Phil Harrison resigns from SCE Worldwide Studios

[GUNDAMSEED]

http://www.scei.co.jp/corporate/release/080225e.html

okyo, February 25, 2008 – Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) today announced that Phil Harrison, President of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios (SCE WWS), will resign from Sony Computer Entertainment Group as of February 29, 2008. Kazuo Hirai, President and Group CEO of SCEI, will immediately assume responsibilities as president of SCE WWS, in addition to his current duties.

Prior to the launch of the original PlayStation®, Phil Harrison joined Sony Electronics Publishing, Ltd. in 1992, which later evolved into Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, and since then, he has made a tremendous contribution to the company playing a strategic role in the launch of four PlayStation platforms, as well as building strong relationships with game developers and publishers throughout the world. Since his appointment to the position of president, SCE WWS, Harrison applied his considerable skill, knowledge and expertise to lead SCE Group’s first party game development as well as aggressively pursuing the development of new online entertainment experiences.

“As one of the founding members of SCE, Phil played a key role in the development and growth of the PlayStation business and our industry,” said Kazuo Hirai. “It is sad to see him departing from SCE, but I wish to express my gratitude for his many invaluable contributions and also wish Phil the very best of luck in his future endeavors.”

“The past 15 years at Sony Computer Entertainment has been the defining journey of my life so far,” said Phil Harrison. “I am grateful to all the PlayStation family for their incredible support, guidance and friendship. It has been a privilege to serve as part of the team and be inspired by them on a daily basis. I am so proud of everything PlayStation has achieved and will continue to support its future in every way I can

HE will be miss best luck to you and i hope he stays with gaming

WTF RUMOR IS HE GOING TO ATARI WTF WTF

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=33463

[Coded-Dude]

sad to see him go, I wonder how Kaz will handle heading up SCEI and WWS

[CreativeWriter]

Hmm... It's always strange when these guys leave their companies, like free agents to another team.

[Rockmond]

Noooooooooo....

:cry2:

[KRA]

-rep

[jako]

Where can I apply for his job ? :)

[Coded-Dude]

Kaz already got it.....lol

[B Dizzle]

Being one of the few Sony execs with any remaining credibility(though the last 2 years have been truly testing), I think this is a massive blow for the company.

Surprisingly, I'm not that shocked. He's been asked to spin a shit load of plates with one arm tied behind his back, wearing a blindfold all the while smiling like a booth babe.

He seems like a straightforward guy who's had enough of having to be some one he's not.

Good luck in all you do, Phil.

Oh, and good luck trying to fill his boots, Kaz.

[jako]

So we'll have lots of RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDGE RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACER lol

[Fats]

Oh dear...

[the boney king of nowhere.]

http://blog.wired.com/photos/uncategorized/phil_harrison_lo.jpg

[Xclusion]

^Its not like he died.

[yoshaw]

Man, that's just not right!! Why'd he have to leave? One of the best executives in the gaming industry. And the only one who made Playstation3 some credit when everyone in the media was throwin crap at it.

*Salutes*


*Quietly prays this to be an April Fools joke done early*

[Sephiroth_VII]

Noooo.... :cry2:

A sad day for PlayStation. was so looking forwards to seeing him at the E3 press conference.

Come back soon, Phil! :salute:

[Black Dragon37]

Oh fuck...

[Insane Metal]

This is the saddest and worst news for Sony this gen. Holy shit, I´ll miss Phil in GDC and E3´s presentations... :(

[NickSCFC]

Put Kaz in his place? Way to kick us when we're down. The guy's a fucking joke!

Shame to see Phil go, I have an old EDGE mag from way back in 1995, his interview practically sold PlayStation to me. Would be nice to see him do well at Atari, can't bear to see a big name like Atatri doing so poorly these past few years.

[belgarn]

Sad day for the playstation community, he will be greatly missed at E3.

[jaxmkii]

Put Kaz in his place? Way to kick us when we're down. The guy's a fucking joke!

Shame to see Phil go, I have an old EDGE mag from way back in 1995, his interview practically sold PlayStation to me. Would be nice to see him do well at Atari, can't bear to see a big name like Atatri doing so poorly these past few years.

could be worse.... mr balmer

[Insane Metal]

Please... let´s make a petition asking him to come back :( :( :( :( :(

[Black Dragon37]

In your dreams, man.

[Raitei]

err.. ok?

until i see some negative impact from this, i dont really have a problem with it. Not saying Phil wasnt a cool guy, just, the world moves on and stuff

[B Dizzle]

E308 just wont be the same. Hirai with all the charisma of a foolscap notepad, trying to get the audience pumped for new titles.

Its gonna be soooo unpretty.

[LiquidEagle]

Goddamnit this is a bummer. Phil was a big part of the Playstation brand and its formation over the past 12 years... We can only hope somebody half as badass as him fills the position (Hirai's temporarily there, guaranteed)

[Jay Gee]

E3's gonna suck ass now. This whole thing sucks ass NOW.

[cliffbo]

very sad news this. Harrison was one of the most accomplished and charismatic figures in the industry and I for one will miss his Britishness and mild manner.

[Jay Gee]

I'm guessing even he was getting tired of all the fucking delays for this shit that was guaranteed a year ago. Probably got tired of being made a fool of. Can't say I blame him. But dude was so good at dodging loaded questions from biased interviewers that I'm sure it frustrated them more often than not. Plus, with this being "Sony's year," I was all ready for an uber-pumped up Harrison to give us the goods with the class and showmanship he's done for the past couple of years (that I've seen). So yeah, when you think about Trenton or Hirai up there on the stage, it could be an announcement that they've stolen Bungie from Microsoft somehow, and it'd still be a yawnfest. :\

[GTAce]

very sad news this. Harrison was one of the most accomplished and charismatic figures in the industry and I for one will miss his Britishness and mild manner.

[LiquidEagle]

People resign for more reasons than being dissatisfied with their job... until Phil or Sony actually talk about reasons it could have easily been personal issues as well...

He'll be missed but his work and efforts will continue to benefit SCE as a publisher/Developer, and us as gamers :)

[Leedogg]

What?????????????????? :(

[VG Aficionado]

Going to the declined Atari? WTF? I wonder what was so wrong at SCE for him to leave it for Atari of all the publishers out there. This is the worst news in the last year.

[cliffbo]

People resign for more reasons than being dissatisfied with their job... until Phil or Sony actually talk about reasons it could have easily been personal issues as well...

He'll be missed but his work and efforts will continue to benefit SCE as a publisher/Developer, and us as gamers :)

is there any indication of how he will continue supporting SCE?

edit: ATARI!!!!!!!!!!!!!! he must like a challenge

[GTAce]

Going to the declined Atari? WTF? I wonder what was so wrong at SCE for him to leave it for Atari of all the publishers out there. This is the worst news in the last year.

I can only quote im speechless....

[the boney king of nowhere.]

http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/6153/phillovexa1.jpg

[Jay Gee]

Like people said, best of luck. Sounds like he'll need it. Too bad Sony doesn't moneyhat their employees. But then, too bad Harrison probably doesn't respond well to being moneyhatted.

[cliffbo]

EDITOR’S VIEW: HARRISON’S PLAYSTATION LEGACY
By Colin Campbell Print | Send to a friend | Email the editor
Colin Campbell looks at the legacy of Phil Harrison’s 15-years with Sony; what his departure means for the company and his likely next move.

Image I enjoyed an agreeable lunch with Harrison a short while ago. He did not mention his plans for a new life outside Sony but, in retrospect, the clues were there.

He spoke passionately and at length about interactive entertainment’s online future and his belief in a new world in which retail packaged movies and games would be a thing of the past. These were strange views from a man representing Sony, the company that is launching the very physical, pre-packaged and shrink-wrapped universe of Blu-ray, at incredible risk and expense.

There was also a sense of completion. The games of 2008, some of which haven’t been announced yet, are all in deep stages of development now – largely beyond executive power - and will define the future of PS3 as a games platform. Harrison’s work on them is mostly done. If he were staying at Sony, his next job would be to begin preparing for the next hardware generation after PlayStation 3 – effectively his fifth hardware launch for the company (if you include PSP).

"Timing wise, this is a pretty good time to go. Apart from the fact that the launch phase of PS3 is coming to an end, it’s also looking increasingly like the platform will emerge victorious over Xbox 360."

He’s done launching consoles; so he won’t hop over to a direct Sony competitor; nor, I think, will he join an established third party publisher a la Peter Moore. Despite his association with the PlayStation name, Harrison is not really a brand man. He’s a technology man. He’s a nerd, disguised as a senior executive and he will be attracted to the cutting edge.

I believe his next move will be to a company specializing in downloadable or streaming game content - possibly some technological precursor to an open-platform future in which dedicated consoles from the likes of Sony and Microsoft become obsolete. If that were the case, you could argue that he’ll be working for a future without PlayStations…

Harrison and Sony

If Ken Kutaragi is the father of PlayStation, Phil Harrison has, these past 15 years, represented the face of PlayStation.

Therein lies Sony’s loss. This company is, at its core, the epitome of the faceless organization. Harrison managed to both convey the seriousness of Sony’s project and the passion of its chief protagonists within Sony. There can be little doubt that Sony’s achievements in this market have been immense and, at every turn, Harrison has been there to celebrate those achievements and to lay the groundwork for the next surge forward.

Which, alas, leads us to the inevitable first question, the one which I don’t doubt is firing up the forumites right now. Was he pushed?

I don’t believe so.

His responsibility was Sony’s worldwide network of game studios, now employing in the region of 2,500 people; a massive effort to impose a software identity on the PlayStation brand.

It’s clear that they have struggled to impose their creativity on PlayStation 3. There have been a few duffers released since PS3 launched in late 2006. But he leaves Sony in a stronger position, as a game publisher, than it’s been for some time.

The entire PS3 project has been an almighty struggle for Sony and, if you were to list the reasons for these problems, the relative underwhelming quality of the games thus far would come beneath issues like pricing, timing, positioning and the previous uncertainty over Blu-ray.

First party games have undoubtedly improved with Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction and Uncharted: Drake's Fortune providing cause for optimism. Sony execs are now making a big noise about the third generation of games, due to be released over the next 12 months, which have largely been developed under the aegis of Harrison’s worldwide developer network.

It was Harrison who introduced LittleBigPlanet and PlayStation Home at GDC 06; a moment at which PlayStation 3 stopped looking like a complete joke and started looking like a player.

He has also been key in pushing forward the notion of social gaming, through such products as SingStar, due for US release this June.

Other forthcoming games worthy of note include God of War 3, Gran Turismo 5, MotorStorm 2, Killzone 2 and SOCOM Confrontation among others. Unfortunately, Sony has yet to announce many of its next generation titles, so, at this point, it’s difficult to judge if the company has finally got its software offering right.

Timing wise, this is a pretty good time to go. Apart from the fact that the launch phase of PS3 is coming to an end, it’s also looking increasingly like the platform will emerge victorious over Xbox 360.

The scale of Blu-ray’s defeat of HD-DVD cannot be overstated. CES was the defining moment in this hardware generation.

For Sony, these last few years have been like a really challenging RTS game; wave after wave of enemies threatening to pull down all its achievements. Sure, it built a solid base with PlayStation and PS2, but then came Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Nintendo’s Wii; formidable enemies.

RTS games are predictable. The AI will throw ten waves at you, but if you survive the first two, you’ve as good as won. Harrison has stood with Sony through the worst of it.

Sony Without Harrison

So what happens now for Sony? Possibly, there’ll be yet another re-org with the studio system broken down into geographical parts. Harrison’s air-mile count has taken on inter-galactic proportions these past few years, as he has shuttled between Japan, North America and Europe – another reason for him to take a new direction in life.

Certainly, Sony needs to take a strategic view of its first party operations, but that doesn’t mean it needs a worldwide studio head with Harrison’s high visibility. It may also be difficult to find someone with his deep knowledge of game development (he began his career writing games); Japanese language and cultural skills; understanding of Sony’s corporate quirks and management acumen.

Sony does need to find someone who can deliver the good news and the bad at such events as E3 and GDC. One thing we have learned is the importance of a strong personality leading a hardware effort from the front. In my view, Nintendo has benefited enormously from the charisma of Reggie Fils-Aime and Satoru Iwata - and Microsoft’s public profile is suffering from the loss of Peter Moore. Sony has charismatic, charming people on its books, but they need to find one of them who appeals to the broad audience of hardcore consumers, hard-bitten media and the industry as a whole – a tough trick.

Harrison’s legacy is that he pulled off this trick as a man in his early 20s, and has carried it off continuously for 15 years - the ubiquitous demo ducks notwithstanding.

Doubtless, we’ll see him on these pages in the next few weeks, representing his next project with the same passion, authority and commitment; none of it faked, all of it genuine. The reason why we like him is because he believes it all completely.


http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9287&Itemid=2

[VideoGame mania]

Best man has to go which is always sad news, they need someone more aggressive.
I don't think Kaz got it, someone who will fight for exclusives and kick 3rd parties ass for sub 30fps games *cough* EA* cough*

[Fillibuster]

Aw fuck stick. Phil was awesome in the press conferences. Someone owes us an explanation! lol

[Jay Gee]

Reggie Fils-Aime
I blame this guys and his stupid name.

[Matt]

So, now what?

[section]

PH got fed with crappy PSN PAL store and moved elsewhere:

"where the fcuk is my PAIN?!?!1"

[cliffbo]

Aw fuck stick. Phil was awesome in the press conferences. Someone owes us an explanation! lol

you know me by now: Phill leaves Sony. Goes to Atari. EA buy Take Two. Rockstar split from Take Two and go to Atari. Sony buy Atari! :-p

[Matt]

:lol:

Sounds like a plan to me.

[GTAce]

Thats actually a pretty interesting thesis....
At least that Sony buys ATARI, why should someone with such a high position at Sony move to a company with so much problems like ATARI?

[cliffbo]

Thats actually a pretty interesting thesis....
At least that Sony buys ATARI, why should someone with such a high position at Sony move to a company with so much problems like ATARI?

exactly! unless they've found some money from somewhere.

[Matt]

exactly! unless they've found some money from somewhere.

They'll get money from Sony when they buy them, don't worry :P

[cliffbo]

They'll get money from Sony when they buy them, don't worry :P

your more confident than me on this theory (so far)

Infogrames own 51% od Atari by the way and are making a little known title called Alone In The Dark.

they also bought Hasbro, who makes CARDS and toys

[Matt]

I thought Atari was Infogrames, and they just renamed it?

Anyway, I was only joking around with your theory.

[curryking1]

Holy shit.... :ohno:

Why does my favourite Sony brass have to leave....

That's very sad..... :cry2:

There will never be a guy for SCEWW as cool as Phil Harrison. He's already immortalized himself with Playstation.

[TEEDA]

Oh no not Kaz damn.... lol
Everyone is leaving their position....
Moore at Sega....Harisson at Atari...
Stringer for the post ! lol

[cliffbo]

http://uk.gizmodo.com/David_Brent_111.jpg

"I can comfirm that Sony (that's a big Jap company) have contacted me... who else? eh? ... makes sense... no? to take Phill's position as the head of their gaming stuff. there will be plenty of money involved... at lease £500 quid a week... Ooo, Ooo... with bonussessss... obviously they've spotted my talent for lightening the mood and upping productivity. once i have my own office and personally inscribed stapler, i'll be good to go."

[nayrk]

I. Hate. Kaz.


I. <3. Phil.

[Black Dragon37]

:lol:

Awesome.

[zero 7]

ill miss his funny quoes lie "thats what i call a duck"

[GTShotoKen]

I feel sorry for Sony. Losing one of the more youthful faces of the company will be a blow.

I wish the best of luck to Phil.

[LaLiLuLeLo]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooo!!!!!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

[Matt]

Now now Lali.

[LaLiLuLeLo]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's not fair it's not fair!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v368/Lalilulelo/gifs/1188655466546.gif

[GTShotoKen]

I've read in another article that Phil was still personally agitated that he was telling the higher execs for years that Social gaming and Networking were the next big thing for the Playstation brand, but they were stuck in their ways. Xbox live becomes a huge success and the Wii's focus is based entirely on social gaming and playing with friends and family. Shit nearly has to hit the fan before the higher-ups start to listen to him more closely.

I know it becomes a pain to deal with older execs that have completely lost touch with their newer/younger costumer base and are stuck in their ways. That would make anyone annoyed with their job. I know that isn't close to being the only reason for his departure though (if he is truly "leaving" or just "Stepping Down").

Edit: "]“You have to give them [Nintendo] credit. It’s frustrating for me to experience, because I’ve been saying for years that playing games together is the future, but the guys in Japan [Sony] said that people just didn’t play that way. The Wii ads show the perspective from the television – of people on the sofa having fun together – which is very clever, so how pissed off am I?”

http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9261&Itemid=2

[drakkar]

I am shocked and saddened by this news! Phil you will be missed, but on another note good luck in your new endevours!

[Red]

Kaz is the better man for this job.

[LaLiLuLeLo]

But he can't do it all by himself. That's the thing.

[Old_Timer!]

Kaz will be fine, he's getting used to being at the podium and hopefully they get someone to help Kaz out soon. I say good luck Phil loved what you helped to create, best of luck matey.

[PSXBatou]

Kaz is overloaded as it is, this isn't going to make anything easier for him or the company. Mistakes happen when people get overloaded.

I think they need to regionalize the job, Harrison could make EU and US happy, but he didn't do a whole lot for Japan which really ruffled feathers in Tokyo. They need to make this more than a one man band, hire 3 people that are as dynamic as Harrison that can handle their perspective regions and collaborate with each other.

[Coded-Dude]

I agree that each region should have a leader, but considering it is WWS - I would imagine having one final decision maker would be better. Too many chiefs and not enough indians also causes issues. Its one reason why they merged.

[EDIT] lol at some of the comments regarding the Atari rumor.


Dude... wait... what?

We're talking about the same Atari that's currently in it's death throes, right?

Tell me there's some other Atari out there, with golden toilets and free waffles for every employee.

This is not Sparta, this is truly madness.

I almost fell off my chair when I read the title of this blog. Well, if anyone can save Atari (apart from the Justice League) its Phil Harrison.

if this is true, its time to
break the mergency move: jab,jab,short,->,fierce

all this ball breaking news suddenly this past sunday/monday.
no seriously, my jewels are getting sore.

go buy Atari Stock while its cheaper than gas!

[Sephiroth_VII]

I think it has to do with the heavy workload. He's getting older, so I guess he just wanted something where he wouldn't be traveling as much.

Besides, 15 years is a long time to be working on a single brand.

[Matt]

Besides, 15 years is a long time to be working on a single brand.

True, true.

All we can do is thank him for what he's done, and wish him luck for the future.

[cliffbo]

but this is the man for the job!

http://uk.gizmodo.com/David_Brent_111.jpg

"I can comfirm that Sony (that's a big Jap company) have contacted me... who else? eh? ... makes sense... no? to take Phill's position as the head of their gaming stuff. there will be plenty of money involved... at lease £500 quid a week... Ooo, Ooo... with bonussessss... obviously they've spotted my talent for lightening the mood and upping productivity. once i have my own office and personally inscribed stapler, i'll be good to go."

[Matt]

Then Sony is dooooomed!

[OG_Monkey]

Awwww, Phil was so cool too :(

[frosty]

I'm not sure there will even be an e3 this year for a sony press conference to be held at. I haven't heard the first peep from the ESA.

[Old_Timer!]

Sony will hold it's on Conference on HOME!

[Matt]

Sony will hold it's on Conference on HOME!

Ahh just imagine that. Having a virtual E3 conference, and having booths with the new demos. There'd still be loads of queues though :(

[cliffbo]

Sony will hold it's on Conference on HOME!

LOL! great idea... do you think EA would be there?

[Jay Gee]

Count on it. I can already see virtual EA avatars with virtual cash all ready for a virtual buyout of HOME. What a bunch of virtual dicks.

[gibmonster]

could be worse.... mr balmer

Or any other MS exec for that matter. All they do is make a lot noise, if they can't provide something competitors can, they talk it down...loudly. Next thing you know xbots are hyping the next thing that allows MS to nickle and dime em some more. Allowing MS to just sit back, tax their customers...they've never really been about progress.


I think Kaz will be fine, but they need to get someone else to help him out. I really think this is already too much for any one person. Unless there's something we haven't heard yet.

[OG_Monkey]

Sony will hold it's on Conference on HOME!

Lol, more like Sony will hold it's conference FROM HOME!



EDIT:...nooooooooooow i get your joke -_-....

[Coded-Dude]

:susp:

[OG_Monkey]

LOL shut up, i didnt get it at first....

[BruceWayneIII]

In so many ways he was the face of Playstation for me. His background, his commitment, his leadership style and for being such a friendly high-profile person in the industry. As of yesterday I mentioned that he and SCEWWS was the only reason why I could imagine leaving my country (professionally) for a couple of years - just to be able to be a part of their business development team and their on going effort of creating and sustaining a high level of innovation across the studios.

He will be very hard to replace and I will personally miss his way of representing Playstation and especially the PS3...

Sad news...

[orbtronik]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa305/orbtronik/5zm8g2p.gif
...don't believe ...won't believe ...sobsobsob

[SleazyBig slim]

I thought Kaz was ranked higher then Phil No? Frankly this makes me nervouse because Phil has overseen all the great PlayStation 1st party games since its inception, its like Miyamoto leaving Nintendo.

[bilbobob007]

I have read a lot of obituary's today that say Phil was the face of playstation. I've looked at my PS2 and PS3 from all angles and i just dont see it. They just dont look like Phil. Infact at one angle with the light shining right, my ps3 looked like me. Odd shaped face tho. Strange.

[Coded-Dude]

Kaz is president/ceo of SCEI(Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.) meaning he runs it all. Phil just ran SCE WWS(Sony Computer Entertainment World Wide Studios) meaning he had control over the game studios Sony owns(but had nothing to do with the hardware/firmware, etc.) I'm sure Kaz taking over is merely short time(until they find a replacement)

[cliffbo]

I have read a lot of obituary's today that say Phil was the face of playstation. I've looked at my PS2 and PS3 from all angles and i just dont see it. They just dont look like Phil. Infact at one angle with the light shining right, my ps3 looked like me. Odd shaped face tho. Strange.

with or without the reflection?

[bilbobob007]

Ah my reflection, never thought of that. thanks

Hey maybe i should claim to have seen the face of god reflected in its shining black finish. Oh i did it was me. (just a joke and sorry if i offend anyone here who is devoutly religious. now back to that manchester cathedral level on R:FOM 1)

[cliffbo]

Ah my reflection, never thought of that. thanks

Hey maybe i should claim to have seen the face of god reflected in its shining black finish. Oh i did it was me. (just a joke and sorry if i offend anyone here who is devoutly religious. now back to that manchester cathedral level on R:FOM 1)

you didn't offend me, Christ just left Sony to go to Atari

[Lucid Delusion]

I'm gonna miss Phil's wit and humor during press conferences. Anyone think this'll mean a promotion for Tretton?

[cliffbo]

I'm gonna miss Phil's wit and humor during press conferences. Anyone think this'll mean a promotion for Tretton?

i was thinking that too... you never know

[bilbobob007]

To be serious just once at least Phil is going to be missed. What ever pulled him away from Sony was big. Very big. And i hope very lucrative for him.

First Peter Moore leaves Microsoft now Phil leaves Sony. Who next the guy from nintendo whos name i cannot spell.

[PSXBatou]

It could be worse, Sony could have made a huge mistake that costed them billions and invested in a format that died.. Look on the bright side :)

http://www.nintendoplayers.com/praxis/pics/360EpicFail.jpg

$49.99 HD DVD player add-on anyone?

http://www.nintendoplayers.com/praxis/pics/microsoftbadidea.jpg

Sony will be fine and recover from this. Phil did his job well but honestly I see him as the type to love a challenge and since the PS3 is off on its own and doing well it is now time for him to move on to another challenge.

Lets hope they regionalize the job and split it up a bit.

[OmniCloud]

I've just become a Nintendo fan...

ok ok...maybe not that serious, Sony really does have all the franchises kinda already in place...

meh, as long as PS4 stays Playstation, I'm happy for Phil...

but if it sucks, then my gaming hobby will probably cease along with it:cry2:

[Praxis]

http://www.nintendoplayers.com/praxis/pics/360EpicFail.jpg

:lol::beer:

Poor Microsoft.

I wonder how things would have gone if they had bundled HD-DVD in with the 360. There would have been many more HD-DVD players on the market, but the 360 might have died off from being too expensive (selling much less during year 1, and then being absolutely crushed by the Wii and PS3 launches).

[EvilTaru]

I thought Kaz was ranked higher then Phil No? Frankly this makes me nervouse because Phil has overseen all the great PlayStation 1st party games since its inception, its like Miyamoto leaving Nintendo.

Actually they have people like Shuhei Yoshida and Connie Booth working on product development long before Phil had even entered the scene.

[EvilTaru]

Wait, aside from being a decent spokesperson what exactly did Phil do that made him all that special? Do you guys like what they've released this year in terms of first-party content on the PS3? Oh wait... that's right, NOTHING. Under Phil's management there had been nothing but delay after delay.

Heavenly Sword - delayed, decent but not great
Warhawk - delayed
Motorstorm - delayed
Singstar - delayed in NA
Getaway PS3 - nowhere to be seen
Eight Days - what?
Infamous - still under wraps
SOCOM Confrontation - supposed to be out in Christmas but delayed
LAIR - bomba
Sony Japan - output abysmal
Zipper - missing
Santa Monica - decided to milk the PS2 for one more game and is now a whole development cycle behind the rest.
Bend - can't handle PS3 development

Basically out of all of the studios only Insomniac and Naughty Dog met their deadlines. The holiday 2007 line-up was thin as hell and had basically two great first-party games, early 2008 is thin on first-party titles as well, and guess what? The buck stops with Phil.

[VG Aficionado]

Yeah, I've thought about that too. SCEWWS hasn't been doing a lot lately and we haven't been getting a lot of news either. Too many good games are being delayed and we never hear of them. Now I wonder what was first: difficulties getting out first party games or Phil Harrison's issues.

[OmniCloud]

That's the thing Taru, he was the only good spokesperson @ Sony...lol

maybe the games will come out on schedule now, but Phil made you feel good about a PS3 when the games didn't even hit yet!!!

[GTShotoKen]

Yeah, I've thought about that too. SCEWWS hasn't been doing a lot lately and we haven't been getting a lot of news either. Too many good games are being delayed and we never hear of them. Now I wonder what was first: difficulties getting out first party games or Phil Harrison's issues.

Well, He wasn't developing the games. If he forces the studios to release the games early or they are worse than they will be then he will be blamed for that too.

At least he kept people confident (like Omni said). :)

[EvilTaru]

I'm not sure if games will now come out on schedule but I don't think Phil leaving will be the be all and end all when a lot of the titles developed at SCEWW were overseen by people like Shuhei and Connie, as well as folks like Allan Becker.

[Nameless]

It's never a good sign when senior leadership jump ship...
First Ken was forced out and now Phil; there's definately some leadership issues within Sony.

If it was not for the recent Blu-ray win this would be viewed as a sign of something bad to come...

[TEEDA]

Wait, aside from being a decent spokesperson what exactly did Phil do that made him all that special? Do you guys like what they've released this year in terms of first-party content on the PS3? Oh wait... that's right, NOTHING. Under Phil's management there had been nothing but delay after delay.

Heavenly Sword - delayed, decent but not great
Warhawk - delayed
Motorstorm - delayed
Singstar - delayed in NA
Getaway PS3 - nowhere to be seen
Eight Days - what?
Infamous - still under wraps
SOCOM Confrontation - supposed to be out in Christmas but delayed
LAIR - bomba
Sony Japan - output abysmal
Zipper - missing
Santa Monica - decided to milk the PS2 for one more game and is now a whole development cycle behind the rest.
Bend - can't handle PS3 development

Basically out of all of the studios only Insomniac and Naughty Dog met their deadlines. The holiday 2007 line-up was thin as hell and had basically two great first-party games, early 2008 is thin on first-party titles as well, and guess what? The buck stops with Phil.

I think we' ll never see eight days any time soon. At the time it was cancelled the project became " red steel " for WII i think.
=/

[Red]

Wait, aside from being a decent spokesperson what exactly did Phil do that made him all that special? Do you guys like what they've released this year in terms of first-party content on the PS3? Oh wait... that's right, NOTHING. Under Phil's management there had been nothing but delay after delay.

Heavenly Sword - delayed, decent but not great
Warhawk - delayed
Motorstorm - delayed
Singstar - delayed in NA
Getaway PS3 - nowhere to be seen
Eight Days - what?
Infamous - still under wraps
SOCOM Confrontation - supposed to be out in Christmas but delayed
LAIR - bomba
Sony Japan - output abysmal
Zipper - missing
Santa Monica - decided to milk the PS2 for one more game and is now a whole development cycle behind the rest.
Bend - can't handle PS3 development

Basically out of all of the studios only Insomniac and Naughty Dog met their deadlines. The holiday 2007 line-up was thin as hell and had basically two great first-party games, early 2008 is thin on first-party titles as well, and guess what? The buck stops with Phil.


Rep for you. I thought exactly the same. Phil took the development not serious enough. And how could it be that every studio delayed their games.

[lips]

phil was a good face man. its a shame everyone loves you when they are making money, and if things ever are a little shaking, so many are waiting bated to steal the metaphorical knife in the back. Would love to see more of phil in the future, not sure if atari is a large enough company for him, I would say I would be happy to see his return to sony!

[Raijin]

I think we' ll never see eight days any time soon. At the time it was cancelled the project became " red steel " for WII i think.
=/

Eight Days is a SCE game, I doubt It would had gone on Wii.

[TEEDA]

Eight Days is a SCE game, I doubt It would had gone on Wii.

Lol sorry my bad, I was confused. I meant Killing day lol
http://image.jeuxvideo.com/images/p3/k/i/kidap3001.jpg

[TEEDA]

phil was a good face man. its a shame everyone loves you when they are making money, and if things ever are a little shaking, so many are waiting bated to steal the metaphorical knife in the back. Would love to see more of phil in the future, not sure if atari is a large enough company for him, I would say I would be happy to see his return to sony!

He took everyone's attention from his E3 presentation with Home last year. It was unexpected and a brillant idea. he 's someone really great at Sony. And yes it's really not fair to have him leaving Sony.
It's not that I dislike Kaz but he's like the amerian cowboy and Phill looks like the British gentleman from SCE and i found him really charismatic...
But well as things are going now hope Kaz will do a great job to keep things on right hands.
BUt it's not always good to have " one " man doing to much things. they could just have choosen someone else.
Put David Jaffe on this post !!!!!

[Sephiroth_VII]

David left Sony Santa Monica long ago :shrug:

[TEEDA]

Yup I know ..... Damn why did all those great guys leave so far ?
Gice us Jason Rubin back lol. He would have made a perfect SCE president.

[LiquidEagle]

is there any indication of how he will continue supporting SCE?

Officially, I don't think so, I was mainly talking about his legacy and how his hard work will continue to pay off even when he's left Sony.

[cliffbo]

Sony's New Executive Appointments
Three key positions filled.
by Ryan Clements

US, February 25, 2008 - It looks like Phil Harrison's sudden resignation was not the only change in Sony's executive lineup as of late. In a recent press release, Sony Computer Entertainment America announced the appointment of three new key executives: Robert Dyer to Senior Vice President of Publisher Relations, Ian Jackson to Vice President of Sales and Sally Buchanan to Vice President of Human Resources. These positions will take effect in March and April of 2008, and the executives will report directly to SCEA President and CEO Jack Tretton.

"Rob Dyer, Ian Jackson and Sally Buchanan's proven records of strategic leadership and innovation, combined with their extensive industry experience re-enforce their new roles as a great fit for our organization," said Tretton. "These three appointments augment an already strong executive staff at SCEA and provide the company with additional leadership to focus on key relationships with some of the most important constituencies, our publishing partners, retail community, and internal employees, as we continue to build on the momentum generated in early 2008 by the PlayStation family of products."

We'll keep you posted on further developments as they become available

http://uk.ps3.ign.com/articles/854/854903p1.html

a little on Dyer:

Dyer will be responsible for executing the strategy and vision for SCEA's industry partnerships with external developers and publishers as well as oversee strategic co-marketing programs. Dyer, who has more than two decades of senior leadership experience in the game and entertainment industry, joins SCEA from Crave Entertainment Group, where he served as President and COO since 2004, and helped to direct the game and publishing company to secure more than $300 million in revenue in 2007. Prior to joining Crave Entertainment Group, Dyer managed all areas of operations as President of Eidos Interactive and Crystal Dynamics, two of the industry's leading developers and publishers ofentertainment software.

With Dyer's appointment, Riley Russell will move into a more focused position as Chief Legal Officer and Senior Vice President of Corporate Development including the additional responsibility of managing licensee relations for first-party intellectual properties.

[cliffbo]

is Harrison considering Nintendo?

Sony and Microsoft execs praise iPhone and Wiimote for ease of use

Phil Harrison, outgoing exec at Sony's worldwide studios, and Peter Molyneux, boss of Microsoft's Lionhead studio, have both agreed that home console controllers are too complex and put new users off playing videogames.

"You hand somebody a game controller and it's like you've handed them a live gun or a hand grenade with the pin taken out," commented Harrison during GDC last week.

"We don't use half the buttons on the 360 controller,” admitted Molyneux, "simply because the whole dream I've got is that someone will sit down to play Fable 2 who has never played a game before and they can play with someone who's played games the whole of their lives.

"I wish there wasn't so many buttons on the controller. You have to approach that in design terms by thinking you've only got one button," he added.

Harrison praised Nintendo's Wiimote for being a "non-game centric device" which has bought an element of "democratisation" to controlling videogames. He was also impressed with Apple's iPhone for appealing to a user's natural instincts.

"I saw this first hand a few weeks ago where a two year old was playing with an iPhone and he knows how to get the pictures up of mum and dad. The two year-old then intuitively thought that all electronic devices worked like that," said Harrison. "He's pressing the TV to change channels."

"He's right and the rest of us are wrong – that should be applied universally. Apple should be applauded for that innovation," he added.


http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=33508

[Heinrich4]

Its bad for sony,couse PH is something like "active voice" for devs ,flexibility,inovation (contacts with guys of Little big planet,Ratchet etc) and PsEdge.

(i dont like Kaz "riiiiidgeeee Raaaaaaceeeer" Hirai in charge....)

[yoshaw]

Retrospective: Phil Harrison

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/images/SCEE_PhilHarrison.jpg

Rob Fahey 12:30 (BST) 26/02/2008

There are three distinct types of people who sit at the high tables of the console business - those who started out in engineering, those who started out in sales and management, and those who started out in development and design. You can, if you want to apply broad brushstrokes to the whole market, divide up the three platform holders according to those definitions.

If Nintendo is the company primarily run by executives who started out making games, and Microsoft's top dogs mostly walked the marketing and sales path to their seats of power, then Sony's story in recent years is one of transition - from the engineers who started up SCE, to the sales and management guys who have gradually replaced them. With dyed-in-the-wool engineer Ken Kutaragi removed in favour of lifetime sales and marketing type Kaz Hirai, the transition seems complete.

In the midst of all this, Phil Harrison has been an anomaly. Twenty years ago, Harrison took early steps into the games business as a graphic artist and game designer, working for hire in the flourishing UK development scene. By the time he became one of the most public faces of the PlayStation, he was a seasoned executive - but Harrison's roots in development have always been evident, and have always made him into a distinctive part of the Sony machine.

Development Roots

After spending five years heading up development for the then-successful British publisher Mindscape International, Harrison joined Sony in 1992 - an early arrival to the firm's nascent games business. Sony Computer Entertainment hadn't even been officially formed at that point, and it would be another two years before the PlayStation launched in Japan.

Harrison's job was to sell the concept of the PlayStation to the European game development industry, convincing a market largely beholden to SEGA and Nintendo that there could be a third way - and that Sony was very, very serious about games. At the same time, he was also responsible for building Sony's in-house development abilities, in the form of the SCEE London Studio.

Years later, that same studio would be instrumental in making Harrison into a figurehead for a new kind of gaming, precipitating a radical shift in how the PlayStation - and gaming as a whole - is seen by the public, and possibly even driving a serious wedge between Harrison and his bosses in Japan. In the early nineties, however, as the launch of the PlayStation approached and Sony began to secure its place at the heart of the industry, that was still a long way down the road - and for now, Harrison's sights were set a long way from London.

In 1996, with the PlayStation successfully launched all around the world, Harrison crossed the Atlantic and took up a position at SCEA. For the next four years, he would work there as Vice President of Third Party Relations and Research and Development - a similar role to the one he had held in London, but on a larger scale, with all of Sony's North American software development, both internal and external, under his control.

When Harrison returned to the UK, Sony's place in the games industry had been transformed. He left in 1996, when a promising launch for the PlayStation was allowing the company to establish itself as a serious player. By 2000, Sony wasn't just a serious player - it was the only serious player. PlayStation had demolished the opposition in the previous generation, and even the threat of its successor, PS2, had been enough to cripple SEGA's Dreamcast. With Nintendo's re-entry to the market still far off on the horizon, and Microsoft finding it tough to garner any credibility for its Xbox plans, Sony was on top of the world.

For the next five years, Harrison reprised his role once more in Europe - keeping a watchful eye on both the firm's third-party developers, and its first-party products. With thirteen years of managing software development in Europe and North America for the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 behind him by 2005, there can be no doubt that Phil Harrison put his stamp firmly on the success of both consoles - even if, within the global, sprawling entity that is Sony, it can be hard to establish exactly where one man's contribution ends and another's begins.

"Target Renders"

We don't mean to gloss over Harrison's achievements as head of development for SCEE, by any means, and we'll return to them in due course - but 2005 is the year that most readers will want to hear about. It was the year when two major changes brought Phil Harrison to the attention of the gaming world, turning him from one of the backroom powerhouses behind the success of the PlayStation into a global figurehead for Sony.

Internally, he was promoted to head up SCE's new Worldwide Studios operation, taking responsibility for all of Sony's game development, all over the world. Externally - and very publicly - he also became the face of the company's most controversial E3 press conference ever.

Only Harrison himself can possibly know if he felt a sense of trepidation before taking the stage in Los Angeles in May 2005 to demonstrate the PlayStation 3 for the first time. Beyond simple stage nerves, there was the fact that Sony was taking a radically different approach to Microsoft - with the PS3's game line-up being shown off as "target renders", essentially CG movies that approximated the power of the console, while Microsoft's stable was being demonstrated in underwhelming but honest form on development hardware.

Even though senior Microsoft executives privately conceded that they'd made a mistake by showing raw, unfinished and underpowered code rather than slick renders, it's Sony whose performance is still lambasted almost three years later. The media was impressed by what was really their first taste of next-gen graphics; Sony's presentation, ironically, was closer visually to the final quality of games on both the Xbox 360 and the PS3 than anything Microsoft showed on its development hardware. However, once it became clear how little of the presentation had been run on PS3 hardware, the backlash against Sony's perceived dishonesty was swift, and unforgiving.

For Harrison, it was an ignominious beginning to what was to be a very public few years. It seems unlikely that he anticipated the backlash against the rendered footage, and indeed, he was perfectly honest about the nature of "target renders", as they're known, in the immediate wake of the conference. Despite his development background, his career as an executive has left Harrison no stranger to corporate double-speak - which makes it all the more ironic that in this famous incident, he genuinely seemed to intend no subterfuge.

Despite the backlash against Sony's perceived dishonesty, however, Harrison went on to become the lynchpin of the firm's PR plans at conferences such as E3 and GDC - and in the wake of the PS3's announcement, he was an even more regular face in interviews and speeches than former PR figureheads Kaz Hirai and Ken Kutaragi. Affable, well-spoken and passionate about his games, Harrison was reinvented as a great public speaker and cornerstone of Sony's next-gen ambitions.

Internal Divides

The negative aura that had been generated by E3 2005's target renders, however, never quite went away. Even as Harrison demonstrated groundbreaking, exciting software like Singstar, LittleBigPlanet and PlayStation Home (only one of which would actually make it into consumers' hands before his departure from Sony), there was still a strong whiff of cynicism and mistrust in coverage of his statements.

Harrison himself was by no means oblivious to this, but Sony's own stifling corporate environment prevented him from using the kind of direct, honest speech that could have dispelled the atmosphere of cynicism. Many journalists who interviewed Harrison noted that once the tape stopped rolling, he was honest and direct to the extent of actually being incredibly blunt, even about Sony's own failings.

On the record, however, he was corporate through and through - guarded, carefully worded and professional. In the absence of the relatively free rein given to rival executives like Peter Moore to speak bluntly and in plain language, Harrison unquestionably faced a tougher struggle to win respect from his audience.

It certainly didn't help, either, that while Harrison's statements - be they in speeches or in interviews - tended to be comparatively modest and conciliatory, those of his bosses and colleagues at Sony were quite the opposite. Ken Kutaragi's astonishing claims that people would get second jobs to pay for PS3s, Kaz Hirai's litany of boastful, over the top presentations and statements, Jack Tretton's dishonesty (or ignorance, take your pick) over PS3 stock levels - it occasionally felt like the altogether more diplomatic Harrison was being wheeled out simply to take the flak and to smooth the ruffled feathers caused by the rest of Sony's execs' inability to open their mouths without sticking their feet in.

Once the PS3 had launched and some - although not all - of the hardware questions were settled, Harrison could at least fall back on doing what he did best - software. His presentations no longer carried any hint of target renders or question marks over the abilities of the console. Instead, he has been responsible in no small part for rekindling interest in a console whose thunder, among hardcore fans, had been stolen by Microsoft - and while the PS3's software promise is still only partially fulfilled, Harrison's unveiling of titles such as Home and LittleBigPlanet have played a major role in igniting interest since the launch of the hardware.

However, recent months and years have also revealed a divide between Harrison and his compatriots at Sony - a divide which may have been even wider than the gulf which separates his measured, British presentations from their bombastic, immodest proclamations.

This is a divide which has its roots back in 2003, when Harrison really made his debut at Sony's E3 conference - not leading the presentation, a task which fell to Kaz Hirai, but as the executive whose backing had kept the green light lit for an intriguing new concept called Eye Toy.

Keeping Social

Eye Toy was the first of a series of concepts to emerge from SCEE's development offices (and their close third-party partners) which, slowly but surely, began to reinvent the PlayStation as a casual, social device that could be the life and soul of a party, rather than being a solitary, anti-social pursuit. While Microsoft chased the idea of playing together online, SCEE's development efforts went into getting people to play together on the same sofa, in the same living room, and with the whole household involved.

Although Kaz Hirai expressed great enthusiasm for Eye Toy on stage at E3 2003, however, the rest of Sony never quite understood the great social gaming experiment being undertaken at SCEE. Singstar followed Eye Toy, and quiz game Buzz followed Singstar - and in Europe, at least, incredibly strong sales of PlayStation 2 hardware and software, even late into the life of the console, followed those franchises. Just as Sony had reinvented the public perception of gaming when it put Tekken and WipEout into night clubs in the mid-nineties, so too did it reinvent public perception by putting Singstar and Buzz into living rooms across Europe.

Outside Europe, it was a different story. SCEA and SCEI simply never picked up on the products with the same enthusiasm as their European counterparts, and seemed all too ready to dismiss them as a quirky British phenomenon when less impressive sales inevitably followed half-hearted promotion efforts.

It's only in the past week, with the end of his tenure at Sony on the horizon, that Harrison has revealed a glimpse at the frustration he felt with the rest of Sony over this issue. Speaking at a lunch event during GDC, he recounted being told by Japanese colleagues that there was simply no such thing as social gaming in Japan, and that people do not sit around on each other's sofas to play games.

Despite these rebuffs, Harrison continued to pursue the idea of social gaming - putting online-enabled versions of Singstar and Buzz for the PS3 into development, driving the vision for PlayStation Home, and evangelising the power of user-generated content in LittleBigPlanet. Meanwhile, of course, he also oversaw the creation of the firm's hardcore portfolio - headline titles like Killzone 2, MotorStorm and their ilk - but it's social gaming that is Harrison's real legacy to Sony.

And yet it is a bittersweet legacy. While Sony's consoles are still the product of choice for social games of some types - karaoke and quizzes, especially - the fact that Harrison's exhortations fell on deaf ears in Japan has seen Sony lose huge amounts of ground to its oldest rival in the games business, Nintendo. The Wii has destroyed any notion that people don't sit on one another's sofas to play games, or at least stand in front of them - but a little too late for Sony, who must now play catch-up to position the PS3 as a desirable platform for casual gamers.

Harrison's tenure at Sony has, at least, given it the tools to do exactly that. While Microsoft struggles to come up with a response to the Wii, Sony has healthy franchises that could - in time - make the PS3 into a welcome part of every social living room. It will happen, however, without Harrison himself.

His resignation, like Peter Moore's last year, leaves the game console business without one of its best-known and most respected figureheads - but we don't believe for a second that Harrison's ambitions for social and connected gaming have been fully realised, nor that he is simply abandoning them. Those in the industry who are concerned with reaching the mass-market and building the social credibility of gaming will watch carefully to see where Phil Harrison reappears.


http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=33511

[Zer0-Sum]

The Phil Harrison Letters

meandphil.JPG It's no secret that we're big fans of almost-former Sony Worldwide Studios head Phil Harrison. In fact, he, J Allard, Peter Moore and Reggie make up our video game exec dream team, a crusading force that we imagine takes to the streets at night to bludgeon criminals to death with their no-nonsense quotes and fierce scowls.

When we heard that Harrison was going the way of Moore and Allard, fleeing from his job to parts unknown, we were genuinely concerned. So concerned, in fact, that Luke made up a missing person flyer and like clockwork Harrison was spotted... by Harrison.

From: Phil Harrison To: Brian Crecente

Hey Brian,

Hope all is well - I missed you at GDC, sorry our paths didn't manage to cross.

As I wind things down here at SCE this week, I wanted to reach out and say "thank you" for what has been a fun and entertaining few years skirmishing along either side of the PlayStation story.

While the vast majority of your posts have been bang on target; many made me laugh out loud, some have made me want to throw things around the office and some have just been, er, wrong. But the one thing they all share in common is that they've been written with absolute passion for games and commitment to your readers and for that I salute you.

I'm sure our paths will cross again but for now I look forward to my new adventure with great excitement and a life where my used chewing gum has less significance.

BTW, important fact checker: As anyone who really knows me is aware, I'm 6'7" not 6'6'...(cue smutty headline about the extra inch making all the difference)

Also, where the hell did you get that picture from? Seems like I have a mouth full of food...

Take care and best wishes,

Phil

P.S. I guess the Reggie, Peter, Phil group hug will have to wait a while...

From: Brian Crecente To: Phil Harrison

Hey Phil,

I really appreciate the email and the kind words. We really did mean we it when we said we would miss you. Sony needs more people like you not less. Not only did you do a good job of running Worldwide Studios, but you helped personalize a company that I think some felt was starting to turn its back on gamers. Of course, we all know it wasn't, but it was good to have you out there dealing with the issues and answering questions without trying to spin them.

Feel free to drop us a line when you're ready to say where you're headed.

Brian

p.s. Can I post this email? I think our readers would LOVE it.

It's worth noting that Harrison OKed me posting his email only after I agreed to post my suck-upish reply to him as well. Dammit. At least I know we only have to wait until Monday to find out where he's landed.

http://kotaku.com/362601/the-phil-harrison-letters

Pretty trippy man. See yah later Phil. Good journey's.

[Sephiroth_VII]

I love the guy. Hopefully, he ends up in a really great company.

[Zer0-Sum]

I love the guy. Hopefully, he ends up in a really great company.

Yah me too. Who knows where he ends up? It is is even the video games industry. He may just move on to something new.

Harrison's gum. :lol: That is funny...

[BruceWayneIII]

Man, I am really going to miss Phil representing the PS3. He is one of the few executives with a background in computer graphics from way back and that lends him a lot of credibility.

[LiquidEagle]

Man, I am really going to miss Phil representing the PS3. He is one of the few executives with a background in computer graphics from way back and that lends him a lot of credibility.

For sure!

[Segitz]

Yah me too. Who knows where he ends up? It is is even the video games industry. He may just move on to something new.

Harrison's gum. :lol: That is funny...

Harrison's Headwax :D

[KRA]

"We don't use half the buttons on the 360 controller,” admitted Molyneux, "simply because the whole dream I've got is that someone will sit down to play Fable 2 who has never played a game before and they can play with someone who's played games the whole of their lives.

why so many devs seems to have this strange dream that
somebody that know nothing about controler could sit and play...

it's not like man have to have some magical powers to learn and use controler.

com'on
why writers don't have a dream that anyone could read book don't knowing
alphabet ?!
or maybe they have... ehh

[cliffbo]

Atari announcement on Monday morning: Phil-ing lucky?

March 1st, 2008 @ 22:54

A source close to Atari, speaking under conditions of strict anonymity, has told us that an announcement from the publisher’s top brass is expected on Monday morning.

Word has also reached us that new Atari boss David Gardner and Phil “you’re not SCEEing any more” Harrison are are on the same flight to New York on Monday.

Whatever could it mean?

http://www.videogaming247.com/2008/03/01/atari-announcement-on-monday-morning-phil-ing-lucky/

[dnpmakkah]

I wonder if Phil saw Home and Killzone was like "oh shit better get outta here".

[Viper]

His departure has probably nothing to do with worry over the PS3 itself. Just as 3 NOA execs recently bailed due to NOA moving certain functions to other cities despite Nintendo having the best financial windfall in the companies 100+ year history.

While a shock to be sure, Atari (or where ever he actually goes) most likely is offering something that appeals to him fundamentally. I doubt it's money as I'm sure Sony paid him well so it's probably a location or creative freedom issue.

Good luck to him.

[cliffbo]

His departure has probably nothing to do with worry over the PS3 itself. Just as 3 NOA execs recently bailed due to NOA moving certain functions to other cities despite Nintendo having the best financial windfall in the companies 100+ year history.

While a shock to be sure, Atari (or where ever he actually goes) most likely is offering something that appeals to him fundamentally. I doubt it's money as I'm sure Sony paid him well so it's probably a location or creative freedom issue.

Good luck to him.

damn!!! i have to agree with you AGAIN! this is getting boring, Viper lol

[cliffbo]

okay it's a stretch... Harrison was closely linked with HOME... as theories go this is lame, i know that, but i think it is worth considering which console they are thinking of and if Harrison is going to have a hand in it?

Atari looks to online space for salvation

8 Comments by Alexander Sliwinski Mar 3rd 2008 9:35AM
Filed under: Business

Infogrames' new CEO, David Gardner, believes subsidiary Atari's recovery lies in the online gaming space. GI.biz reports Gardner would like to move the financially pummeled company to secure server-based and free-to-play gaming. He believes the way people will want to play and buy their games is "networks centric."

Gardner would like to leverage the brands Atari holds and states that the future for the company in gaming is creating high quality games playing on servers where customers don't have to worry about configurations and performance issues. Pro tip: Something like that exists and it's called console gaming. GI.biz will publish its full interview with Gardner tomorrow where he'll discuss his plans (after the board obviously didn't like the last CEO's) on turning Atari's misfortunes around.

[qzak]

okay it's a stretch...
QFT :-p

[cliffbo]

QFT :-p

has MS got free-to-play gaming?

[Jasonps3]

Phil Harrison named president of Infogrames
Matt Martin 22:51 (BST) 03/03/2008

Phil Harrison joins Atari

Former Sony worldwide studios boss Phil Harrison has taken the position of president of Infogrames, working beside newly appointed CEO David Gardner.

As revealed by GamesIndustry.biz last week, Harrison has joined the reinvigorated Atari brand, with the respected veteran now in charge of pushing the company's software business into the online space.

""This is the perfect time to join Infogrames and help shape the future of Atari - one of the industry's legendary brands. As the game business moves rapidly online I believe we have an outstanding opportunity to create amazing network game and community experiences for players the world over.

"I am especially excited to be working on this challenge together with David, one of the most respected leaders and successful executives in our industry," said Harrison.

Harrison joined Sony in 1992 - two years prior to the launch of the PlayStation in Japan - and was responsible for building the SCEE London Studio. He has overseen a large number of high-profile successes, including titles such as EyeToy, SingStar and the forthcoming PlayStation Home project.

After serving as SCEA's vice president of third party relations and research and development from 1996 to 2000, Harrison returned to the UK and became head of Sony Worldwide Studios. He announced his resignation from Sony last week.

CEO Gardner told GamesIndustry.biz today that the company is refocusing its business on the online markets, leveraging the Atari name with the intention of becoming an industry leader in the sector.

"That's where we need to get a lot smarter, a lot quicker, and use this famous brand," said Gardner.


http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=33707

[GTAce]

Everything makes sense....

[VG Aficionado]

Meh.

[Sephiroth_VII]

Anyone want to join me to petition for a live stream of Atari's E3 keynote?

[LiquidEagle]

"That's where we need to get a lot smarter, a lot quicker, and use this famous brand," said Gardner.

They need to make some better goddamn games first before they really worry about online IMO...

[Zer0-Sum]

Harrison is working for Atari? No shit? That is crazy wack! What is he going to do there? This is all very strange and intriguing to say the least. Atari stole Harrison from Sony. I wonder what they offered him. Maybe he just wanted a new gig. This is so trippy....

Everything makes sense....

That makes sense? Nothing here makes sense anymore in this thread. If you see some sense in this please revel it to me. Harrison leaving a monolith that is Sony for the fucked up mess that is Atari. How in gods name does that make any sense at all?

[LiquidEagle]

Like Viper said, it most likely wasn't for money, and it's not like he was "jumping ship" from Sony because they're on the up & up, so it must have just been like a personal pursuit... Considering Atari's got a lot of crap maybe he just likes the tough PR questions :-p

[Zer0-Sum]

Like Viper said, it most likely wasn't for money, and it's not like he was "jumping ship" from Sony because they're on the up & up, so it must have just been like a personal pursuit... Considering Atari's got a lot of crap maybe he just likes the tough PR questions :-p

I still don't get it. Maybe he does just want a new challenge and ge was getting bored at Sony. I wonder if he is a good friend of one of the execs over at Infogrames/Atari. His buddy begged him to come on over to help them with the cluster fuck that Atari has become.

Hey Phil, wanna make cash hand over fist? Make an all new innovative MMO based off of the "Forgotten Realms" in D&D. ALL OF THE REALMS. I just want to wander the streets of Waterdeep with my friends on-line. That bullshit D&D;Online game that Atari made just shit. The world was crap. It was shallow and boring.

[GTAce]

Zer0 read my posts in the thread and you will understand what i mean.

[Zer0-Sum]

Zer0 read my posts in the thread and you will understand what i mean.

Which ones, how far back?

[GTAce]

http://forums.e-mpire.com/showthread.php?t=84018&page=3
Just read some of this site.

[Zer0-Sum]

Thats actually a pretty interesting thesis....
At least that Sony buys ATARI, why should someone with such a high position at Sony move to a company with so much problems like ATARI?

You mean this? Why would Sony buy Atari/Infogrames? What do they have in thier portfolio that would enrich Sony as a corporation? The D7D license is the one with the most potential IMO, even if they fuct it all up. What else to they have? I would want Sony to buy Take Two way more than Atari. To bad Phil didn't go to Take Two. Now that would have the shitz.

As for Phil moving to Atari my guess is he just wants a challenge or maybe he knows someone there. They begged him on hands and knees basically because they know Phil is dah H-Bomb.

[Black Dragon37]

Phil loves the challenge. And I think we should appreciate that, as it means that he may be the one to turn Atari round.

[Zer0-Sum]

Phil loves the challenge. And I think we should appreciate that, as it means that he may be the one to turn Atari round.

I hope so. That is why they begged him to come. I know it. I can here them now "Please Phil, come and fix the shit house cluster fuck we have made of this company! We NEED you ingeniousness!" If anyone can do, Phil is dah man.

[AC!D]

I dont think even Phil could save ATARI after the mess that company has gone through over the past few years. Im thinking Phil probably got offered a huge package and thought to himself you know what succeed or fail im retiring with a nice gold parachute after this. Anyways good for him.
If Sony were to buy anyone i would hope it would be Media Molecule or Ready at Dawn not ATARI. The only good franchise they have left is Alone in the Dark, they have pretty much sold all their other big ones like driver. Mybets for Sonys next purchse would be Media Molecule.

[OG_Monkey]

What the fuck!? Why join a company and help the one so close to bankruptcy!? I did NOT see this coming, oh well. Atari sucks anyway, they lucky DBZ is still holding them up

[dnpmakkah]

If he is happy then that is all that matters. Above all he owes it to himself to do what gives him the greatest joy and at this point in his life this might be it. He owes us nothing but it still sucks. Damn you Phil :)

[LaLiLuLeLo]

2014: Atari becomes 3rd largest 3rd party developer and rapidly growing, threating to take most of Activision and EA's market share.
Hey, it's fun to dream.

[Zer0-Sum]

2014: Atari becomes 3rd largest 3rd party developer and rapidly growing, threating to take most of Activision and EA's market share.
Hey, it's fun to dream.

That might not be such a joke or a dream. We all know Phil is a genius. He as shown that over and over again. If anyone can do it, it is most likely Phil Harrison. In about 3 - 4 years we just may be cheering for what Phil does with Atari/Infogrames.

And on the flip side, this most likely makes the relationship between Atari/Infogrames that much tighter. Will the next DBZ suddenly become a PS3 exclusive? Start speculating what just might happen now....

[Viper]

And on the flip side, this most likely makes the relationship between Atari/Infogrames that much tighter. Will the next DBZ suddenly become a PS3 exclusive? Start speculating what just might happen now....

I doubt it. EA doesn't seem to be giving the X360 any extra game love just because they have Peter Moore now.

He will be beneficial when dealing with Sony because of his background which could lead to faster licensing, dev kit updates, Sony dev supports, etc...

[Segitz]

I doubt it. EA doesn't seem to be giving the X360 any extra game love just because they have Peter Moore now.

He will be beneficial when dealing with Sony because of his background which could lead to faster licensing, dev kit updates, Sony dev supports, etc...

Well, Moore "only" joined EA Sports, not EA "itself"... Harrison now is head of Infogrames (or was it Infrogrames?... Gotta give 'em credit for North and South back in Amiga days^^), which is not a sports subsidiary^^

But think about it that way... If Kaz had a good friendship with Phil, they could make some deals and bring some games to the PS3 earlier or even exclusively...

I still wish him great luck in turning around the boat running ashore that is Atari/Infogrames... Atari still has some great franchises to "milk" (like Neverwinter Nights or Unreal Tournament). Pong rocks too!

[cliffbo]

Everything makes sense....

lol... see there was logic in me previous post... and it's David Gardener the one who said he wanted to get into free-to=play online space. the plot thickens

[cliffbo]

Harrison is working for Atari? No shit? That is crazy wack! What is he going to do there? This is all very strange and intriguing to say the least. Atari stole Harrison from Sony. I wonder what they offered him. Maybe he just wanted a new gig. This is so trippy....



That makes sense? Nothing here makes sense anymore in this thread. If you see some sense in this please revel it to me. Harrison leaving a monolith that is Sony for the fucked up mess that is Atari. How in gods name does that make any sense at all?

the question is: what did Harrison offer Atari, that enabled him to say 'i will continue to support Sony'

[Zer0-Sum]

This may be a good time for Phil to nurture a bunch of ideas he has been holding that might not have fit with the Sony culture but will fit with Infogrames/Atari. I am very interested to see what he does with this from here on out.

[LaLiLuLeLo]

And lord knows they're holding onto the DBZ franchise like their lives depended on it (kinda does!), so let's hope they can make some good, profitable games besides it.

[cliffbo]

This may be a good time for Phil to nurture a bunch of ideas he has been holding that might not have fit with the Sony culture but will fit with Infogrames/Atari. I am very interested to see what he does with this from here on out.

Phil leaves Sony, goes to Atari (who want to get into 'free-to-play' online (PSN offers that, MS don't), Phil helps them create and integrate games for PSN and HOME... it supports Sony (as he promised) gives him a challenge (that he likes) and brings Sony closer to Atari for a potential merger or buy out in the future... a buy out that may well encourage disillusioned devs to find a new home there... Rockstar for instance

[Zer0-Sum]

Phil leaves Sony, goes to Atari (who want to get into 'free-to-play' online (PSN offers that, MS don't), Phil helps them create and integrate games for PSN and HOME... it supports Sony (as he promised) gives him a challenge (that he likes) and brings Sony closer to Atari for a potential merger or buy out in the future... a buy out that may well encourage disillusioned devs to find a new home there... Rockstar for instance

That is a beautiful scenario man. Let's hope that it comes out to be true. If Sony owned all of Atari and Rock Star it would be a major coup to say the least.

[Diresu]

Why the hell would Sony want Atari though?

[venomv]

Yeah, I really couldn't see them buying them, making deals for exculsives and the like I could see, but for the moment I don't think Atari has enough to offer for Sony to think about buying them.....

[cliffbo]

Yeah, I really couldn't see them buying them, making deals for exculsives and the like I could see, but for the moment I don't think Atari has enough to offer for Sony to think about buying them.....

either way, Atari has said it want to enter the 'FREE' online gaming scene... that's 'FREE'... show me another console that offers 'FREE' online. PSN seems the obvious choice and coincidence or not, Phil had a large hand in it. make of that what you will, but to me it's significant... 'how' is down to speculation. also Phil has stated he will continue to support Sony.

[GTAce]

show me another console that offers 'FREE' online.
Wii? lol
At least it has Real Time Online racing with textchat./flame

[cliffbo]

Wii? lol
At least it has Real Time Online racing with textchat./flame

they're talking about charging. i think it's a move by both Sony and Phil to create content for HOME and games for PSN. what better way to do that than to court the help of an ailing Atari who will be very grateful for Phil's help and may well listen closely when he suggest a exclusivity deal in the future... an exclusivity deal would maybe lead to a merger in the future, especially if Phil makes them the powerhouse they once were. for all we know, there may already be small print in the contract they signed

[SleazyBig slim]

Lets not forget that Atari announced a HOME killer a while back. Thats probably the biggest reason they brought him on.

[cliffbo]

Lets not forget that Atari announced a HOME killer a while back. Thats probably the biggest reason they brought him on.

good point!!! now that's what i like, people that add to the discussion and not just blanket bomb it lol... i must reassess my theory now though. damn you! on a side note though, Atari have changed their personnel since that was mentioned, but it is food for thought, thanks

[cliffbo]

Sony looking out to acquire a real big studio in the near future, Philly's departure sets the tone for this industry gig.

with respect, this is why the rumour thread is detrimental sometimes. this was posted there:

Sony looking out to acquire a real big studio in the near future, Philly's departure sets the tone for this industry gig.

[NeoPlayStation]

Phil Harrison interview at Gametrailers.com

HD (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/31564.html)
SD (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/31565.html)

[Black Dragon37]

I love his sense of humour, and how he didn't avoid talking about him changing jobs.

[LiquidEagle]

Yeah, agreed. It would have been really cool if Phil started his own company though!

[Zer0-Sum]

Yeah, agreed. It would have been really cool if Phil started his own company though!

Now that would have so very awesome. Imagine Phil at the head of his own gaming company. Oh well...

[the boney king of nowhere.]

nostalgia, anyone?

http://www.gamesradar.com/f/retro-interview-phil-harrison-13-years-ago/a-20080306161128588093

[Jay Gee]

Hair!!!

[GTAce]

Gimme head with hair
Long beautiful hair
Shining, gleaming,
Steaming, flaxen, waxen

Give me down to there hair
Shoulder length or longer
Here baby, there mama
Everywhere daddy daddy

Hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair
Flow it, show it
Long as God can grow it
My hair

[Matt]

:look:

What the hell have I stumbled into here.....

[Jay Gee]

Awesome! That's what you've stumbled into.

[Matt]

A big steaming pile of awesome.

[Sephiroth_VII]

:lol:

I love how nothing in that interview turned out to be pure bullshit, especially:
Edge: What kind of lifespan can PlayStation owners expect from their machine?
http://static.gamesradar.com/images/mb/GamesRadar/us/Other/Photos/People/Phil%20Harrison/OldPhil/Phil_disc--article_image.jpg
PH: A long and happy one! We designed the machine to last – we are not intent on the obsolescence and self-destruction of something we’ve worked so hard to get right. The strength of the software in development will take us comfortably into the future.

[dnpmakkah]

I always felt like Home and Killzone 2 were Phil's pet projects. With him leaving are you guys getting the feeling that Home and Killzone 2 are near completion and Phil was happy with it thus feeling okay to leave OR he bailed out because it wasn't going according to his plans?

[Jay Gee]

I'd like to think that Phil has more integrity than that, so I'll pick the former.

[LaLiLuLeLo]

I don't think they were his projects. But he was closely managing them. I think it had more to do with him not really making a splash with the Japanese gamers, and the stick in the mud Japanese execs that he had to answer to. Weren't really about the 'change' that was really the thrust of his vision.

[cliffbo]

Infogrames Makes Bid to Buy Out Atari
Associated Press 03.07.08, 10:02 AM ET


NEW YORK -

Video game developer Atari Inc. said late Thursday that majority shareholder Infogrames Entertainment SA has offered to buy out the company for $1.68 per share, a 1 percent premium over Thursday's closing price.

Atari said its board plans a "thorough evaluation" of the proposal.

Infogrames currently owns about 7 million shares, or a nearly 52 percent stake based on 13.5 million shares outstanding as of Feb. 11, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

In its nonbinding offer to Atari's board, Infogrames said the acquisition would not be subject to any financing conditions and would require only a limited amount of due diligence.

Atari shares gained 9 cents, or 5.4 percent, to $1.75 in morning trading. Shares have traded between 86 cents and $4.92 in the past 12 months.

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/03/07/ap4746026.html

[LaLiLuLeLo]

I thought they owned them already.

[cliffbo]

I thought they owned them already.

they have the controlling share (52%)

[LaLiLuLeLo]

So, they own them in spirit. But they're considering owning them outright and openly.

[curryking1]

I don't think they were his projects. But he was closely managing them. I think it had more to do with him not really making a splash with the Japanese gamers, and the stick in the mud Japanese execs that he had to answer to. Weren't really about the 'change' that was really the thrust of his vision.

Ya... I totally agree...

If we are allowed to put blame on anyone for this 'debacle' of losing probably the most popular brass on any company involved even remotely in the industry..

The blame has got to go on these SCE execs in Japan.

Just plain ridiculous. Phil Harrison is the ideal PR manager, president, whatever job you want to give him it's pretty much guaranteed he's going to know his stuff.

Especially for those execs to tell Phil Harrison that he doesn't know what he's doing?

That's god damn blasphemy to Playstation right there.

[flipflop]

He took everyone's attention from his E3 presentation with Home last year. It was unexpected and a brillant idea. he 's someone really great at Sony. And yes it's really not fair to have him leaving Sony.
It's not that I dislike Kaz but he's like the amerian cowboy and Phill looks like the British gentleman from SCE and i found him really charismatic...
But well as things are going now hope Kaz will do a great job to keep things on right hands.
BUt it's not always good to have " one " man doing to much things. they could just have choosen someone else.
Put David Jaffe on this post !!!!!
Kaz Hirai has done a super job. There's little doubt that the turnaround and momentum of the ps3 is directly down to a certain Mr Hirai. Judging Hirai and Harrison on there pr skills is very silly dont you think?. Hirai, Harrison should be judged on there jobs not on there mutterings to the press.

Also little doubt now that major changes are happening within SCEI. Major restructuring in Japan, SOE joining SCEI, Harrison resigning, Hirai taking charge of SCEWWS, hints at more funds being released to SCEI from the mothership.

[EvilTaru]

Ya... I totally agree...

If we are allowed to put blame on anyone for this 'debacle' of losing probably the most popular brass on any company involved even remotely in the industry..

The blame has got to go on these SCE execs in Japan.

Just plain ridiculous. Phil Harrison is the ideal PR manager, president, whatever job you want to give him it's pretty much guaranteed he's going to know his stuff.

Especially for those execs to tell Phil Harrison that he doesn't know what he's doing?

That's god damn blasphemy to Playstation right there.

Phil wasn't hired to be a PR guy, he's supposed to run SCEWW operations and SCEWW output hasn't been exactly consistent, lots and lots of delays happened under his watch, it wasn't like Phil got along with everyone, he and former Getaway director (now at Team Bondi) Brendan McNamara hated each other and probably lead to SCEWW dropping LA Noir, not that it's really a bad thing given McNamara's record of delays. The problem is Sony Japan isn't exactly producing, actually none of the regions is really going full steam back in 2006 or 2007, and SCEWW isn't going to function if Sony Japan doesn't listen to Phil. Jaffe said no one at Santa Monica was responsible for putting God of War 2 on the PS2, the first-party games marketing effort hasn't exactly been strong either, so guess who's to blame?

[EvilTaru]

Kaz Hirai has done a super job. There's little doubt that the turnaround and momentum of the ps3 is directly down to a certain Mr Hirai. Judging Hirai and Harrison on there pr skills is very silly dont you think?. Hirai, Harrison should be judged on there jobs not on there mutterings to the press.

Also little doubt now that major changes are happening within SCEI. Major restructuring in Japan, SOE joining SCEI, Harrison resigning, Hirai taking charge of SCEWWS, hints at more funds being released to SCEI from the mothership.

I don't get the Kaz hate when Kaz ran SCEA better than any of the other regional bosses and Kaz basically has to take on an extra responsibility now that Phil has moved on. Scott Steinberg is the PR guy, Kaz manages, it's like there's some sort of requirement that Kaz has to have some insane showmanship which Phil didn't exactly have either.

[LiquidEagle]

Kaz manages, it's like there's some sort of requirement that Kaz has to have some insane showmanship which Phil didn't exactly have either.

You kiddin' me?? Phil was by far the most charismatic man Sony's had... he's the closest thing to being the Michael Caine of the videogame industry so far :-p

[flipflop]

Phil wasn't hired to be a PR guy, he's supposed to run SCEWW operations and SCEWW output hasn't been exactly consistent, lots and lots of delays happened under his watch, it wasn't like Phil got along with everyone, he and former Getaway director (now at Team Bondi) Brendan McNamara hated each other and probably lead to SCEWW dropping LA Noir, not that it's really a bad thing given McNamara's record of delays. The problem is Sony Japan isn't exactly producing, actually none of the regions is really going full steam back in 2006 or 2007, and SCEWW isn't going to function if Sony Japan doesn't listen to Phil. Jaffe said no one at Santa Monica was responsible for putting God of War 2 on the PS2, the first-party games marketing effort hasn't exactly been strong either, so guess who's to blame?
1st party is to bloated. The last couple of years they've bought Zipper, Guerilla and Evolution for what maybe $250m. Studios they already publish for!. So for $250m there's been 0% increase in exclusives. That $250m should of been spent on being agile and picking up strategic exclusives not straitjacketing themselves. Me feels this may of been some of the rumoured Stringer interfering not understanding the gaming world and all. If it was Harrison well...

[LiquidEagle]

1st party is to bloated. The last couple of years they've bought Zipper, Guerilla and Evolution for what maybe $250m. Studios they already publish for!. So for $250m there's been 0% increase in exclusives. That $250m should of been spent on being agile and picking up strategic exclusives not straitjacketing themselves. Me feels this may of been some of the rumoured Stringer interfering not understanding the gaming world and all. If it was Harrison well...

By buying these companies they're also securing and connecting more than just exclusives -- they're getting technology, talent, and funding a studio that makes great games.

[flipflop]

I don't get the Kaz hate when Kaz ran SCEA better than any of the other regional bosses and Kaz basically has to take on an extra responsibility now that Phil has moved on. Scott Steinberg is the PR guy, Kaz manages, it's like there's some sort of requirement that Kaz has to have some insane showmanship which Phil didn't exactly have either.
People dont seem to understand these people have very important jobs. They think they're pr men.

[Red_Eyes]

Just because Kaz is Asian, you guys automatically underestimate him.

[flipflop]

By buying these companies they're also securing and connecting more than just exclusives -- they're getting technology, talent, and funding a studio that makes great games.
Sony already had them as exclusives, owned all the ip, funded the studios, all locked down. Pointless acquisitions. Sony already had bigger 1st party than MS, Nintendo combined. But virtually no 3rd party exclusives because the huge costs acquiring and maintaining these studios. Microsoft have very little 1st party but have expertly picked up promising exclusives. PS2 era was spot on, very strong 1st party allied with expertly picking up promising exclusives. Now they're straitjacketed.

[LiquidEagle]

Well they bought Zipper & Guerrilla during the PS2 era... so...

[flipflop]

Well they bought Zipper & Guerrilla during the PS2 era... so...
2005. For the ps3. Not the sharpest of acquisitions anyway. My point is while Sony were throwing $100's millions to buy devs they already had locked down. The 3rd party were deserting. Doesnt make sense. These 100's millions should of been a pool as in the past to seriously supplement the already very strong 1st party. I say people doing the business were 'new' people'.

[Segitz]

Sony already had them as exclusives, owned all the ip, funded the studios, all locked down. Pointless acquisitions. Sony already had bigger 1st party than MS, Nintendo combined. But virtually no 3rd party exclusives because the huge costs acquiring and maintaining these studios. Microsoft have very little 1st party but have expertly picked up promising exclusives. PS2 era was spot on, very strong 1st party allied with expertly picking up promising exclusives. Now they're straitjacketed.

As Liquid said, Zipper and GG were bought long ago... The only interesting aquisition was Evolution Studios last year, and already by releasing Motorstorm and Motorstorm 2, this aquisition was worth it, in the long run.

Sony's acquisition of MotorStorm developer Evolution Studios and its PSP satellite Bigbig Studios cost the company GBP 16 million (EUR 22.9m / USD 32.6m), GamesIndustry.biz reports.

Source: Eurogamer (http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=85149)

By the 9 July 2007, MotorStorm had sold more than one million copies in North America.[15] As of 22 December 2007 MotorStorm has sold 3.31 million copies.[16]

Source: Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorstorm#Release)

3.31 million copies. Even at an average (wholesale) price of 30€, it would have generated ~100 million € business volume, with at least 50% in pure profit, thus making the aquisition ALREADY profitable and then some.

Surely, the same rule can be applied for Zipper and even Guerilla Games (although I can't find numbers for Killzone, except the US numbers at VGChartz, which are ~0.8 million).

Sonys aquisitions, as far as I can tell, always were to raise profit, not to lock in developers to their consoles.


MS already bought some developers too... And what of Rare? They more or less demolished them. Bungie left Microsoft... what is next? Lionhead Studios is the last I can think of, and their only game EVER on an MS console was Fable in 2004. (and by 2010, we might get Fable 2^^)



My point is, Microsofts own studios don't generate many games, thus they NEED third party exclusives to survive. And where are those? I can think of one, namely Gears of Wars, but rest is still too unknown, to really make a call. Alan Wake might be interesting, but... who know^^ MS HAD to bribe the other developers for games (Rockstar, Capcom...), so their console has even a remote chance of winning. But those expenses are not going to relativise themselves. They need console and first party sales too... It is a vicious circle.

So, enough drifting off now^^

[flipflop]

As Liquid said, Zipper and GG were bought long ago... The only interesting aquisition was Evolution Studios last year, and already by releasing Motorstorm and Motorstorm 2, this aquisition was worth it, in the long run.



Source: Eurogamer (http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=85149)



Source: Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorstorm#Release)

3.31 million copies. Even at an average (wholesale) price of 30€, it would have generated ~100 million € business volume, with at least 50% in pure profit, thus making the aquisition ALREADY profitable and then some.

Surely, the same rule can be applied for Zipper and even Guerilla Games (although I can't find numbers for Killzone, except the US numbers at VGChartz, which are ~0.8 million).

Sonys aquisitions, as far as I can tell, always were to raise profit, not to lock in developers to their consoles.


MS already bought some developers too... And what of Rare? They more or less demolished them. Bungie left Microsoft... what is next? Lionhead Studios is the last I can think of, and their only game EVER on an MS console was Fable in 2004. (and by 2010, we might get Fable 2^^)



My point is, Microsofts own studios don't generate many games, thus they NEED third party exclusives to survive. And where are those? I can think of one, namely Gears of Wars, but rest is still too unknown, to really make a call. Alan Wake might be interesting, but... who know^^ MS HAD to bribe the other developers for games (Rockstar, Capcom...), so their console has even a remote chance of winning. But those expenses are not going to relativise themselves. They need console and first party sales too... It is a vicious circle.

So, enough drifting off now^^
Read what I wrote. Evolution, Zipper, Geurilla were already Sony 2nd party. Sony are bloated they have such money going into 1st party they're virtually ignoring 3rd party. 1st party so far has been pitiful. If you think Sony 1st party can single handedly carry the ps3 then good luck. Tekken 6 is the latest multi-plat game soon to be announced.

[OmniCloud]

Read what I wrote. Evolution, Zipper, Geurilla were already Sony 2nd party. Sony are bloated they have such money going into 1st party they're virtually ignoring 3rd party. 1st party so far has been pitiful. If you think Sony 1st party can single handedly carry the ps3 then good luck. Tekken 6 is the latest multi-plat game soon to be announced.Nintendo did it;