Kaz Hirai Interview (PS3)

[fitbabits]

The Mercury News (http://www.mercurynews.com) recently interviewed Kaz Hirai and asked him, amongst other things, what he thought of the reaction to the now infamous E3 press conference:

Q: What was the reaction to your press conference about the PlayStation 3?

A: It was a positive reaction. People were generally excited we came out with a lot of news like the launch dates in each region, prices and the quantities we would ship. We had playable code for games that a lot of people were not expecting. There weren't too many playables last year.
You can read the full interview here (http://blogs.mercurynews.com/aei/2006/06/catching_up_wit.html).

Editor's Note - Thanks to Guy Mariano for the submission!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression that there were NO playables for the PS3 at last year's E3.

[Reanimated]

It was a positive reaction.



Holy shit, I'm not sure who's hitting the bigger crack pipe - Kaz or Kuturagi. He doesn't even say "I THINK it was a positive reaction". Are they that arrogant, or is this guy bullshitting to keep his job? I guess Molly Smith found out what happens when you can't tow the company delusion line anymore. Yeesh.

[ldi222]

Riiiddge Racer!!!

[Dag-Sabot]

What else could the poor guy say? Hell, if I just shat the carpet infront of a small army of media hawks, I too would claim it was a just a big pile of hershey kisses.

[Jack B]

He said nothing truly controversial. Much better than the most recent comments of Moore, Harrison and Reaves...

When he say's, what do you do when you have a game that is 40-50GB's? Put it on 2 or 3 disks... I think to myself, well for $200, maybe I would...

But he's right Sony must fill up the Blu-Ray disks to make it more compelling.

Really, he said, what I'd expect him to say, without coming off arrogant. Much better.

Sure he said, we had a good E3, but what is he supposed to say, "Everyone know's it was a disaster...". I'm OK, with Kaz's interview.

[holysin]

Holy shit, I'm not sure who's hitting the bigger crack pipe - Kaz or Kuturagi. He doesn't even say "I THINK it was a positive reaction". Are they that arrogant, or is this guy bullshitting to keep his job? I guess Molly Smith found out what happens when you can't tow the company delusion line anymore. Yeesh.

They'll always bullshit, always. Bullshitting simply doesn't look as bad as him saying "yeah, we had a weak E3 conference, GT HD is just GT4 running in a higher resolution. Oh yeah, and we kinda tried to trick you guys with the whole killzone thing"

Bullshitting always gets past fanboys.

[Siraris]

I think it's funny that just because all the raving fanboy's on the net didn't like the conference, it means it was a bad conference. The consensus from many people is that E3 is just a show, and the proof is in November. I don't think any rational person gets that worked up over an E3 showing.

[Heretic Machine]

Its Ridge Racer... Riiiiiiiiiiiiiidge Racerrrrrrrr!

C'mon guys, you remember this game. How many people remember this game?

Its Ridge Racer... Riiiiiiiiiiiiiidge Racerrrrrrrr!

That is who he is now. He is the dumbass Ridge Racer guy. I hope he promptly left the stage and kicked the ass of whoever told him to say that.

[Mozgus]

Totally unaware that the entire world has been laughing at him...

[holysin]

I don't think any rational person gets that worked up over an E3 showing.

That is the whole point of E3.

[Mr. Lake]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression that there were NO playables for the PS3 at last year's E3.

Played Motor Storm (the only PS3 exclusive title on display that I saw), and Sonic the Hedgehog. Motor Storm was - for lack of better context - "xbox 1.5 worthy". Sonic looked as good as it's Xbox 360 display at Sega's booth. I couldn't get in to see the Wii because the line went around the entire Nintendo booth and was closed by noon. At Son'ys booth, I was able to get in and play within 15 minutes. They could have done a more impressive job by showing off more pre-rendered trailers, but after playing Sonic at both Sega's booth on 360 and at Sony's PS3 booth, there is virtually no difference for cross-platform titles. Motor Storm did not meet the expectations set by it's pre-rendered trailer of last-year's E3.

It may work out that the exclusive titles for each system will look fantastic because they are tuned to look and run for specific hardware. Cross-platform titles will suffer because of the short-comings between the two platforms.

I'm pretty convinced that based on what I've witnessed, Sony is initially going to sell a bunch of "first come" units. However, when people really start to see beyond the hype what the machine really is, they'll realize their money is better spent on a Wii, or a 360 if they really want a low-cost next-gen console.

The PS3 controller is a joke. I didn't use the motion-sensing capabilities, but the fact that they included a "home" button ala 360's "Guide" button should be all the proof you need that Sony is out of steam.

Also, the fact that HD-DVD is already readily available and the everyday consumer has a tendancy to go with what he/she knows ("I know this DVD format has 'HD' in the name, but what is this 'Blu-ray' thingy? Is it Hi-Def? I don't know what it is, so I'll buy HD-DVD - because it says it's HD - so I can watch it on my HDTV, so I don't have to buy a Blu-ray TV. I sure am a dumb consumer whore."), Sony is going to have a hard time winning people over to a format that people won't understand the specifics of, let alone convince people to part with $200 extra dollars for something that the competition does equally good or better.

[ProfPuppet]

"Q: What do you think of Microsoft's Live Anyware project where they will link the communications on the PC, cell phone and the Xbox 360?

A: The more interesting play for me is connectivity with portable devices. That means interaction with the PlayStation Portable and the PS‚3. Cell phones are not primarily designed for entertainment. We can make the PSP and the PS‚3 work together. That's a step up in entertainment and a new value to offer the consumer."

Yeah, 'cuz Nintendo hasn't been shoving 'use Gameboy and our console together NOW' at us for a while. That is new, Kaz. Oh so new.

[Jack B]

I think it's funny that just because all the raving fanboy's on the net didn't like the conference, it means it was a bad conference. The consensus from many people is that E3 is just a show, and the proof is in November. I don't think any rational person gets that worked up over an E3 showing.

I'd sure like to read your posts after the Killzone trailer from last year's E3... Somehow, I doubt you'd be saying, "Give Microsoft a break those those Sony videos were all CGI!! Just wait until the 360 launches in November...". :rolleyes:

[Dag Nasty Evil]

Well this seems to sum up my feeling pretty well,
It's Riiiiiiiiidge Race (http://lexluthor.ytmnd.com/)

[Sl1pstream]

I think it's funny that just because all the raving fanboy's on the net didn't like the conference, it means it was a bad conference. The consensus from many people is that E3 is just a show, and the proof is in November. I don't think any rational person gets that worked up over an E3 showing.

The PS3 will sell a lot. That doesn't change the fact that their press conference was a disaster.

[Reanimated]

Ladies and gentlement, I present to you - Baghdad Kaz:

http://home.comcast.net/~kennedyl079/baghdad_kaz.jpg

[Sl1pstream]

That has to be the shittiest photoshop I've seen in years. Did you use paint for that?

[Zanzibar]

They should hire the Iraqi Information Minister to replace the PR chick.

EDIT: Fuck, Reanimated, how the hell did you and I have the same goddamned thought?

[Reanimated]

That has to be the shittiest photoshop I've seen in years. Did you use paint for that?



Did you make that post on your VTECH My Laptop?

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B0000SVQY6.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

Be sure to finish your workbook before bed!



Anyway, that's what you get in 5 minutes. I don't have time for a fucking Picasso here.

[jspeak32]

Its Ridge Racer... Riiiiiiiiiiiiiidge Racerrrrrrrr!

C'mon guys, you remember this game. How many people remember this game?

Its Ridge Racer... Riiiiiiiiiiiiiidge Racerrrrrrrr!

That is who he is now. He is the dumbass Ridge Racer guy. I hope he promptly left the stage and kicked the ass of whoever told him to say that.

Lol, now I know I wasn't the only one that thought that was funny. It was so awkward it almost embarassed me just watching it.

[eeje13]

I hate YouTube's quality, but this... this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJElsNaC6yQ) is quality!

[Heretic Machine]

Did you make that post on your VTECH My Laptop?

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B0000SVQY6.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

Be sure to finish your workbook before bed!



Anyway, that's what you get in 5 minutes. I don't have time for a fucking Picasso here.

Are you making fun of my gaming laptop, bitch?

[Reanimated]

Hey, it looks like a nice setup, dude.

[Jack B]

Ladies and gentlement, I present to you - Baghdad Kaz:

http://home.comcast.net/~kennedyl079/baghdad_kaz.jpg

Good on! :D

[SexualChoc]

Is that a case mod?

Anyway, has anyone from Sony been on the internet since E3? Who recieved it well? I would like to know. Of what I can tell it's been Riiiidge Raceerr!, the PS3 stealing stuff from Nintendo and it's too damn expensive.

[oldjadedgamer]

Played Motor Storm (the only PS3 exclusive title on display that I saw), and Sonic the Hedgehog. Motor Storm was - for lack of better context - "xbox 1.5 worthy". Sonic looked as good as it's Xbox 360 display at Sega's booth.

He was asking about playable PS3 games at last year's E3.

[Vanthar]

It was a decent interview. He refrained from throwing some really arrogant stuff out there as we have come to expect from Ken and Phil. I'm not sure if anyone read the little bullets about him at the bottom but some are interesting heh.

[Heretic Machine]

Hey, it looks like a nice setup, dude.

Hell yes, Alienware is big pimpin' now that they are owned by Dell!

[DirtyChimp]

I hate YouTube's quality, but this... this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJElsNaC6yQ) is quality!

that makes me laugh every time i watch it.

[Reanimated]

http://www.gameklip.com/v/748/

I like that one.

[tombofsoldier]

Everytime anyone from Sony opens there mouth they sound more and more insane. They've already spent 300 million just devoloping the cell, no doubt hundreds of millions more devoloping the rest of the PS3 as well. Then they announce they are going to compete with X-Box live and give it out for free, then they say that they're putting PS1 and PS2 hardware in the PS3. How much is this going to cost to produce, $800 a shot at an extreme low estimate ($700 for the gimped)? Thats a 200 dollar goddam loss from each one, and they want to make up the (estimate) 450+ million they already spent on the damned thing?

Lets do a little math here. Assuming for each game sold Sony gets an average of $5 per game (accounting for various prices/agreements/price drops), then how many games would need to be sold before they break even? 90 million games = $450 mil. + the loss of they take from each console. So assuming they sell 90 million consoles like last time, and assuming only 40 million are sold before they get the consoles cost down... They would need to make up 1.25 billion, divided by the $5 per game = 250 million games sold. So they are assuming that everyone will buy at least 8.12 games per console sold.This is assuming they sell 90 million consoles and that they only take an average of a $200 loss for the first 40 million consoles. Great plan Sony, good luck with that.

[Nessus]

He asks if 360 games will span multiple DVDs.

I don't see why this is such a big deal. Didn't seem to hinder the sales of Final Fantasy VII.

[Vandabo]

http://www.gameklip.com/v/748/

I like that one.


God I love it. I love how you can hear, "so here's this giant enemy crab" right before he stomps it.

The youtube one is awesome too, and it's amazing how perfect Luthor's clip works for the YTMND thing.

Makes me wish that I was right on the cutting edge of all this news, and had some creativity, and some talent, and the initiative to come up with shit like that.

[Vandenh]

I went to Kyoto last year... man those Giant Crabs really kicked ass in some of those historic battles.

[Reanimated]

God I love it. I love how you can hear, "so here's this giant enemy crab" right before he stomps it.




Yeah, you just don't know how hard I laughed at that.

[holysin]

" It´s Ridge Racer! Riiiiidge Raceeer!"

That´s my new ringtone :)

[Doctor Setebos]

Lets do a little math here. Assuming for each game sold Sony gets an average of $5 per game (accounting for various prices/agreements/price drops), then how many games would need to be sold before they break even? 90 million games = $450 mil. + the loss of they take from each console. So assuming they sell 90 million consoles like last time, and assuming only 40 million are sold before they get the consoles cost down... They would need to make up 1.25 billion, divided by the $5 per game = 250 million games sold. So they are assuming that everyone will buy at least 8.12 games per console sold.This is assuming they sell 90 million consoles and that they only take an average of a $200 loss for the first 40 million consoles. Great plan Sony, good luck with that.That's a whole heck of a lot of assumptions, there. Assumptions and math do not go well together. I can also assume they will actually make $200 per console instead of lose $100, and I can then assume they will sell 5 bajillion consoles and make their shareholders a shitload of money. But since it's all baseless assumptions, it really means absolutely nothing.

Just thought I'd point that out. :D

[saran_js]

Here are the rules of marketing :
1. Promise the whole world.
2. Speak only good things about your product.
3. Leave out unflattering stats / items about your product.
4. Spin, Spin, Spin at regular intervals to keep the product at the forefront of the public minds.
5. Leave vague answers to keep the public speculating about your product.
6. Any publicity is good publicity. There is no bad publicity, as long as it keeps your product in the minds of consumers.
7. Talk dirty about your competition.
8. Try and out do each other by stating wild statements. You can only become more popular or notorious, depending on what you say and whether you can say it. It puts you in the limelight and in the minds of the public and that is a good thing.
9. Test your consumers by saying good things one day, and bad things on another day. This way you can get consumer marketing results from the consumers way better than any on the street marketing analysis drive.
10. Treat your consumers as stupid people.
11. It's a fact that most consumers are stupid people.
12. You may get away with a lot of things if your company is a famous name in the industry.
13. ???

This is the same for Sony as it is for Nintendo and Microsoft. Face it, these companies are no angels, and they will screw you up the behind, as long as they can, as often as they can, and as much as possible while playing with your head (big head)and saying sweet things to avert your mind from thinking the truth that that is exactly what they are doing.

Come to think of that, that's exactly what women do. o_O . Women, the ultimate marketing machine. Will do all the above, and spend your money, get you addicted to them whilst making sure that you don't see the plan, then Whammo, you fall in to the trap, and you're a goner.