CVG

Kaz Hirai, the global chief executive of Sony, has suggested that the next generation PlayStation will not go on sale before Microsoft's Xbox 360 successor.

Asked about console release windows, Hirai told The Times: "why go first when your competitors can look at your specifications and come up with something better?".

It is not known if Hirai's views are shared by executives within the PlayStation business. One senior source told CVG that giving the next Xbox another long head-start would be "ridiculous" considering the ground Microsoft gained by launching the 360 a year before PlayStation 3.

Few in the industry suggest that the next Xbox and PlayStation will be released more than several months apart. It is also likely that both Sony and Microsoft executives have a clear understanding of their competitor's tech already, leaving less reasoning behind Hirai's claim.

CVG understands that the next PlayStation system will be revealed in a matter of weeks, not months.

all these rumors and speculations are very entertaining to me. I know some of you hate it... but i fucking love it lol.

Kaz is like......the CEO. Hes pretty high up and his word > any PS executive.

If PS4 ends up releasing simultaneously, I dare any PS fans to dig up this news and send Kaz emails calling him a phony lol.

It is something that the Sony CEO said, so, PS4 will come, at lest, 6 months after 720.

sounds like a good idea Kaz.

So ps4 will sell like gamecube and be too late to make any real impact.....

I love them too :p but this isn´t a rumour.

It´s something Kaz said. But yeah, this could mean nothing.

This is pretty meaningless without any context.

I don't even see how it relates to the 720, since neither it nor the PS4 can be first. If anything, his comment would be about the Wii U.

This piece seems to be trying to create something out of nothing.

He referred to "competitors", as in plural.

Actually he's talking about the announcement and perhaps he's also referring to all these leaks. The hardware for both is already set and will probably go into production in the summer with perhaps a few minor changes during the next few months. Perhaps also he's trying to get people curious because Sony has changed it's policy about product releases.

Example are the Xperia Tablet Z and the Xperia Z. Announced this month and available in a month and half whereas a year ago it would take a very long time before the product even releases. That's why Kaz Hirai is supervising some of the products so that it won't get lost in bureaucracy.