SCEA CEO Jack Tretton wants you to buy both a PS3 and a PS2...to save money

[Destructor]

Sorry for the long title, but Engadget put it so well:

While we're not going to complain about the launch of the cheaper 40GB PS3, we are still kind of miffed that it isn't backwards-compatible with our huge library of PS2 games -- especially since newer PS3s retain compatibility through software emulation and not specialized hardware like earlier models. Not to worry though, because Sony Computer Entertainment America CEO Jack "Daniels" Tretton is here to dazzle you with mathematics: according to Jackie, the consumer actually benefits from Sony's move to cut emulation, because now you have the opportunity to buy both a $399 PS3 and a $129 PS2, for a grand total of $528, which is -- wait for it -- less than the original 60GB PS3's price of $600! Of course, what Mr. T here is forgetting is that most people would prefer a single, $399 PS3 with backwards compatibility (and rumble, for good measure), but really, once you get spinning that fast it's awfully hard to stop.

Of course, what he's forgotten is that the 60GB PS3, with FULL hardware BC inside, is still available on store shelves for $500...which is cheaper than having two consoles doing the same thing (and taking up far less space, too).

While you're here, visit Newsweek's Blog in which the original interview with Sony and Newsweek took place. Interesting read and such.

[KC]

Doesn't all of the savings disappear when you factor in the cost of the PS2 memory card, component cables and an extra controller if you want to play with a friend?

[Laner]

Sweet!  So that means I won't have to work that second job *quite* as long.

[unbreakable]

Or, you could just keep your old PS2.

[CeeKay]

that guy is purer comedy gold than any resident SDF member! 

[gellar]

OR you could buy the 60GB PS3 still in stock at most retailers.  It's a fine bargain!

gellar

[Misguided]

Or you could pick up a used 20 Gig PS3 with full backward compatibility for
less than the cost of the 40. *shrug* That's what I did.

Hey can somebody whip up a lolcatz with a cat standing on a PS2
(preferably next to a PS3)
that reads "I haz ur backwurd compatabilidee!"

[Caine]

wow.  that's really reaching for the dumb.  got to give ol jack credit, this takes some balls to say in public.

[gellar]

OR you could buy the 60GB PS3 still in stock at most retailers.  It's a fine bargain!

gellar

Er.. maybe the original was 40GB.   I really don't remember anymore.

[ATB]

OR you could buy the 60GB PS3 still in stock at most retailers.  It's a fine bargain!

gellar

Not if you like playing games!

[wonderpug]

I think it's clear that Ken Kutaragi has found a way to possess and control people for his own nefarious schemes.

[warning]

Here's the text of the interview:

Q: [Playstation CEO] Kaz Hirai said in 2006, "I think that when we ask the consumers, or the gamers to make an investment in software, that it's our responsibility to make sure that the future consoles that we bring to market, including a Playstation 3, is able to actually play all these titles that the consumers have really spent a lot of money in, and invested a lot of money into really a master library." Doesn't the removal of backwards compatibility for PS2 games from the PS3 represent a betrayal of what the Playstation brand stands for?

A: I guess the way I tend to look at it, N'Gai, is if I'm a consumer, and I paid $599 for the Playstation 3 when it launched, I got backwards compatibility and I got Playstation 3 technology. Today, for $399, I'm able to get all the same technology in the Playstation 3, and for $129, if I don't own a PlayStation 2, I can buy that as well at any retailer in North America. So for a total investment of $529, I've got two machines that do everything the same machine did a year ago at $599. So it's hard for me to see that as a negative for the consumer.

I think we just need to be taught discipline.

[Calvin]

Bravo Jack-you are actually making it worse!

[Jumangi]

Who freaking cares. If someone doesn't already own a PS2 they never had any intention of getting one.

[wonderpug]

Who freaking cares. If someone doesn't already own a PS2 they never had any intention of getting one.

...except for the 200k people a month that are buying new PS2s.

[metallicorphan]

i am really loving Jack this week,he really makes me smile...get Phil along,and we'll have a comedy duo....the new laurel and hardy,or maybe not as good as them,howabout the new Screech and Pauly Shore!!

[IkeVandergraaf]

Who freaking cares. If someone doesn't already own a PS2 they never had any intention of getting one.

I tend to agree with you.  However, I never owned an XBox and I have bought several BC XBox games to play on my 360.

[mytocles]

As to the space issues, should one believe it best to have two units (!) - I have a slim PS2, so actual physical space is no big deal. But the spaghetti mess of wires behind it's stand (said stand also contains an XBox, NES, N-64, and a Dreamcast) is already too much to easily manage. And this is only my den, lol.  Considering that most folks have a VCR or DVR, a cable box, maybe a TIVO, and the requisite TV, wires alone may be reason enough to kill that dopey idea! 

[kronovan]

OK, I took exception yesterday with this guys comments about 3rd party dev's, but now I'm about to write him off as a complete freaking idiot. Whoever said this guy is haunted by Krazy Kens spirit, I couldn't agree with them more.

Why can't Sony and Microsoft get it, that BC is important to many of their customers. I also just don't understand the inconsistency; it took Nintendo 2 console gens to adopt BC, Sony had it for the PS2 but are now chucking it for the PS3 and MS gave it such low priority it was a complete joke. I remember one of the factors motivating Sony supporting BC in the PS2, was to contend with the PC gaming which had a bigger % of the gaming pie in the 90's. The way I see it Sony and MS are making a strong case for PC gaming these days and if they're not careful they're going to revitalize a platform that's been declining for the past 7 years.

[Brendan]

Why can't Sony and Microsoft get it, that BC is important to many of their customers.

In terms of driving sales, it's typically important at the beginning of a console's lifespan - once a large enough library of new games are out, it's not a top tier factor.  Of course, since the PS3 hasn't delivered any popular exclusives so far, it's still a major factor to potential PS3 customers, particularly given that Sony is still making/selling/allowing the release of PS2 stuff.

I remember one of the factors motivating Sony supporting BC in the PS2, was to contend with the PC gaming which had a bigger % of the gaming pie in the 90's. The way I see it Sony and MS are making a strong case for PC gaming these days and if they're not careful they're going to revitalize a platform that's been declining for the past 7 years.

Sweet!  Revitalizing PC gaming does benefit some people.

[wonderpug]

Why can't Sony and Microsoft get it, that BC is important to many of their customers.

In terms of driving sales, it's typically important at the beginning of a console's lifespan - once a large enough library of new games are out, it's not a top tier factor.

Even though BC is high on my priority list, I think Sony would've been much better off just excluding BC from the beginning.  People would have dealt with that up front a lot better than having it released, reduced, and then eliminated.  You want to be adding features as your product moves through its life, not the other way around.

Of course, this would've had no chance of happening a year ago because Sony had no idea how much and how soon they'd end up fighting to get a lower price tag.

[Brendan]

Once they realized they were going to be far more expensive than their competitors, they decided to bill it as one of the few differentiating features.  Even if they'd pulled the hardware out of the early versions, I assume that they wouldn't have been able to come down more than $50 in price based on their COGs.  So - they shot themselves in the foot by touting the importance, keeping the price that much higher, and then dumping it as they were forced to come down in price.

[Blackjack]

Dear Jack,
I think the PSP has a better games lineup and it's outselling both the PS2 and PS3 now (each, not combined  ) apparently, so why don't you keep hawking PSP Slim/Lite instead? And after Guerilla finishes Killzone 2 and it turns out to be a good game that still isn't a "Halo Killer" (as if that's a label any game could ever live up to), can you ask them to dig their PSP development kits out of the closet and do a followup to Killzone: Liberation? That will help wash the bad taste of SWAT Target Liberty out of isometric action fans' mouths.

Sincerely,
Blackjack