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Sony on PS3: it's still the first inning, and we're not out yet

11:19 AM on 12.04.2007, Dale North 35 comments

Sony on PS3: it's still the first inning, and we're not out yet photo
     Sony

Ah, baseball analogies. They're kind of lost on nerdy videogame types like myself, but Sony Computer Entertainment America's CEO Jack Tretton does manage to throw out some good ones that explain Sony's uphill struggle with the PS3.

“The first year is important,” says Tretton, “but it’s the first inning of a nine-inning baseball game. You’re not going to win many baseball games if you panic when you’re down 1-0 in the first inning."

Tretton confesses to some "missteps" early on in the game, but he doesn't seem too worried about past mistakes.

"I think the biggest miss for us was the launch, in that we had easily a million consumers in North America alone that wanted to get their hands on a PlayStation 3 … and we had roughly 200,000 units to take advantage of that demand."

Sony likes to talk about the "long term" when it comes to console successes, and Tretton reminds us of that: "I think if you have that long-term perspective, while I fully admit we’d like to have sold more units, it’s hardly cause for panic."

Finally, MSNBC brings up past charges of arrogance on Sony's part. Tretton says that bloggers and press had more to do with that than consumers, but he does make an admission of sorts.

"I think the arrogance claim comes with a leadership position and being unwilling to admit that you’re failing."

Read the full interview with Jack Tretton on MSNBC


Next page: More Sales Records stories




B-Radicate's Avatar
B-Radicate at 12/04/2007 11:22
Actually, glipe, what would make me more confident in the PS3's future would be for them to announce some more games worth caring about. Final Fantasy and MGS titles aside, they have nothing. What's worse for them, that shit means nothing to anyone who doesn't play those titles (myself included). Their system is worthless without quality games in the pipeline. Blu-Rayz mean nothing.
Y0j1mb0's Avatar
Y0j1mb0 at 12/04/2007 11:23
You gotta love Tretton, the man can spin gold out of shit. But like I have said PS3's momentum is on the rise...now where's my in-game XMB Jack?
Barcode's Avatar
Barcode at 12/04/2007 11:24
I agree with Radicate.

I'm going to be more willing to get the PS3 if they start making games I actually want.

For instance, SH5 is coming out. If it were Ps3 only, I'd be way motivated to buy the PS3.
glipe's Avatar
glipe at 12/04/2007 11:29
@B-Radicate - Don't get me wrong, I agree with you that they're lacking the content I would have liked. But they're building quite a catalogue of multiplatform games that means people who got the PS3 instead of the 360 don't feel so left out, and games like Uncharted and Haze on the way. I by no means think that an apology or even a few new exclusive games are going to pull them out of the deep water they've been swimming in but it's a good start to tell people that they know they made mistakes and are trying to rectify it all in the long game.
The-Excel's Avatar
The-Excel at 12/04/2007 11:32
They plan on keeping the PS3 around for nine years? Isn't that just a little presumptuous?
Baron Calico's Avatar
Baron Calico at 12/04/2007 11:35
Juuuust keep telling yourself that, Sony.

I really can't see Sony winning this race any more, not in any sense whatsoever. I can, however, see it coming in a solid 3rd, much like the GameCube was last gen. I predict a few great games that are worth having the system for, but the real gaming meat for the next few years will be on the 360.

Similar precedent was set last gen with the less powerful but more popular PS2. The Xbox came out a year later and look how much good that did it!
ArrestedDeveloper's Avatar
ArrestedDeveloper at 12/04/2007 11:41
He should correct his statement to, "...we had easily a million consumers in North America alone that wanted to get their hands on a PlayStation 3 and sell it on Ebay … and we had roughly 200,000 units to take advantage of that demand."
Hagar the Horrible's Avatar
Hagar the Horrible at 12/04/2007 11:50
If you had "...easily a million consumers in North America alone..." then why didn't they buy it? Remember the whole "if you can find a PS3 on shelves I'll give you $1200" misstep?

Did Penny Arcade ever receive their cash?
brad drac's Avatar
brad drac at 12/04/2007 11:54
Too bad 90% of those million people who wanted a ps3 at launch were ebay scalpers.
king3vbo's Avatar
king3vbo at 12/04/2007 12:01
More Sony PR bullshit
ruckus's Avatar
ruckus at 12/04/2007 12:10
the whole 9 year thing is just meant to give people a warm fuzzy about making that investment, thinking it will last for 9 years. Look at what we had 9 years ago...technology changes A LOT in 9 years.
SubOrbital's Avatar
SubOrbital at 12/04/2007 12:19
First inning? Hahhahahahahah! Sony, you funny kid.
Trev's Avatar
Trev at 12/04/2007 12:25
The 9 year thing is because the PS2 is closer to 8 years than 7 right now and support for it is still going. I really doubt he means the PS3 will be the lead Sony platform until 2015, but they're not going to wipe it from the earth the way MS did the Xbox. It will probably go a year or two into the next console generation where the units are made of thinking aluminum and powered by the hearts of orphans or... something.
F Whipple's Avatar
F Whipple at 12/04/2007 12:28
I think they're down by more than one run
theeggplantwizard's Avatar
theeggplantwizard at 12/04/2007 12:44
It's a well-known fact that only the truly desperate use baseball metaphors.
TheStripe's Avatar
TheStripe at 12/04/2007 13:07
@B-Radicate: They didn't actually admit to anything.

Tretton's assertion: "I think the biggest miss for us was the launch, in that we had easily a million consumers in North America alone that wanted to get their hands on a PlayStation 3 … and we had roughly 200,000 units to take advantage of that demand."

And that's simply not true. If there really were a million customers waiting with hard-ons and fat wads of cash, they would've gotten consoles in the glut that hit after the first of the year. The fact remains that they didn't. Consoles were readily available in January of '07, and they just sat on shelves while Sony fenagled with the price.

Assertion of demand does not demand make. If they had good games, they'd be selling consoles. And Sony's assertion that the PS3 will last 9 years is ridiculous, because microsoft WILL release a new console by then, and it will be exactly what gamers and developers want. Microsoft has been in the software game for a while, and as much as we like to hate them, they know how to support their developers. Plus, I'd imagine that Microsoft's next console release will be carefully calculated to force Sony into R&D before they're ready. Sony WILL be releasing a new console before 9 years is up. I guarantee it.
TheStripe's Avatar
TheStripe at 12/04/2007 13:11
@B-Radicate: They didn't actually admit to anything.

Tretton's assertion: "I think the biggest miss for us was the launch, in that we had easily a million consumers in North America alone that wanted to get their hands on a PlayStation 3 … and we had roughly 200,000 units to take advantage of that demand."

And that's simply not true. If there really were a million customers waiting with hard-ons and fat wads of cash, they would've gotten consoles in the glut that hit after the first of the year. The fact remains that they didn't. Consoles were readily available in January of '07, and they just sat on shelves while Sony fenagled with the price.

Assertion of demand does not demand make. If they had good games, they'd be selling consoles. And Sony's assertion that the PS3 will last 9 years is ridiculous, because microsoft WILL release a new console by then, and it will be exactly what gamers and developers want. Microsoft has been in the software game for a while, and as much as we like to hate them, they know how to support their developers. Plus, I'd imagine that Microsoft's next console release will be carefully calculated to force Sony into R&D before they're ready. Sony WILL be releasing a new console before 9 years is up. I guarantee it.
monosylabik's Avatar
monosylabik at 12/04/2007 13:19
jesus christ what is up with comparing the ps3 to a gamecube!?
its in its first year.there is no way you can have the forsight to know whats going to happen in the coming years. regular PR cleanup that should of came right after kaz was "let go".
TheStripe's Avatar
TheStripe at 12/04/2007 13:23
It's actually pretty easy to compare the PS3 to the gamecube. Late to the party, difficult to develop for, reliance on franchises rather than original IP's. These comparisons draw themselves.
Jim Sterling's Avatar
Jim Sterling at 12/04/2007 13:24
His last quote in the article makes me feel warm inside. That's the kind of thing I wanted to see.
donkeykong's Avatar
donkeykong at 12/04/2007 13:27
Yeah the nine year plan always seemed silly to me. If your competitors are on a five year plan, what's the incentive to buy a (by then old) PS3?

Of course, consoles these days are getting pretty powerful, and by the time the xbox 720 comes out the PS3 will probably have a decent line up and cost significantly less than it does now. It's a pretty solid piece of hardware, how much more processing power could you legitimately ask for? If it expects to live even halfway through the 8th generation, consumers might begin to see it as a bargain buy. Well, then I might ask what's the point of buying the 720? Yeah, so it looks like Sony isn't in as deep as they seem for now, but these things are impossible to predict.
mrkonchu's Avatar
mrkonchu at 12/04/2007 13:32
Ok this line bothers me Jack.

"Finally, MSNBC brings up past charges of arrogance on Sony's part. Tretton says that bloggers and press had more to do with that than consumers, but he does make an admission of sorts."

Dont attack blogs on this they are probably the most direct link to the news that consumers have. In alot of ways its really news by the people for the people. Sure in the old days when alot of people didnt have the internet you could get by with just magazines etc and it was easier to control PR. But making flying breakfast car remarks and false claims on availibility to better informed consumers is not wise.
mrkonchu's Avatar
mrkonchu at 12/04/2007 13:36
At least he partially admited at the end.
brad drac's Avatar
brad drac at 12/04/2007 14:20
->donkeykong: PS3 in 7 years will be just as old hat as the PS2 is now(see moore's law). Doesn't mean it'll suck righteously, but it will by no means be the platform of choice for pretty much anyone. I think the gamecube analogies are completely apt. The main difference is that the gamecube actually had more good games out for it in the first year. Hopefully things will pick up eventually.
Namelessted's Avatar
Namelessted at 12/04/2007 14:35
the first year is just the first inning. so he wants the PS3 tolast for 9 years. are they still under that idea? stupid jack tretton
Orionsaint's Avatar
Orionsaint at 12/04/2007 14:53
Wow loser talk. Stay positive soon or rather keep trying to convince yourselves that everything is fine.
Orionsaint's Avatar
Orionsaint at 12/04/2007 14:58
"I think the biggest miss for us was the launch, in that we had easily a million consumers in North America alone that wanted to get their hands on a PlayStation 3 … and we had roughly 200,000 units to take advantage of that demand."

OMG yes. It had nothing to do with the 600 dollar price tag. I was so ready to fork over nearly 700 dollars (The tax and game you'd be buying with that PS3)for a console. If onLy there had been more PS3s. Damn, you're right that's the biggest miss for you guys at launch. 'rolls eyes' Sony never admits the price was too much. That wasn't it. It has bluray for petesake. Gamers are willing to pay millions for a console. It's so justified. F u Sony!
Necros's Avatar
Necros at 12/04/2007 15:12
They're still trying to spin it. They don't know what the hell they're doing.
Sharpless's Avatar
Sharpless at 12/04/2007 15:56
In before hexfix.

Sony's a little closer to the mark, there. It's a start. I really don't see them coming out on top during this generation, though. They're too far behind and no number of Metal Gear Solids is going to magically hoist them into the successful territory. Frankly, I'd say we're in the second inning, at least.
Syn's Avatar
Syn at 12/04/2007 17:28
I don't fear that Sony is out of the console battle just yet. But I also think they're blowing sunshine if they think they got kicked in the junk because they didn't have enough units to sell. People couldn't afford 600$ for a new system. But there is a good reason the blasted machine was so expensive, it's because of the power it holds. I was going to school for software engineering a while back and we had a guest speaker who worked for EA come in and talk to us.

Naturally after a minute most questions became geared towards which platform he preferred. Admittedly he declared the XBOX his favorite because it was as easy to program for as a computer. However, on the other hand the PS3 has ridiculous amounts of processing power, and I can see in the future that the PS3 will be able to support some insane looking games, and at that point the Wii and the 360 will be toast, but there is also a chance that by the time anyone manages to develop games that those other consoles just aren't good enough to support that they'll have released another one.

But yeah, the PS3 is definitely going to be able to hang for a while.
CrimsonAngel's Avatar
CrimsonAngel at 12/04/2007 18:17
If they can keep it up in Japan and Europe they can take out a big chunk of the market and that way make money.
TheStripe's Avatar
TheStripe at 12/04/2007 19:14
@Syn: By the time the PS3 is blowing the 360 away, There will be new hardware from both Nintendo and Microsoft that puts the PS3 to shame. Even if nintendo just took the exact same hardware specs and used their motion sensing controller, it would be a more attractive package than the PS3. Thinking their console is going to have legs by the time it's much better than the competition is totally denying that the competition is planning on releasing new consoles; Sony is the only one that thinks the 9 year plan is going to work. It's like telegraphing punches: Sony: "The PS3 will not be replaced for 9 years." Microsoft: *under breath* " . . . then our next console comes out in five."
luvmysegadc's Avatar
luvmysegadc at 12/04/2007 21:12
Tretton is just doing his job. Too bad the BDA and Sony in particular has put so much in to pushing the PS3 as a BluRay player sales leader that it has severely hurt the PS3 as a gaming platform.
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