PS3 dev talks about getting fired for talking
by Christopher Grant 
{ Feb 1st 2006 at 8:15PM }
Back in early January, an artist
working for Sony, wrote what he intended to be an innocuous little opinion piece,
"reviewing" the PS3 and declaring, "I started [off] VERY excited about the PS3. I was very confident
that it was going to just destroy the XBOX 360 just on the name SONY alone. The more time that goes by the more I am
becoming doubtful. Everything I’ve developed or seen developed has yet to be 'next gen.'"PlayStation 3 Week has followed up on Josh's story with a fascinating interview about the repurcussions of speaking your mind when huge companies are battling for the mindshare of gamers. Robinson says, "Did I knowingly break NDA? I absolutely did not. I would never do that and I would never want to hurt Sony Online. Did I dance in the grey area by even opening my mouth? Yes I did and I was fired for it. So I guess the new rule for me is, don’t ever say anything at all about anything. Ever...ever."
Don't worry about Josh though. He says he has a book deal in the can, with several job offers, all promotions from his position at Sony, to consider. I hear that Microsoft is a nice place to work...
[Thanks, Rob]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Einhanderkiller @ Feb 1st 2006 8:20PM
I guess that's what happens when you badmouth the gaming console that your company produces....
AssemblyLineHuman @ Feb 1st 2006 8:23PM
A better job?
Fantaz @ Feb 1st 2006 8:30PM
I mean dude, if you're not doing public relations for the company than don't even speak at all.
Pretty Obvious @ Feb 1st 2006 8:35PM
The truth shall set you free........
Back_Lit @ Feb 1st 2006 8:39PM
I CONSTANTLY bash the PS2 and yet some of my favorite games are on the console. The only reason I bash SONY and the PS2 is due to their over hypying something that isn't what they claim it to be. Example the PSP, hyped to be the PS2 on the go...its not (except for game prices), its more like the PS 1.5 in the sense that sure it has PS2 like graphics...but PS 1 AA capabilities (AKA NONE).
elmer @ Feb 1st 2006 8:39PM
I guess that's what happens when you take the piss with an NDA designed to protect the secrets of a multi billion dollar investment that hinges on consumer perception.
Too bad the happy copper top who played his dad's 360 before it was ripe in front of a game forum didn't get a book deal.
Jmoney @ Feb 1st 2006 8:43PM
@2....
Yea, in this case it does.
Reytacular @ Feb 1st 2006 8:45PM
Maybe he got fired for being a stupid developer.
cheese @ Feb 1st 2006 8:49PM
Obviously the guy has no clue what "Code of Conduct" is for a company, regardless of any NDA's on an ongoing project. His opinion is irrelevant.
firerock @ Feb 1st 2006 8:50PM
Feel bad for the guy. At least he spoke the truth from his POV and people should stop bashing him as a liar.
bearattack79 @ Feb 1st 2006 8:51PM
IMO,this guy should be fired, at my job confidentiality is extremely important as with speaking to the media. The next generation consoles will need some time to truly show thier power, launch games are always a bit lack luster. Wait a few quarters then "its on like donky kong!" The PS3 and 360 are more similar than many care to admit, as far as specs are concerned anyway. That Kizza guy is bang on with the multi platform gaming online, why cant the xbox crowd go toe to toe with the Playstation crowd??? Theres a bit of a rift between the two and we should be able to take the battle online. Imagine that!!!
Observer @ Feb 1st 2006 8:53PM
book deal? about what...being fired?
Clay @ Feb 1st 2006 9:14PM
#13: Read the interview, how about?
Anyway, I think the guy should have got canned. Regardless of his intentions, he should have the intelligence to know that you don't do that to the company you work for, especially if you have a good relationship with them. I mean, if I broke my company's NDA or even sort of kind of said something bad about it, I would openly expect to be fired.
And, I bet that guy did.
Kevin @ Feb 1st 2006 9:16PM
He's actually writing a 3D Studio Max Essentials guide for the company. This was before the whole controversy. About being fired, it may have been appropriate, but you have to at least appreciate some "real" information once in awhile. This guy did have hands on experience for the system so at the very least he knows more then anyone here. Plus, he's got a nice new job, making a lot more money, and now he's semi-famous. If anything, this was the best mistake of his life.
DiRT @ Feb 1st 2006 9:27PM
What a retard. NDAs obviously mean that he can't talk about it. That's what an NDA is. Beyond that, just because he can't puch the hardware doesn't mean it's the hardware's fault - HE MIGHT NOT BE A VERY GOOD PROGRAMMER. Stop giving this guy press.
Jehannum @ Feb 1st 2006 9:31PM
Interesting story, has relevance:
On some big city (but still local) network, a news team was doing a story on the car dealerships around the city. One guy they interviewed had worked at this one spot for about a year, has a wife, two kids, and said _on the air_ that he wouldn't sell a car that he would trust his family's lives in.
When asked if the dealership had any such cars (that he wouldn't trust), he thought for just a second and said, "Yes, there are a couple". When the company brass caught wind of this, they fired him on the spot. And !!! lo and behold !!! he got _several_ job offers at competing car dealerships immediately.
Knowing how the automobile industry likes to hype its products, I thought the story was strikingly similar. It's a relatively new business practice (and not yet widely accepted, unfortunately) to actually want employees to be _honest_ about the products they deliver, and not just ventriloquists' puppets.
Pepe_le_piu @ Feb 1st 2006 9:38PM
Fanboy heaven.... just give them any ol' excuse to rant and flame about one console or the other and they will, steering clear of any objectivity in the process.
Guys, take a hint: it gets boring after several years, and subjectively blinded fanboys play straight into the marketing strategies of companies like SONY and Microsoft.
Live a little!! Yeeesh!
The1 @ Feb 1st 2006 9:42PM
Funny, the guy spoke his mind and he was not a MS fan gets FIRED. So what he says may hold some truth. Why would a nobody get fired? The sad fact is that SONY only has itself to blame. Now, I really want to see the PS3.
Jeff Stubbs @ Feb 1st 2006 9:42PM
To the guy that claims that he got 3 broken Xbox 360's. Nice try. The only part you left out is that after you were hit by an astroid, three little grey men came out of a spaceship and wanted you to board. So MS sent you 3 games and lost your 3rd broken colsole in the mail. ROFL. Liar.
Dave @ Feb 1st 2006 9:46PM
If the product sucks, that's a secret that the NDA probably covers. He openly disclosed that it was a turd--and he should pay the price for that. Personally, I wanted it to be a surprise.
Xavier @ Feb 1st 2006 9:46PM
Yes, telling the truth is a terrible crime.
m3mnoch @ Feb 1st 2006 9:56PM
sounds to me like 'breaking nda' is code for we don't like your opinions. sneaky way of getting around that thorny first amendment thing.
unless, of course, you're not allowed to disclose the secret that the ps3 is a hunk of shit. yeah -- that's not likely it.
and, for all of the 'communists' posting, it'd kinda be like me being an american yet being able to openly claim that i think president bush's iq is smaller than my shoe size. it has nothing to do with 'ethics.' welcome to a market economy -- the best product wins.
sony should be more concerned with addressing obvious issues instead of making an example out of josh. sony should be spending more energy making their product better. sony should be putting out more information so we don't have to hang on every word of anyone who even whispers 'ps3.'
they're acting just like the riaa. kill the messenger rather than change your business. in my opinion, they just look like bigger jackasses now than they ever did.
wait a minute.... isn't sony music represented by the riaa? hmmmm.
m3mnoch.
bd @ Feb 1st 2006 10:00PM
I wouldn't hire him for being disloyal to his company, whichever it was; unless he was Miyamoto of course, but in that case, he wouldn't be getting details that the majority of people don't know. Miyamoto wouldn't betray his company anyway... lol.
Stuka @ Feb 1st 2006 10:03PM
I'm sorry, but at least half of you are full of shit. The guy expressed his opinion on something which is his right to do so. It shouldn't matter that the guy works at Sony. If I work at Cingular they shouldn't be able to fire me for recommending Verizon service to people I know. Now obviously this is not the same thing, but at the same time the guy wasn't out to specifically harm Sony. People should be grateful that some people in the world have the balls to say what they think regardless of the consequences. Now, none of us know what the NDA from Sony on the PS3 entails, so we have no idea if he did in fact break NDA or if he just said something Sony didn't like. Sony may have well been within their rights for firing the guy. But seeing as he isn't groveling for his old job back, maybe peopls should shut the fuck up with this "what a dumb fuck, what did he think would happen" shit. Maybe he knew and still thought it was worth getting out there.
If roles were reversed, Sony fanboys would be riding this guys dick saying "It takes balls to cross MS" and "Thank God this guy is letting the world know how shitty 360 is", ect.
I'm not saying this guy is an American hero or anything like that, but stop treating the guy like he just took a shit on your foot. He expressed his honest opinion about the hardware.
The funny thing about NDAs is everyone wants them broken when it means more news sooner about shit they want to hear about, but when someone breaks one by talking about something they don't want to hear, all of a sudden everyone is a corporate slut screaming "What about the NDA?!"
Yawn @ Feb 1st 2006 10:21PM
Kind of like saying... "I work for Apple but Microsoft is definitely better. I hope I don't get fired for saying that!"
IDIOT!
Raffi @ Feb 1st 2006 10:30PM
"The truth shall set you free........"
Hah beautiful words there...
I think if this guy was going to open his mouth he should have at least used an alias or something... Though this pretty much tells us that he was a real worker for Sony.
cheese @ Feb 1st 2006 10:44PM
to #23, here are a few lines from my company's code of conduct, and you're wrong btw:
Never suggest or imply that you are speaking on behalf of the Company when presenting
personal views in community, professional and cultural activities.
CONDUCT OFF-THE-JOB
*company name*'s respect for employee privacy generally precludes any concern relative
to personal conduct off-the-job, unless such conduct impairs work performance or affects
the reputation or legitimate business interest of *company name*. An example of this
concern is off-the-job harassment that interferes with working relationships or creates
legal risks for the Company.
INSIDER INFORMATION
Many employees have access to proprietary or other non-public information in the course
of their daily activities that, if disclosed, could affect the market value of our Companys
securities or that of our parent companies or of other companies' securities.
justchris @ Feb 1st 2006 11:11PM
An NDA is a legal contract. If this guy actually broke the NDA, why was he only fired and not sued for damages by Sony? I don't think he broke the NDA, I just think Sony didn't like what he had to say.
cheese @ Feb 1st 2006 11:11PM
based on what he said, xbox 360 wouldn't be considered next gen... I have one and I wouldn't agree..
what he said would be like an engineer working on a stealth fighter mentioning to someone in the media that what they're working on is not completely stealth and that there's a way to detect it... which is obvious... just like it's obvious the PS3 is just like the 360, the sum of its components.
it is up to developers, much like himself, to make the magic of "next gen" happen, and if he was surrounded by people without vision then he should have went somewhere else, like with David Jaffe's team or something. If this guy was dumb enough to do what he did then I can't see how his work ethic would be any better.
Michael @ Feb 1st 2006 11:14PM
Sorry folks, but I have to disagree with those who think this is OK. Forget the NDA. Even without an NDA this is not OK. If you take someone's money then the honorable thing to do is to support them. Your job is to do your best for the company in every way.
That doesn't mean you have to put up with BS, or lie for them. If you can't agree with them, then just leave. But as long as you keep taking their money you support them.
People complain about POS games and unimaginative game plots. This is how it happens. Workers who think their only job is to push a few bits around for a few hours, and then to go home and mouth off about the company. Well, that worker is part of the potential solution. And if they don't fit in they owe it to themselves (and the company) to go find a better job.
People can sneer and say this is selling out, but I don't believe it is. Let's say you have a friend that has a few faults. Do you go around complaining to everyone about all of his problems? Does it make you dishonest if you keep your lip buttoned instead of picking at all of your friends faults?
You should show the same loyalty for your company, up to the time that you are ready to quit the company and head for greener pastures. THEN, you worry about the NDA, and if it's not an issue fell free to gossip all you want.
cap @ Feb 1st 2006 11:16PM
IMO they were right to fire him he dissed the ps3 and sony and judging by the fact he already had another job lined up before he printed his story according to him that is and the location his job is in i would guess he was doing microsofts work for them as microsoft have an office in the Santa Monica area.
cheese @ Feb 1st 2006 11:19PM
based on what he said, xbox 360 wouldn't be considered next gen... I have one and I wouldn't agree..
what he said would be like an engineer working on a stealth fighter mentioning to someone in the media that what they're working on is not completely stealth and that there's a way to detect it... which is obvious... just like it's obvious the PS3 is just like the 360, the sum of its components.
it is up to developers, much like himself, to make the magic of "next gen" happen, and if he was surrounded by people without vision then he should have went somewhere else, like with David Jaffe's team or something. If this guy was dumb enough to do what he did then I can't see how his work ethic would be any better.
SuicideNinja @ Feb 1st 2006 11:27PM
#5: It's nice to see that someone is finally admitting disappointment with the PS2 and the PSP. You are spot on. There are some great games, but the PS2 and the PSP do not live up to the hype.
#8: You should always get insurance for anything you ship that is worth over $100 (up to that amount, UPS covers it) that you plan to get back. As far as the 360 problems, that sounds like a bad luck streak from hell. I hope it somehow works out for you.
I was never concerned for Josh. It is fairly obvious from his website that he could easily get another job. Education and/or Experience sells you in the job market. Getting away from Sony is more likely to be a postive thing for his career, especially if he's offered better positions elsewhere. So badmouthing his mistake is rather pointless...he's benefitting from the ordeal.
Sounds like he won't be crying because he won't get a discount on a PS3...if he even wants one. If Sony was smart, they would have addressed his concerns and had him retract his statement. Now it just appears as what he said will be accurate for the final hardware, though that may not be the case.
Arch @ Feb 1st 2006 11:32PM
in other words he was right about everything he said. RUN SONY FANBOYS RUN! YOUR WAITING AND PAYING MORE FOR A SYSTEM THAT WILL DO THE SAME!
Stuka @ Feb 1st 2006 11:42PM
#27 No, shit I said all that. That doesn't mean the guy deserves to be treated like an asshole. He accepted the consequences of his actions, he isn't begging for his job back, he isn't calling 'foul' on Sony. So why is he so stupid? It was a fucking job that is easily replaced.
#29 I disagree. Just because people need and want a job doesn't mean they need to drink the fucking kool-aid. This whole shit about carrying your corporate identity into your personal life or having your job impose on your personal life is bullshit. When I work for you, my time is yours to use as you see fit during the hours of the day your paying me. Any time after that is mine to do with and if I don't want to act like a fucking zealot, I don't have to.
Firegryphon @ Feb 1st 2006 11:56PM
I realize everyone is focusing on the fact that he complained online while under an NDA that we have no clue as to the specifics of, but what about the fact that he had the concerns to begin with. Large corporations often have a mentality that the workers are bees doing the bidding of management no matter what they think. There are a few great places to work that want your opinion and will actively seek it out in order to make products and the lives of their workers better. The fact that this guy had concerns that he felt he had no avenue to fix tells me that there are probably several dozen more who think the same thing but have just given up. My company isn't the best place to work for in that respect, but we don't fire people for speaking to the public. Sure we will reprimand the hell out of them, but we don't fire them, and that is when people speak out and actively suggest that they are speaking for the company. In some cases these people are crackpots and eventually they will do stuff that raises enough ire to get himself fired anyway. This is, of course, coming from a company that absolutely relies on our corporate image. A company with a healthy product line could just have easily asked the man to create a corporate blog that specifically doesn't reveal trade secrets or performance prior to official release, but allowed him to speak how he thinks things are coming. If they are willing to do this and his comments improve with time, the public's fears are assuaged and there is a good chance that everyone will get a better product for it.
I guess the end of this is: "Corporations, do not ignore, belittle or chastize your talents' opinions. They are the key to improving your products marketability."
m3mnoch @ Feb 1st 2006 11:57PM
michael.
"Workers who think their only job is to push a few bits around for a few hours"
that sounds like apathy to me. apathetic people don't go home and mouth off against the company.
"People complain about POS games and unimaginative game plots. This is how it happens."
again, people who start sony user groups to build and share knowledge don't really contribute to that in my book.
you're contradicting yourself and mixing your metaphors there, son.
people are missing the bigger point. why the dissent in the first place?
http://m3mnoch.wordpress.com/2006/02/01/sony-meet-darwin-darwin-this-is-sony/
m3mnoch.
crazedcow @ Feb 2nd 2006 12:12AM
...Did any of you actually read the interview? Because maybe you should before throwing stuff around like this. Seriously. The guy comes off as completely rational, very respectful towards Sony, and genuinly sorry that he caused such a ruckus.
m3mnoch @ Feb 2nd 2006 12:30AM
hmmm.... let's see. damoun. mr. graceful, eloquent and insightful.
between the 3 of us -- you, me and josh, who's read his nda? hmmm?
yep. him.
not you. so, you'll excuse me if i take his word over yours that he didn't break his nda. his and the dozens of sony employees whom i'm sure read the post in the month before it became 'famous.'
no. he wasn't fired because of an nda indiscretion. that's just a convenient excuse for sony to close their ears and maintain their insular environment.
m3mnoch.
p.s. wow. look at that. i didn't even flame him. whew. i must be getting old....
skyman8081 @ Feb 2nd 2006 12:38AM
Maybe this wasn't so much the fact that he violated an NDA, but that his disclosure was fairly close to Sony's 3rd quarter report. Something of that nature coming close to Sony's quarterly report. Which makes people like the SEC suspicious. Something Sony wouldn't like too much. Better safe than sorry.
m3mnoch @ Feb 2nd 2006 12:46AM
skyman8081. props for the out of the box thinking there.
tho. i'm not really sure i follow how pushing 'negative news' about the company constitutes an sec violation. absolutely if he were talking it up. insider information driving the stock price higher and all.
m3mnoch.
damoun @ Feb 2nd 2006 1:05AM
hey someone has removed my last post.
and m3mnoch getover your SONY conspiracy theories, jees,
you do sound old.
dave @ Feb 2nd 2006 1:10AM
I wish someone would have told the truth when the ps2 was suppose to have Toy story like graphics, and the reason it was soo scarce was because the US goverment limited its import because they were afraid terriosts would steal them to use the processor for use in nuclear warheads.
Sony's game has ALWAYS been 90% mental propaganda. They have mastered the art of throwing over-hyped red meat to their Fanbase. This guy is a shock to there system.
sepll_cehck @ Feb 2nd 2006 2:16AM
Something to think about when breaking a NDA. If one breaks a NDA and causes damages then that person can be held liable for those damages. Granted this would be a civil matter - but proof in civil suits isn't very difficult.
Sony could break this guy. They could completely destroy his life - end of story. He is being respectful of Sony because if he admits any ill-intent - then he is completely and totally screwed. I think Sony is being rather kind to him. Were I him - I would have expected much worse.
And as a hiring manager - I wouldn't touch anyone with a record of breaking NDAs. He has proven himself dishonest and unable to follow a very simple legal agreement.
Also.
Does anyone know what time his original post was? Was it during work hours?
cap-n-crunch @ Feb 2nd 2006 3:52AM
and does anyone think Sony would actully sue this guy? To do so would actually give forum to an insider saying something other then "hey!! this machine is soo powerful it's gameplay graphics make Star Wars episode 3 look like pong! playing this system actually cures cancer!"
Sony will divert attention away from it and release another cutscene in another few days and lead people to believe its actual gameplay footage. EGM will do a 5 page cover story on it even though its a year or two away and life will be back to normal.
Pretty Obvious @ Feb 2nd 2006 4:07AM
WTF #39 you expect Sony to put a hit out on this guy or something. You sound ridiculous.
Zsavior @ Feb 2nd 2006 4:12AM
This guys didn't do the right thing but he did the honorable thing. He did the wrong thing because he was employed by sony, and by taking their money he creates a pact to support their product. He did the honorable thing by admiting the product he was working on was a piece of crap. Supporting someting and loyalty is two different things, he doesn't owe sony any loyalty. If the PS3 did horribly and Sony had to make lay offs you think they would have remembered he worked on the the system, to hell with that. As for support yes, and he showed up to work every day and that is about as for as it should go, if sony was developing cancer in a box I think people would want him to snitch.
What he did do though was honorable it was some real stand up stuff to look at the product, and then look at your pay check and say "TO HELL With this, I am working on crap." Sony had a right to fire him, they are in a market place in America where image is everything. Only thing good about this is atleast those brass ones he calls balls got him a better job.
kizza @ Feb 2nd 2006 6:23AM
Zsavior Quote:
"if sony was developing cancer in a box I think people would want him to snitch."
Yes I can see the relation between a game console & a fatal disease.. By the way stupid, are you a smoker.... Comapnies like marlborough have been making "cancer in a box" for years, & warning people more recently... Dumbarses don't listen though....
just like you didn't by saying he called it a piece of crap, when all he said was none of the stuff he's worked on looks next gen....Sounds exactly the same as what people are saying about 360 games, now.
Take disgruntled employees complaints & comments with a grain of salt... as half the time they done something wrong, not the evil mega corporation of doom....
Quote from dave:
"Sony's game has ALWAYS been 90% mental propaganda. They have mastered the art of throwing over-hyped red meat to their Fanbase. This guy is a shock to there system."
How many times are jackasses gonna retread this ground. Yes there is alot of hype, bullshit & marketing ploys with any smart, dominant company (look waht happend to sega because they lacked money & marketing suave) but the fact is that sony may have underdelivered on their emotion & toy story graphics spiels.......but they did not dissapoint on the games front...... Gamecube certainly did & had but a handful of aaa titles to offer & xbox had 2.5% more power 18mths later & failed to use it or have any outstanding exclusive titles apart from halo, PGR & DOA....
Thats it on that, & the penis jockey deserved to get sacked...... All you fanboys would be going along with it if some nontendo or MS employee expressed a similar OPINION about your beloved console to be...
And I love how uneducated people like Zsavior who have probably not read the full story are now converting this guys words into him saying the product he's working on is crap......
What a crackhead.
Psygnosis2097 @ Feb 2nd 2006 6:54AM
cheese wrote:
"Obviously the guy has no clue what "Code of Conduct" is for a company, regardless of any NDA's on an ongoing project. His opinion is irrelevant."
Obviously you believe this guy. So you will have to be believe the following as well:
the guy (called Josh Robinson):
"I had at least two Sony employees read the article before it was even posted. Even a producer at the company read it. We were all in agreement that I was not breaking NDA with what I was saying."
Also, if his so called opinion (not to be confused with freedom of speech) is irrelevant - why does it affect NDA at all? Aren't they both irrelevant by logical means then? Get your facts straight eh? Oh wait, there are no facts!
Besides, there are developers who get paid to build up hype for a certain console. Why not do the opposite and tell the gaming community his version of the whole issue ?
Lies are lies, no matter if they are official propaganda, unofficial hype, paid or unpaid. Who lied here, anyway? I can't think of a marketing department who has literally spoken out more right-in-the-face-soap-bubble-lies than Sony's. At least not on such a large scale considering the size of their userbase.
It can all be summped up under the category "unfair business practices" inside a mainly trash-induced, juvenile and ever pubescent industry.
In case Sony is trying to build up bad reputation, they succeed like no other company.
Anyway, I desperately need to have a stimulating conversation with that "Emotion Engine" and play some over-the-top "Real-Time Toy Story Graphics".
Seeya's laters. ;)
What did I say? brainwash-incident?
dave @ Feb 2nd 2006 7:04AM
@43 They didnt dissapoint on the gamefront? who said anyting games jackwad? Sony Over promises technoligy and people go out and buy ther products over other systems soley because its suppose to be such a giant tech leap. And people like you call other people fanboys because we call them out on it? I could give a shit less if Sony continues to dominate the industry so as long as they do it by offering supier tech, You know any one of these games, you say didnt disappoint would have played just as good if not better on xbox or cube. hell most of sony 1st party games could have played on Dreamcast.
Hell lets give sony a free pass and never call them out on their bullshit and just be happy they were able to secure more and more excluive deals without better graphic or better on-line play, so Kizza doesnt think we are being biased. Cause if the twelve year olds think the next sony system will be able to time travel, who are we to tell them different.