A new Playstation 4 could be less than 18 months away according to a Sony
insider. The device will include the same chipset as the current PS3 but
where it will differ from the current model is in the drive bay and in the
attachment area. It will also include an extensive software suite for the
managing of content being streamed to a TV or Hi Fi source.
Sony's new Playstation 4
joystick can be seen at www.ps4spy.com
In addition Sony is working on improving the output experience so that the
device can become a true home entertainment centre eliminating the need
for a media centre.
"We have even looked at a Sony home server based on Playstation technology. This would allow consumers to connect home
automation devices to the Sony server while also delivering online gaming
and access to an extensive movie and music library" said one Sony source.
Ken Kutaragi, the retiring chief executive of Sony Computer Entertainment
said in an interview last week that he clearly understands how the
PlayStation game consoles should evolve in the next three generations, or
fifteen to twenty years from now. He also said that in future it will be
possible to create fully Internet-based game consoles.
"As a matter of course, I have the vision of PlayStation 4, 5 and 6, which
will merge into the network," Mr. Kutaragi said. Earlier this year when
Kazuo Hirai became the second president of SCEI and chief operating
officer, some analysts said that Sony may not launch yet another game
console and the PlayStation 3 may become the last one. On this Mr.
Kutaragi, who is also known as "the father of PlayStation", says that
future consoles may be network-based, which automatically reduces the cost
to build such machines
"The design concept of the Cell processor is the network processor," Mr.
Kutaragi said. "When the PS3 was introduced last year, the network
environment was not ready for a net-based game console. Now it has become
possible, so why not enter?"
The outgoing leader has faced a lot of criticism from observers for the
PlayStation 3, the latest game console by Sony Group, as the machine is
expensive to manufacture despite of the fact that initial batch of games
are unlikely to become bestsellers. At the same time, technical advantages
of the arch-rival – Microsoft Xbox 360 – and difficulty to develop games
for the Cell processor used in the PlayStation 3 have resulted in losing
exclusive titles with game developers.
Kazuo Hirai, who is believed to have better relations with game developers
than Ken Kutaragi may fit very well into the Internet-based game console
strategy, as technical capabilities of game consoles may play much less
significant role going forward.
Danger for the Xbox 720
and PS4
It’s a computer, not a console – Kutaragi on the PS3.
What makes a games machine?
It’s a simple enough question, but the answer is something that has long
eluded consensus. For some, a “games machine” is something made by
Nintendo, or something with “PlayStation” or “Xbox” written on the
packaging. For others, it’s all about the amount of RAM, and the speed of
the CPU, and the number of GPU cores they’ve managed to shoe-horn into
their LED-encrusted black-and-silver beauty.
For years now – decades – these two points of view have divided people. On
the one hand, the console faithful tout the stability of their platform,
the assurance of a 5-year lifecycle, and the relatively low-cost nature of
the hardware. The PC crowd on the other hand flaunt the flexibility of
their hardware: their ability to improve performance at a moment’s notice
and to cater for new and developing trends in gaming for as long as their
screaming wallets will allow.
Now, though, for better or worse we are beginning to see a real revolution
in console gaming. Where once console specifications were defined and
immutable, they have started to become varied and variable. Console
manufacturers, it would seem, are starting to take aim against one of the
major strengths of the PC platform: flexibility. But this change is going
to come at a cost, and if not handled well could end up doing more harm
than good.
With the arrival of the Xbox on the scene, gamers saw the introduction of
a persistent online presence with “Live.” Sony soon followed suit and
finally delivered a competitive interface with the release of the PS3.
Regulated online play, downloadable patches and content, feature-laden
firmware updates, social networking… add in upgradable HDDs, USB ports,
card readers and wireless networking, and suddenly, consoles are looking a
lot more PC-like. In their struggle to compete with the flexibility of the
PC experience however, there are a few sticking points that today’s
console developers would do well to avoid – or at least tiptoe quietly
around and try their best not to awaken.
A report from an Australian based technology site suggests that the
Playstation 4 could arrive in less than 18 months. This of course is only
a rumor as the so called source from an insider at Sony remains anonymous.
The Smarthouse report states that the new Sony Playstation 4 will use the
same chipset found in the PS3 but changes will occur in the attachment
area and drive bay of the new gaming console.
It is also rumored that the PS4 will come bundled with a software suite
which enables gamers to better manage streaming data to their TV sets and
will include improved output features as well.
According to Smarthouse, the source mentions:
We have even looked at a Sony home server based on PlayStation technology.
This would allow consumers to connect home automation devices to the Sony
server while also delivering online gaming and access to an extensive
movie and music library.
It seems rather odd that Sony would release a new Playstation so soon, but
it would be realistic to say that creating an improved PS3 is a
possibility after the company received so much negative criticism with
their latest next-generation gaming console. Many gamers were disappointed
with the price of the Sony PS3 and were also disgruntled by the fact that
there are few game titles available compared to the Nintendo Wii and Xbox
360.
It will be interesting to see where this goes, if anywhere at all, but you
can be sure we will keep you updated on this topic.
Analyst: "I cannot
imagine a PlayStation 4"
Nomura Securities' Yuta Sakurai believes the PS3 will be Sony's last
console; sees Hirai appointment as Segalike shift to software.
In the months leading up to the launch of the PlayStation 3 and Wii,
barely a week went by without one analyst or another issuing proclamations
of doom or promises of riches for both Sony and Nintendo. Now that both
consoles are on the market, many investment firms' in-house game-industry
experts are giving their assessments of the two companies' fortunes.
Playstation 4 updates and news will continue to be updated on
www.ps4spy.com .
The prognostication reached a fever pitch today, when Sony Computer
Entertainment (SCE) shuffled its executive lineup. Sony Computer
Entertainment America (SCEA) president Kaz Hirai took over the position of
SCE president Ken Kutaragi, who was promoted to SCE chairman and retained
the title of SCE group CEO. Hirai will also be SCE's chief operating
officer, and will relocate to Sony's Tokyo headquarters from SCEA's HQ in
Foster City, California.
While Sony spun the changes as a "strengthening" of its executive team,
many analysts saw it as a vote of no confidence for Kutaragi's stewardship
of the PlayStation 3. The high-tech console's Blu-ray laser drive has been
plagued by component manufacturing woes, which drastically limited supply
of the console for its Japanese and North American launches, and delayed
its European debut until 2007.
Some analysts went one step further, taking Hirai's succession as a
harbinger of doom. No one was more pessimistic than Nomura Securities'
Yuta Sakurai, who made the astounding prediction that the PlayStation 3
would be the last console Sony, the current console market-share leader,
would ever make.
"The appointment of Hirai could be the start of a shift from hardware to
software," said Sakurai. "I cannot now imagine a PlayStation 4." According
to the Financial Times, Sakurai's reasoning is that "Hirai's new global
portfolio puts a predominantly software-focused manager in charge of the
company." His logic is reportedly that, with the emphasis moving to
software, Sony would go the way of Sega, transforming from a console maker
to a mere game publisher.
Critics were quick to point out that, despite its problems, Sony is
primarily an electronics manufacturer, and has invested billions in the
research and development of the PS3's technology. Despite the hyperbolic
tone of Sakurai's comments, SCEA publicity chief Dave Karraker issued a
polite response. "Following the launch of the PlayStation 3 just a few
weeks ago, and witnessing the huge consumer demand for the product, I
think it would be rather short-sighted for anyone to predict there might
not be a next generation of PlayStation product," he told GameSpot.
Sony talks PS3
improvements, PS4 timetable
Exec tells Aussie tech site that the electronics giant will make another
console after 2010; PS3 will see system upgrades, new peripheral support.
Sony executives also predicted the PS9 would not come before 2072.
Late last month, executive shake-ups at Sony prompted one Japanese analyst
to make a bold prediction: Sony was moving out of the gaming-hardware
business and focusing solely on software. "I cannot now imagine a
PlayStation 4," said Nomura Securities' Yuta Sakurai.
Sony was quick to rebut the claim, with a rep telling GameSpot, "I think
it would be rather shortsighted for anyone to predict there might not be a
next generation of PlayStation product."
As for when to expect a new Sony console, one exec claims that the
company's fans shouldn't expect the next PlayStation any sooner than the
typical console life cycle allows. Sony Computer Entertainment Europe vice
president of technology Paul Holman reportedly told Australian tech site
Smarthouse that Sony will launch a PlayStation 4, but not any sooner than
2010.
Until then, Sony will continue to upgrade the PlayStation 3 through
firmware updates that will allow "for the introduction of third-party
applications and hardware such as interactive controllers similar to
Nintendo's Wii..." the site reported. The PS3's current controller, the
Sixaxis, already has motion- and tilt-sensing capability.
The PS3 may also come with a keyboard and mouse in the future, be able to
download third-party operating systems, and become "as much a media center
for the home as it is a gaming machine," said Holman. His words echo
statements made by Sony executives that the PS3's online store will offer
downloadable music and video content, much like iTunes and Xbox Live
Marketplace currently do.
Kutaragi envisioned PS4
through PS6
Sony's departing "Father of the PlayStation" says he had plans for future
consoles, but his future work won't have much to do with his current
employer.
As the "Father of the PlayStation," retiring Sony Computer Entertainment
chairman and CEO Ken Kutaragi has already sired three gaming consoles and
a handheld. But in a recent interview with EE Times, Kutaragi revealed
that he also has planted the seeds for future PlayStation systems.
"As a matter of course, I have the vision of PlayStation 4, 5 and 6, which
will merge into the network," Kutaragi told the site.
Kutaragi's vision isn't limited to long-term possibilities. According to
the article, Kutaragi has already provided Sony with his ideas for cost
reduction methods and design models for the next two years.
However, the extent of Kutaragi's vision that will be realized by Sony
after he leaves is unclear. The article said Kutaragi will remain on good
terms with his current employer, but that he expects his future efforts to
have little to do with Sony.
Rumour: PS4 to be
backwardly compatible?
And could PS3 backward compatibility make a return, too?
Sony isn’t ready to turn its back on backward compatibility just yet,
according to a job ad put out by the company.
So Gamefront.de is reporting, Sony Computer Entertainment Japan is
currently advertising for a software engineer to deal with backward
compatability for both the PS3 and an unspecified next-gen console – which
sounds an awful lot like the PlayStation 4 to us.
Specifically, the engineer will be required to implement and optimise
emulation software for PS1, PS2, PSP and PS3 games on both formats.
Not only would it suggest that PS4 development is now at the point where
Sony can start thinking about specific software such as emulators, the
fact the PS3 is mentioned as part of the job brief is also of note.
Although Sony has enjoyed considerably more PS3 success since it
introduced the 40GB model last year (going so far as to drop all other
versions of the PS3 in Europe and Japan), the fact it’s not backwardly
compatible with the PS2 hasn’t gone down well with some gamers.
With many gamers still owning large numbers of PS2 games, reintroducing
PS2 compatibility would only help strengthen the PS3’s improving image.
Or on the other hand, it could all just be wishful thinking. Either way,
we should find out soon enough. PS4Spy currently provides all of the
Playstation 4 information.
Chiba City-In what will go down in history as one of the most shocking
announcements in Tokyo Game Show history, Sony announced today that the
company will be discontinuing development for it’s Playstation 3 console
by the end of 2008 in order to focus all it’s resources on the upcoming
Playstaion 4, which will release in the forth quarter of 2008. This comes
as a shock to many gamers, especially after the announcement of new
pricing schemes for the PS3 just last month at the E3 Media and Business
Summit.
“We looked at the market, and realized that we cannot realistically hope
to win the current generation console war,” stated Kaz Hirai, President
and Group Chief Operating Officer of Sony Computer Entertainment, “so
we’re starting with a clean slate, and we will work to avoid the mistakes
we made with the Playstation 3.”
The unexpected announcement was made at Sony’s press conference this
afternoon, but it was far from the only shocker Sony had in store for
gamers. Immediately after making the controversial PS4 announcement, Sony
went on to baffle the audience of journalists and industry experts when
Hirai then announced that the Playstation 5 would release by the end of
2009.
“We looked at the market, and realized that we cannot realistically hope
to win the next generation console war,” stated Kaz Hirai, President and
Group Chief Operating Officer of Sony Computer Entertainment, “so we’re
starting with a clean slate, and we will work to avoid the mistakes we
made with the Playstation 4.”
Hirai stated that while he sympathizes with gamers who might feel cheated
by these events, he feels that the Playstation 6 will more than make up
for any disappointment they experienced with the Playstation 3, 4 and 5.
The audience began to chuckle at this statement, mistaking it for a joke,
until President of SCE Worldwide Studios Phil Harrison took the stage and
began to play a real-time demo of what he claimed was a Playstation 6
prototype.
While the demo was undeniably impressive, some concerns did arise as to
it’s authenticity. For one, Mr. Harrison appeared to be using a Wii remote
spray painted black. This became even more conspicuous later on when
Harrison lost his grip on the remote and it could clearly be seen that his
palm had black paint on it.
The graphics shown were also very much in question, as it was extremely
obvious that Harrison was simply waving his arms around wildly as random
footage from the Matrix was shown.
The Krooze Nest will work diligently to keep you up-to-date on any further
developments in this shocking turn of events.
SCEJ Job Ad Hints At
Backwards Compatibility For PS3, PS4?
Now, some of you with big PS2 libraries who didn't race out and get the
original 60GB PlayStation 3 were probably disappointed; later models
simply don't support PS2 titles. The 80GB only has partial backwards
compatibility (it uses software emulation like the Xbox 360), and the more
recent 40GB model has no b/c for PS2 games. But this doesn't mean Sony is
completely ditching the idea of b/c for the future.
According to a recent job advertisement, Sony Computer Entertainment Japan
is looking for a software engineer who can tackle backward compatibility
for both the PS3 and "an unspecified next-gen console," so says
Gamefront.de. Now, some are saying that unnamed console could be the
PlayStation 4, but there's no real evidence to support that theory as of
yet. But the ad does say the engineer will have to be able to "implement
and optimize emulation software for PS1, PS2, PSP and PS3 games." Could
Sony already be at a point where backwards compatibility is up for
discussion on the PS4? And perhaps more importantly for the here and now,
could full backwards compatibility for the PS3 make a triumphant return?
www.ps4spy.com has all the latest
information on the ps4 joystick.
One of the biggest reasons the 40GB PS3 is so much cheaper than the
original 60GB model is because it doesn't have the graphics synthesizer
chip that allows for almost full PS2 software compatibility. It was simply
too expensive an addition, so Sony nixed it and instead abandoned b/c for
PS2 games. The 40GB model can still play PS1 games, but wouldn't it great
to have a system that can play them all? Could the PS4 be fully b/c?
That'd be one hell of a massive library upon launch, yes?
Hirai Suggests PS4 More
Than 5 Years Away
The president of SCEA addresses the life span of Sony's next console, the
possibility (or lack thereof) of a Blu-ray-less PS3, and the dangers of
people buying the system just to watch movies.
This holiday season, few consumer electronics categories are being watched
more closely than that of video game consoles.
Both Sony and Nintendo plan to release their next- generation consoles,
the PlayStation 3 and Wii, respectively. Yet, with prices as high as $600,
the PS3 is clearly aiming for the high end, while the Wii is targeting
more casual gamers with prices expected to be well below $300.
Meanwhile, both companies must contend with Microsoft and its Xbox 360,
which has a yearlong head start and therefore a commanding lead in the
next-generation race. Still, Sony has always maintained that its console
cycles are 10 years, rather than the five considered the industry
standard. That's why, even as the market readies for the PS3 launch, the
PlayStation 2 is still selling like gangbusters. And it should continue to
do so for some time, as Sony has committed to the PS2 for at least another
four years.
In a few weeks, much of the video game industry will descend upon Tokyo
for the annual Tokyo Game Show. But for the time being, the focus is on
Germany, where the Leipzig Game Convention is being held. So, for
companies like Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo, and publishers like
Electronic Arts and Activision, there is no break in sight. Sony Computer
Entertainment of America president Kaz Hirai talked with CNET News.com
about the forthcoming PS3 launch (parts of this article refer to comments
Hirai made earlier this month in an interview with GameSpot). View
all of the Playstation 4 updates at
www.ps4spy.com and stay up to date on the console's release dates.
CNET: Can you provide an update on the PlayStation 3?
Hirai: The PlayStation 3 will launch in the North American market on
November 17. Things are pretty much moving according to plan.
CNET: How does a scaled-down Electronic Entertainment Expo affect a
company like yours? Was it a good thing to institute some changes in the
format, or were you happy with the way it had been?
Hirai: E3 has about a 10-year, 11-year history, if I'm not mistaken. I
think it's grown to a point where it became just such a massive show that
we needed to take a look at what we were trying to accomplish with the
show. We needed to see how effectively we can accomplish those goals. I
think it was pretty much across the board in agreement that we should
revise or relook at how E3 is structured.
CNET: Beyond the pricing and availability of the PlayStation 3, one of the
big pieces of news from this year's E3 was more information about
Nintendo's new console, the Wii. There were rumors that the Wii would be
priced for less than $250. How did that affect the PlayStation 3?
Hirai: The pricing that we announced for the PlayStation 3 is a price that
ultimately offers fantastic value to the consumers. I think that we are
offering a very good value for the consumers. We look at our products
having a 10-year life cycle, which we've proven with the PlayStation.
Therefore, the PlayStation 3 is going to be a console that's going to be
with you again for 10 years. We're not going to ask the consumers to
suddenly buy another PlayStation console in five years' time and basically
have their investment go by the wayside. So for all those reasons, I think
at $599 we're offering a very good value to the consumers.
CNET: Are you saying that there won't be a PlayStation 4 within five
years?
Hirai: Well, I think that if you look at the history of the way we've
managed our console business, we always try to hit a 10-year life cycle. I
can't speculate on when we might come out with a new console after
PlayStation 3. But my message is that once you become a family in the
PlayStation family of products, you become a family member. We make sure
that we take care of you.
CNET: Going back to the question of the Nintendo console, it seems like
its pricing is significantly lower than what the PlayStation 3, or the
Xbox 360, will cost. Any concern that Nintendo's Wii pricing will undercut
the market as people decide which console they want to buy?
Hirai: Some consumers will compare features or software offerings and
decide that they may want to go with a different console. You also have to
realize that we have a very strong, market-leading console called the
PlayStation 2, which is at a very affordable price right now. Consumers
will also understand that if you buy a PlayStation 2 right now, and you
make some software investments, when you feel it's right to move onto
PlayStation 3, those software titles aren't going to go by the wayside.
Consumers will take that into consideration. I don't think price is the
only determining factor when consumers make a choice in looking at their
console purchase decisions.
CNET: Is there a danger that some consumers will buy PlayStation 3 just
for the Blu-ray player and not the games?
Hirai: Consumers are going to look at the totality of what we offer in the
PlayStation 3. Even if there was a consumer who decided to buy the
PlayStation 3 perhaps as a Blu-ray player, I think that they will quickly
realize the potential and the entertainment value of the fantastic content
in true [high definition]. Any consumer would be hard pressed really not
to try that functionality out.
CNET: Given the differences in pricing, which is fairly significant
between Microsoft's Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3, are there any chances
of a PlayStation 3 down the line that doesn't have Blu-ray built in?
Hirai: The PlayStation 3 uses the Blu-ray as its storage medium for both
games and for movies as well. We wanted to take advantage of the storage
capacity that Blu-ray offers in terms of motion pictures and other
content, but most importantly, for games as well. Our decision to include
the Blu-ray player from day one in all of our PlayStation 3s was the right
decision and, quite honestly, the only decision we can make.
PS4Spy.com has all the latest updates on the Playstation 4 including games
and Playstation 4 accessories.
Look at the massive amounts of data that's required to provide a truly
immersive gaming experience in true HD. If you only have a DVD ROM drive,
which can only go up to about 9GB or so, you're going to end up with a
game that's going to have two or possibly even three discs. And then
you're going to have to ask consumers to swap discs out or cache all the
game onto the hard drive, which I think is an inconvenience--not to
mention the fact that you're going to fill up a 20GB hard drive very
quickly with some of these games. So trying to go without a Blu-ray drive
in the PlayStation 3 really is a nonstarter.
There's been talk recently about production of the PlayStation 3--why
hasn't production begun already?
Hirai: We haven't officially announced production on the PlayStation 3
just yet. But we are on track to deliver 2 million units for the launch
period on a worldwide basis that we announced at E3. We are going to make
sure that those units get out into the market.
It looks like there could be some shortages, particularly for the holiday
season, even with the 2 million by the launch date and 4 million by the
end of the year. So what do you say to consumers who are not going to be
able to get ahold of one if they do want one?
Hirai: We are going to make every effort possible to make sure that we get
as many units out into the market in the major territories as well as some
of the smaller territories that we're launching in.
Have there been any sort of business lessons about filling customer
demands and production issues from the things that Microsoft has dealt
with regarding the Xbox 360?
Hirai: We don't really look at what our competition did or didn't do.
We've had shortages in the past, and there is no guarantee that we will
never have a shortage again in the future. But I think that we've learned
many lessons over the years that allow us to look at production schedules,
look at parts procurement, look at ways of shortening the lead time from
the point of manufacture to ultimately getting the product into the
retailers' shelves and into the hands of consumers. We're doing everything
we can to make sure that we have the most efficient way of getting the
product into the market.
By the time the holiday season moves around, Microsoft will have a
yearlong head start. Not only does it have the head start in the console
race, but it also has a year's advantage on coming out with new
accessories really bolstering its online offerings. What is Sony's take?
How can Sony keep up with that?
Hirai: If you look back in history, I think everybody realizes that we've
never been first to bring a console to the market. PlayStation was not
first and PlayStation 2 was not first to market. As a matter of fact,
PlayStation Portable was not first to market in the portable space and
PlayStation 3, as you mentioned, is not the first to market either.
It comes down to several things. One is the kind of software experience
that the consumers will expect out of a next-generation console. I think
we're going to be delivering that, both in terms of the lineup of
PlayStation 3s as well as the fact that we're offering true HD gaming.
We're also launching a console that doesn't require upgrades as you go
along. Right out of the box it will play Blu-ray movies in true HD as well
as old games. As far as accessories go, that's really a function of what
kind of accessories you need to play or enjoy a particular game.
How many titles will you have by launch and how many by year's end?
Hirai: That's hard to try to pin down at this point. Everybody is looking
at their entire portfolio of software offerings, and I think that the
lineup of titles really is something that won't be locked down most likely
until three to four weeks before launch.
Sony Sees PlayStation 4
in 2010 or Beyond, Analyst Claims It Will Not
Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., the developer of the PlayStation game
consoles used to say that the PlayStation 3 would live for a decade,
however, now the company claims that the PlayStation 4 will come in 2010
or beyond. Meanwhile, as the company shuffles its execs, some analysts
anticipate that there would be no successor for the PS3 at all.
Execs Shuffled As No PlayStation 3 Consoles Seen in Stores
The launch of the Sony PlayStation 3 game console, the highest-anticipated
game console among the new generation of gaming machines, has not been
triumphant for Sony, as the company faced manufacturing issues and could
not deliver enough game machines to customers. Moreover, the amount of
game titles and accessories for the PlayStation 3 obtainable now is lower
than that for Nintendo Wii and is much lower than that of Microsoft Xbox
according to checks of Amazon.com online store.
While the launch of the PlayStation 3 cannot be called an unsuccessful, as
the demand for the game console is tremendous and the main problem that
Sony has is production-related, analysts claimed that the limited
availability of the PS3 has sources in poor product management on the
first place.
Recently Sony shuffled executives at its Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
(SCEI) game arm. Effective December 1, 2006, Ken Kutaragi, president and
group chief executive, was appointed as chairman and group CEO, while Kaz
Hirai, president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA),
was appointed as president and group chief operating officer of SCEI.
PlayStation 4 Destiny Unknown
Mr. Kutaragi is generally known as the father of the PlayStation and has
engineering background. Mr. Hirai, however, came to SCEA from Sony’s music
entertainment division, has marketing background and is believed to have
better working relationships with game developers that Mr. Kutaragi.
Following the shuffle of the executives, at least one analyst said that
SCEI is going to change the direction of the whole division and
concentrate mostly on games rather than hardware.
“The appointment of Hirai could be the start of a shift from hardware to
software. I cannot now imagine a PlayStation 4,” said Yuta Sakurai, an
analyst at Nomura, Financial Times reports.
Still, the appointment of Mr. Hirai does seem logical, as Sony is
subsidizing PlayStation 3 manufacturing by up to $306 and it is crucial
for Sony to get the money back as soon as possible with the help of
successful sales of games. Therefore, it may be too early to talk about
the end of the PlayStation-series.
“To say that there will be no PlayStation 4 because of a management change
is a bit far fetched,” said vice president of technology for Sony Computer
Entertainment Europe, Paul Holman, in an interview with Smarthouse
web-site. He also indicated that the PlayStation 4 would be launched by
Sony, but not until at least 2010.
In fact, Sony is fundamentally a manufacturer of electronics, which means
that the company is more than likely to continue with the
PlayStation-series. However, the poor availability of the PS3 is not the
only problem that Sony has faced in the recent quarters. Massive recall of
notebook batteries, withdrawal from plasma TV market, abandoning Qualia
“boutique brand” and pulling out of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) for PCs
business and failure to capture the market of digital music players, not
to mention slow start of the Sony-backed Blu-ray standard, emphasize that
there are problems within Sony as a producer of electronics as well.
Plans in place for
PlayStation 4, says Evolution Studios boss
UK developer Evolution Studios is already planning for opportunities on
the PlayStation 4, according to chief executive Martin Kenwright.
With the racing specialist readying Motorstorm for launch on the
PlayStation 3, Kenwright believes that it's important to think far ahead
as the industry is set to change monumentally in the future.
Speaking in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, part one of which is
published today, Kenwright said, "The market place will be changing beyond
all recognition in the next five years. We've anticipated that.
"I know people are looking at PS3 now, and I'm not being glib, but we're
actually looking at PS4. I'm thinking where will it be in five years, how
will we get there? What will the marketplace be like, the games, and
who'll be buying them?"
Kenwright believes companies that settle into a routine are more at risk
than those who experiment with original IP - with sequels to popular games
merely dividing the market.
"Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but sticking to what you're best at can
be more of a risk than reinventing yourself," said the studio boss.
"The DNA of all these games is around 80 per cent the same. It's the
application, the value of the IP, the new killer brand, that is actually
priceless.
"What we've learnt in the past is you can inclemently improve something by
one per cent, and it takes two years and millions of pounds and all you
get is more of the same. You polarise your market. You're offering more of
the same instead of something new, memorable and exciting."
While sequels to popular games have traditionally been considered
bankable, Kenwright believes the market is changing - with publishers
encouraging developers to take bigger risks and create new products.
"People like to tick boxes and play it safe, but sequels are the bane of
our industry. 'The last one was good so the board wants ten more the
same.' That's actually harming the marketplace irreparably," he observed.
"The reality for many small developers is that publishers are risk averse.
But things are going to change. It's not going to be like a parent/child
relationship with publishers in the future; it's going to become much more
of a creative partnership.
"People are waking up now to the fact that sequels are actually high risk
rather than low risk," Kenwright concluded.
