SCEA's Kim Nguyen looks at the PS3's first year
by Andrew Yoon 
{ Nov 19th 2007 at 10:30AM }
PS3 has struggled quite a bit during its first year of release. Why do you think the games media has bashed the PS3 so much?
Looking back on year one, we're proud at how far the PS3 has come and are sure that the future will only be brighter. There were some bumps in the road but that's to be expected during the first year of a platform's lifecycle. Regardless, we are very confident in the future of PS3 given our new hardware and pricing, along with the strong line up of upcoming software titles that will place PS3 in a very strong position this holiday and for years to come.
What has Sony done to turn things around?
We recently launched new PS3 hardware and pricing and are already seeing strong sales momentum at retail--PS3 sales have increased by 192% over the past 2 weeks at major retailers in North America . We have more than 160 games coming to the platform including 19 exclusives. We also recently launched a new ad campaign, our biggest marketing effort to date, that conveys the overall benefits of PS3 including Blu-ray and PLAYSTATION Network. Again we feel PS3 is in a very strong position this holiday and for years to come.
How would you compare the first year performance of PS3 to that of PS2?
Within the first year of launch from a retail revenue perspective both platforms are tracking very closely. In fact, PS3 has achieved 86% of the revenue as PS2 in its first year. Of course the landscape has changed considerably since 2000, but we're very confident with PS3's first year and very excited about what's around the corner in 2008! We have great games, an exciting new ad campaign, lower hardware pricing, and, most importantly, we have a very strong 2008 planned.
Sony says developers are going to work on PS3 games first, and then port over to Xbox, but only cites one example: Haze. Are other development studios also actively following this procedure?
The best examples of third party product that show-off the real capabilities of the PS3 are Burnout from EA, Call of Duty 4 from Activision, and finally Unreal Tournament 3, which will be exclusive this holiday season, from Midway, developed by Epic. The power of the Unreal Tournament 3 product, is that Epic licenses it engine, so there will be an additional 20 titles coming in '08 that will benefit from the PS3-led Unreal Tournament code base.
PS3 fans have a lot to look forward to in year two.
Will third party support continue to expand next year? Will other third party exclusives be unveiled in 2008?
Currently we have more than 23 third party publishers creating PS3 titles so we expect more third-party exclusives next year and beyond. We also have a strong line-up of first party exclusives from our own WW studios coming in 2008, titles like Killzone 2, Grand Turismo 5 Prologue and Little Big Planet, so we feel very confident about our software line-up moving forward. And of course, another title that people are really clamoring for and we expect big things from is Konami's Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.
Is overtaking the competition's hardware sales a big focus right now?
If you look at our history, we've never looked over our shoulder and we've proven our success with previous console generations. An advantage that we have that our competitors don't is that we have hundreds of millions of loyal PlayStation fans, that combined with our strong hardware and software line-up, as well as our new online service, positions us well for long-term success.
Home will make its debut in the PS3's second year.
What's the focus for year two of PS3? How will it differ from the first year?
We of course are focused on expanding our software line-up even further and bringing gameplay that can only be experienced on PS3. Additionally, with the recent advertising campaign, we really want to communicate to consumers that PS3 is an all encompassing high-def computer entertainment system with the built-in Blu-ray Disc functionality and robust online capabilities via PLAYSTATION Network. Services like video-on-demand and the widely anticipated PLAYSTATION Home are just two of the big pushes next year that will help differentiate PS3's online experience.
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Thanks to Kim for taking time out to answer our questions! Stay tuned, as our one year retrospective on PS3 continues all day.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
gamingeek @ Nov 19th 2007 10:52AM
As an owner of both next gen systems (I don't count the Wii as next gen), I can honestly say that I enjoy my PS3 so much more! The PS3 exclusives are far more innovative and fun to play than the FPS box exclusives. For those of you who are on the fence about Uncharted-- RUN OUT AND BUY THIS GAME IT IS AWESOME!! Between Uncharted, Heavenly Sword, Lair (yes I dig it), Resistance, Motorstorm, Folklore, and Rachet & Clank it's been a great first year to be a PS3 fanboy!
Ben @ Nov 19th 2007 11:03AM
He didn't even come close to answering your question about the game media.
DEMAN @ Nov 19th 2007 11:22AM
I love my ps3! I have played X360 alot and the games are not as innovative. The games for ps3 can look better if third and first party developers really try to work with the ps3 everyone has been saying it is hard to devolop for the ps3, but now some are saying it was easier. When you look at games like Uncharthed: Drake's Fortune you see amazings things from an amazing game and yes I did get it on Friday and have played it. With other games like R&C:FTOD, Heavenly Sword and UT3 as well as many others the ps3 will continue to grow and surpass the X360 as the next-gen king. I agree with 1. the wii simply cannot compete they sell systems but reallly do not sell games. With a great online system and Home coming the ps3 has nothing to worry about and will become the next- gen king!!! Will last 10 years!!! and have so many great games the average gamer will not be able to afford them without their wallet melting!!, but it will all be worth it.
NEXT-GEN KING = PS3
DEMAN @ Nov 19th 2007 11:11AM
I agree with No.1
Byron517 @ Nov 19th 2007 11:22AM
Ok this goes out for the people that OWN UNCHARTED!!
The back of the box *the U.S. box* says that the games resolution is set at HDTV 720p I was a bit pissed because the demo was at 1080p and I remembered reading that it would run at 1080p.
THIS IS A MISPRINT! THE GAME DOES RUN AT 1080p!!
If you pop the game in with your display settings set at automatic the game will run at 720p BUT if you set your display settings to only play at 1080p THE GAME WILL PLAY AT AN AWESOME LOOKING DROP DEAD GORGEOUS 1080P!!
Can someone at PS3 Fanboy confirm as to why this is so?? The PS3 has no upscaling so what's going on? I tried this with Rachet and Clank which also has written on the box to run at 720p and it didn't work, there was a funky looking bar thing on the screen but with Uncharted its obvious to see the difference from 720p to 1080p! So is this a mis-print? ANSWERS PLEASE! Thanks!
finelicker @ Nov 19th 2007 11:28AM
the robust online he mentioned is their most important thing I feel they need to address. I love online gaming, a game with an online mode adds so much to its longevity. I feels at the moment that apart from warhawk, the ps3 is struggling in this department. I was trying to play cod 4 last night with one other mate, we played 2 matches, then spent the next 2 hours trying to connect to each other and other matches.
finelicker @ Nov 19th 2007 11:38AM
If burnout turns out to be gimped in comparison to the 360's after this statement, there'll be a few angry fanboys.....
Christian @ Nov 19th 2007 11:52AM
Wonder if the replies to this interview could possibly have been less interesting. Did Kim take any special classes while at school to manage to sound like a marketing goon without any kind of real investment or knowledge about the topic for the questions being asked?
upz @ Nov 19th 2007 11:58AM
"In fact, PS3 has achieved 86% of the revenue as PS2 in its first year."
Now there's some wonky marketing spin. Since the market price of the PS3 is double that of the PS2, it'd only have to sell half as much hardware to achieve 100% of PS2 revenue. Read that quickly and you'd almost be tricked.
Now that I've called Ms. Nguyen out, I can finally say it's good being a Playstation fan again. Ratchet and Uncharted are both incredible, and all the upcoming exclusives are looking phenomenal. And finelicker, according to EA, Burnout is being developed on PS3, then ported to 360, so there might be finally some good multiplatform news for us.
Easo @ Nov 19th 2007 12:04PM
Byron517
If you have your display settings set to 1080p, Than any game you play on your ps3 will be upscaled to that resolution. Not a big revelation really, as its been doing that (only not as good as it does now) since day 1.
agb217 @ Nov 19th 2007 12:54PM
all i wanna know is why that ps3 remote on the cake looks like the 1st sega remote
Vincent @ Nov 19th 2007 1:03PM
I love the PS3 :) However I do have an issue with it: I live in South America, therefore I'm locked out of all PSN Stores. Why hasn't Sony made a Global PSN Store like Microsoft and Nintendo did with their consoles? I would like to purchase some downloadable content from the PSN, I shouldn't be locked out based on where I live in >_>
James @ Nov 19th 2007 1:40PM
Will you idiots please quit referring to the consoles as next gen!?!
It's been a friggin' year! I think it's safe to say they are now officially CURRENT GEN CONSOLES!
JaseH @ Nov 19th 2007 2:19PM
@ James
Unfortunatly, Not yet.
As the great legend, called Playstation 2, is still alive.
The thing won't die. Maybe soon though.
Maybe.
___________________________
JaseH.
Larz @ Nov 19th 2007 3:06PM
"Since the market price of the PS3 is double that of the PS2, it'd only have to sell half as much hardware to achieve 100% of PS2 revenue."
Uh, no. I believe they are talking about revenue generated from games, controllers, and such (aka: profit). There's no profit in selling the console itself. And also, the PS2 was more than half the PS3's price.
Andy @ Nov 19th 2007 5:44PM
"hundreds of millions of loyal PlayStation fans"
Not quite.
I really liked this interview but it felt like every answer was the same idea just different words.
James @ Nov 19th 2007 5:47PM
PS2 = Last Gen console.
For a clearer understanding, see "How Time Works"
John @ Nov 19th 2007 10:44PM
Uh... James? We have to refer to them as "next-gen" because "last gen" is still being sold, and also because most consumers, the majority, have not jumped on the "next-gen" bandwagon. It will be 2009 when we can call this "current gen." As if anyone will care.