Yoichi Wada on PS3: "My phone is more expensive"
by Nick Doerr 
{ Jan 16th 2008 at 12:00AM }
Wada feels the PS3's price cuts will bring an improvement in sales, but he thinks the console is too cheap for what you get. He claims his phone is more expensive than the PS3, but nobody complains about that. He goes on again to tell Sony to better position their console -- get the right message out instead of focusing on the price. Or something. There's a lot more information in the interview regarding the state of video gaming as well as what Wada and Square Enix think about where the future may take us. It's worth reading, but we'll stop here as the PS3 info has dried up.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Titty Pink @ Jan 27th 2008 7:13PM
Hey Downward monkey the only part of my comment directed at you was about your last two girlfriends, I never implied that you had 2. And I have plenty of attractive friends, none of them happen to have an iphone though. But my observation wasn't based on just my friends. I've never seen an attractive person with an iphone period...
wocyob @ Jan 16th 2008 12:16AM
i agree with him 100%
his point about it being too cheap is true...you do get ALOT for such a price.....yea its a good amount of money...but think about what you get...
and about sony needing to show people what the ps3 is all about i agree they should really push on this and hard too... people still dont understand what the ps3 is all about and what kind of games it has and will have
roach @ Jan 16th 2008 12:31AM
Do your best to explain....please... tell me "what" I get... GAMING related
Why pay for something now that isn't gonna be worth it till later?
btw, I own a PS3, just really disappointed in lack of games...I play my Wii more and my 360 every day...
Chris @ Jan 16th 2008 12:49AM
@roach
Are you retarded. I play COD4, Warhawk, skate., and UT3 all the time. Those are my main 4 games. Resistance on occasion, MotorStorm with friends.
Justin @ Jan 16th 2008 1:46AM
@ roach...there's no way you can play your Wii more than PS3.
stirlo @ Jan 16th 2008 7:04AM
you're "r0ach" from the #ps3 channel at efnet, aren't you? you don't really have a ps3!!
roach @ Jan 19th 2008 10:39AM
Nope...I am not that r0ach... and don't have an efnet account....
and I do play my Wii more... SMG, Z:TP, Wii Sports...
I played Heavenly Sword, sold it. Traded in Orange Box for the 360 version and have COD4 for 360 bc Live STILL crushes PSN
James Gnann @ Jan 16th 2008 12:52AM
I play my PS3 every day, but mostly not longer than an hour or to. GH3, Warhawk occasionally and Timeshift multiplayer are my current faves. It's getting harder and harder to defend the PS3 when all the good games are still being developed. At least I can brag about all the cool features the games will have when they get here.
navstar @ Jan 16th 2008 1:03AM
I'm rather 'meh' about my PS3. It IS the best HD media playback thingy you can buy for the price. (It's far more open than 360) But games? Errrrrr, it's turing into the N64 -- excellent 1st & 2nd party games, but they are few and far between.
prouted @ Jan 16th 2008 1:08AM
This guy is 100% right ! The PS3 is getting cheaper and cheaper, which is a great thing for the consumer, but I agree with the comment that mobile phones (like the iphone for instance) are more expensive than a PS3 that can do hell more things !!!
Stop winning about the PS3 not having games... there are plenty now (not like 1 year ago... that was a hard time for the gamers...)
More games are welcomed, more updates of the firmware too ;) The PS3 truly impresses me everyday. It's one of the best electronic equipment I ever bought !
eugene @ Jan 16th 2008 1:21AM
I'm sorry, but 1 year in, if Sony still needs to explain to consumers 'what' the PS3 is... then sony seriously fraked up.
lawrence @ Jan 16th 2008 3:30AM
shut up.go home and get a life
Jamesology @ Jan 16th 2008 3:57AM
I agree with eugene, I love Sony, I can email you pics on how many PSPs (4 different colours)including all the accessories GPS, Chotto, Talkman, etc.; 2 PS2s, and now a PS3 with the Dualshock 3 in ceramic white. Yes I can email you those pics to actually prove it and not just lie and claim it. But after playing with the PS3 and all of it's wonderful features, I realized that there are NO GAMES playable.
I bought the Wii w/ my GF b/c everyone is buying a Wii and I guess it looks fun, well yea for a week it was! Then I bought a PS3 for myself b/c of COD4, Warhawk, and F1. WOW what a waste of money. COD4 has too many bugs in it and if it's not COD4 screwing up it's the PSN logging out for no reason. Sick of that garbage so I actually bought a 360 Pro. OMG I can actually play games like how it really should be. Orange Box WORKS!!
eugene @ Jan 16th 2008 4:45AM
How sad, how emotionally invested are you in your PS3 that you can't handle any criticism... which is not even directed at YOU but at a corporation?
Jamesology @ Jan 16th 2008 5:02AM
Me? If me then I don't get it.
xrich @ Jan 16th 2008 1:30AM
Instead of constantly telling sony how to run their business, why doesn't square enix finish final fantasy?
Efeez1986 @ Jan 16th 2008 2:00AM
AMEN! The best comment i've seen on here. PS2 has sold 130 million units worldwide, nobody is in a position to tell sony what to do.
SKI @ Jan 16th 2008 8:07AM
You know, Sony should listen to them because if Square Enix gets mad, whats to stop then from porting to the 360? There would go a lot of people's reason for waiing to buy a PS3 over a 360.
Tim Parsons @ Jan 16th 2008 8:32AM
Hell yeah,. I'm dying for a good game to sit down and enjoy instead of button mashers,generic FPS's like Gears/resistance/HAlo if you've played one you've played em all,. Give us the goods Sqaure give us the game that truely makes the PS3 worth while
Musouka @ Jan 16th 2008 1:55AM
Wait, months ago didn't Square say the opposite of this?
And yea, they should concentrate on shipping FF13 :). Though actually once the planning is done, the higher-ups just rest and have nothing to do, I guess.
Dahk @ Jan 16th 2008 9:01AM
Lol I believe they said something about the 'defining' the console lol. Actually lemme dig it up.
http://playstation.joystiq.com/2007/12/05/square-enix-thinks-sony-needs-to-define-their-console/
It's sorta on the same lines as this one I think. They gotta 'express' and 'define' what the PS3 really is, to their customers.
Anyway, about the article, I agree with him that even most people's phones (and my future phone in a projected 2 months) are more expensive than this mother of a monolith. Yet you're getting something absolutely feature filled and awesome.
Jason Axelrod @ Jan 16th 2008 3:13AM
I never could understand how people object to paying $600 for a PS3, but then they go out and spend $600 on a gimped iPhone.
Jamesology @ Jan 16th 2008 4:04AM
I noticed only ugly ppl buy the IPhone. They need to show off their gadgets hoping it will get girls to talk to them. They think it makes them look attractive. Stupid phones don't get you girls, it a outgoing personality and cash that can get you girls. Well "disposable" girls. JK!
A phone is a phone. The only thing that makes a man's phone a man phone is how many girls are actually being called on it.
Jamesology @ Jan 16th 2008 4:06AM
*answers phone: "..... I love you too.......................mom"
DownwardMonkey @ Jan 16th 2008 9:27AM
er my iPhone does every single thing that I need it to do, even more after I wrote my own app for it. It also cost £270 and my PS3 cost £450 at the time so again I'm not sure what you mean about that.
As for ugly people owning them, well my last two girl friends have been models so I'm clearly doing something right.
WHAT a lot of over obsessed fanboys need to get into their heads is that the PS3 DOES have a hard fight on its hands, I love my PS3 but Microsoft is in a strong place right now. Things are clearly getting better though.
Prince King @ Jan 16th 2008 1:56PM
he said his last to girlfriends were models so hes doin somethin right but is he was doin somethin right he would say my girlfriends are both models
lildude56 @ Jan 16th 2008 3:46PM
iphone is not that expensive, check out the nokia N95 or the LG NYX KU990... now those are really expensive phones.
lawrence @ Jan 16th 2008 3:24AM
yeah
lawrence @ Jan 16th 2008 3:27AM
yoichi shut up and tell me a release date already cause now i see that you are just hyping up these fanboys ands thats not funny to be talking when you should be working.so show a gameplay a partial game at least
Carlton @ Jan 16th 2008 4:50AM
Two problems:
1.) This guy probably has a gold phone encrusted with diamonds.
2.) Games consoles are much cheaper in Japan, but everything else is much more expensive.
@ Jamesology
What are the bugs in CoD4 that you refer to? I don't think I have come across a single one. No problems with PSN either. On the other hand, I played on xbox live round a friend's house over xmas... or at least tried to (hehe). And Orange Box may be better on the 360 than on the PS3, but it's still inferior to the PC version!
P.S. I hope you didn't ditch your PS3 - you'll need something to tide you over when you get the burning ring of fire!
Jamesology @ Jan 16th 2008 5:20AM
did you want me to give you links? Well here:
http://www.gamer.tm/news.php?id=1760
http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3164306
I don't think you own a PS3. If you "actually" owned one then you would know b/c it was everywhere as big news.
Actually, I have never got this so called Ring of Fire that you see on the internet. Yes Orange Box is better on the PC but I didn't know we were talking about the PC. Well, if you want to compare the PC with PS3, umm, LMAO the PC has games too. Hey how much ram does the PS3 have? Oh yeah, not enough to look at this site HAHAHAHA.
Or maybe, the 360 has this so called "Ring of Fire" b/c it overheats from excessive use. Something the PS3 will never experience. Anyways I'll just go back playing GoW, Bioshock, Orange Box.
And no I didn't ditch my PS3 b/c I still use it for movies at MY house and not bumming off my friends. Hopefully you keep your PS3 in good condition b/c you need to start saving your low income for games. Oh wait you have lots of time, all the games got delayed, ..... ..... again! HAHAHAHA
Carlton @ Jan 16th 2008 6:07AM
Well, *I* didn't experience any bugs, and the matchmaking issues were also a problem for the 360 (despite xbox live being a paid service).
Also, the RRoD is not something I heard about on the internet. I know many people with 360s and only 2 that haven't RRoD'd... yet (they only got 360s at xmas). Some of the people I know are on their 4th console! With at least 1 in 3 failing, it is by far the highest failure rate of any console in history (and probably of any electronic product). And they are not over-heating through excessive use, it is because they have a "fundamental design flaw" (according to at least 1 repair company in the UK).
I don't understand why you're bringing up the PS3's RAM as it is dedicated hardware, and therefore not comparable to what is required with a PC (and, in any case, the 360 only has an additional 10mb VRAM).
Incidentally, I have all the games you mentioned on PC, with better graphics, mouse/keyboard support, and, in the case of GoW, more levels (including the Brumak fight).
I've got nothing against the 360 (apart from it's horrendous failure rate), but if you come to PS3fanboy spouting sh*t, you better be prepared to get your arse served on a platter.
Frank @ Jan 16th 2008 8:25AM
"and the matchmaking issues were also a problem for the 360 (despite xbox live being a paid service"
What the hell does live being a paid service have to do with anything? It was a bug in the game...not the online service. Why do you think it affected live and ps3 users?
Carlton @ Jan 16th 2008 10:27AM
If you took the time to read the comments to which I was responding, you would see that Jamesology cited problems with CoD4's online component on the PS3 as a reason for buying a 360, to - and I quote - "play games like how it really should be." I simply pointed out that those problems were also present in the 360 version as well, but that, unlike the PS3 (or PC), you were also expected to pay for the service.
My comments were intended as a direct counter to something previously stated by Jamesology, whose spurious arguments clearly have no place on a site called PS3 FANBOY. I thought I had managed to get my point across quite reasonably and without resorting to a feeble argumentum ad hominem (a la James), but as you obviously missed the point, I guess I was wrong.
Incidentally, the matchmaking problems are a server-side issue, not a "bug" in the game. Infinity Ward runs the matchmaking servers for both PS3 and 360. That is why both were affected.
Jamesology @ Jan 16th 2008 5:47PM
Yes they both had issues on the 360 and PS3 except the issue with 360 was fixed late Nov or early Dec. When has the PS3 issue been fixed, oh wait it hasn't been fixed yet. They gave out a patch late Dec and still the PS3 issue exist. And you still cannot save friends from online gaming. All of the friends in the Friend Met option are from Warhawk, what happened to COD4? Sony release a patch(2.10) the same time as the COD4 patch and none of the issues were fixed.
It's true the failure rate on the 360 is higher than the PS3 but at least I know if my 360 does happen to fail, knock on wood it does not, I would actually be supported by Microsoft Customer Support. And not be told that the problem is not covered by warranty b/c of dust:
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2007/11/sony_warranty.html
The reason why I brought up the ram question is b/c it is totally unrelated to this argument just like how you brought up the PC. Which I still do not understand why you brought up.
And, all the games that actually got rated good by Gamespot and IGN are multi-platform. PS3 exclusive games are not that great. At least for now. The reason why I go on this PS3 Fanboy site is b/c I am still in hopes there is something of great use for the PS3 to come. But as for now it a bad investment. There's a reason why devs are still cautious about entering the PS3 world, it's future is unknown.
Tony @ Jan 16th 2008 6:45PM
@ Jamesology
You obviously have no PS3. I have COD4 and yet to have 1 problem. Not a single problem. And the reason that the pc was brought up when you were mentioning games is because 99.9% of xbox "exclusives" end up on the pc within a year with better graphics, better online (if any) and more content. And unlike the xbox, I can leave my pc on for days without fear of it burning down my house. Oh and btw, I hope you xbox burns your house down.
Jamesology @ Jan 16th 2008 7:13PM
@ Tony
Here's my spare email:
random.604@gmail.com
email me so I can email you back physically proving what systems I have instead of just making false claims like most ppl say what they have. Also, in every pic I will add in a note on how queer Tony is. Then maybe in another email I'll add a small vid on how I start up each COD4 from both system. Before I get too lazy and feel this argument is getting pointless.
lee.cash @ Jan 16th 2008 6:24AM
Just a quick comment about the PS3 not overheating because it will not be getting used that much. I won't focus on the obvious misinformed latter half of the statement but regarding the first part: does anyone else remember the test done on a PS3 where some guys played it IN A SAUNA for something like 96 hours to see what would happen? The general result was that it still played albeit with some disc-drive sounds.
So, I'm pretty sure any comments about a PS3 overheating (and failing) are misguided.
Tim Parsons @ Jan 16th 2008 8:48AM
indeed i've played mine for hours on end on Summer days when the temp outside(and inside too for that matter) was in the low 30's(mid 90's in F) with humidex pushing it an extra 10 degrees more and yet it doesnt bother a PS3,. and i Never turn my PS3 off ,. EVER,. it only gets turned off in Severe storms when the power starts going out, and if I go away for more then a week. Other then that it's going 24/7 , all year round,. unlike some other console that would overheat in a Freezer LOL
Kellian @ Jan 16th 2008 7:43AM
How about a Square Enix game worth buying on the PS3 in the next couple months. No?
Chris Rah Osiris @ Jan 16th 2008 7:53AM
He makes a good point. i was telling everyone this for a while. Considering everything you get when you purchase the PS3 it is definitely more than what you paid for. Originally I would mention the blu-ray alone, but all of the other features that are included definitely make it more than worth the price. I also forgot to mention that it is a future proof blu-ray player, something that can't be said about other blu-ray players on the market. Sony once again did a great job with the console.
liam @ Jan 16th 2008 9:44AM
I own a ps3 360 original xbox ps2 ds lite psp ,and i have owned alot off the older consoles,whilst xbox 360 is good i have to say that ps3 is alot better,the menu layout is great and the simplicity of it is amazing,if i put my ps3 into remote play,ii can go onto youtube and play ps3 games onto psp half way around the world.and people complain about the ps3 price,maybe it is expensive like everything else in the us,but in the uk you can get a brand new 40gig ps3 for £300 with the latest game.and when sony unlock the ps3s full potentall (like how they did for psp,hence god of war and wipout pulse)the ps3 will be almost 2x powerfull than the xbox360 in any gategoury,graphics,ram whatever.This is not coming from me making it up just go onto any site like this one or ign and it will tell you.I would have to say that the best handheld console out is psp and the best console is ps3.
LeChuck @ Jan 16th 2008 9:53AM
What's with all the people saying "he should be working on FF13"? You do realize he's not directly involved in that, right? Considering there are other departments besides development and several seperate dev teams working on different games, there's multiple levels of management between him and the people working on FF13.
recon @ Jan 16th 2008 11:48AM
Yeah he's right about that phone bit. A brand new Blackberry 8320, not under contract, costs $440 and a brand new PS3 costs $399. This is my dilemna right now.
Popfrogs @ Jan 16th 2008 1:05PM
Not to mentioned the crippled iPhone (no java, no custom apps? wtf) will cost you around $500 depending on which one you get. People overlook these things because they know they're specialty goods, and rich people want expensive stuff with extra bling and they're willing to pay for it.
Titty Pink @ Jan 16th 2008 1:56PM
@Downwardmonkey as far as the 2 x-girlfriends, pics or STFU.
EVERYONE that I know who owns an iphone is ugly. As far as the PS3 being cheap, it IS. Add wireless, a HDD addition, and the HD-DVD add-on to the 360 and you tell me which is cheaper...as well as the $50 live fee. You HAVE to add the fee because without Live it isn't comparably equipped...hell even WITH that stuff it's the software that makes the 360, NOT the hardware.
chris.westermann @ Jan 16th 2008 2:06PM
I am so sick and tired of hearing Square Enix b*tch about the PS3. For the love of all that is good, release a fricken Final Fantasy (or ANY) game for it if your worried about the PS3 not being a game machine. I mean this constant lame argument about how Sony hasn't postitioned the PS3 as a game machine was true about 13 months ago, since then I am pretty sure the average consumer has gotten the point that the PS3 is a game machine with excellent value. PS3 is a game machine first with a whole freaken arsenal of bonus features you get with it. The problem is that companies like SquareEnix are lost in their dark caves spending years worrying about making the most perfect game of all time and not releasing game content for the PS3. Guess what, FF13 will be good but it won't be perfect so get over yourselves.
How about we start b*tching that SquareEnix needs to position themselves as a GAME COMPANY and start releaseing GAME TITLES rather the MOVIES ABOUT FINAL FANTASY VII, the last GOOD game they ever released...on a Sony Playstation...the game console that keeps making them money.
Musouka @ Jan 17th 2008 4:58PM
Maybe Yoichi Wada has attention-deficit. And anyway, probably during this month he's not kept busy with deals, planning and research - so he makes an announcement to just keep himself entertained.
FF8 and FF12 _are_ great games. The plots may not be as thrilling (you don't have a planet to save...), and battles in FF8 are easy (just 'Draw' enough magic and junction it) or few (FF12 looked a bit like WRPGs with the hordes of creep). And there may not be as many hidden things for replayability as in FF7. But still are damn good RPGs.
B1gC72 @ Jan 16th 2008 3:10PM
i agree with him completely but you guys have to realize that we are "people in the know" and not the average consumer. the average consumer is going to go into the store and look at the price first, and when they see a cheaper 360 sitting next to it, what are they going to buy? the PS3 is too cheap for all you are getting but in order for it to sell at all in American markets it's gotta be at least close to the competition.
i bet if you just went out and walked down the street and asked random people what Blu-ray is, most wouldnt be able to tell you. if you asked what 1080p meant, they wouldnt be able to tell you. if you asked them what HDMI was, they wouldnt be able to tell you. you see what im getting at here? the average consumer doesnt know what this is so they arent going to be swayed by the inclusion of it. WE know that it is a great extra value and worth the extra money, but THEY dont. and there lies the problem. thats why a low price and interesting games are so important.
i love my PS3 and have fun with all the games i have for it but i could also love it just the same with no games at all since i use it for so much more other stuff as well. for the $500 i payed, you cant get a better all around experience. the hard part is just informing the uninformed about all this in a way that will appeal to them.
Ruben @ Jan 16th 2008 5:24PM
Whats going to stop sqaure enix from porting to 360 you ask? Hardware!