John Riccitiello: "Sony ******** nailed it, and they deserve the victory"

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

Unity chief John Riccitiello (former EA CEO) on clash of big ideas: "Sony ********** nailed it, and they deserve the victory"

The middle of the first day of the GamesBeat Summit was devoted to Unity CEO John Riccitiello

[XorpiZ]

Sony won because Microsoft screwed it up. I'm not sure that counts as "nailed it".

[Jarrichvdv]

When does a company really win? In my opinion, sales is just a small piece of it.
User satisfaction, value proposition, support etc... are equally important if not more important. Ofcourse, this is my personal opinion.

[President Devil]

Sony won because Microsoft screwed it up. I'm not sure that counts as "nailed it".

 

Exactly, looking how bad performance is on both consoles now, the only thing Sony nailed is overhyping and tricking the consumer into thinking it was truly a futureproof 1080p60 device.

 

Funny that it's coming from him too when EA Access is only on the Xbox. What a joke!

[strotee]

Sony won because Microsoft screwed it up. I'm not sure that counts as "nailed it".

A person could make the same argument for the 360. Why did the PS3 do so poorly initially and 360 did so well?  Sony screwed up, PS3 was a year late and more expensive. Sony corrected those mistakes with the PS4 and now you're seeing what happens. I think it's safe to say PS3 would have easily beaten 360 if they came out at the same time and had the same price. No question about it. (world-wide, not specific regions, mind you)

[Aergan]

A person could make the same argument for the 360. Why did the PS3 do so poorly initially and 360 did so well?  Sony screwed up, PS3 was a year late and more expensive. Sony corrected those mistakes with the PS4 and now you're seeing what happens. I think it's safe to say PS3 would have easily beaten 360 if they came out at the same time and had the same price. No question about it. (world-wide, not specific regions, mind you)

 

I don't think there is such thing as "winning" for console wars but your points are very valid.

 

However "screwing it up" is a competition in its own right and all parties have taken gold, silver or bronze throughout the generations - Microsoft & Nintendo personally taking a few more gold in recent years.

[President Devil]

The PS3 recovered because the console actually had many games that were worth buying it for at some point.

With the PS4 however...nope and the way Sony is clinging to indies, I don't see that changing.

Those games will always be cheaper and better on the PC, like most multiplatform games are now already showing great advantages on there too.

[Psion7]

Sony won because Microsoft screwed it up. I'm not sure that counts as "nailed it".

 

But Sony did nail it as they gave gamers what they wanted whereas Microsoft screwed up by talking about loads of restrictions on how gamers are used to doing things (nobody likes change when it gives them nothing in return) as well as releasing a more expensive yet lower powered machine.

 

Basically Sony did the best by gamers. I am not saying the PS4 is as good as it could have been but Sony really did nail it in the context we are talking about. Look at their E3 presentation and how hyped the crowd got with pretty much everything they said. The funny thing is they only announced that things will be the same as they are today. They didn't introduce anything new but because Microsoft tried to change the goal posts it gave Sony a pretty easy win as by moving the goal posts they left it totally open to attack and Sony went straight for it and scored big.

 

Microsoft were just so out of touch with what the actuall buyers of their console wanted they went off in some weird direction and then wondered why they were lost in the middle of nowhere.

 

It is shocking really. They pretty much did everything wrong and not a single thing right. At the end of the day it is a game console first and an general entertainment system second. Adding all of the entertainment stuff would have been great as an extra but focusing on all the TV stuff at a gaming event was just stupid.

 

Imagine if Microsoft had focused on gamers. Had a competative price, not pushed Kinect down everyones throats but make it optional with a big push on why you should get an Kinect not you have to pay for Kinect whether you want it or not!

 

An Xbox One at the same, or slightly lower, price as the PS4 at launch without all the stupid backtracked ideas such as always being connected, etc. God I remember that video where someone asked "what if they want to play offline [all the time]?" and the response was pretty much "we have a system for that and it's called Xbox 360!". Jesus.

 

That being said the Xbox One still has good sales, just not as good as Sony and the gap is pretty big and getting bigger even though the Xbox One is now cheaper than the PS4.

[MikeChipshop Member]

I don't think there is such thing as "winning" for console wars but your points are very valid.

 

Quite agree. The only real winners are the consumers when there's such competition in place.

[XorpiZ]

A person could make the same argument for the 360. Why did the PS3 do so poorly initially and 360 did so well?  Sony screwed up, PS3 was a year late and more expensive. Sony corrected those mistakes with the PS4 and now you're seeing what happens. I think it's safe to say PS3 would have easily beaten 360 if they came out at the same time and had the same price. No question about it. (world-wide, not specific regions, mind you)

 

Absolute agree.I'd argue, though, that the 360 had a much better online network than the PS3.

 

But Sony did nail it as they gave gamers what they wanted whereas Microsoft screwed up by talking about loads of restrictions on how gamers are used to doing things (nobody likes change when it gives them nothing in return) as well as releasing a more expensive yet lower powered machine.

 

Basically Sony did the best by gamers. I am not saying the PS4 is as good as it could have been but Sony really did nail it in the context we are talking about. Look at their E3 presentation and how hyped the crowd got with pretty much everything they said. The funny thing is they only announced that things will be the same as they are today. They didn't introduce anything new but because Microsoft tried to change the goal posts it gave Sony a pretty easy win as by moving the goal posts they left it totally open to attack and Sony went straight for it and scored big.

 

Microsoft were just so out of touch with what the actuall buyers of their console wanted they went off in some weird direction and then wondered why they were lost in the middle of nowhere.

 

It is shocking really. They pretty much did everything wrong and not a single thing right. At the end of the day it is a game console first and an general entertainment system second. Adding all of the entertainment stuff would have been great as an extra but focusing on all the TV stuff at a gaming event was just stupid.

 

Imagine if Microsoft had focused on gamers. Had a competative price, not pushed Kinect down everyones throats but make it optional with a big push on why you should get an Kinect not you have to pay for Kinect whether you want it or not!

 

An Xbox One at the same, or slightly lower, price as the PS4 at launch without all the stupid backtracked ideas such as always being connected, etc. God I remember that video where someone asked "what if they want to play offline [all the time]?" and the response was pretty much "we have a system for that and it's called Xbox 360!". Jesus.

 

That being said the Xbox One still has good sales, just not as good as Sony and the gap is pretty big and getting bigger even though the Xbox One is now cheaper than the PS4.

 

When Sony presented the PS4, all they had to do was say "Cheaper, no Kinect and no restrictions on used games". I wouldn't call that "nailing it".

 

They have been riding on a wave of good-will, since most gamers and their mothers have heard some exaggerated rumours about the XB1.

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

As time passes and board members shuffle direction can change in a company. When people say Sony nailed it I think its more about nailing going back to the gaming roots that saw the PS2 explode. Sometimes the simplest way to innovate is to carry on with what works and ignore what changes in time for other companies. Or let go of mistakes you've made and write them off, not aggressively pursue them further (motion gaming for one).

There's lots of supplements to the living room and gaming in general (tablets/mobiles). However gamers, the ones who pop a couple of hundred just to game haven't shrunk in numbers. The right approach was to appeal to the gamers who have been gaming for a long time and aren't going to stop.

Whenever you buy a console in the first few years, like it or not you are buying a little into potential. Gaming libraries take time to build. So out of the gates whoever has the message you think will give gaming value to your investment in years to come is who wins your purchase.

[Hedon]

Victory? The consoles are just over a year old. Good grief. Let's see how they are all doing 9 years from now.

[spaceelf]

Exactly, looking how bad performance is on both consoles now, the only thing Sony nailed is overhyping and tricking the consumer into thinking it was truly a futureproof 1080p60 device.

 

Funny that it's coming from him too when EA Access is only on the Xbox. What a joke!

He hasn't been with EA for some time.  He's currently CEO with Unity.

[President Devil]

He hasn't been with EA for some time.  He's currently CEO with Unity.

 

Yeah, good thing too. I didn't like where EA was going, not that it's much different now...

 

 

Victory? The consoles are just over a year old. Good grief. Let's see how they are all doing 9 years from now.

 

Indeed, I can't take anybody that says this console gen will last 10 years seriously when we're already seeing so many compromises to newer games. This will only be a temporary relief for Sony and relief is a big word because they're still making massive losses.

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

Yeah, good thing too. I didn't like where EA was going, not that it's much different now...

I can't take anybody that says this console gen will last 10 years seriously when we're already seeing so many compromises to newer games.

It lasts as long as the consoles stay on shelves. The PS3 and 360 will likely hit 10 years, especially as I expect potential price cuts/new slim hardware this year.

Yeah sure the PS5/Next Xbox may come in 5 years or so but that doesn't spell the end of the generation...

[+Anarkii Subscriber²]

It lasts as long as the consoles stay on shelves. The PS3 and 360 will likely hit 10 years, especially as I expect potential price cuts/new slim hardware this year.

Yeah sure the PS5/Next Xbox may come in 5 years or so but that doesn't spell the end of the generation...

Im gunna say it now, I think the PS5 and the Xbox 4 will be focussed on VR. 

[President Devil]

Im gunna say it now, I think the PS5 and the Xbox 4 will be focussed on VR. 

 

Well current gen sure isn't powerful enough to deliver rich VR experiences and there are still quite a few issues with all the current prototype headsets, so let's watch Sony "nail" that one too with Morpheus then.

[Psion7]

 

When Sony presented the PS4, all they had to do was say "Cheaper, no Kinect and no restrictions on used games". I wouldn't call that "nailing it".

 

They have been riding on a wave of good-will, since most gamers and their mothers have heard some exaggerated rumours about the XB1.

 

But that is nailing it. They listened and took advantage of the situation to really nail the Xbox One and we have seen that in sales comparisons. Had it been the otherway round everyone would be saying Microsoft nailed it like they did with the 360 at launch. Over the lifetime of last gen consoles things evened out that could happen here if Microsoft get some good exclusives to tip things in their favour but so far neither console has any "must buy a new console for this" games. Sony does have a wider selection of excellent exclusives, at least for the games I play. I am not a Halo addict and I don't like driving sims so Forza isn't really of any interest too me. Where Microsoft really doesn't do it for me is with RPGs. They have hardly any that are worth buying the console for so I can see myself getting much more use for my money with a PS4 over an Xbox One, at least if I go on past generation as a benchmark.

[spenser.d]

Im gunna say it now, I think the PS5 and the Xbox 4 will be focussed on VR.

A niche product? If they do that, they haven't learned anything from the past.

[XorpiZ]

But that is nailing it. They listened and took advantage of the situation to really nail the Xbox One and we have seen that in sales comparisons. Had it been the otherway round everyone would be saying Microsoft nailed it like they did with the 360 at launch. Over the lifetime of last gen consoles things evened out that could happen here if Microsoft get some good exclusives to tip things in their favour but so far neither console has any "must buy a new console for this" games. Sony does have a wider selection of excellent exclusives, at least for the games I play. I am not a Halo addict and I don't like driving sims so Forza isn't really of any interest too me. Where Microsoft really doesn't do it for me is with RPGs. They have hardly any that are worth buying the console for so I can see myself getting much more use for my money with a PS4 over an Xbox One, at least if I go on past generation as a benchmark.

 

I disagree. From my point of view the PS4 is extremely unambitious. They just made a slightly faster PS3.

 

The largest applause Sony has even gotten was when they announced that they weren't going to limit the sale of used games, wouldn't force a Kinect down the throat and would cost 399$ (afair?).

 

If the XB1 had launched with the same policies as they have now and at the same price as the PS4, Sony would've had bugger all to show at E3. They really, really got lucky this time.

[Draconian Guppy]

IMO nailing would be running other consoles out of business.

[gohpep]

Sure, it is getting more sales, but it isn't exactly nailing it. It's just a slightly better crap. What really matters is how these consoles perform in the long run, and I really don't think they are future proof enough. We're already getting to the breaking point in the consoles, and there are no 'hidden optimizations'.

[President Devil]

Sure, it is getting more sales, but it isn't exactly nailing it. It's just a slightly better crap. What really matters is how these consoles perform in the long run, and I really don't think they are future proof enough. We're already getting to the breaking point in the consoles, and there are no 'hidden optimizations'.

 

We're already there. The "1080p 60fps or give me death" has failed to hold up from the start.

 

IMO nailing would be running other consoles out of business.

 

Sony could never run MS out of business, if anything the opposite would likely happen with ease if MS put their will into it. Sony is literally putting all their eggs in the PlayStation basket and that could be their downfall if they make a mistake or a competitor suddenly comes out with a better system that does keep all their unkept promises.

[FunkyMike]

Sure, it is getting more sales, but it isn't exactly nailing it. It's just a slightly better crap. What really matters is how these consoles perform in the long run, and I really don't think they are future proof enough. We're already getting to the breaking point in the consoles, and there are no 'hidden optimizations'.

 

That was always the biggest concern that I saw. Even prior to the launch it was clear that the consoles were going to be running on mobile GPUs which would barely allow for 1080p.

 

Naturally this has some advantages for the PC crowd as games will always work more or less without needing to invest into the newest GPUs. Unless you are playing Star Citizen ...

 

Makes me wonder when the next generation of consoles will arrive. External GPUs could be a fun idea but also unrealistic with consoles.

[Osiris]

These consoles weren't designed to have the lifespan of ps3 or 360 and even though we on the forums bash their capabilities as already being on the limits, most consumers who aren't on forums like this  either a) don't give a damn or b) don't understand so these consoles will keep selling as is for quite some time but I think we'll see a new iteration quicker than we have previously.  MS is also good at playing the long game, I think next iteration combined with all the unification they are doing is going to put them in very good stead.