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Engadget interview: SCEA's Jack Tretton talks Sony NGP, announces (and then un-announces) PlayStation Suite for PS3
Ever since his candid and humorous E3 2009 Sony keynote introduction -- wherein he thanked the audience for showing up despite the big news (PSP Go) having already been leaked -- we've always had something of a soft spot for Jack Tretton. We managed to have a sit-down with the SCEA President-CEO following the company's big Tokyo meeting, a non-working NGP unit in tow. For a brief moment, Tretton "confirmed" that PlayStation Suite games (currently slated for Android devices) would work on PlayStation 3. We asked rather directly, to which he responded, "Yes, they will. Yeah." By the next question, however, he explained that he might've misspoken and wanted to clarify that Suite is only NGP right now. It should come as no surprise, then, that there was no talk of Suite for any other devices, be it Bravia sets or Google TV. Tretton said there was at least one compatible Android device currently on the market but wouldn't elaborate -- given the 2.3 requirement, we're presuming he meant the Nexus S. We weren't able to get him to budge on the issue of the NGP's price, but we did ask him to opine on the Nintendo 3DS's $250 tag. Instead of offering friendly competitive jabs, he said only, "I think if the quality's there, then the people will find a way to buy it, within reason... I think that if you could create content that consumers see as compelling, they'll find money that they didn't think they had." A bit too reminiscent of former boss Ken Kutaragi's old adages, but hey, it's not like we expected a sub-$300 sticker, anyway. Some other highlights: Tretton wouldn't definitively say whether or not original PSP titles are in Suite's future -- "at this point, it's PlayStation One games, but I think it can go in a number of directions." This runs a bit counter to what Kaz Hirai said earlier in the day, but either he might've misspoken or the translator erred. The controller overlay we saw used as an example at the event was just that -- an example, with no guarantee of future use. That "holiday 2011" launch applies to at least one territory, but Sony was "ambiguous for a reason" (i.e. simultaneous global rollout is a dream but far from a promise.) We probably won't have a clearer image until fall rolls around, sometime after E3. No discussion on battery life, but Sony is "certainly look to improve upon [original PSP]." For what it's worth, that one measured about 4.5 to 7 hours at launch, and Sony eventually sold an extended-life pack. PS Suite will have non-gaming apps. A WiFi-only version? "We haven't made any determination on models yet," which is infinitely more vague than the confirmation of non-3G SKUs from SCEE president Andrew House. Will Sony or a Sony partner make a flagship device to show off the Suite? A, dare we say, PlayStation phone? "Stay tuned" was all Tretton would say, followed by a laugh. Hey, at least we acknowledged the elephant in the room. Full transcription after the break. %Gallery-115252%
Sony moves 1 million Moves in America
Sony may not have expected a huge Day One for PlayStation Move, but it seems to have done OK for itself during Month One: The company just announced that the motion controller has shipped 1 million units in the Americas since it launched on Sept. 17. SCEA boss Jack Tretton told MSNBC he expects demand to exceed supply until next February, saying "We had to go back and increase production twice, we're absolutely maxed out right now." While the number's certainly impressive, it's perhaps tempered a bit when you consider that (1) the Move sold 500,000 more units in Europe (where the PlayStation brand is admittedly stronger) in roughly the same amount of time and (2) today's announcement doesn't equate to a million Move-equipped households in the Americas. Many have likely picked up two or more Moves, making it difficult to say just how large the install base is for future Move games at the moment. You'll find Sony's full release just after the break.
Kevin Butler hypes ModNation Racers, gets schooled by Tretton
The latest video from Sony's fictional Vice President of a whole bunch of things has everything you could ever ask for: Tons of Kevin Butler bon mots, some clips of gameplay footage from ModNation Racers, and an appearance by real-life Sony president and CEO Jack Tretton. Unless, of course -- what if Tretton's actually just a highly paid actor as well? Come to think of it, we've never seen him in any context except for ... on the stage! Check out the video above to see the line between fantasy and reality get blurred before your very eyes. Also, the video contains a sneak peek at Kevin Butler's custom Mod and race track -- both of which will be available to download when ModNation Racers launches next week.
Sony's Jack Tretton: 'I can promise you a Killzone 3'
digg_url = 'http://www.joystiq.com/2010/03/20/sonys-jack-tretton-i-can-promise-you-a-killzone-3/'; He doesn't know exactly when the third Killzone game will be announced, but SCEA prez Jack Tretton does know that it's gonna happen. When pushed by GTTV host Geoff Keighley about a sequel to last year's Killzone 2 on last night's episode, the Sony exec openly answered, "You know, we own Guerrilla Studios, and uh, they did a great job on Killzone 1 and 2 ... I don't know when you'll see announcements about it, but I can promise you a Killzone 3." Pretty straightforward, Jack! Though he didn't make any promises regarding Killzone for E3, he did additionally note that the news from Sony out of GDC was "the icing on the cake," referring to big announcements at E3 this year as "the batter." And if there's one thing we really, really like, Jack, it's cake batter. You've won this round.
Sony's Tretton 'can't even imagine' what's in store for PS4
We know full well what the PS9 will be capable of, but what of the successor to the PlayStation 3, the PS4? Jack Tretton doesn't seem to know, telling Fast Company that he "can't even imagine what can be done technically beyond the PlayStation 3 in the near future." We'd theorize it involves more high-definitionier graphics than ever before. Tretton continued to reiterate the same "ten year" message -- the proposed shelf life of the PS3 -- that the Sony team has followed since even before the launch of the system. With 2010 marking the fourth year of the PS3's life cycle, it seems increasingly likely that Sony will stick to that goal. Of course, that's not to say the "PS4" won't ever be realized. We'll see the PS4 "when somebody can craft the technology that exceeds what we're able to do on the PS3," Tretton offered. However, he doesn't expect that eureka moment to come any time soon, adding "we are still just starting to harness [the PS3]."
Timothy Bender joins SCEA as senior VP of sales
Raise a glass -- or two -- in celebration of Livescribe and LeapFrog veteran Timothy Bender, who has just been appointed to the role of Senior Vice President of Sales for Sony Computer Entertainment America. Assuming he does an excellent job overseeing sales and merchandising initiatives for the PlayStation brand across North America, Bender can look forward to having his presumably dull, non-metallic posterior smooched by everyone but company CEO Jack Tretton.Jack still had some nice things to say, though! "Tim brings a proven ability in growing strong consumer brands and building deep relationships with his team and the retail community," he said, quite nicely. "As we approach one of our most aggressive holiday seasons and a truly exciting future for all our product platforms, we are confident that Tim's great leadership skills and contributions will help drive continued sales and market momentum for the PlayStation brand."In other news, SCEA's accountant and bad posture poster child, Timothy Tredame, has expressed disappointment upon learning that the Timothy Bender everyone was talking about wasn't a playful euphemism for that office chiropractor he's been hounding human resources about forever.
Final Fantasy XIV release for 360 hindered by Xbox Live
When Final Fantasy XIV was announced by Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Jack Tretton at E3 2009, it was met with no small amount of elation from the crowd. But when he stated that it was a PlayStation 3 exclusive, this no doubt withered the hearts of Final Fantasy XI players the world over who play it on the Xbox. Fortunately, that statement wasn't quite the truth. Square Enix was quick to clarify that Final Fantasy XIV on console is not exclusive to PlayStation 3, just that it will be at launch. While FFXIV will be available for PS3 and PC in the beginning, there is a 360 version in the works as well. VG247 caught up with Final Fantasy XIV Producer Hiromichi Tanaka at GamesCom, who gave an update on FFXIV on the Xbox 360. Tanaka explained some of the hurdles involved with bringing their upcoming title to Microsoft's darling of the console world. He said,"... for FFXIV, because 360 has its own policy with Xbox Live that is different from [the] internet, that's something we're in discussions with Microsoft [about], to come to an agreement. That's one of the reasons it's not going to be launched at that point."
Tretton dismisses PS3 price cut talk
Sony's Jack Tretton isn't keen on all of this PS3 price cut jibber jabber. During an interview with Fast Company, the Sony bigwig mentioned that the goal of the company is long term, and not in the short term. "People are having short-term thinking – the platform is not even three years old. It was $599; it's now $399," he said. Tretton further emphasized Sony's 10-year goal with the system, and said that a price cut alone wouldn't net Sony the customers it wants. "The focus on pricing is something we appreciate, but you have to have the conviction and the confidence that you are on the right path for the long term and ultimately you'll get all the consumers you want. You won't get them all day one, but we're looking to get them over a 10-year period. It's going to take different things to get different consumers." Tretton also talked about how Sony could've just pumped out a PS2.5 for a much cheaper price, but the system wouldn't have had the technology to sustain itself at retail for long. The PS3 is obviously very different. It has the Blu-rays, the gigglebites of storage, and the most important thing: the shiniest finish imaginable. That's what really counts.[Via MCV]
Call the waah-mbulance: Tretton talks PSP Go leaks
Sony's Jack Tretton is a pretty upset guy. Before last week's E3, two major surprises were spoiled for Sony, in the PSP Go and The Last Guardian leaks. That's made Tretton somewhat bitter -- as one would expect -- and he's told CNBC that the industry needs to do a better job of keeping a lid on it."People don't respect confidentiality in this industry," said Tretton, who is now concerned for the future of his company down the line, where he sees leaks once again beating Sony to its own news. "You have to prepare for people to know things in advance. The frustrating thing is they only know a part of the story and that opens up a lot of conjecture and misinformation that ultimately waters down the reality when you roll it out."Sure, it's tough, but it's all part of the game (sorry!). If Sony is so concerned with the confidentiality of who it trusts with this information, then it needs to do a better job of policing leaks and encouraging silence. To us, it's as simple as that.
Tretton says PS3 motion controller can work with existing games
It's unsurprising Sony would devise a motion controller, after the gazillions of dollars Nintendo made with its Wii platform. However, as impressive as Sony's E3 demonstration was, many fear the motion controller may signal a paradigm shift for the company. Will hardcore gamers lose out in Sony's (and Microsoft's) newfound reach at the motion-craving casual audience? Tretton doesn't think so. Speaking to CNBC, the president of SCEA promised that the PS3 motion controller (and its games library) will be far more flexible and diverse than what one would find on Nintendo's machine. "Personally, it's very difficult for me to perceive God of War 3 being played with the Wii controller," he said. "It's a different experience that doesn't lend itself to certain types of games. [But] I think our [motion] controller can be used with every game that's on the system now - and every game we're working on."In fact, Tretton goes so far as to say compatibility with current PS3 games is "absolutely conceivable." Without being able to go hands-on with the device, it's hard to judge. Are there sufficient buttons and sticks to make a 1:1 translation between DualShock and the motion controllers? While it's certainly possible, we can't see many gamers throwing out their DualShock controllers any time soon.
Tretton: PS3 sales 30% better than expected, warns of shortages
Maybe some of us are worried about the economy and how it might affect us. But you know who isn't worried? Sony isn't. Not at all.Speaking to Reuters, Jack Tretton said that they have no plans to alter their sales targets for this year, despite the economic downturn. PlayStation 3 sales, in particular, we better than what Sony expected. In fact, they are around 30% better than projected and 100% higher than last year, the SCEA president disclosed. Therefore, the 10 million unit target set earlier this year is predicted to be met by the end of the fiscal year. There might even be shortages, warns Tretton, which might affect sales. "I'd say we are able to meet somewhere between 80-90 percent demand, based on how things are trending,"The PSP is doing just dandy as well. Sony hopes to have 15 million units sold by the end of the year and the sales numbers are currently 20-30% higher than what they expected. Finally, Tretton reiterated the value provided by the PS3, especially with consumers watching what they are spending, will lead to strong sales "The entertainment value ... with PlayStation 3 compares very favorably to other entertainment choices."
Sony's Reeves talking up FFXIII exclusivity in Japan
When we spoke with SCEA president Jack Tretton during E3 about Final Fantasy XIII going multiplatform in the US, he was quite frank about the impact the game's PS3 exclusivity in Japan would (or wouldn't) have for the company. "Seeing as there isn't that big of a [PS3] installed base in Japan, I don't know how big of a coup that is for us," he admitted.Across the Atlantic, Sony Europe boss David Reeves seemingly gets his Japanese PS3 sales figures broken down by individual components. Speaking with VG247 during last week's Leipzig Games Convention, Reeves said, "I think that just as we got a massive blip up with GTA IV – which was not exclusive – we'll get exactly the same blip up with Final Fantasy," adding that, "I know [FFXIII] will look great on PS3 and – it's up to Microsoft to clarify this – it's still exclusive in Japan."While we're still betting on higher sales of the PS3 version over the 360 release domestically, it really seems as if Reeves is living in the mid- to late-1990s, when Japan was still SCEI's most important territory. Times have changed, Sir.[Update: Corrected a Sony exec mix-up. They're all the same to us, you know.]
Sony is disappointed, but unsurprised, by the FFXIII announcement
At a conference with game writers at E3, SCEA boss Jack Tretton spoke about Sony's feelings toward the announcement that a flagship title, Final Fantasy XIII, will also see a simultaneous release on the Xbox 360. His feelings: "Am I disappointed by it? Yes ... Am I surprised? No." We suppose we shouldn't be too surprised either. With the cost of game development growing as it is, holding onto third-party franchises is much more difficult. The game is still PS3-only in Japan, but we should really expect this generation to revolve around first-party developers. Everything else will more likely than not see release on more than one platform.[Via CVG]
SCEA's Jack Tretton on BC, DRM and Home
Our friends over at Engadget sat down to talk with SCEA CEO Jack Tretton, who questioned him about things on just about every PS3 owner's mind. Regarding backwards compatibility, Tretton saw the lack of it as a way to cut production costs, and even though implementing BC isn't particularly expensive, the company wants to be "selling PS2 software to PS2 customers, and selling PS3 software to PS3 consumers." He does express some hesitation about this though. "I would like to have had it in there, but Sony's collective strategy determined we could afford to lose it. We've now gone down that road, and we're not going back."With the new PS Store video service, some were dismayed to find that their video purchases could not be transferred to anything except for their PSP. Tretton feels this is absolutely necessary and that it " is way too hard a business to make money in to allow people to own multiple copies for the price of one." He's "all for allowing an individual consumer having the freedom to do with their content what they want," but Sony has no plans to remove the current restrictions.As for Home, the problems are arising because of "the disconnect of when Sony took Home out of the creative minds and put it the hands of business minds..." Tretton would rather have Home ready at a much later time with good content, than open it now as "some ghost town." Read the rest of it here.
Sony CEO blames piracy for low software sales
Jack Tretton spoke with us at a blogger's roundtable earlier today. When questioned about why software sales are so sluggish in comparison to the stellar hardware sales, Tretton noted that there were three big reasons: 1 - The multimedia features of the PSP may encourage users to play less games, watch more movies and listen to music. 2 - Gamers don't want water-downed PS2 ports; they want original games. 3 - Piracy.Tretton told us that "we have been able to track with releases like God of War that hundreds of thousands of units in potential sales are walking out the door through piracy on day one. We knew exactly that only a few months ago. Unforutnately, there isn't much to do for pirates that are already getting their way. Millions of systems are already out there .. but there are "remedies" coming down the line. Perhaps a growing library of DRM-enabled downloadable titles will help Sony's cause. But for now, the situation looks rather bleak.
Sony: PSP software sales hurt by quality, piracy
Why do we rarely see PSP games raking up huge sales numbers, despite the fact that the hardware itself is selling so well? SCEA CEO Jack Tretton has three answers.Answer one is the most praising of the handheld. "Multimedia functionality," Tretton says. "There are more things to do with it, so you're not just turning it on to play games, which isn't the case with the DS."The next one caught us off guard. "Quality of games," Tretton confides. "People will go out and buy a God of War or a SOCOM," he remarks, "but they're not necessarily as interested in buying a PS2 port." So ... people like good games that are original for PSP. Luckily there are some on the way.Tretton says the "third and almost biggest reason as of late" is piracy. "We have been able to track with releases like God of War that hundreds of thousands of units in potential sales are walking out the door through piracy on day one," he reveals. PSP Fanboy reported on this back in March.So, is there a solution is in the cards? Tretton says that Sony "has remedies moving forward," but that they won't help with systems already on the market, adding: "That machine is already out there." That machine? Is there a new pirate-proofed PSP revision on the way? Is that even possible? Doesn't Sony realize how popular pirates are these days?
Sony 'disappointed' by FFXIII for 360 announcement
SCEA president Jack Tretton has aired his feelings on Square Enix's decision to nix PS3 exclusivity for Final Fantasy XIII. During a roundtable chat this morning, Tretton said that he was disappointed by the decision, but not exactly caught off guard. "Am I disappointed by it? Yes," Tretton told us, adding: "Am I surprised by it? No." He was quick to stress that the game remains a PS3 exclusive in Japan, but that "seeing as there isn't that big of a [PS3] installed base in [there], I don't know how big of a coup that is for us."Speaking to the concept of paying third parties for exclusives, Tretton said that Sony has "invested so much money in the [PS3] hardware" that it simply "can't write checks for exclusive software." Echoing statements made by Sony Worlwide Studios head Shuhei Yoshida prior to E3, Tretton said that Sony's is more focused on exclusive titles from its own teams. "You've got to create platform-defining franchises that you own," he said. "It's the only way you're going to guarantee exclusivity going forward."
SCEA CEO Jack Tretton dishes: DRM is in, backwards compatibility is out, and video UMD lives on
We got a chance to sit down with Sony Computer Entertainment of America's CEO Jack Tretton, who gave us the lowdown about a few things we've had on our minds.PS3On backwards compatibility: Jack explained that Sony looked at how to "not take a greater hit on production cost, without losing PlayStation's heritage ... Hardware / software for backwards compat wasn't all that expensive. ... but we're selling PS2 software to PS2 customers, and selling PS3 software to PS3 consumers." Still, Jack seems to feel like it may have been the wrong move. "I would like to have had it in there, but Sony's collective strategy determined we could afford to lose it. We've now gone down that road, and we're not going back."On DRM and the video store: As of right now, Tretton is a firm supporter of the need to DRM content on the PlayStation platforms, and Sony believes that "the drm for a song maybe isn't as important for a movie and a game... this is way too hard a business to make money in to allow people to own multiple copies for the price of one." (That's what they all say!) "I'm all for allowing an individual consumer having the freedom to do with their content what they want," but Sony has no intention of opening its video up any more than it has to.PSPOn drive or flash storage: Sony has "definitely thought about storage on the PSP," and understands the inevitable "march towards digital content delivery device." But in terms of a drive-based PSP, they have "nothing that's imminent." (Read: don't hold your breath.)On how downloadable video affects the already sad state of UMD: UMD "has struggled, and it wasn't handled effectively from the beginning. ... I firmly believe in a digital model" as they're rolling out, but Sony is "still going to support UMD" as a device for movies.What's preventing PSP software sales: Three things. Title ports from PS2 games (people don't want to buy the same title twice), and the PSP's media functions. But Jack put the most emphasis on "piracy in the hundreds of thousands of units are preventing software sales. it's a problem that affects our software sales right now."
Jack Tretton talks about the PS3 'disaster' (and Home beta)
SCEA boss Jack Tretton is a man with a plan. In a lengthy Q&A with Dean Takahashi, he says that in spite of all the bashing the PS3 has received in its first year, he's confident of his plan. Takahashi used the word "disaster," to wish Tretton replied: "If we have 67 percent growth over last year in our revenue, and if 45% of all software sold is on our three platforms, I'll take that kind of disaster all year long."Many criticize PS3 for its Swiss Army Knife approach to electronics. But ultimately, the PS3 is a gaming machine -- something Tretton is quick to reiterate. "I think gaming is always going to be the key. The platform that's perceived to have the best games, the most innovative games, is going to be first and foremost. And then I think the value proposition. I don't think it's all about price. I think a lot of it has to do with value: what are you getting for the money that you're spending, and is that of interest to you. And I think price matters, but not price for the sake of price."Finally, when asked when the general public can play with the delayed Home, the SCEA boss offered a vague timeline. It's been continuously pushed, so we won't be too surprised if we're still talking about Sony's online offering at the same time next year. "Sure, we're looking to do a beta in the first quarter of calendar 2008. And then we're not 100 percent sure on when the full-blown release will be in terms of an actual date, but obviously following the ... data."Read the complete Q&A here.[Thanks, Terry C.!]
Tretton: 'Not appropriate' for publishers to suggest hardware price cuts
Jack Tretton thinks publishers should be a tad more considerate before they start suggesting console price cuts all willy nilly. Last month, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick envisioned $199 price tags for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, labeling it a necessary step for both manufacturers' march across the mainstream moat. "Well, I think from an unrealistic standpoint, I'm never surprised by that, because a software manufacturer may not be concerned whether a hardware manufacturer is successful or whether they're profitable," said the CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America. "But I think they should be, because without the hardware manufacturer, the software manufacturer has nothing to publish on."Tretton went on to tell The Mercury News that he would never "suggest what software publishers should price their software at," thinking it equally inappropriate for them to put a price on hardware. The point is certainly valid, but it misses the fact that both parties require each other to be successful. It's a nasty Catch-22 the PS3 currently and very visibly finds itself in: Software publishers need an audience to purchase their multi-million dollar games, and hardware manufacturers need said multi-million dollar games to attract hardware buyers. Until the situation finds better balance, you can expect more shoddy PS3 ports and fewer Uncharted gems.Though Bobby Kotick's heart was in the right place (his wallet), Tretton thinks a change in perspective would do him some good. "I don't know, maybe he should design a platform." Hey now, let's not give the Activision Blizzard behemoth any crazy ideas![Via GamesIndustry.biz]
