Sony's Kaz Hirai: we're the official leader, Ninty in a different world, MS lacks longevity

Posted Jan 20, 2009 at 8:30AM by QJ Staff Listed in: PS3, Wii, Xbox 360 Tags: Kazuo Hirai, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony

Wii - PS3 - Xbox 360 - Image 1

As if following up with another blow to the jaw after the "MS and Ninty are add-on peddlers" comment, Sony's very own Kazuo Hirai has spoken about what he thinks of how the current console industry stands.

Dismissing both Microsoft and Nintendo as competitors, Hirai believes that Sony stands alone as the official leader in the industry. He explains further:

This is not meant in terms of numbers, or who's got the biggest install base, or who's selling most in any particular week or month, but I'd like to think that we continue official leadership in this industry.

It's difficult to talk about Nintendo, because we don't look at their console as being a competitor. They're a different world, and we operate in our world - that's the kind of 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.

Hirai talked about lifespans, saying that the PlayStation brand will definitely stay, and that their current console won't "fall by the way side in five years." Appending his earlier statement, he followed up by pointing out that this simple five year milestone has yet to be breached by Microsoft.

Yeah, Hirai's pretty confident about the PlayStation's lifespan. He added that "unless things go really bad, there's no way that at the end of a life cycle our competition is going have a higher install base."

He also responded to the many claims of developers finding difficulty in creating software for the PS3.

We don't provide the 'easy to program for' console that [developers] want, because 'easy to program for' means that anybody will be able to take advantage of pretty much what the hardware can do, so then the question is what do you do for the rest of the nine-and-a-half years?

So it's a kind of - I wouldn't say a double-edged sword - but it's hard to program for, and a lot of people see the negatives of it, but if you flip that around, it means the hardware has a lot more to offer.

Via Eurogamer

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Comments

# just my oppinion — gameuy22 2009-01-20 04:46

The comment about the Wii has some validity to it, since the two are currently aiming towards different audiences. The comment about the 360 however, is bs.

# LOL — Thinker 2009-01-20 04:50

So, is Kaz the Head of SCE, or the Ass?

# When the going gets tough, — lllegal Machine 2009-01-20 04:56

The tough claim that overall sales, installed user base, and attach rate are irrelevant.

# ... — Shatterdome 2009-01-20 05:22

None of those things speak about the hardware or the company. All sales means is that more consumers were "persuaded" into buying that machine/product.

If John Carmack thinks PS3 has more going for it, i'll beleive anyone else who says so as well.

# negative Mach.. — kayuza 2009-01-20 05:25

..it's *all* relevant, and for him to speak on *anything* means some type of profit analysis during this particular speech. On the other hand, Sony has some pretty big shoes to fill this year, there's a lot on there system's front end that needs major work in terms of features and usability. Here's to 2009 with Sony..

# ..lol — BIH 2009-01-20 05:33

Sony still living in their own little word. Guess they can try and kid themselves.

# wow — HDRasta 2009-01-20 05:40

listen to yourself BIH M$ has got you by the balls. PS3 will outlast the 360 man the 360 still have a disc try thats not moving forward thats just using the same components as the old xbox

# ps3 — milo128 2009-01-20 05:42

has tons more stuff going for them like home, the great exclusives coming this year(unless 360 bribes them to go multiplatform)

# Sony's not going anywhere anytime soon — logicbomb.de 2009-01-20 06:03

As more and more people make the switch to Hi-Def (plan to scoop up a Bravia very soon) PS3 is going to look much more attractive if/when they make a significant price drop.

not sure if I'll go stand alone for Blu ray or the PS3 route, but any system looks gorgeous on a nice Sony HD set.

# Right... — purple_cow 2009-01-20 06:07

"This is not meant in terms of numbers, or who's got the biggest install base, or who's selling most in any particular week or month..."

If Hirai's going to challenge Microsoft when it comes to industry leaders, he should at least set the playing field or else he just sounds like he's grabbing at thin air. If he won't set the terms, then he can say he's a winner at anything.

"I'm rich. Not in terms of money, personal value, or salary. But I'd like to think I'm rich."

# Spinning — Nevers 2009-01-20 07:32

@.@

# hey dumbass hippie — projectionist 2009-01-20 09:39

here's a newsflash for you...

Sony...IS OUT TO MAKE MONEY.

Nintendo...IS OUT TO MAKE MONEY.

M$, as you idiots call them, is just better it.

So deal.

# lol... — rollypoly 2009-01-20 10:00

"what do you do for the rest of the nine-and-a-half years?"

um... focus on every other aspect of making good games maybe?

sony is lucky it has a large brand following, otherwise the ps3 would be doing worse than the gamecube...

# When the going gets tough... — jabbaface 2009-01-20 10:05

Sony says they are in there own world! In my world i'm a super hero! ;) P.S. I'm a PS3 fanboy making fun of my own console OMG THE WORLD WILL END!!!!

# heh — hush404 2009-01-20 11:22

His statements puzzle me some times but I like Kaz. He's a kewl dude.

# lol — inimrepus 2009-01-20 13:10

So Sony is winning, if you don't count anyone else.

# so could I — inimrepus 2009-01-20 13:14

I could win the Olympics, all the other competitors don't irrelevant.

# way to go sony — genesiscopy 2009-01-20 14:25

try comparing an apple with an apple, not an apple with (put something not an apple that you find funny here)

# hahaha — FABLE 2009-01-20 15:28

He claims to be the leader because theres no other competition. Congrats..you're beating..nobody, but there is nobody to beat so technically that makes you the winner right?!

Kaz Hirai is a very intelligent man. I can't believe he actually said those things. He is sort of right about the lifespan tho

# Hirai — rakizta77 2009-01-20 16:04

Kaz is such a genius.

You guys are taking his words literally.

its a waste of time to explain to everyone why he said that. just make your brains work.

# :S — sycoblast 2009-01-20 16:36

all i cud come up with was orange and an orange isnt funny

# LOL — avatar76 2009-01-20 18:17

Yeah and nintendo are laughing at that tool while they're flicking through a bundle of $100 bills. The truth is I don't want to wait 10 years to get the most out of my games console. I want to buy the console and have games from the first day that make the most of it. If they can't give developers tools to make the most out of the PS3 then that is going to be a problem for them.

# I'm sure they'll try if they're any good — avatar76 2009-01-20 18:21

The last big supposed Halo killer, Haze turned out to be a real fizzer though.

I'm sure there's some good ones coming this year though, after all they said last year we just need another year.

# Jinkies! — J2Jack 2009-01-20 18:25

It doesn't matter if in 10 years everyone has a PS3, other companies made better consoles and will sell more than Sony does in about half the time. The market moves on when the market leader says so. Developers won't keep making games for a dead console and people will discard them.

# Stand alone BRP (if you've got a new amp) — avatar76 2009-01-20 18:27

The PS3 won't bitstream your encoded HD audio codecs straight to your new amp. But if you haven't got a fancy amp without DTS HD and Dolby TrueHD.

If your amp supports multi channel PCM (not just stereo PCM) though go for it. Also if you haven't even got an amp your bravia will show your PS3 off awesomely.

I've got a 46" Sony Bravia XBR and it looks fncking awesome! 360, Bluray, PS3, whatever.

PS the newer 360's do 1080P also (no bluray playback though).

# Like I said earlier though — avatar76 2009-01-20 18:36

Do you really want to be waiting around 10 years to get the most out of your console? I can just imagine it now.

[in 2016] "Well I've had this console for 10 years and finally some good games are coming out. Geez I'm glad I didn't buy an xbox360 back in 2005."

Meanwhile the xbox720 will have came out in 2012 and p!ssed all over anything the PS3 is capable of.

10 year life cycle? Who cares, I'm quite happy paying for a console that's half the cost of a computer and 10 times better every five years.

If they had have said at launch time buy now and in 10 years we'll be making the most out of this games console no one would have bought it. I know I'm exagerating a bit but he really shouldn't be excusing the software dev kit designers for making it so freaking hard for devs to do anything of the system.

# LOL — avatar76 2009-01-20 18:42

No he's not Yoda, he's just clutching at straws and trying to seem enigmatic while doing it. Both MS and Sony are guilty of saying nintendo aren't a competitor and it's just *****e they are a competitor and they are absolutely smashing both MS and Sony. Everytime Sony or MS come out with stupid comments like that I'm sure nintendo laugh all the way to the bank. This is as stupid as one of their previous comments which was something to the effect of our sony fans will carry us through even though we're not doing so well.

# lol what else is new — Master Chef 2009-01-20 23:39

I like Kaz because he's cool, and crazy, but when is he not grabbing at thin air? His comments are always nonsensical and usually just make him, and Sony by extension, look dumb. I still like him tho

I also don't get Sony's fascination with this longevity BS. I really don't care if the PS3 lasts 10 years, which is doubtful because it should be very apparent now that this system will be nowhere near as successful as the PS2, because I won't be using it in 10 years. I stopped using my PS2 years ago, mostly when I got an Xbox, and completely when I got a gaming PC and 360. So who cares if the PS3 outlasts the Xbox? I won't be using my 360 then either, I'll stop using that the day I get MS and Sony's new consoles.

# @ projectionist — BryCee12 2009-01-21 03:22

U gay idiot..

Sony looses money everytime the sell a PS3, but nahhh, like you said, there in it for the money??

gayarseee

# i dunno — sycoblast 2009-01-21 03:28

there are still enough games made for the PS2

# ! — melty3219 2009-01-21 05:51

OMG WTF MORE FANBOI BAIT FOR ALL THE NOOBS ON THE FORUM! LOL THERE SOULD BE A BIG SIGN HERE THAT SAYS " DO NOT FEED THE ANIMALS" U ALL FANBOIS MAKE ME SICK

HOPE UR CONSOLES BREAK FOR BEING FANBOIS!

# @BryCee12 — Perfectionist 2009-01-21 06:24

No company would sell a product at a loss if they were not expecting to make a profit at some point. you claim microsoft are just in it for the cash but they sold the original xbox at a loss, and they are selling the 360 at a loss.

You are an idiot for thinking sony are selling thier console at a loss because they care so much and want to be nice. They sell the console at a price where it would appeal to customers without casing them have to abandon the console

Do you feel like a genious now? NO *****...

# my point is... — Perfectionist 2009-01-21 06:27

of course they are in it to make money, that is the aim of a company

# @ avatar76 — Gamester101 2009-01-21 07:28

mate are you stupid? longevity isnt about finally getting great games or services in the 10th year, he's talking about great games over its lifespan with increasing ingenuity, which isn't possible on the 360 (in his opinion) because the hardware isn't good enough.

# No are you stupid or just a fanboy? — avatar76 2009-01-21 08:59

My point is even if it was true about a 10 year life cycle I wouldn't want that anyway. In 2016 the PC will have so superceded what the 360 and the PS3 can do so much, that no one will care about anything much they're doing (in terms of games).

What he was saying is the developers should look forward to spending the next 9½ years trying to get the most out of the PS3. Excusing the sony people who designed what is obviously one of the most difficult to use game development systems ever made. He's probably right in one way though the built in bluray player means that in 10 years alot of consumers will probably still be using it as bluray player. I'm seeing bluray very slowly start to get a bit of a foothold, but I think we're going to have both DVD and bluray for a long time to come.

# OMGWTFBBQ~!!! — avatar76 2009-01-21 09:01

# man — milo128 2009-01-21 11:21

the only good 360 exclusives are fable and gears (not 2) but ps3 has games like mgs4, lbp, resistance, motorstorm, ff13 versus etc.

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