Phil Harrison
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Over 1,000 PS2 games to be compatible with Euro PS3
In an "exclusive interview" with "semiofficial" Playstation blog, Threespeech, Sony's Phil Harrison provides some clarity regarding the PAL PS3's range of backwards compatibility, not to mention the opportunity to place even more quotation marks into this paragraph. "The situation is changing every day, but on March 23, we expect the list to include over 1,000 PS2 titles." Sony's head of worldwide studios is referring to the list of PS2 games that are expected to be supported by the software emulation found in European PS3s.This announcement certainly defuses some of the controversy that resulted from Sony announcing the removal of PS2 hardware from European PS3 systems. After promising software support for a "limited" number of titles, many European gamers were feeling rightly cheated for having to pay a higher price for a PS3 with fewer features. Though the specific titles that comprise the list have yet to be announced (Harrison notes that Sony's policy is to focus on popular titles), it seems Sony is already far better equipped than Microsoft when it comes to fighting the inevitable onslaught of gamers complaining about their favorite title not being supported. Mr. Harrison also promises that an online list of backwards compatible games will be available on March 23, and that it will grow with every PS3 firmware update.
Phil Harrison says: more Resistance in April?!
No, no, we're not going to say "A sequel to Resistance: Fall of Man is in the works and set for an April release"... although a sequel is in the works. No, we don't have a link to prove it, but it's true. It's called trust! Phil Harrison sat down with, uh, Newsweek and talked about a multitude of things -- Gears of War, being a silly-willy, being tall, the PS3 launch, etc.We're not going to talk about that. The very last point Phil brings up is the upcoming content for Resistance that is going to, as he said, "We're going to release additional content for Resistance. I don't think we've gone into detail on the schedule, but we have some really, really cool things that will be extending the story, extending the locations, some brand new content, starting in April." He goes on to allude to a sequel if this extra stuff is well-received. A collective "woo" is necessary from the R:FoM crowd, please.
Sony's Phil Harrison: no pressure to drop PS3 price
Hop on the merry-go-round and hold on for dear life -- here's a Phil Harrison interview. In speaking to GameDaily BIZ, the Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios president touches on several interesting topics, including "so called negativity" in the press, potential PS3 price drops and the omission of rumble technology in the Sixaxis controller. On negative press: Mr. Harrison isn't fazed at all, pointing out that those who have purchased a PS3 have been naught but satisfied thus far. He goes on to say that negativity originates from "a fairly narrow section of the media" (Time Magazine and New York Times BURN) and that if there "were genuine criticisms, then of course we'll address them, but there's nothing that bothers me." Nothing at all? On PS3 price drops: Sony feels under no pressure to drop the price of the PS3 this year, expressing comfort with their current strategy and the level of software currently available. On the lack of rumble: Phil Harrison says motion controls offer far more opportunities to innovate than rumble ever did, adding that rumble is like, totally last-gen. "Now, rumble I think was the last generation feature; it's not the next-generation feature. I think motion sensitivity is." Analog stick, your days are numbered, my friend. What say you, Joystiq readers?
Killing us softly with a PS3 song
Like the Saint's Row musical, talent, no matter how biased it may be, deserves to be recognized. Using The Fray's How to Save a Life as a template, GamerCastNetwork's How to Kill a Brand stands as one top notch piece of PlayStation smearing. It's time for Sony to start showing some Killzone footage and make people go, "ZOMG!" And at this stage of the game, that had better be the reaction.
Phil Harrison speaks about the PS3... again.
If only there were more original subject lines for this type of thing. Seriously, he just talks about the PS3 a number of times. Nothing really unique, but different topics are covered. Bah, whatever. We'll give you an outline of questions and their answers. To be honest, Phil's got a way with words. Take that as you will. Anyway, this is sort of long, so please click through to the continued portion.
Sony to reveal "interesting announcements" at GDC
Well, duh. CVG pointed out an interview that Phil Harrison did with 1UP, where he reminded fans of the beleaguered company that exciting revelations would surely take place at the upcoming Game Developer's Conference in March. With E3 being a shadow of its former self, many are looking to GDC as the year's big gaming event, with representatives from Sony and Nintendo presenting keynote speeches.This intrepid blogger will be there, live-blogging from the show floor. Make sure you stay tuned to PSP Fanboy from March 7th for the latest up-to-the-minute info on every bombshell that Sony's sure to deliver the PSP community.
Phil Harrison answers only the important questions
He not only answered questions, but he even said things that he probably shouldn't have said, like when asked what he's been playing, he replied: "The next version of LocoRoco which... I can't really talk about because we haven't announced it." Nice. Well, let's make a list of other questions and answers that were pretty important. What will the PS3 do to reach out to casual gamers? "Something we've done successfully in Europe is something we've coined 'social gaming.' We've had great success with SingStar and EyeToy, which combined is over a $500 million category - Singstar has sold 7 million units." He then demonstrates Singstar (I wonder if he was any good!) and talks about an upcoming PS3 iteration that goes online. The SingStore concept will allow you to buy songs off of the PS-Store to use in the game. Neat! What's up with the apparent lack of developer support? Some key technical documents and information originate in Japan and don't flow very easily to other parts of the world. Harrison also notes that many of the critical PS3 components were created in English-speaking parts of the world. Are you planning to improve the PlayStation Store to better compare with XBox Live? Harrison says: "The launch of a platform like PS3 is not a fixed specification the day you buy the console. The chipset stays the same but what it does in software changes over time. We'll continue to refine [the PlayStation 3 Network], not just for developer experience, but for consumers too. This year we'll be adding some functionality to the PSP that will unify our approach." So... why's it taking so long for the PSP to get some creativity? You said it would be a console in the palm of your hand. What gives? Phil was pretty direct here. "I don't mean to belittle developers, but we've only managed to recreate PS2 in the palm in your hand. I think we can go deeper, I think we can explore more features of the machine, connectivity, social aspects, media aspects, and integrate it into game design that is unique to that format. It's not a missed opportunity so much as a future opportunity." All right. Well said, Phil Harrison. We'll keep mental tabs on the things you've said and make sure that at least some of the promises are achieved. Anyone think these goals are possible? Impossible? Useless? Useful? Question number five?
LocoRoco sequel outed? Not quite
Unless he's got a parade of man-servants lugging around a PlayStation 3, 1080p display, and generator to power the two, then Phil Harrison's been spending his time traveling from session to session at D.I.C.E. with a LocoRoco sequel on a decidedly smaller platform. PSP? Nope, mobile. According to IGN, Harrison said he'd been playing "LocoRoco's next version on the way" over to a Q&A with the gaming site.Sure, it could be that Harrison let slip the near-complete condition of a presupposed PSP sequel, but he's got more business savvy than that. Besides, IGN was asking him what he'd been playing on other platforms, ruling out PSP and PS3; not that more LocoRoco isn't headed to those formats. In December, Harrison confirmed that multiple LocoRoco games were in development, indicating that a PSP sequel is likely underway. That some of those cuddly blobs will be bounding onto the PS3 store seems like a no-brainer too.[Via PSP Fanboy]
DICE: Phil Harrison PSP tidbits [Update 1]
In Gamespot's DICE coverage of Phil Harrison's Q&A, they had a few mentions of PSP. Firstly that there will be deeper online functionality later this year. Specifics weren't given, but I personally would like the ability to have most web pages finally work on the PSP. Though it could also be a hint at downloadable PS1 games finally being capable without a PS3. The homebrew community may have another reason to disagree wtih Phil Harrison after the event.Also during a talk about homebrew, someone asked about the PSP's role in it. Phil claimed that the system wasn't well-suited for homebrew. Newsweek's N'Gai Croal then mentioned Dark_Alex's work and Phil had some sort of cryptic response about future announcements. So all and all, not a whole lot of new PSP info so far, but hopefully GDC will bring us more news. [Update 1: "This year we'll be adding some functionality to the PSP that will unify our approach," Harrison reveals in an interview with Gamasutra. Seems like PSP might pick up some of the cooler network options of the PS3.]
Phil Harrison speaks at GDC about "always on" gaming
GDC is little over a month away, and big names plan on headlining this potential E3 replacement. Phil Harrison, SCE Worldwide Studios president, will speak about "new opportunities offered by advancements in connectivity." Let's hope that this doesn't end up to be like Nintendo's infamous Pac-Man showing at E3.His keynote, "Game 3.0: Developing and creating for the third age of videogames," will undoubtedly speak about PLAYSTATION 3, but I expect PSP to play a large role in his speech. The concept of "always on" gaming sounds a lot like "Live Anywhere," but unlike Microsoft, Sony has a fully fledged portable gaming device to make "always on" gaming possible.Expect more news at GDC, which begins March 5th.[Via GI.biz]
Phil Harrison on Rare's decline
On his Newsweek weblog, N'Gai Croal posts a brief exchange with Sony's Phil Harrison from October. The previously unpublished question asks Harrison's thoughts on why Rare has slid into irrelevance. Croal posted the question and answer because of the recent news about Rare's creators leaving the company.Harrison does his best to remain diplomatic about the Microsoft-owned company and avoid the question. However, he alludes to Microsoft executives and corporate culture possibly disrupting Rare's style, although he also wonders if Rare's already secretive nature and inward focus hid industry trends from the company.Is there any hope -- or reason to hope -- that Rare rebuilds itself? Or since its founders have left, should we just dust off our GoldenEye carts and reminisce?
Phil Harrison looks back over the year, says... stuff
The PS3 has been released, so you'd think Sony's Phil Harrison would start to make statements that won't feed the flames, so to speak. For some reason, our buddy Phil spoke with MTV recently (yeah, seriously) and said a couple of things that can easily be misconstrued or taken as wrongly as humanly possible. We'll make a fun list, because they're fun. Due to constant firmware updates and the nearly limitless possibilities available to the SIXAXIS, developers might never be able to exact the full potential of the PS3. In Phil's words, "nobody will ever use 100 percent of its capability." The term "video games" is too constricting. Because, he says, "games are supposed to be fun." He wants people to realize that games can be serious, grim storytelling machines, evoking fear, sadness, comedy, death and other sorts of things you humans call "emotions". Not to mention mature situations (like, er, "drug offenses"? Good example, Phil...). Okay, so the list only had two things on it! No big deal, though. What he's trying to say is that the PS3 is constantly changing, so getting the 100% use of the system will be nigh impossible, with all the different ways to approach a game nowadays. Also, games are supposed to be fun, but they don't have to deal with light-hearted mascot characters parading around doing the same ol' lighthearted "save the princess" routine. Tried and true, yes, but there are other ways to "show" a game. What do you guys think? Flame-bait or valid observation?[note: I couldn't get the MTV link to work, so I used 1up's version of the story]
PS3 will see 'user-created experiences' next year, says Harrison
User-created content, which has long been a fixture in the world of PC gaming, has never managed to gain any real traction on consoles, be that due to technological constraints or a lack of online connectivity. With both of those issues out of the way in modern systems, the time is ripe for users to interact and share their creations and experiences. Sony's Phil Harrison gets behind the idea in a revealing interview with MTV's Stephen Totilo, opining* that gaming needs to move away from presenting "closed experiences." If games are to break free (God knows they want to break free), there needs to be a constant flow of communication between Sony and gamers -- more importantly, Harrison insists that said communication flows in both directions (give us money, here's your money). "Next year you're going to see user-created experiences in a number of interesting ways on PlayStation 3," goes the official and spectacularly vague PR line. A Second Life-styled virtual network has oft been rumored, but Harrison fell victim to "line distortion" before Totilo could get any concrete information about it.So, what entails a "user-created experience?" In the worst case, it's a custom wallpaper and a shared photo between friends. In the best case? Oh, it could be anything, from personalized in-game T-shirts to deadly dungeons designed to foil your friends. Be sure to ask us about it next year. * Basis for an awful pun later in the sentence.Read (and be assaulted by Flash) -- Full interview on MTV News
Sony's Phil Harrison congratulates Nintendo
There's no doubt that the PSP hasn't done as stellar as everyone has hoped. But that doesn't mean it's done poorly, either. MTV News spoke with Sony's Phil Harrison about the performance of the PSP so far. He notes that the PSP is doing a "very good job," distinct from the "great job" that Sony did on PS1 and PS2. He thinks that "most people use their PSP at home," an oddity that he'd like to change. Finally, he praised Nintendo and the DS, stating: "Nintendo should be congratulated... [DS owners] are our customers of tomorrow." Certainly, as Nintendo DS owners get older, they'll most likely look towards products that satisfy a more mature taste. It happened with the transition from Super Nintendo and Nintendo 64 to Playstation and PlayStation 2, and it may happen again.
Loco Roco sequel confirmed
Sony Computer Entertainment President Phil Harrison recently spoke to MTV News, and made a startling revelation about the PSP exclusive LocoRoco. "It was a very successful game for us and we're continuing to evolve the franchise," he said. "We're going to bring 'LocoRoco' back in a couple of new ways with some new friends in the future." LocoRoco and Friends. Sounds like a sequel to me. Considering how many new levels the development team has created for the holidays, it seems like there's still a lot more LocoRoco to come.
PS3 supports homebrew; did you get one?
The PLAYSTATION 3 has just launched in America, and thousands of Sony fanboys have walked home happy. People have been camping out for days, waiting in the cold, and the rain, trying to get Sony's next-gen powerhouse in their homes. PSP fanboys will certainly want to get access to one of the systems, considering its similar XMB capabilities. The PS3 can play music, videos, show photos, and access the internet, just like our beloved handheld.One of the things that the PS3 will have that the PSP won't is official homebrew support. Wha? The PS3 will allow you to install other operating systems, and in a recent interview with GI.biz, Phil Harrison revealed his excitement over user-created content and games: "I'm most excited about at the moment is empowering user-created content. Embedding the user creation tools into the game application and opening it up to a cloud of users." Sounds a lot like Microsoft's XNA, doesn't it?It's strange to see Sony embrace user-developed content for the PS3. Hopefully, that attitude will expand to the PSP one these days. Now, which of you have a PS3 in your house?
Phil Harrison says: PS3 will be well-rounded (and very shiny)
The new, semi-official Sony site Three Speech has lifted up some comments from Sony's Phil Harrison regarding the PS3 and its launch title library -- and B3YOND, er, beyond. What'd Phil say? In response to a question asking about which title Sony is relying on to sell the PS3, he said "a lot of people talked about the 'killer app' and actually it's the killer catalogue you want. It's not about having a single title like a Mario or a Sonic on which you rest the entire platform personality on. It's about having a wide catalogue that satisfies a number of different consumer tastes and styles." Yes, it so is.When asked about what changes the PS3 will spark in the gaming industry (PSX, sorry, PSOne brought 3-D, PS2 brought free-roaming games like GTAIII), Phil actually didn't go the graphics route -- instead, he cited artificial intelligence and physics as well as the whole push to this 1080p HD thing. Asking first about the best use of the SIXAXIS so far and then if rumble is gone forever, Phil didn't cite a "best use" for the SIXAXIS, but said what he liked. As far as rumble is concerned, it's probably gone. Sorry, mates, let's leave that to a third-party mod and software developer support.Interestingly, Phil Harrison said that Sony is working on a way for you to record your own gameplay footage, save it to the hard drive, then upload it onto the web. That's pretty cool, especially if you really like to show off your madd skillz.Firmware updates? Will they be few and far between or a weekly plague like Windows updates (sorry, but I'm sick of that little icon popping up each time I boot up)? Phil says they are focusing on the day one update and will probably have another one in time for the European launch.There are a couple more questions that yield surprising and interesting answers, but you'll have to check out Three Speech for yourself. Or you could get the full interview in the upcoming Official Playstation Magazine, on sale November 15th.[via Three Speech]
Europe isn't "guaranteed" a March release -- Ben Dover, are you there?
Well... are you there? Guess he's a little busy at the moment. Why is he busy? Because the March release date for the PS3 in Europe has been refused to get set in stone -- that is, the release is more "around" March. Phil Harrison gave this smart little speech on the issue: "Given that all of our previous statements about launching in Europe simultaneously with the US and Japan turned out not to be the case, I would not like to make any definitive statements on that. It's not my job to comment on hardware supply issues other than to say some very smart people are working very hard to catch up. In fact, the ramp up is already starting to happen in supply and output, just obviously too late for us to have launched in Europe at the same times as the US." Heh, it's not my job! It isn't, but that's still a funny phrase heard all too often. Let's think about this.Now, if supply and output really is ramped up to a fairly consistent pace, is it entirely unbelievable that the PS3 might launch sooner than expected in Europe? It's an insanely longshot and probably the most optimistic idea I've typed in a long time, but that would be one of the nicest things Sony could do for Europe at this point. But really, March is probably a safe bet. Any later would probably result in torching the Sony embassy. They have one, right? Just kidding. For kicks, let's disperse 100 percentage points across these three options: Pre-March Release, March Release, Post-March Release. My personal ratios? 15%, 65%, 20%, respectively.
Phil Harrison admits -- Blu-ray production was overreached
Remember when we talked about Ridge Racer 7 and putting the entire game onto your PS3 hard drive? Some people took the opportunity to flame about how having the option to do so for this one game rendered the Blu-ray initiative completely and utterly worthless (although if the option were for HD-DVD games (should any exist) or regular DVD, the outcome would be the same. Worthless? No. The more appropriate phrase would be "less effective") and, well, Phil Harrison is going to slightly agree. Not about the hard drive, but about Blu-ray production. It's not even news, really, since we're all going to experience the shortage of PS3's firsthand thanks to Blu-ray production difficulties. In any case, let's talk about what Dr. Phil had to say.The production of the blue laser diodes was the main focus of Phil's non-denial "we have overreached in production of the Blu-Ray component - I can't deny that." Perhaps. He follows that up with the qualifier/excuse: "But that's the price you pay for adopting brand new, leading-edge technologies that will be future proof. We will resolve those issues - we are already catching up." By catching up, Harrison is still promising six million units by the end of March 2007. So, Blu-ray is having a tough time getting started and if all games do allow hard-drive transfer, it will seem less essential but as time goes by and games grow in size (presumably), then Blu-ray will have its chance. Every knight needs a dragon to slay -- sometimes they have to wait for the thing to fly through their kingdom. Or something.
Sony's Marketing SVP Peter Dille gets grille-d
Engadget has posted an interview with Sony Computer Entertainment's SVP of Marketing, Peter Dille. He's only been back with Sony for the past six months, coming aboard right at the start of E3, the equivalent of being dropped behind enemy lines without a map.They don't pull any punches with the questions, asking him about the declining PS3 launch numbers (Dille fails to nail down a figure), the UMD format, and the never-ending saga of "true HD." While a lot of his answers are standard PR responses (hey, he's a PR guy -- he probably talks like that at home), he's also honest about the things he knows about, and what he's unsure of. Of particular note is that the PS3 will upscale DVDs to 1080p, something that Microsoft had announced the HD-DVD player would do for non-native HD DVDs. He also addresses the lack of rumble in the SIXAXIS controller, saying "I was talking to Phil Harrison about recently is the weight of the controller is now so much lighter that you almost forget that you have it. And again, it's bringing you one step closer to the game." What, by making you forget you're holding a controller? While the PS3 controller is definitely light, it's not like a feather resting in your hands.On the issue of not including an HD cable with the PS3, he claims that's to give "flexibility and choice, based on how they want to use the system in their home." Not to make us have to buy one more thing from Sony? Color us suspect. As much as they push 1080p, Blu-Ray, and "true HD," you think they'd be handing the cables out like candy. We want to be able to go HD right out of the box. As far as having a VGA cable with the PS3? "I have to get back with you on that one. Not sure."We applaud his honest answers (although we would have liked more info about the Lik-Sang litigation) and feel for the guy. They're trying to get this lumbering beast off the ground and not get stuck with a Spruce Goose.
