President of Sony Computer Entertainment Ken Kutaragi has launched a savage attack on Microsoft’s ongoing Xbox project, declaring the firm’s offering is “not a threat” to the PlayStation brand.
“Microsoft is trailing behind us and is not a threat," Kutaragi declared. "It is good at improving, but we will be advancing to the next level with revolutionary technology. Beating us for a short moment is like accidentally winning a point from a karate master and Microsoft is still not a black belt."
And Kutaragi-san, a well established proponent of anti-PR, wasn’t finished. In the same piece, as published in a Japanese newspaper yesterday, he continued, “"Like with Microsoft's operating systems, it might come out with something good around the third-generation of their release."
As regular SPOnG readers will know, Ken Kutaragi is the master of anti-spin in modern videogaming, with his strategy seeing off Nintendo and Sega’s offerings in the past. As to whether his voice in the specialist press will be enough to drown out Microsoft’s increasingly bold claims as the next few months roll by...well, it will be interesting to see.
“Microsoft is trailing behind us and is not a threat," Kutaragi declared. "It is good at improving, but we will be advancing to the next level with revolutionary technology. Beating us for a short moment is like accidentally winning a point from a karate master and Microsoft is still not a black belt."
And Kutaragi-san, a well established proponent of anti-PR, wasn’t finished. In the same piece, as published in a Japanese newspaper yesterday, he continued, “"Like with Microsoft's operating systems, it might come out with something good around the third-generation of their release."
As regular SPOnG readers will know, Ken Kutaragi is the master of anti-spin in modern videogaming, with his strategy seeing off Nintendo and Sega’s offerings in the past. As to whether his voice in the specialist press will be enough to drown out Microsoft’s increasingly bold claims as the next few months roll by...well, it will be interesting to see.
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Showing the 20 most recent comments. Read all 29.
PreciousRoi 2 Jun 2005 10:12
10/29
TwoADay wrote:
A true coup de grace for MS would be either a bundled 360 + Halo 3, or a price drop, a few days before the ps3 launch. I doubt it would happen, as it may only be 6 months after the 360's launch, but it sure would be awesome.
Especially since I'm one of the people to wait for a price drop, or Halo 3, before I buy a 360 ;)
prolly will have one considering that Halo 3 has already been outed as planned to be released opposite the PS3...Mebbe an LE edition with a faceplate or some other bling...
Truthfully the thing that has me most excited in a carefully cynical way is the PS3s dual displays. In True High Sony Fashion I'm sure the feature will be inculded intermittently in a few launch generation titles to be then unsupported in subsequent generations of software, ultimately to be dropped from the hardware when they release the smaller, PSThree... Baka Sony, Make Roi Angry
Ditto 2 Jun 2005 11:11
11/29
fluffstardx wrote:
Microsoft's biggest advantage is simple:
Xbox can afford to fail. It's a small drop in the ocean of their business. Sony are riding a lot on their precious Playstation brand, and when (not if) that collapses they need a new technological safetynet to keep their company up. They hope it is CELL. If it isn't, they may well have killed off their own company.
It's also funny how this "non-threat" is getting the praise of developers, and PS3 is mentioned in the same way you mention your old stereo after upgrade.
Xbox can afford to fail. It's a small drop in the ocean of their business. Sony are riding a lot on their precious Playstation brand, and when (not if) that collapses they need a new technological safetynet to keep their company up. They hope it is CELL. If it isn't, they may well have killed off their own company.
It's also funny how this "non-threat" is getting the praise of developers, and PS3 is mentioned in the same way you mention your old stereo after upgrade.
You've hit the nail on the head. I've never heard a company sound so paranoid before.
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PEN15 2 Jun 2005 17:59
12/29
One supreme advantage that MS has is that they can dictate the price for both console and games. Sony's system is going to be incredibly expensive to manufacture and if Microsoft sells their console for $300 and games for $50 then it will be a crippling blow to them. Sony CAN'T sell there games that cheap for Killzone quality and they CAN'T sell there console cheap due to tons of expensive parts involved.
Microsoft is smart and I have to imagine that they know price will matter especially when games won't be that much better on PS3 beyond a visual level. Will consumers pay more for everything just for a little bit more eye candy? Everyone is getting on Microsoft's case for being an HD system... yet blue-ray will greatly effect the prices of PS3 games.
Microsoft is smart and I have to imagine that they know price will matter especially when games won't be that much better on PS3 beyond a visual level. Will consumers pay more for everything just for a little bit more eye candy? Everyone is getting on Microsoft's case for being an HD system... yet blue-ray will greatly effect the prices of PS3 games.
saurian 2 Jun 2005 19:21
13/29
Microsoft is smart and I have to imagine that they know price will matter especially when games won't be that much better on PS3 beyond a visual level. Will consumers pay more for everything just for a little bit more eye candy? Everyone is getting on Microsoft's case for being an HD system... yet blue-ray will greatly effect the prices of PS3 games.
You will most likely find BluRay will not be the format used in PS3. They are already backtracking on the inclusion of the Hard disk 'out of the box'. BluRay disks are not solid, but floppy and encased in a caddy. hence not as robust. Sony are already holding talks with other manufacturers with regard to support for a common new DVD format, and its not BluRay. They might yet dump it.
Coxy 2 Jun 2005 19:22
14/29
“Microsoft is trailing behind us and is not a threat,"
Of course Sony see Microsoft as a threat otherwise they wouldnt be saying this, Microsoft is a massive threat to Sony and could give them a massive kick up the arse.
If Sony lose in the next generation it would be their own fault, I mean they have already delayed the psp launch so many times nintendo have taken the lead.
Sony seriously need to get their act together, admittedly i am a sony fanboy but even i an pi*sed off at Sony at present for the whole psp fiasco and I am surprised at Sony for attacking Microsoft directly, even I have to admit the Xbox 360 looks good - i know ive slagged it off in the past but it looks as though Microsoft have got it right, alough i will be buying PS3.
Of course Sony see Microsoft as a threat otherwise they wouldnt be saying this, Microsoft is a massive threat to Sony and could give them a massive kick up the arse.
If Sony lose in the next generation it would be their own fault, I mean they have already delayed the psp launch so many times nintendo have taken the lead.
Sony seriously need to get their act together, admittedly i am a sony fanboy but even i an pi*sed off at Sony at present for the whole psp fiasco and I am surprised at Sony for attacking Microsoft directly, even I have to admit the Xbox 360 looks good - i know ive slagged it off in the past but it looks as though Microsoft have got it right, alough i will be buying PS3.
PEN15 2 Jun 2005 19:34
15/29
Mac wrote:
“Microsoft is trailing behind us and is not a threat,"
Of course Sony see Microsoft as a threat otherwise they wouldnt be saying this, Microsoft is a massive threat to Sony and could give them a massive kick up the arse.
If Sony lose in the next generation it would be their own fault, I mean they have already delayed the psp launch so many times nintendo have taken the lead.
Sony seriously need to get their act together, admittedly i am a sony fanboy but even i an pi*sed off at Sony at present for the whole psp fiasco and I am surprised at Sony for attacking Microsoft directly, even I have to admit the Xbox 360 looks good - i know ive slagged it off in the past but it looks as though Microsoft have got it right, alough i will be buying PS3.
Of course Sony see Microsoft as a threat otherwise they wouldnt be saying this, Microsoft is a massive threat to Sony and could give them a massive kick up the arse.
If Sony lose in the next generation it would be their own fault, I mean they have already delayed the psp launch so many times nintendo have taken the lead.
Sony seriously need to get their act together, admittedly i am a sony fanboy but even i an pi*sed off at Sony at present for the whole psp fiasco and I am surprised at Sony for attacking Microsoft directly, even I have to admit the Xbox 360 looks good - i know ive slagged it off in the past but it looks as though Microsoft have got it right, alough i will be buying PS3.
Its kinda of a strange situations where Sony fanboys are either super charged by the news or dropping off. Might I add dropping off BECAUSE of Sony's decisions and not due to the 360 or revolution looking or sounding better... I have never seen this and although the numbers for Sony support aren't dramtically dropping they are dropping none the less.
Meanwhile many hardcore Sony fanboys have been giving into temptation and actually purchasing an X-Box and seeing their X-Box library quickly catching up to their PS2 library(a few fanboys I know in real life). No one who isn't jaded or super picky about games has picke up Halo, Ninja Gaiden, and Riddick and been dissapointed. OK maybe Ninja Gaiden cuz its hard as f**k. lol
BustyKrusty 2 Jun 2005 21:36
16/29
PEN15 wrote:
One supreme advantage that MS has is that they can dictate the price for both console and games. Sony's system is going to be incredibly expensive to manufacture and if Microsoft sells their console for $300 and games for $50 then it will be a crippling blow to them. Sony CAN'T sell there games that cheap for Killzone quality and they CAN'T sell there console cheap due to tons of expensive parts involved.
Microsoft is smart and I have to imagine that they know price will matter especially when games won't be that much better on PS3 beyond a visual level. Will consumers pay more for everything just for a little bit more eye candy? Everyone is getting on Microsoft's case for being an HD system... yet blue-ray will greatly effect the prices of PS3 games.
Microsoft is smart and I have to imagine that they know price will matter especially when games won't be that much better on PS3 beyond a visual level. Will consumers pay more for everything just for a little bit more eye candy? Everyone is getting on Microsoft's case for being an HD system... yet blue-ray will greatly effect the prices of PS3 games.
Well thats settled then.
Xbox360 will follow the legacy of crappy cheap parts, and i'll have three broken consoles in a row...well what can I do one might ask?
I can blindingly buy 0-50$ cheaper half-xbox
half-compatible, with a much lower visual quality and change my faceplate, preferably with J Allard's head on it OR I can buy an PS3 thats fully backwards compatible, with jaw dropping next gen visuals,with software priced same as rivals machines
and consoles versions constantly evolving.
But wait, on a second thought, i won't be buying PS3 cos its little more expensive and 3,5 year upgrade is my bet.
BustyKrusty 2 Jun 2005 21:47
17/29
I meant 1.5 xbox, and not half-xbox.
sorry
sorry
Pandaman 2 Jun 2005 21:51
18/29
Miyamoto also added, "Your mother."
LUPOS 2 Jun 2005 21:55
19/29
BustyKrusty wrote:
Well thats settled then.
Xbox360 will follow the legacy of crappy cheap parts, and i'll have three broken consoles in a row.
qua?
are you some how helping sony by talking about s**tty manufacturing processes? my dear diluted friend surely you must realize that sony is about as adept at manfucaturing quality high end elctronics as me and a team of monkeys! Certainly they have a better sense of style the my simian friends and I, but that doesnt mean the finished goods are actually of soem exceptional worth.
i bet you for every one broken xbox there are atleast 3 broken ps2's... mainly cause they have sold three tiem as many, but my point is that they are both guilty of someone shoddy manufacturing... even the developers wet dream that was the playstation has silly vents on the bottom with only liek a centemeter of clearance... a few hours of metal gear while it rested on the carpeted livign room floor (not an uncommon practice) and it would be off to poorly designed console heaven.
BustyKrusty wrote:
..well what can I do one might ask?
I can blindingly buy 0-50$ cheaper half-xbox
half-compatible, with a much lower visual quality and change my faceplate, preferably with J Allard's head on it OR I can buy an PS3 thats fully backwards compatible, with jaw dropping next gen visuals,with software priced same as rivals machines
and consoles versions constantly evolving.
I can blindingly buy 0-50$ cheaper half-xbox
half-compatible, with a much lower visual quality and change my faceplate, preferably with J Allard's head on it OR I can buy an PS3 thats fully backwards compatible, with jaw dropping next gen visuals,with software priced same as rivals machines
and consoles versions constantly evolving.
its amazing the blind faith people put in sony even after having been lied to sooo often. "i know i promised ya i stop drinking, and i know i said i wouldnt hit you or the young'ns no mo... but this time i really means it babeh.... wit all muh heart!"
"ok honey... i believe you... but if you mess up again im really gonna leave!... now... who wants a blow job!"
why dont you quite swallowing sony's load and go seek soem counseling, battered woman syndrome is no laughing matter.
BustyKrusty wrote:
But wait, on a second thought, i won't be buying PS3 cos its little more expensive and 3,5 year upgrade is my bet.
ohh *whew* i was worried... for a second there i thought you where actually retarded... people shouldnt let the mentally impared use computers... god forbid they see some porno by accident... next thing you know every cushion in the house has stains on it!
____________
LUPOS 2 Jun 2005 21:57
20/29
BustyKrusty wrote:
I meant 1.5 xbox, and not half-xbox.
sorry
sorry
oh yea... cause 3 3.2 ghz power pcs is only a weeee little bit stonger than a 750 mhz p3
congruently my grasp of math is only a weee bit bigger than yours as well!
____________
acidviper 2 Jun 2005 22:23
21/29
Allard says software will win. I agree. And pretty much who ever gets the support of the Final Fantasy series wins. Simple as that. No Crystal Chronicles or MMORPG bullshit games. The system that gets FFXII and XIII will win.
LUPOS 2 Jun 2005 22:34
22/29
acidviper wrote:
Allard says software will win. I agree. And pretty much who ever gets the support of the Final Fantasy series wins. Simple as that. No Crystal Chronicles or MMORPG bullshit games. The system that gets FFXII and XIII will win.
yeah... cause ea sells more copies of madden every year than square has ever sold of anything... (probably not an acurate statistic)
yuo realise that we... the "hard core"... make up a very very small percentage of the game buyingpublic... as long as ludacris is playing madden or halo or th elike on the next episode of mtv cribes... final fantasy doesnt stand a chance of making th eimpact it did 10 years ago... there is not doubt i twas a deciding factor for the ps1... and helped alot on ps2... but after several lack luster (i.e. not as good as 7) titles... there every beutifull ever repetiitiveness will be the death of them. FF may still hold alot of clout in the land of the rising sun... but here in the states and over in britanland gears of war causes alot mroe excitment that pretty castle and shiny dragons.
it may be sad, dependingon who you ask, but its the truth.
it is no longer OUR hoby... it is mass media... it has reach saturation... peopel want games that are liek big holly wood block busters... and sadley strategy and turn based games... no matter hwo pretty... cant compete in the eyes of the average joe.
case in point... i have talked ot alot fo peopel in game stores that bought metal gear acid and where thuroughly pissed to find out it was a freakin card game when they got it home.
_____________
TwoADay 2 Jun 2005 22:45
23/29
BustyKrusty wrote:
Xbox360 will follow the legacy of crappy cheap parts, and i'll have three broken consoles in a row...well what can I do one might ask?
I can blindingly buy 0-50$ cheaper half-xbox
half-compatible, with a much lower visual quality and change my faceplate, preferably with J Allard's head on it OR I can buy an PS3 thats fully backwards compatible, with jaw dropping next gen visuals,with software priced same as rivals machines
and consoles versions constantly evolving.
The build quality of the Xbox, in my opinion, isn't suspect at all. I've had mine since launch, and it works great -- no problems at all.
My Sony WEGA TV's front RCA jacks crapped out on me about 2 weeks back. I've had my Xbox longer than the TV.
Finally, no one can really say whose graphics will be better, especially since there was no real gameplay shown by sony. I've maintained that the difference will likely be small, perhaps smaller than the ps2 - xbox gap this generation.
I'm not saying that Sony makes bad products -- but there are "bad apples" and bad units for all products. Case in point: Laptop monitors. When you buy a new notebook, there's always some sort of dead pixel condidtion, where a certain number are allowed.
and on acidviper's comments -- I'm beginning to suspect that American gamers (maybe European gamers too, don't know their opinions as well) will tire of the FF series in the next couple of iterations. It's because of a few things: Having to wait 5 minutes in battle for an attack animation to complete, having the game too much "on rails" in terms of choices, and the number of hours the games take to complete (and the majority of it is repetitive). The FF series, in my opinion, is no longer a game franchise - it's an interactive movie franchise. However, it doesn't compare to "real" movies (of almost any kind) and it is, IMO, loosing its "game" ability as well (for reasons stated above) because of its reliance on long videos, rather than gameplay.
Good lord, that was a lot of text. hope I didn't bore you.
rm19 2 Jun 2005 23:28
24/29
I plan on getting both an Xbox 360 and PS3 so I don't care either way, but there are some disturbing trends developing at the house of Sony.
Ken Kutaragi, after showing off nothing but super-spec paperware at E3, dismisses MS as "not a threat", that the Xbox 360 is only an Xbox 1.5 and he makes no mention of an online plan. Stick to your own product, Ken as the PS3 looks awesome (if the specs turn out real).
Hardware costs seem out of control as a hard drive may not even be standard on PS3 and the unknown impact CELL and Blu-ray technology may have on pricing is worrying. Even MGS creator, Kojima, expressed doubts that all this Killzone hype is setting the bar too high while Xbox 360 hype seems entirely achievable. He knows his sh*t so, his opinion should be highly respected.
Xbox 360, on the other hand, has impressive specs that seem highly plausible. Despite having annoyingly pretentious people in their launch video, MS had playable demos at E3, a strong online foundation with Live, well sorted hardware, a reasonable $300 USD price range, a substantial war chest, and the upcoming holiday season all to itself.
The hype strategy may have killed the DC, but this is Microsoft and they're not going anywhere. But don't worry, Ken states, "PS3 is not a gaming system." Maybe the pressure is getting to Ken because his disrespectful comments seem rife with FUD. And, finally, there's the all important dildo factor.
Ken Kutaragi, after showing off nothing but super-spec paperware at E3, dismisses MS as "not a threat", that the Xbox 360 is only an Xbox 1.5 and he makes no mention of an online plan. Stick to your own product, Ken as the PS3 looks awesome (if the specs turn out real).
Hardware costs seem out of control as a hard drive may not even be standard on PS3 and the unknown impact CELL and Blu-ray technology may have on pricing is worrying. Even MGS creator, Kojima, expressed doubts that all this Killzone hype is setting the bar too high while Xbox 360 hype seems entirely achievable. He knows his sh*t so, his opinion should be highly respected.
Xbox 360, on the other hand, has impressive specs that seem highly plausible. Despite having annoyingly pretentious people in their launch video, MS had playable demos at E3, a strong online foundation with Live, well sorted hardware, a reasonable $300 USD price range, a substantial war chest, and the upcoming holiday season all to itself.
The hype strategy may have killed the DC, but this is Microsoft and they're not going anywhere. But don't worry, Ken states, "PS3 is not a gaming system." Maybe the pressure is getting to Ken because his disrespectful comments seem rife with FUD. And, finally, there's the all important dildo factor.
BustyKrusty 3 Jun 2005 02:50
25/29
When we exaggerate...thats what we get: ASSSHOOLE
p.s.glad you liked my message!
p.s.glad you liked my message!
Ditto 3 Jun 2005 09:08
26/29
LUPOS wrote:
my dear diluted friend
LOL. Sorry Lupos, but diluted?
surely you must realize that sony is about as adept at manfucaturing quality high end elctronics as me and a team of monkeys!
Yeah, I agree. I don't think Sony produces quality products really. They have a strong brand. I happened to be in Dixions listening to a guy decide which MP3 player to buy. Ultimatly his and the sales persons attitude was "yeah, Sony's the only brand you've heard of, go for that".
a few hours of metal gear while it rested on the carpeted livign room floor (not an uncommon practice) and it would be off to poorly designed console heaven.
Sorry, but I think that M$ power cords are much more dangerous than this.
ohh *whew* i was worried... for a second there i thought you where actually retarded... people shouldnt let the mentally impared use computers... god forbid they see some porno by accident... next thing you know every cushion in the house has stains on it
Damn pop-ups.
PEN15 3 Jun 2005 17:37
27/29
LUPOS wrote:
acidviper wrote:
Allard says software will win. I agree. And pretty much who ever gets the support of the Final Fantasy series wins. Simple as that. No Crystal Chronicles or MMORPG bullshit games. The system that gets FFXII and XIII will win.
yeah... cause ea sells more copies of madden every year than square has ever sold of anything... (probably not an acurate statistic)
yuo realise that we... the "hard core"... make up a very very small percentage of the game buyingpublic... as long as ludacris is playing madden or halo or th elike on the next episode of mtv cribes... final fantasy doesnt stand a chance of making th eimpact it did 10 years ago... there is not doubt i twas a deciding factor for the ps1... and helped alot on ps2... but after several lack luster (i.e. not as good as 7) titles... there every beutifull ever repetiitiveness will be the death of them. FF may still hold alot of clout in the land of the rising sun... but here in the states and over in britanland gears of war causes alot mroe excitment that pretty castle and shiny dragons.
it may be sad, dependingon who you ask, but its the truth.
it is no longer OUR hoby... it is mass media... it has reach saturation... peopel want games that are liek big holly wood block busters... and sadley strategy and turn based games... no matter hwo pretty... cant compete in the eyes of the average joe.
case in point... i have talked ot alot fo peopel in game stores that bought metal gear acid and where thuroughly pissed to find out it was a freakin card game when they got it home.
_____________
Please don't speak of such things... they scare me...
Unfortunately its ture. Now that its mass media the hardcore may start getting screwed. Hopefully developers realize this and start optimizing games for both casual and hardcore gamers.
I mean anyone who played Halo 2 complained it was far too easy. Now my question is why did you play it on anything BUT the 2nd to last or last difficulty? If you've played more then 5 FPS games and beatetn them then assume your a bit better and play on a harder difficulty level. Halo 2 Legendary greatly exceeded Halo 1's Legendary difficulty. However they made the game unbalanced on Halo 2 legendary (but thats another story).
After I beat the game I went to see what easy mode was like... I could literally walk through level using the pistol and SMG. We actually managaed to go through half the game in six hours (a friend and I) but on Legendary thats how long it takes to get through one level.
DaPistolPat 3 Jun 2005 21:09
28/29
Yeah video games madness is great; when one person goes off on another about him exaggerating for his preferable console company, then going on to exaggerate for his console is wonderfull.
All in all nothing really has been set in stone for any console in terms of actual performance. If you look through a developers stand point it seems to me like it gonna take alot longer to develop games for consoles that truley show what that console can do. With 7 processors(sony), 3 processors(M$), and uhhmm developer friendliness(Nintendo), its pretty hard to determine what actual performance is gonna be until they all are actually released. So its best to be a skeptic then to be a fanboy hoer. Here is to hoping that there is no real winner next gen, so games and consoles will have to compete by reducing their prices. Ahhh the it seems to me that the consumer always wins heheheh.
All in all nothing really has been set in stone for any console in terms of actual performance. If you look through a developers stand point it seems to me like it gonna take alot longer to develop games for consoles that truley show what that console can do. With 7 processors(sony), 3 processors(M$), and uhhmm developer friendliness(Nintendo), its pretty hard to determine what actual performance is gonna be until they all are actually released. So its best to be a skeptic then to be a fanboy hoer. Here is to hoping that there is no real winner next gen, so games and consoles will have to compete by reducing their prices. Ahhh the it seems to me that the consumer always wins heheheh.
LUPOS 3 Jun 2005 21:53
29/29
Adam M wrote:
LUPOS wrote:
my dear diluted friend
LOL. Sorry Lupos, but diluted?
CRAP!
i usually dont mind a spelling error or 17... but that was retarded... my bad
ascii nice guy pose:
:)
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