming console.
Xbox and HoloLens games now under domain of ex-Lionhead boss
Former Lionhead Studios boss John Needham is now in charge of internal development for several games and experiences on Microsoft's Xbox and HoloLens platforms, a Microsoft spokesperson told Engadget today. Needham reports directly to Kudo Tsunoda, head of Microsoft Studios' portfolio investments team and former creative director for Kinect Games. Needham took over as the head of Microsoft's Lionhead Studios in 2013 and he's been involved in the corporate gaming world since joining Sony Online Entertainment in 2001. As the leader of Lionhead, the studio behind Fable, Needham reported directly to former Microsoft VP Phil Harrison. Needham relocated to Microsoft's offices in Redmond, Washington, for his new role.
Xbox VP Phil Harrison: 'I hope we do have to deal with tens of thousands of games'
Microsoft Xbox corporate VP Phil Harrison isn't worried that making publishing open on Xbox One will flood the console's storefront with junk. In fact, he welcomes the impending flood. "I hope we have to deal with tens of thousands of games," Harrison told Engadget in an interview this week during Gamescom 2013. Harrison and co. unveiled the Xbox One's indie-friendly publishing approach this week, dubbed "ID@Xbox" or Independent Developers @ Xbox, which allows game makers to self-publish on the upcoming next-gen console. After a short approval process, small studios or individual game creators can make their game available digitally via the Xbox Live Marketplace. "That will demonstrate that our platform is a really attractive place for creators to build games for," Harrison added, in reference to dealing with a flood of indie content potentially hitting the Xbox One. "We will measure success by whether new and exciting experiences come to our platform." Head past the break for the full interview with Harrison, where we cover everything from his inauspicious gaming origins (he started developing games at 14!) to the future of Xbox One.
Former Sony exec Phil Harrison takes over for Peter Molyneux at Microsoft (update: confirmed)
Phil Harrison, former head of Sony Worldwide Studios and the man that introduced the world to Playstation Home and gave one of the earliest public demos of the PS3, is heading to Microsoft. Harrison, also a former member of the board at Atari, will be stepping into the shoes recently abandoned by gaming legend Peter Molyneux. While his role at Lionhead was filled by the studio's co-founder Mark Webley, Molyneux's role as head Microsoft's European gaming efforts was left vacant while the company searched for the right fit. The man for the job is apparently Harrison, who is expected to be officially introduced by the Redmond crew later today.Update: Well, that didn't take long. Check out the PR after the break announcing Harrison's joining of the Interactive Entertainment Business team.Update 2: Microsoft has reached out to us to clarify that Harrison joining the team is unrelated to Molyneux's departure and there is still a vacancy for Microsoft Studios Europe Creative Director which may be filled with internal talent.[Image credit: Rob Fahey]
Atari focused on downloadable PSP games
While the PSP may be suffering from a drought of UMDs worth your holiday dollar, Atari's Phil Harrison is convinced that Sony's sexy portable remains a "very vibrant platform," at least when it comes to downloadables. Despite a lack of PSP titles in its upcoming catalog, Eurogamer reports that the former Sony exec is "looking to explore" the platform's digital goodies down the line.Hardly a shock, especially given Harrison's notion that kids of tomorrow will turn their noses up at the idea of owning physical media. However, without any of those big-budget, single-player games to fall back on we doubt we'll be busting ghosts or assaulting Dark Athena while waiting for the bus any time soon.
Atari president confident about physical media's decline
While high ranking executives from high ranking companies have bickered back and forth about the longevity of Blu-ray as a format, Atari president Phil Harrison has some pretty strong feelings on physical media as a whole. In an interview with Edge, the bigwig stated that "there's a generation of kids being born today and probably already alive who I'm pretty confident will never buy a physical media product; they will never buy a DVD, they will never buy a CD, and they will never buy a game in a box." While some may jump on this as being patently absurd, we're not so sure it's a crazy as it at first sounds. Video games in particular have been distributed via the 'net for some time now (Steam, anyone?), and it's no secret that programming and movies are headed in that direction. There's no way to accurately predict how many more generations will be buying wares in boxes, but it's safe to say we're a lot closer than most people expected us to be just a decade ago.[Via G4TV]
Homesick: Phil praises PS Home
Though PlayStation Home seems forever out of reach, this hasn't stopped Atari's Phil Harrison, one of the original architects of Sony's much-anticipated virtual landscape, from singing its praises. The former Sony exec was one of Home's chief evangelists, and, according to Eurogamer, believes Sony has "brilliantly realised their ambitions."While also "quite impressed" with Microsoft's efforts around the social networking buzzword, Harrison noted that he feels his former employer "will have a very successful platform." We just hope that when he gives Home a congratulatory slap on the back, he does so with enough gusto to actually push it out the door.
Harrison: Atari is the best opportunity in the industry
Gametrailers has a video of Phil Harrison's Infogrames/Atari coming out party from earlier this week, depicting the former Sony exec really entrenching himself into the current fixer-upper situation. He quite confidently says to the press in attendance, "The Atari opportunity, is the best opportunity that exists in the industry today to redefine, refocus and re-energize an incredible brand."This week has seen numerous moments where Infogrames' new CEO David Gardner and Harrison, as the new Directeur Général Délégué, have said all the right things. Giving the appearance that Atari is a salvageable brand is great, but showing some profit is always a good first step.
Listen to Phil Harrison talk about his big move
So a few days ago you read about Phil Harrison's big decision about going to Infogrames. Today, you get to listen to Phil speak about that very decision in this video. It appears that the freshly appointed Directeur Général Délégué is getting comfortable at his new post as he introduces Eden Studios' Alone in the Dark. While we don't get to see much about the game, Phil seems excited about pushing it forward. Anyway, we really should stop our babbling and just let the man himself give you the low down.
Infogrames attracted Harrison with giant magnet
Okay, maybe not literally (although the imagery does make us giggle), but a "magnet for talent" is certainly the new image Infogrames hopes to project. Now that Phil Harrison has taken his seat as president of Infogrames, CEO David Gardner has been singing the praises of the company's new business model, which is centered around the online market, as well as recognizable talent, and attracting new faces.According to Gardner, the future of Atari and Infogrames rests in the field of online gaming, a risky new venture for the company that Gardner is optimistic Harrison will be able to assist in. In addition to the new online focus, Gardner hopes that the company can continue to attract talent, and aims for a healthy mix of both industry veterans, and fresh young faces hoping to innovate. They better hope that magnet's got a lot of pull left in it, as Atari's messy history is naturally repellent.
Phil Harrison is new president of Infogrames ... wow
The rumors of a "Phil eye for the Atari guy" are true. Former Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios president Phil Harrison has joined Atari's parent company Infogrames with the title of Directeur Général Délégué (President). Harrison will report directly to Infogrames CEO David Gardner, who plans to announce tomorrow how he's going to turn the beleaguered company around -- and we're guessing Harrison will have a huge role in doing that.Harrison's fancy French title (which we're sure to use every chance we can) isn't going to protect him from the hard road ahead. The plan is apparently for Harrison and Gardner to turn Atari into "a leading online game company." Despite Gardner's belief that Infogrames has a "strong financial foundation," its going to take a lot of "show us" over the next few years before Atari gets off the D-list. But damn, is getting Harrison on the team a good start.[Via PS3 Fanboy]
Phil Harrison now officially with Infogrames, Atari
Well, well, well, the rumors turned out to be true. The former president of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios, Phil Harrison, is now president of French company Infogrames. Harrison will be working alongside newly appointed CEO David Gardner and will be overseeing the studios and content development for the group -- including the Infogrames-owned Atari.As this comes as quite a surprise to many, Phil backs his decision by stating, "This is the perfect time to join Infogrames and help shape the future of Atari." Can the old Sony heavyweight do it? Can he help restore the sinking ship that is Atari? We always want to see success, so we're hoping for the best. Score one for France.
Breaking: Phil Harrison resigns from Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios president Phil Harrison has announced his formal resignation from the company, due to go into effect on February 29. Sony officially broke word of his resignation this morning.Taking his place will be SCEI president and group CEO Kazuo Hirai, who will assume Harrison's duties on top of his own. It's unknown at the moment whether Sony will begin seeking out a replacement for Harrison, or whether Hirai's full-time responsibilities will engulf those of the former Worldwide Studios president.First joining Sony back in 1992, Phil Harrison helped launch the first Playstation console, and has since played a major role in SCE's business, including presenting Sony's landmark keynote at last year's GDC. In a public statement, Harrison states that he is incredibly grateful to his "Playstation family," and will continue to support the platform and company in the future.
Phil Harrison out at Sony
Not but a few days after some decided anti-Sony Japan commentary by a very frustrated Phil Harrison, the Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios President is out, with his role to be assumed by the monolithic Kaz Hirai. Phil recently expressed his frustration for SCE Japan's resistance to online and social gaming, which, as it turns out, is exactly where Sony needed to be like five years ago. From the sound of things, Phil's departure is a little unceremonious (and, dare we say, acrimonious?), but who's to say what really went down behind closed doors?Read - Phil pulled his hair out over Sony Japan's conservative natureRead - ... and now, mysteriously, Harrison is out
Sony's Phil Harrison: Wii's audience plays hard to get
At yesterday's "Lunch with the Luminaries" panel at GDC, five of the planet's most prestigious gaming industry figures had the opportunity to sit down for light snacks, civil discourse, and, of course, to flame their competitor's consoles. At least, that's what Sony exec Phil Harrison had in mind, as he warned EA Blueprint's Neil Young that the Wii is unfriendly territory for third-party developers -- due to Nintendo's overwhelmingly successful games on their own home console, everyone else can only hope to market their games to "only 40% of the installed base." Young didn't deny this claim, but retorted that the development of their most recent game for the Wii, Smarty Pants, was "very easy to build very quickly" and "fundamentally much more fun" to create -- apparently, more fun than it was to actually play. Have third-party developers resigned themselves to living in Nintendo's shadow, prompting them to fire out "easy to build," mediocre titles? We don't think they quite understand -- if only 40 percent of Wii owners are buying your games, it's because the other 60 percent know better.
Microsoft says Sony 'underestimated' Home challenges
With Sony's social MMO Home now a more distant prospect following its most recent delay, Microsoft's UK boss Neil Thompson has come out saying he's disappointed, adding that he feels Sony "underestimated" the challenges associated with creating a virtual world like Home. Given the progress report sent along by an anonymous Home tester in late August, which indicated that testing had fallen behind schedule, we're inclined to agree. However, despite being pushed back, Sony executive Phil Harrison, who debuted Home earlier this year at the Game Developers Conference, seems steadfast in his belief that the initiative remains on target for a public beta roll out in late November/early December, with a commercial release to follow in 2008. Will Home, whenever it's finally released, be anything like the online utopia promised by Harrison in March? It's all guesswork at this point, though Thompson notes interest in seeing "what they wanted to deliver against what they can actually deliver, because I know they generated a lot of interest based on what they said last year." We'd love to hear how the service is shaping up, should anyone currently enrolled in the beta like to come forward.Read - Microsoft disappointedRead - Harrison confirms public beta
Japanese Home vid shows off the ability to dress like Phil
The embedded Japanese Home trailer above shows off some of the new outdoor environments displayed at last month's E3 and a couple other features as well; mainly, the ability to dress up like your favorite Sony executive. About halfway through the video, during the character customization portion, you see a pretty wide variety of clothing options including shirts, pants and suits modeled after the clothing that Phil Harrison, Kaz Hirai and Jack Tretton wear. That's right, you can run around the Home world in a Ratchet hat, a custom blue Phil Harrison t-shirt, and Jack Tretton's pants. Now who amongst us can say we've never dreamt of that? Right now, it's unknown if this is just a Beta feature or something that will go into the full release this fall. We can only hope it stays in, since dressing up like Kaz Harai and running around yelling 'Riiiiiidge Racer!' is just too fun of an idea to ignore. So which sexy Sony executive would you dress up?
Phil Harrison talks Home, 30fps Madden
Phil Harrison can't seem to get through an interview without receiving the first degree on Home and LittleBigPlanet. We bet when he sleeps at night, he might just be plagued with dreams about answering questions on those two titles. Not that it's a bad thing, but we're sure it's taking its toll on him. Anyway, in a recent 1UP interview, Phil answered some of the questions we've been wondering about for a while. About Madden on PS3 running at 30fps: "It would concern me if the platform was incapable of doing it, but we've proven the platform is capable of doing it, so it's not a PlayStation 3 issue. I'm trying to be polite." He talks about the Edge dev kit and how Sony's own titles are running at full 1080p with 60fps, basically dodging the more obvious answer: EA Sports are lazy. When asked if Home were going to be shipped with completed features and basically everything that Home could possibly have upon launch, Harrison replied: "There will be features that get added over time, it's not going to be everything that we've ever talked about at the beginning of the service. I'm being very clear we never intended for that to be the case, either, but we have a clear road map of where and how and when we're going to be adding functions and features." As far as Home itself, it's progressing well and is still due out this Fall. Development kits were sent out on July 10th to developers to start prepping titles to be Home-ready and the beta is going well. We can't wait to get our trophies for playing games in Home, or our fun little T-shirts letting people know that we really, really dig Virtua Fighter 5. Or whatever else we dig at that point. [via N4G]
Sony leads Develop Industry Excellence Awards in UK
Sony Europe won the Grand Prix award at the UK-focused Develop Industry Excellence Awards held in Brighton, England for "capping 12 months which have seen the firm deliver a new hardware format that has inspired developers around the world to make cutting-edge next generation games." Sega won for being the industry's "Publishing Hero" and Motorstorm won "New Console IP accolades." And apparently, although we can't quite confirm this, the event was neither a roast, nor was the Hasty Pudding theatre company anywhere to be found.A little less confusing is that Traveler's Tales won "Independent Developer" for their work with Lego Star Wars and Realtime Worlds won the "Innovation Award" for the "thrillingly original" Crackdown. (While we love us some Crackdown, nobody who isn't on their third glass of Cabernet is going to call it "thrillingly original.") But we shouldn't be so mean, the Develop Awards – judged by 100 "industry experts" – are focused on UK and Euro companies so the pool is intentionally narrowed. Check out the full list of those winners by following that Read link.
Phil Harrison pledges support to Epic and their Unreal Engine
Sony engineers are hard at work optimizing the Unreal Engine 3 for the PlayStation 3, reports Phil Harrison proudly. For those of you who don't know, the Unreal Engine 3 is the "big deal" graphics engine for this generation of systems (sans the Wii). News that the system is getting optimized for the PlayStation 3 is pretty handy, letting us know we can expect some excellent titles in the coming years, possibly exclusive due to said optimization.Phil also apologized to Epic indirectly, admitting that Sony did not support them as much as they could have in the beginning, but are taking steps, like those mentioned above, to rectify the situation. With the Unreal Engine 3, optimizing the use of the SPU's is the crucial task. Harrison explains the importance of that aspect: "The benefits that it yields to end developers, whether they're writing exclusive titles or multiplatform titles, is that the performance on PS3 goes up exponentially - and it will make for a much better game experience." Let's just hope that lawsuit between Epic and Silicon Knights ends in a way that won't attack such lofty goals for massive damage.[via Games Industry]
