Print

[KAGE360]

QUOTE

In a telling interview with respected German magazine Der Spiegel, PlayStation 3 frontman Phil Harrison makes some bold claims about the PS3's place in the home.


Full Text:
The PlayStation 3 is a computer. We do not need the PC."

-- Phil Harrison to Der Spiegel
The key quote from the interview gives a crystal-clear view into Sony's ambitious plans: "We believe that the PS3 will be the place where our users play games, watch films, browse the Web, and use other [PC] functions," said Harrison. "The PlayStation 3 is a computer. We do not need the PC."

Read the full Der Spegel interview here, or an English translation here.

http://www.gametrail...ews.php?id=3292

ok so first our buddy Kenny K. said it was never called a game system and is a super computer, then the higher ups took back the comment stating that it is a game system, now we have phill harrison saying its a computer.    is anyone else as confused by this mess of comments?    

i wonder if ANYONE from that company knows what they are talking about anymore

[Johnny Johnson]

I honestly have a feeling that Sony is starting to get worried, especially after Wii and 360 at E3, and the public's reaction to the $599 price!  

[KAGE360]

QUOTE(Johnny Johnson @ Jun 1 2006, 08:19 AM)

I honestly have a feeling that Sony is starting to get worried, especially after Wii and 360 at E3, and the public's reaction to the $599 price!  

i believe that they were starting to get worried when MS announced the 360 a week before E3 last year.  that is why they bloated all of the specs to exceed the 360 in all areas, and created useless techdemos and CGI movies to steal the 360's thunder.  

their concern can be seen in all of their decisions.  announcing a spring launch knowing they couldnt do it, showing more CGI then anything real time, and putting down the competition every chance they could only to mimick what they critisized (multiple SKUs, motion sensor controller, lack of HDMI, etc.).  i believe that because MS forced sony's hand in this generation, they started to worry.  sony would be more then happy with waiting till 2007 to launch the ps3 if MS didnt jump start the next generation, they are making money off of every ps2 sold, the sales are still strong enough of current generation that there isnt a "need" for the next, and launching the ps3 this early is obviously hurting sony.  

[Achtung]

 I just can't wait to hear their next spin on selling this $599 peice of plastic.

Seriously whats next:

 "The PS3 is not only a super computer, a PC and a gaming machine, it will make cappicinno and Expresso as well as cook Giant Crab!"

[Deftech]

because a PC isnt needed, when are they going to remove their VAIOs from store shelves?  

That guy must be on the same meds that Kutaragi and Kojima are on, and they all forget to take them it seems.

[calderra]

QUOTE(Achtung @ Jun 1 2006, 03:13 PM)

I just can't wait to hear their next spin on selling this $599 peice of plastic.

Seriously whats next:

 "The PS3 is not only a super computer, a PC and a gaming machine, it will make cappicinno and Expresso as well as cook Giant Crab!"

Making Giant Crab is easy. Just flip it over and attack its weak spot for MASSIVE DAMAGE. Simple.
Also: Anyone remember last gen?

Kutaragi (paraphrased 'cause I'm lazy): "The Xbox is trying to be a computer. That is not what console gaming is about- consoles should be consoles, and computers should be computers. Playstation will never try to be a computer."

That's not exact, but it should be very close to some actual Kutaragi lines.

[Deftech]

QUOTE(calderra @ Jun 1 2006, 11:23 AM)

Making Giant Crab is easy. Just flip it over and attack its weak spot for MASSIVE DAMAGE. Simple.
Also: Anyone remember last gen?

Kutaragi (paraphrased 'cause I'm lazy): "The Xbox is trying to be a computer. That is not what console gaming is about- consoles should be consoles, and computers should be computers. Playstation will never try to be a computer."

That's not exact, but it should be very close to some actual Kutaragi lines.

holy crap, I forgot he said that. Anyone that thinks that man is sane needs to have themselves checked out asap. hes a LOON!!!

[twistedsymphony]

while typically I'd enjoy the comic relieve that the Sony comedy tour provides this one is clearly taken out of context.

The full question and the full answer:

QUOTE

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Speaking of online, MS has just announced "Live Anywhere", an integrated Windows-Xbox-Mobile environment. Is that something you're worried about because you don't have the same access to the PC market as MS does?

Harrison: No, it doesn't concern me and I don't think it concerns the consumer either. Once you adopt a game system as your primary entertainment device, that's what you want. We think that Playstation 3 is the place where our users will be doing their gaming, their movie watching, their Web browsing and a lot of other computer entertainment functions. That will satisfy them. Playstation 3 is a computer. We don't need the PC.

http://service.spiegel.de/cache/internatio...,419072,00.html

Basically his response is saying that the PS3 will replace "computer entertainment functions" and that Sony doesn't "need the PC" to compete with Live anywhere. Which IMO is a completely REASONABLE responce.

-----------
Now that THAT is out of the way... how about this other part of the interview:

QUOTE

SPIEGEL ONLINE: How do you respond to people who say you stole Nintendo's idea for a motion-sensitive controller?

Phil Harrison: On one level I understand why people say that. But it's a little stupid, if you don't mind me saying so. When we launched Playstation in 1994 we introduced the concept of real-time computer-generated 3-D-graphics for the first time. That was the innovation that drove the platform. When Nintendo released the N64 in 1996 and they had real-time CG 3-D-graphics, did you hear us say, "Nintendo, you've stolen our idea?" Of course not. These innovations are things that become possible because of a combination of technology, price and manufacturing capability.

Really Sony invented 3D... I suppose the Saturn doesn't count huh?

Not to mention that the factors of "technology, price and manufacturing capability" hasn't changed for YEARS in the area of motion control, the MS freestyle was doing that for less money years ago.

Maybe the real reason everyone thinks they stole the design from Nintendo is because every other controller element was Mtaken from a Nintendo controller...

This post has been edited by twistedsymphony: Jun 1 2006, 07:00 PM

[incognegro]

I guess everyone forgot that sega patented 3D  

[twistedsymphony]

hey, I mentioned Sega  

[Foe-hammer]

QUOTE

SPIEGEL ONLINE: How do you respond to people who say you stole Nintendo's idea for a motion-sensitive controller?

Phil Harrison: On one level I understand why people say that. But it's a little stupid, if you don't mind me saying so. When we launched Playstation in 1994 we introduced the concept of real-time computer-generated 3-D-graphics for the first time. That was the innovation that drove the platform. When Nintendo released the N64 in 1996 and they had real-time CG 3-D-graphics, did you hear us say, "Nintendo, you've stolen our idea?" Of course not. These innovations are things that become possible because of a combination of technology, price and manufacturing capability.

Holy hell what an arrogant freaktard.

Both the PC, arcades, Saturn, 32x, and the 3DO used polygon based 3D games well before sony did.

Sony's pathetic rationalization never fails to amaze me.

This is why I want to see these conceded, arrogant, my shit don’t stink, we can do whatever the freak we want aholes hit rock bottom like no other.

[yourM0M]

thank you for clearing up the comment, was pretty boldfaced and retarded of harrison in the original context. i still am behind the fact that the $ony hype machine is just one big a$$ hypocrite, since when did they want to become a pc. i wanna see the ps3 have web browsing features also this is going to be hilarious when the launch finally does arrive  (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pop.gif)

[KAGE360]

QUOTE(Foe-hammer @ Jun 1 2006, 07:06 PM)

Holy hell what an arrogant freaktard.

Both the PC, arcades, Saturn, 32x, and the 3DO used polygon based 3D games well before sony did.

Sony's pathetic rationalization never fails to amaze me.

This is why I want to see these conceded, arrogant, my shit don’t stink, we can do whatever the freak we want aholes hit rock bottom like no other.

 

[Xeriak]

I wonder how many PS3 consoles will have mass hardware defects/failures upon launch.... It could well outgrow the 3-5% m$ is claiming for their consoles.

Like the thing that bothers me is that Sony stated that the PS3 will be just as "quiet" as the slimline PSTwo.. for noise factor.. I just can't see that happening.. I expect the PS3 to be just as loud if not louder than the Xbox 360 for noise/fans etc..

Anyways, while I like the idea of using the PS3 as a computer in some way.. I would never fully convert to using the PS3 for all my needs.. I still LIKE my custom PC and laptops. Tho I may use the PS3 for multimedia needs such as watching DivX/XviD movies and anime on my big TV via the PS3. Maybe I'd even use it as a linux web server/file server or whatever.. tho XBMC on xbox does that fine already, but its not suited for HD content.(tho I'm hoping the 360 gets some sort of exploit to allow homebrew and possibly a enhanced port of XBMC which allows HD content and h264/x264)

[twistedsymphony]

well most of the 360's noise problems are due to the DVD drive... which IMO is rediculous becase the tech is anchient at this point so there's no reason it should be that loud.

The Slim PS2's loudest part is also the DVD drive, so I think if they can manage to keep the drive noise level down in the PS3 it might be do-able, because then they'd just have to make sure the PS3 fans are softer then the PS2 disc drive.

Also looking at picture of the PS3 it looks like they're going with numerious 30 and 40mm fans as opposed to one or two 60-80mm ones.

That should reduce the fan noise as well...