Hirai: Third Parties Were Initially “Confused” by the PS3
May 12, 2008 / 05:35 AM EDT / (@salromano)

Sony Computer Entertainment President Kaz Hirai has spokemn about the lack of understanding of the PLAYSTATION 3 among third-parties.

Speaking to MCV, Hirai commented, “I think there was some confusion as to what PS3 was initially – some of the third parties didn’t understand and they wanted to scale back a little and see how things went before they really put in their resources.”

“But when I re-positioned the PS3 as a video games console at Tokyo Game Show I think everybody got that message loud and clear,” he said.

Recently, Hirai stated that he felt the PLAYSTATION 3 is not competing with Microsoft or Nintendo, but the industry as a whole.

[Hirai: Third parties were initially "confused" by PS3]

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  • Zones

    Kaz really did a good job when he re-positioned the PS3 as video games console at Tokyo Game Show last year. Not like I care too much about it since PS3 has been the best multimedia machine for me always. But there are simpletons who get confused by saying that PS3 is a super computer like video game console that does multimedia functions as much as games.

    PlayStation platforms has always been the place for the best games so I don’t why people forget so easily just because you say that PS3 can play Blu-ray movies too.

  • Hypnotoad

    I agree with him regarding PS3 is not in competition with Nintendo. The two consoles are so different and target different audiences that they are not really competing. Their cost structure, audience, capabilities all completely different. Unfortunately, developers who want to produce lower budget games will go to the wii, so Sony has to do a better job luring them with the PSN.

    Regarding PS3 not being in competition with Microsoft, I think that is true to an extent. Microsoft entered a market where they are now cannibalizing PC game sales. Games that would have only come out for the PC (Fable2 for example) now will come out exclusively for the 360. The PC and 360 architecture being very similar. While they are cannibalizing sales of PC games, they are also now getting a percentage of profit from developers who released on the 360, as before they wouldn’t from those who release on just PC.

  • incredibilistic

    While I’m glad that Kaz made the comment he made and positioned the PS3 as a “games machine” I think there’s more to why the industry thought otherwise.

    Actually, I don’t think they confused the PS3 as more than a console but may’ve been off-put by the high price tag and thought gamers wouldn’t be able to afford the system so they chose to go with the cheaper and Windows-friendly 360 instead.

    In many ways the Playstation brand put games back on the map so why ANY developer would think Sony was abandoning their core market is just nuts. Yes, the system was WAY too high from the beginning but that’s technology for you. Had they launched at $399 from the start things would’ve been a lot different.

    As they say 20/20 hindsight… but what Sony needs to do now is get developers to start with the PS3 when developing games so there’s less problems down the line. I’m also sick of seeing 360 screens for every multi-platform game but I guess this is what Xbox owners felt during the PS2 days.

  • Zones

    I don’t remember the console war being so intense like now in the PS2 Vs. Xbox Vs. GC era. But yeah, that would make the fans angry anyway.

    Actually, one of the primary reason that PlayStation 3 did not have a good start was because they were over confidence. The minute the first PS3 sold in US, Jack Tretton said something like one gone, 100 million to go. They showed way too many stuff at E3 2005, which made people to think of PS3 as a much superior platform, and in truth, none of the game they showed was half done. Multiple delays made the situation worse and crazy Sony executives speech also helped PS3 to be in that doomed, beloved position.

    I remember David Reeves saying that PS3 would sell 5 million units without any game. Phil Harrison said that people don’t need PC since PS3 does more than PC. Actally the bad marketing also made this happen, I mean, I haven’t seen a terrible ad campaing in history as worse as “This Is Living” one for video games console.

    The lost of great games such as GTA IV, DMC 4, Ace Combat 6 and RPG’s was also a factor too. But it is undeniable that the price of PS3 was the main factor to put it in that position. However, Sony quickly learend, and started to fix the negatives about PS3. They also listened to consumers closely in order to make PS3 rejuvenate and sustain itself in the market.

    PlayStation 3 is doing well in US and EU now, what Sony needs to be concerned about is Japan, they are really doing terrible in there, thanks to the low amount of RPG games.