The girly slapfight between Microsoft and Sony continues, with Sony Computer Entertainment boss Kaz Hirai stepping into the fray to asset that, somehow, PlayStation is still the official industry leader. Quite how he works that out is through spin so silky you'd think he was a spider.

"I'd like to think that we continue official leadership in this industry," states the polygonal Sony man. "It's difficult to talk about Nintendo because we don't look at their console as being competitors. They're a different world and we operate in our world - that's kind of the way I look at things.

"And with the Xbox - again, I can't come up with one word to fit. You need a word that describes something that lacks longevity."

I think most of us use the term "red-ring" to describe the Xbox 360's lack of longevity, but you take your time, Kaz. The man who looks a bit like a Quake character model from the nineties had even more to say, of course: "Last time I checked, they've never had a console that's been on the market for more than four or five years and we've committed to a ten year life cycle, so you do the math.

"And unless things go really bad," added Hirai, "there's no way that at the end of a life cycle our competition is going to have a higher install base."

So basically, Sony's argument right now is that they're still winning because they say the PS3 will last ten years and they're also pretending Nintendo doesn't exist. Wow, that's a great way of looking at things. By the same token, I have now decided that I am the games industry leaders with my own console, the Sterliplex Duo. I have won the console war via the gift of pretending, just like Sony.

Legacy Comments (will be imported soon)

sparkthatbled

I get the feeling that this whole slapfight is a way to take their minds off the whole "Nintendo dominating the market" thing...

michiyoyoshiku

thing is though Nintendo's Market Domination is an illusion.

The Casuals that own a Wii aren't playing them

farlander

Well, one of the ways to success is an ability to admit mistakes, so you can deal with them. Obviously, Sony doesn't see its own mistakes and continues to think that everybody else are morons, so it does seem like the PS3 is destined to always be the "ugly guy in the school".

zombiekiller13

Whatever. I've got a Wii and 360. While my Wii hasn't seen much use from me (my 4-year old son loves playing games on it), the 360 has become my go-to console. Yes, the dreaded red-ring o' doom is a threat that lingers in the back of my mind...but honestly, I'm having fun with the system.

My PS2 collection greatly outnumbers my 360 games (105 versus 24), as does my PS1 collection (45 there), and I only own 3 Xbox games. So I'm not some sort of Xbox fanboy. I just haven't been interested enough in the PS3 exclusives so far.

atastysammich

Man, we don't need to do the math! Sony's insane if they think they can keep going they way they are and have the PS3 last to the ten-year mark.

That said, I still wanna go out for beers with Kaz.

CelicaCrazed

That's what she said.

John B

As far as I'm concerned, he's not dissing Nintendo because the Wii isn't in the same market. The PS3 and 360 are targeting totally different demographics than Nintendo.

Sony's mistake was in pushing the PS3 as a Blu-ray player instead of a console, which I'm sure did not sit well with PS3 developers. "Wait...is it a Blu-ray player or a console?" And when HD DVD caved (grrrrrr....) Sony still kept talking shit about Blu-ray in stead of switching back to talk about a console. That's what allowed Microsoft to walk right over them.

Trev

Winning with the power of imaginaaaaaaaaation



Ok, really, both the PS3 and 360 are good consoles, but I think they both should focus on making them better instead of pissing contests with the other guy.

DF

Um...and no one has mentioned the lack of backwards-compatibility (which is one of the key factors to the success of the PS2, which is why the Wii and 360 have it as well (to a degree with the 360)) on the PS3 yet? At least on the newer models. Those with the older ones, lucky dogs. =P

I find it amusing that the PS2 and PS3 are in competition with each other. As direct as the PS3 vs 360, no, but let's look at it this way: Joe Everyman walks into a store and sees the PS2 for $130 or whatever, and the PS3 for $399 or whatever (I don't pay attention to the prices, sue me). Now, as he wants a gaming console, he's naturally going to go with the cheaper system if he's budget-conscious. And hey, there's a whole bunch of games for the PS2 out now, including a great array of titles that are $20 new, and many more to be found cheaply through sales and second-hand stores. Sure, the graphics aren't stellar, but who plays games to be wowed by the visuals? *dodges tomato*

Axing the BC was Sony's worst move with the PS3. They might be able to backpedal like they did with "rumble isn't the future." And hey, I can always wait until the PS4 to play PS3 games! Maybe...

cashreese

@ michiyoyoshiku: Uh, with all due respect...first, what data are you basing that on and second, how exactly does that matter to Nintendo? While casuals don't play with their systems nearly as much as hard-cores do, I can speak from personal experience that casuals are far more likely to use their Wiis on a regular basis than more dedicated gamers. Regardless, according to the last numbers I saw the Wii has a higher game-per-console attach rate than the PS3 (but not the Xbox). So, people are still buying systems as fast as they're made and buying significant numbers of games for them beyond Wii Sports/Play. I'm sure Nintendo is troubled by all of the illusory money they're raking in.

TorpedoTed

Man, Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft all make games consoles, so....they are all in the smae league, end of!
Nintendo are leading, MS second and Sony third...
They need to get over it, sack this man and use the yearly salary saving in cutting the price of the PS3.

Furyfire

Ninted-wah?

I have a Wii - I gots two games and a Virtual Console game on it (Mega Man 9). All three of which don't get much play time.

The 306 - I have 10 games for it... but yet again I didnt keep many games on my PS2 for some reason either. It does still get constant play time.

The PS3 - I still don't have one, I plan on getting one, but I dunno what I'd be buying for it. Uncharted has been looking rather good to me lately, and to cut down on the amount of disks that are going to be released for Final Fantasy 13.. I might end up getting it for PS3 instead of 360 anyways.

Either way, since I work for GameStop, in the last year or so, people buy the Wii's then just dont play them... 360 has more games, and PS3's stocks are dropping like a rock.

I dunno. I still think 360 is winning 'overall' with the Wii in second place. IMO

DinnertimeNinja

Arrogant, yes, but there's at least SOME cause for celebration from Sony.

The PS3 is still outselling the 360 over similar time frame sales figures. (ie, Sony has sold more PS3's in its first two years on the market than the amount of 360's MS sold.)

And I don't think it's a stretch to say that the PS3 will be on the market longer than the 360. MS doesn't support it's "last gen" systems and Sony is know to do exactly that.

Now, whether that type of data pushes you to spend twice as much on a PS3 than you would on a 360 is another matter entirely...

Face

So basically, We are in the lead because we're ignoring Nintendo and we will beat MS someday if only good things happen from here on out.

Tony Ponce

Sony can say all they want about Wii. Maybe it truly isn't competing with the PS3. But the the DS is competing with the PSP, so what's the excuse in that department?

TorpedoTed

@ Face

Exacery, you just shortened down his whole speech, well done that man!

Stormwalker

Sony would be better off not wasting so much energy trying to pretend they're not in third place and devote that energy to improving their lot.

Jon2309

Face, that is an excellent tl;dr that saves me reading the topic again.

ArrestedDeveloper

If I was Don Mattrick I'd respond with: Your console ain't selling fo' shit. (1970's black man talk)

Holyetheline

I bet he goes home to a tea party with his stuffed animals.

Two

Sometimes I like to pretend that I can fly.

TheDemon In You

Sony + Lies = A dirty whore

CypherVR

old pic, but...

CypherVR

Photobucket failed..

trying again...

Syn

I maintain my stance about the 360 being shit. I still have a NES/SNES/Genesis/Dreamcast/PS1/N64/PS2 that ALL FUCKING WORK, MICROSOFT! I FUCKING HATE YOU! Even if I did want to enjoy your system, I can't because it sucks giant monkey nuts!

That being said, Wii is winning, and I play my PS2 the most. Second to the PS3. MS is only good at ripping people off, just look at the history of Windows.

TheDemon In You

Syn let me guess, your using a Windows ran pc? guess it isnt bad enough to say screw them completely and not use their products...

Syn

As long as I don't try to update it's no problem hehehehehe

Syn

But you're right, it would be nice if Linux and Unix were as easily integrated with the world as Windows.

Tull

Sounds like Kaz Hirai enjoys those boat rides down The Nile.

Midgetsnowman

And this is why i steadfastly refuse to buy a ps3. I've got nothing against the system itself but I feel i shouldnt be rewarding a company like sony who continually delivers bullshit like this to make excuses for their failings rather than to..I dunno. Do something about them

Remoraz

He's referring to the PS2.

The console that isn't the Wii that's in almost every home in the world.