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Forums - Gaming Discussion - Gabe Newell says the PS3 is a waste of everybody's time

Sqrl on 15 October 2007

@Saiyar

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=19342 (your article)

"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,"

-Kaz Hirai

 

I think that is very explicit. The second part where he doesn't want to comment has a lot more to do with the negative way in which the question was framed to him. These guys are trying not to let any negative press get out there and if you pose the question "Are you going to ask us all to buy another console in 5 years?" Thats phrased so that he can answer it with a positive spin to a consumer who might be up in the air right now.

But if the phrasing is changed to "What we have to wait more than 5 years for another Playstation?" Now he doesn't want to comment? This only makes sense in the context of corporate spin. He doesn't want to dissapoint the hardcore who will be back but he doesn't want to scare away the folks who want a good return on their money.

So as I have said, they were explicit in their statement but I think they are lying through their teeth. I think this article shows my viewpoint extremely well as he is willing to asnwer the question when its positive phrasing and dodges it when put in negative phrasing. This is about positive buzz and making people feel safe in their purchase.



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Entroper on 15 October 2007
Sqrl said:

@Saiyar

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=19342 (your article)

"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,"

-Kaz Hirai

 

I think that is very explicit. The second part where he doesn't want to comment has a lot more to do with the negative way in which the question was framed to him. These guys are trying to let any negative press get out there and if you pose the question "Are you going to ask us all to buy another console in 5 years?"

But if the phrasing is changed to "What we have to wait more than 5 years for another Playstation?" Now he doesn't want to comment? This only makes sense in the context of corporate damage control.

So as I have said, they were explicit in their statement but I think they are lying through their teeth. I think this article shows my viewpoint extremely well as he is willing to asnwer the question when its positive phrasing and dodges it when put in negative phrasing. This is about positive buzz and making people feel safe in their purchase.


I think that's a pretty accurate analysis.  I don't know if I would say they are lying through their teeth, but certainly painting a misleading picture.  If you just take the first part of the sentence, yes, it sounds like the PS4 won't be 5 years after the PS3.  However, the way he phrased it, "and basically have their investment go by the wayside" makes it sound like they're going to support the PS3 for 10 years with games, not necessarily that they won't release a PS4 in 5 years.  Basically, exactly the same thing they did with PS1 and PS2.  It's all in the wording -- it sounds like a very specific statement, but it can still be interpreted in different ways.  The fact that his very next answer is "I'm can't speculate on when we might come out with a new console after PS3" pretty much cements it.

Honestly, after the last 2 years of Sony PR disasters, you really have to take anything they say with many, many grains of salt.  Penny Arcade says it pretty well.



http://entroper.no-ip.org

LordTheNightKnight on 15 October 2007
Sqrl said:

@Saiyar

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=19342 (your article)

"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,"

-Kaz Hirai

 

I think that is very explicit. The second part where he doesn't want to comment has a lot more to do with the negative way in which the question was framed to him. These guys are trying not to let any negative press get out there and if you pose the question "Are you going to ask us all to buy another console in 5 years?" Thats phrased so that he can answer it with a positive spin to a consumer who might be up in the air right now.

But if the phrasing is changed to "What we have to wait more than 5 years for another Playstation?" Now he doesn't want to comment? This only makes sense in the context of corporate spin. He doesn't want to dissapoint the hardcore who will be back but he doesn't want to scare away the folks who want a good return on their money.

So as I have said, they were explicit in their statement but I think they are lying through their teeth. I think this article shows my viewpoint extremely well as he is willing to asnwer the question when its positive phrasing and dodges it when put in negative phrasing. This is about positive buzz and making people feel safe in their purchase.


 They'd release a PS4 even if the PS3 was a third lightning strike. Competition would still be around, and they could top the PS3's design easily in 5 years. It's not as though Sony could stop others from putting a more powerful Cell or faster blu-ray drive in their systems, should those components take off.



A flashy-first game is awesome when it comes out. A great-first game is awesome forever.

Plus, just for the hell of it: Kelly Brook at the 2008 BAFTAs

Sqrl on 15 October 2007
LordTheNightKnight said:

They'd release a PS4 even if the PS3 was a third lightning strike. Competition would still be around, and they could top the PS3's design easily in 5 years. It's not as though Sony could stop others from putting a more powerful Cell or faster blu-ray drive in their systems, should those components take off.


I fully believe they plan to launch a new console in late 2012 (+/- 1 year).  



To Each Man, Responsibility