Being the public relations head of Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) doesn't sound like a walk in the park at all, what with the console wars going on and PlayStation owners looking for new games on their platforms. Dave Karraker, man among men, handled the job for an entire year. It was far from easy, according to what we gathered from his interview with Next-Generation.

Karakker pointed out that Sony had plenty of problems during his term. The gaming giant was struggling to show consumers that the PS2 is still packing a punch, that the PSP can be a competitive multimedia device, and that the PlayStation 3 is worth its price. His goal was to make sure Sony could convey messages clearly without the competition spinning things around.

The former PR head believes Sony defeated obstacles, and is now "rounding the curve" with the Sony PS3. He cited big titles that make the console worth its price to consumers - Warhawk, Lair, Heavenly Sword, and other possible sleeper hits such as Eye of Judgment and Folklore.

Compared to the new industry he's taking on (he'll be working in a beverage company), Karakker defined the video game world as "more in your face and up front and up close and a personal kind of business." The "spirits" business, as he puts it, is "more about positioning and building a loyalty for a specific type of spirit and its a much lower profile way of doing things."

Much like the thoughts he shared in his previous interview, Karraker stressed out how important the blogs are to Sony's efforts. The Official PlayStation Blog, for example, breaks the wall between consumers and publishers. "[PlayStation Blog] is an excellent tool for consumers to get inside information about the company, about the games, and the kind of stuff they want to hear about," he said.

For the full interview, click on the Read link below.

All eyes were on Factor 5's Lair for the PlayStation 3 before its release, but bad reception from the press made gamers think twice before grabbing a copy. However, Sony doesn't seem to be much bothered. Dave Karakker, who's about to leave his post as PR Head, told Next-gen that consumers are more important in quantifying the title's success.

Karakker acknowledges the hype and anticipation that came with Lair as the dragon-flight simulator set forth in its adventure. Taken from a phone interview he had with Next-gen:

At the end of the day, I'll be interested in the consumers' response, because the consumer awareness for this title was so huge. I've spoken to any number of people who really like it, and there's other people that find it a challenge. What really matters is whether or not the consumers are having a good experience, because they'll tell us on the [PlayStation] blog.

Even Lair's director, Julian Eggebrecht, is not worried about what reviews say. He described critics as "hardcore" with "passionate hate for all things motion."

The game has taken flack due to its poor SIXAXIS control mechanics despite having high production values and being one of the most visually impressive titles in the market. Word has it that PS3 Firmware Update 1.92 made controls tighter and substantially better; here's to hoping Lair will be seen in a new light.

Just recently, Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) PR Head Dave Karakker announced that he'll be leaving the position of senior director of corporate communications. As Karraker pursues a global opportunity near his home in an industry he previously worked on, Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter believes Sony will be left in a pinch this holiday season.

Karakker said in a previous interview that there are four "super-capable" prospects to spearhead public relations. Pachter, however, foresees a rough road ahead as the gaming giant faces the busy holidays. "It would help to strengthen the team with someone as good as Dave to handle the schizophrenic press over the next 6 months," the analyst told GamePro.

Pachter also added, "Sony will have a difficult holiday with only a handful of exclusive games and a pricing disadvantage against Microsoft and Nintendo." He commented that things will only get better when spring comes and giant titles like Grand Theft Auto 4, Gran Turismo 5, and Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots hit the shelves.

After a good year of working as Sony Computer Entertainment America's PR head, Dave Karakker decided to leave his post to join SKYY Spirits as the beverage maker's man. Before anyone frowns at Sony for losing people, Karakker stressed out that his decision has nothing to do the with company.

Earlier, he stated that "a global opportunity" near his home was the main reason of leaving. That isn't to say working for Sony is a lesser alternative, because he told Kotaku that the gaming giant "is in an excellent position right now in terms of upward momentum." Karakker went on to talk about his stint at Sony:

I've never worked at a company that has had such a strong line up of games for just one platform and that includes Sega. In terms of rounding the curve or coming over the top of the hill, Sony is right there and it's only going to get better for PlayStation fans. That light is right there at the end of the tunnel and you can almost touch it at this point.

Some four prospects are "super-capable" in taking the PR spot, he said. Karakker admitted that it was a "hugely important role" for Sony, so he had suggestions on what the next person in line should do. First off, he gave importance to open communication with the media, especially the blogs.

As he sees it, there are more methods to reach consumers now than ten years ago. He continued, saying unlike his days with Sega a few years ago, blogs are now important in breaking down the walls between consumers and publishers. Journalists are still important though, he added. "You always have to have some form of editorial or people won't believe you."

For those who are curious, Karakker will be enjoying a few days of relaxation before going back to work on October 1 with God of War II and Heavenly Sword in his hands. Expect to find him fragging you in Warhawk, or in XBL games as he'll be playing on the Elite Aaron Greenberg sent him.

Dave Karraker, the senior director of corporate communications at Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA), has announced that he will be leaving SCEA.

Karraker's last day at SCEA will be on Friday, making his stay as SCEA's PR head just a little over a year. He was appointed to his current post on September 5, 2006. He will then move on to a stint at beverage maker SKYY Spirits starting October 1.

According to Karraker, he took the position at SKYY Spirits since it "presented a global opportunity near my home in an industry where I have previous experience that I feel I must pursue." His resume includes managing communications for brands such as Beefeater, Kahlua and Courvoisier.

There is no word yet on who will replace him as SCEA's PR head. Reasons for Karraker's departure also remain unrevealed.

This article was originally posted on Aug 29, 2007 at 03:15AM.

This has been an iffy topic ever since the 80GB PlayStation 3 model was revealed. It should be remembered that back in July, it seemed that there was some kind of information struggle within the Sony headquarters with one official denying the supposed phase out and another confirming it.

The only concrete thing we all have as of now is the promise that the concrete plans with the 60GB model will be revealed to the public once the existing units have been depleted. Well, it seems that time is nearing very soon. One representative from Sony said the following to online site GamePro:

The online site has exhausted its inventory of the 60GB. They still have inventory available in-store, however, and other larger retailers and their web operations still have ample supply.

In a related matter, SonyStyle.com has already listed the 60GB PS3 model for back orders. As much as this is good news for Sony (it means PS3 sales are stable), we can't help but think of its implications to Sony's consumer base. We have to acknowledge that some would prefer to have the "lighter" model rather than the behemoth 80GB.

Thanks to Quixand for the tip!

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Update: Sony's Dave Karakker has responded to GamePro's original piece on this subject in order to confirm that Sony is indeed running out of 60GB PS3s. Here's part of Karakker's email to GamePro:

We no longer have any inventory in SCEA warehouses. All inventory has been purchased and shipped to retailers.

We don't have visibility as to if that is on their store shelves or in their warehouses at this time. However, based on inventory reports from our retailers, there is ample supply still left in the channel.

SonyStyle.com has also started to shift inventory from its retail stores to meet online demand.

Following SCEE's announcement of new services available for the PS3 and the PSP during its press conference at Leipzig, SCEA announced that availability of the mentioned services is still under evaluation for the U.S. For now, the Go! services and PlayTV will only be available in SCEE territories.

 

The unveiled Go! services and the PlayTV will launch in Europe next year, and the Go!Explore service is currently available in Japan. SCEA tells GamesIndustry.biz:

[We] want to ensure there is the appropriate level of software that would be applicable and bring value to the consumers in North America. [We] will continue to explore appropriate and compelling software that would allow us to bring this feature to PSP in our market.

To make the Go!Video download service available in Europe, SCEE partnered with British Sky Broadcasting. SCEA is currently "evaluating similar types of partnerships in North America." Dave Karraker of SCEA comments, "We understand and respect the consumer interest in this type of service, and we will continue to explore downloadable content options for our territory."

A lot of people were disappointed by the announcement of Take Two that GTA IV will be delayed. However, SCEA PR boss Dave Karakker seems rather unfazed by this turn of events saying that "No single game makes or breaks any PlayStation platform."

He gave word that it's only natural that hardware manufacturers would want to see Grand Theft Auto IV on the shelves as soon as possible. However, this is considered an important franchise by Sony, and the company had expressed its support for Take-Two to take as much time as it needs to make a great game.

He further stressed the point that no single game makes or breaks any PS platform, and that they don't rely on one hit game. He said that "We [Sony] prefer to offer consumers a wide choice in software, appealing to a broader audience beyond just the hardcore gamer."

Karraker made some good points that can be said about most consoles today. Players who have been waiting to get their hands on GTA IV may have to wait a little bit more, but it'll be worth it if Take Two releases a well polished game.

As promised, here's our update on that strange SIXAXIS image that we saw from LucasArts a few days back. In case you missed that one, the image was for LucasArts' Xbox 360 and PS3 title, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.

The image in question had the d-pad oddly switching places with the left analog stick. Now SCEA, via Dave Karraker, has released an official statement regarding this picture.

Says he, SCEA has talked to LucasArts and the publisher has clarified that the image was a simple case of "bad artist rendering", nothing more, nothing less. As of press time, they are now making the necessary corrections to the image.

So maybe the skeptics were right after all. There won't be any new PS3 controller with rumble functions - at least not that we know of yet - but that it was only the artist's error.

It's official: PS3 units are going to sell at US$ 499 in North America. After countless of rumors all over the net, mysterious ads sent in advanced, and claims that cheaper units went off the shelves, Sony finally gave word that they'll be cutting a hundred bucks off the 60GB model. "This news does not affect any other PS3 territory," said Dave Karakker, Sony Computer Entertainment America.

In addition, the 80GB PS3 models previously released in Korea are now flying over to the US. At US$ 599, the package will come with a copy of MotorStorm.

Price cut on the 60GB version will be effective come July 10, while the units with bigger hard drives will be shipping in August. An anonymous Circuit City manager claims that the price cut will take place on July 12, so some retail outlets might be a few days behind.