Phil Harrison Interview

[fitbabits]

As mentioned yesterday in the Phil Harrison (http://www.evilavatar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7978) thread, GameIndustry.biz (http://www.gameindustry.biz) has posted their exclusive interview with the aforementioned president of Sony Computer Entertainment's Worldwide Studios. You can read the whole interview by clicking here (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=13603).

And to the question on everyone's lips:

Why is it that you don't want to talk about the PS3 at the moment?

I think there are a couple of reasons for that. One is that we always have a strategy for when we share particular new information with the world, and we're in a period when we would rather focus on selling PSPs and PS2s - obviously this Christmas is a huge Christmas for retail. PlayStation-branded products, hardware and software, are the most important thing to retail around the world right now - that's where they're making their money - and it's important that we remain focused on exploiting our current business to the absolute maximum.

Clearly next year the emphasis will start to shift, and we will start to share with you at the appropriate time a lot of the cool things about PS3. We also perhaps didn't feel the need to be overly scared into making any announcements just because somebody else had launched beforehand - that wasn't part of our plans and isn't part of our plans.
And the other question(s) on everyone's lips:

What do you think about the Xbox 360 generally, and things like the shortages of the console at the moment? Do you believe the theories that it's just a marketing ploy?

No, I don't believe that for a second. I think that it's clear that they're making every unit that they can - whether that is enough for demand or they can't make enough is a question you'll have to put to Microsoft. It's definitely not done on purpose, I can assure you of that.

Do you have an Xbox 360?

Personally no, but there are a few in the office and obviously I've been checking it out.

What are you general impressions?

[Laughs] I think I'll say what David [Reeves] said. When you ask David he says, "Sorry, I don't do impressions." He's going to be at the end of the pier all week by the way! I think it's a lot better than their first introduction to the console business.
So there you have (some of) it. Sony's not scared, they just don't have much to say at the moment! Make of that what you will.

[Citizen Philip]

Sony's comment: We have no comment.

[fitbabits]

Sony's comment: We have no comment.
That was quick! It took me ages to read the whole interview before posting it as news! :)

[phantomhitman]

Woot Woot? :confused:

At least they state their reason for not talking......because they are squeezing the ps2 with both hands and their mouth to try to get the extra money to fall out.

[MaiXu]

So there you have (some of) it. Sony's not scared, they just don't have much to say at the moment! Make of that what you will.

Probably too busy "future-proofing."

/yeah, right

[bapenguin]

My guess is Sony is pouring all of their resources at getting this thing up and running as quickly as possible. They really don't want to overpromise more than they usually do...so they don't want to talk TOO much about it.

[fitbabits]

PlayStation-branded products, hardware and software, are the most important thing to retail around the world right now - that's where they're making their money - and it's important that we remain focused on exploiting our current business to the absolute maximum.
Sheer arrogance. Nothing more, nothing less. And I don't even see it as him being bullish.

[Cool AN]

It is a pretty good read even if you aren't interested in the PS brand, if nothing else because it gives you some insight in what Sony thinks and why they haven't really said any thing in some time.

[RGetz]

Sheer arrogance. Nothing more, nothing less. And I don't even see it as him being bullish.

I also thought he came across as extremly arrogant.

[Worldcrafter]

At least they state their reason for not talking......because they are squeezing the ps2 with both hands and their mouth to try to get the extra money to fall out.

Hey, if Shadow of the Colossus is a game that resulted from that, then I hope they keep squeezing!

[Suicidal ShiZuru]

I just want to know if there is any plan to bring the PS3 online more than they did with the PS2. Even if its nothing like Live at least more support. They seem to be slowly moving into online gaming, too damn slow.

With FFXII coming coon I think Sony isnt going to rush since they probably think theyll sell ten million more consoles just for that.

[Citizen Philip]

I also thought he came across as extremly arrogant.

If I had a 7 digit salary with 7-8 digit stock options, some of my civility would definitely erode: especially about work.

[phantomhitman]

Hey, if Shadow of the Colossus is a game that resulted from that, then I hope they keep squeezing!
I agree, nothing is wrong with what they are doing. The ps2 is a great machine that I spent hours with, and I would squeeze just as tight as them too.

[OUX]

I am of the opinion that they are gonna pull a pearl habor on us and your just gonna walk into EB and see a PS3 and be like OMFG!

[Citizen Philip]

Sony already has SOE with quite a few multiplayer options. Perhaps they are content with leaving the PS3 out of the SOE segment, or perhaps are already designing some option to merge the two segments together? I don't consider Sony's lack of multiplayer support to be a sign of lack of interest, perhaps they already know approximately, the costs needed to bring the service to their console systems and are waiting for more broadband/Wireless/WiFi technology to spread before seriously investing?

[thFOOL]

Gamesindustry.biz: Would you say Sony missed the boat with online gaming in this generation, given the relative success of Live compared to PS2 Online? Is that a balance you're hoping to redress in the next generation?

Phil Harrison: I've always been very admiring of some of the things Microsoft has managed to do with their branding and some of the consumer elements of their service, but it's always important to remember that more people play online games through PlayStation 2 than any other consoles. On a worldwide basis it is the most popular online console by virtue of the size of the installed base.

My ass, it is. How the fuck would they know any solid info on that without a centralized network like Live, anyway.

And how many online capable games does the PS2 have? Surely not as much as Xbox. pure bullshit.

[whish]

I just want to know if there is any plan to bring the PS3 online more than they did with the PS2. Even if its nothing like Live at least more support. They seem to be slowly moving into online gaming, too damn slow.

With FFXII coming coon I think Sony isnt going to rush since they probably think theyll sell ten million more consoles just for that.


I'll echo Tycho's (Penny Arcade) comments and say that the FFXII demo that was included with DQVIII was just plain awful. Ugly graphics and a terrible combat system. Of course it will still sell millions of copies.

[mister_slim]

I just want to know if there is any plan to bring the PS3 online more than they did with the PS2. Even if its nothing like Live at least more support. They seem to be slowly moving into online gaming, too damn slow.
Read the interview. Something about a 'network platform'.
My ass, it is. How the fuck would they know any solid info on that without a centralized network like Live, anyway.

And how many online capable games does the PS2 have? Surely not as much as Xbox. pure bullshit.
Let's see. Well, they publish Socom, so they probably know how many people are playing that. And they probably know how many PS2 subscribers FFXI has. And MS has 2 million on Live. Not too hard to figure out.

[Nite_Moogle]

We have X number of PS2 FFXI subscribers. We also have X number of Socom, GT4, Burnout, etc etc etc players. Adding these numbers up gives us more than the number of people subscribed to Xbox Live!.

Can anybody see the fallacy in the above? Sure you can. Sony doesn't have a centralized system of tracking the players that log on to their games. The number of games played online does not equal the number of players playing online. I know FFXI is popular, but given that they have discontinued hard drive compatible PS2s, I have a damn hard time believing this is an accurate statement.

[EvilBob46]

I'll echo Tycho's (Penny Arcade) comments and say that the FFXII demo that was included with DQVIII was just plain awful. Ugly graphics and a terrible combat system. Of course it will still sell millions of copies.

I just love all these pessimistic comments that judge a game by a demo that'll be more than a year old by the time the game comes out in Japan.

Here's what's going to happen with FFXII:

The game will come out. People will come to realize the scale of the story and the magnificance of the complete package. Reviews are going to be fantastic. Everybody will be happy aside from the people that can't stand the changes because they "mess with the established formula" or still bitch about the pointless combat in the demo a year from now or some stupid crap. And that'll be FFXII.

I guess we'll see if I'm right soon enough eh?

[MaiXu]

Here's what's going to happen with FFXII:

The game will come out. People will come to realize the scale of the story and the magnificance of the complete package. Reviews are going to be fantastic.

Well I'm glad you're being so objective. Wouldn't want you to make your mind up before the game came out or anything ...

[whish]

I just love all these pessimistic comments that judge a game by a demo that'll be more than a year old by the time the game comes out in Japan.

Here's what's going to happen with FFXII:

The game will come out. People will come to realize the scale of the story and the magnificance of the complete package. Reviews are going to be fantastic. Everybody will be happy aside from the people that can't stand the changes because they "mess with the established formula" or still bitch about the pointless combat in the demo a year from now or some stupid crap. And that'll be FFXII.

I guess we'll see if I'm right soon enough eh?


I'm a fan of the series and I hope you're right EvilBob. I'm not trying to be pessimistic - my comments are based on the ten or fifteen minutes I spent with the demo. I'm not going to judge an epic 60-hour(?) RPG based on the demo but the gameplay I experienced during that short time was not fun in the least.

[critch]

I dunno what the problem with the FFXII demo was, I loved it, what pisses me off is that it'll be a year before XII comes out :-(

[Phades]

I just love all these pessimistic comments that judge a game by a demo that'll be more than a year old by the time the game comes out in Japan.

Here's what's going to happen with FFXII:

The game will come out. People will come to realize the scale of the story and the magnificance of the complete package. Reviews are going to be fantastic. Everybody will be happy aside from the people that can't stand the changes because they "mess with the established formula" or still bitch about the pointless combat in the demo a year from now or some stupid crap. And that'll be FFXII.

I guess we'll see if I'm right soon enough eh?

Very true. That certainly proved to be the case with X-2! People had doubts but it sure turned out to be awesome!!........ :|

[Royal Fool]

Or FFX for that matter. What a borefest that was.

[Achilles]

Clearly next year the emphasis will start to shift, and we will start to share with you at the appropriate time a lot of the cool things about PS3.Perfectly reasonable… for a product that isn’t launching in spring!

Congrats on 100 mil Phil.

Pretty good interview. I find it odd that the interviewer didn’t even ask about Nintendo.

[Achilles]

We have X number of PS2 FFXI subscribers. We also have X number of Socom, GT4, Burnout, etc etc etc players. Adding these numbers up gives us more than the number of people subscribed to Xbox Live!.In the past they've measured it by how many network adaptors they've sold. Which, especially now that it's included with the slimline, will give them a nicely inflated number.

Not sure if that's what they're doing here, but they do have 4-5 times as many consoles out there as he says, so it is possible that they have more people playing online.

I thought he was pretty fair in saying that having more players is a result of the install base, and not trying to spin it as if their online solution was better.

[whish]

Not sure if that's what they're doing here, but they do have 4-5 times as many consoles out there as he says, so it is possible that they have more people playing online.

I thought he was pretty fair in saying that having more players is a result of the install base, and not trying to spin it as if their online solution was better.

It wouldn't surprise me at all if Sony announced some sort of online service similar to Xbox Live at E3 next year. This would go nicely with an annouced PS3 launch in June/July in Japan and North America/Europe in the Fall (Dec?).

I'm not sure why they've been resisting this type of approach. I'm sure they can find a way to make a bundle of cash.