Sony won't confirm Euro PS3 launch
by Blake Snow 
{ Nov 10th 2006 at 1:05PM }
Sony executive VP Phil Harrison won't confirm the previously announced March 2007 PS3 launch in Europe, this according to an interview with the official UK PlayStation magazine (due November 15) via Three Speech excerpts. When asked if the PS3 will definitely hit Europe in March of 2007, Harrison had this to say:"Given that all of our previous statements about launching in Europe simultaneously with the US and Japan turned out not to be the case, I would not like to make any definitive statements on that. It's not my job to comment on hardware supply issues other than to say some very smart people are working very hard to catch up."
It's not your job to comment on supply issues of your next-generation console? Who's job is it? Fine, so you botched a global launch in the first place delaying the PS3's Euro release until 2007. Mistakes happen. But now you won't even commit to your original March forecast? You know, the one your "smart people" projected?
[Thanks, Jason]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
> @ Nov 10th 2006 1:09PM
Annother non-partisan post from Blake Snow... mr MSWii.
J.Goodwin @ Nov 10th 2006 1:16PM
Never confuse forward looking statements or management estimates included in quarterly financial reports with information provided by smart people.
KillerSlinky @ Nov 10th 2006 1:15PM
@1 Reporting the news? Clearly he's a fanboy!
Sucks for Europe. Seems they're always getting shafted by videogames. O, except for Xbox360, that was a global release. :)
Ohmshalone @ Nov 10th 2006 1:16PM
Geez, I mean, I'm an x-box 360 fanboy and everything but Joystiq's journalism is going from funny to downright shameful. Do the owners want even this level of writing from the contributers who seem to have no self-respect for themselves?
Mikami @ Nov 10th 2006 1:18PM
I like you Mr. Snow.
Balls to the wall comments, that's what it should be about.
As for Mr. Harrison, wow, I mean really, wow. Being someone from the UK, I can yet again only say one thing; I'm not surprised.
Brb, Gears of War.
kodec @ Nov 10th 2006 1:21PM
Translation: "Look for the PS3 to launch in Europe in November of 2007!"
crono141 @ Nov 10th 2006 1:24PM
So when are we getting the wii/zelda shipping story that was hyped about in the second best VG movie on youtube story?
Oh, sorry. Sony Sucks. If you live in Europe, beprepared to wait until july or later.
Just buy a freakin 360 already!
gamerx @ Nov 11th 2006 6:48AM
Who predicts another European PS3 launch delay?? I'm guessing its gonna be pushed to May 2007. Ken Kutaragi hinted the same thing in an interview a while back.
skwisgaar @ Nov 10th 2006 1:24PM
enter the sdf....
> @ Nov 10th 2006 1:25PM
No matter how the story goes Blake 'Wiimote up my a$$' Snow dumps on Sony. If they had come out an confirmed, you would have found or made up a reason a reason to dumped on them. As long as its a Sony story Blake will find a way to dump on them.
Blake Snow has zero freakin creditbility even for a blogger.
Catgirls rule @ Nov 10th 2006 1:24PM
They should have just waited until next year...they would have had plenty of units, no Wii to try and compete against...too bad they had to bundle blu-ray with it.
shase @ Nov 10th 2006 1:24PM
This is totally f*cking biased. Harrison is the VP first of all (below P) and also it seems that most of the "numbers news" are more or less confirmed by Hirai. So what if Harrison said "maybe"? Have you (the poster) ever delayed an appointment and then when they asked you "how about day X" and you said "yeah, i am pretty sure" or "maybe"? MS does it all the time and I really dont see it as a problem since so many of these "rumors/bashing" almost never come true...
Zoot Suit Jedi @ Nov 10th 2006 1:29PM
Sony hits the EU for...MASSIVE DAMAGE!!!
Oh yeah and Snow, why don't you just start every article with "I hate Sony"? That way new readers can know right off the bat how biased you are.
Tob3z @ Nov 10th 2006 1:29PM
Since when did this blog site become a news site?
That's right it didn't so if you don't like what the writer has to say that's you problem.
Koekoenutt @ Nov 10th 2006 1:32PM
I think you guys are taking it to seriously. Sure, Black has been "Biased" against Sony in other stories, but this is just simple negative response from Sony, and if you live in Europe, Im sure you don't take this news to happily. This isn't making an appointment, This is a business, with business plans. Things like this should be organized and when the Vice President doesnt even know exactly what organization is being delivered when it comes to distributing to Europe, It isn't a "positive" read.
It's being a sarcastic smart ass remark that doesn't involve copying and pasting in what Blake did in this post.. As a poster, > has "Zero Freakin creditbility even for a blogger". Maybe you should blame Sony on this one, and not Joystick and their bloggers.
Skwurl @ Nov 10th 2006 1:32PM
#11
First post not good enough for ya?
Also, you may want to take a breather as your fanboy rage is preventing your posts from making any grammatical sense.
Stop. Breathe. Repeat.
aReEeNeN @ Nov 10th 2006 1:34PM
Yes, Snow may favor a particular system/comapny, but honestly, who doesn't? I'm not going to support or damn him, I just want to make one point. The thing that gets me is that all of the sudden, now that Sony's position at the top of the gaming industry is being threatened, the bad news coming out seems to be too often labeled "fanboy bias." Years back, when Nintendo was in the same position, all the Nintendo fans were crying the same fouls when the company's publicity was going downhill fast. I think people need to realize that as the power in the gaming world changes every few years, and one dynasty begins while another ends, it's nothing personal against them or their perferred choice of console. It is merely the news, whether you like it or not, regardless of one's gaming preferences.
Jeff @ Nov 10th 2006 1:38PM
"Reporting the news? Clearly he's a fanboy!"
Reporting the news is one thing, and this is probably a story worth coverage. I think the obviously questionable part is the last paragraph, which is clearly not news reporting, but editorializing.
And there's nothing wrong with editorializing, honestly, much as I call Joystiq out for it on a repeated and near-continuous basis lately. But neither they nor other posters can then argue that they're simply "reporting the news" - editorialize, and you open yourself up to rebuttals. That's the nature of things. If Joystiq has a right to editorialize, their commenters have an equal right to editorialize back at them.
(Unless Joystiq just decides some day to shut off comments completely, which they also certainly have a right to do.)
There is also, of course, the danger that various posters here will develop reputations based on their editorial content, as this poster apparently has for some people. Again, that's just the nature of things when you editorialize in all of your posts. No point complaining about it; it's up to him what he writes in his posts, and what he writes is what people are responding to. They're not responding to his boyish good looks or his collection of beanie babies; they're responding to his editorial content, which he and whoever edits this site are responsible for.
> @ Nov 10th 2006 1:39PM
Hey 15; Im not one to post and hide like Blake.
crono141 @ Nov 10th 2006 1:52PM
WTF do you mean, "hide" The only Joystiq blogger I ever see making comments is C. Grant.
Get over yourself.
Koekoenutt @ Nov 10th 2006 1:47PM
@ >
Yes, Becuase we all know if you were to make a blog, that it wouldn't be biased at all and you wouldn't be praising Sony for everything. Honestly, I think you need to get over yourself.
Even though Im at my job, and I get distracted a lot, which is why I never proof read my comments until after I submitted them, but Im sure Snow has better things to do than to argue with you on every single post that he does, over and over. You're repeatitive as hell man, and the things your say seems like you have a notepad with the same responses to just copy and paste into comments.
I liked Jeff's remark. It had, you know, some thought behind it. He is right, but I still think a lot of people take negative news and tend to take it a little bit to seriously with their "fanboyism". Everyone has their choice and wants, and not everyone will agree on things. Its just sad when you have someone like > who tries to argue the other side, and fails horribly at it.
Snow has his opinions, and as a blog, he isn't afraid to post them. Sure that just opens up to commentors, but Im glad this isnt the average copy and paste it news. You can tell in his posts yesterday that he really tried not to put so many personal comments in his blog-posts and people actually recognized it.
Skwurl @ Nov 10th 2006 1:50PM
A 9-post gap reiterating the same point is an incredibly childish 'look at me!' attitude. But then again, that’s what we’ve come to expect from your comments…
Carry on.
uumai @ Nov 10th 2006 1:50PM
Firstly being in europe sucks ass, and honestly wouldn't be surprised to see Sony delay the PS3 here, yet again (though I wouldn't expect confirmation on that until a few weeks before ;) )
However, With things in the video games industry release dates are pretty shady at best, I know this is hardware and not games, but MS forced Sony's move and to release early imo and they are reeling to get out there, but say what they can to keep people thinking PS3 is just around the corner, so they don't buy a 360.
It sucks, but there is nothing we can do, and we should never expect too much from a Sony launch.
Skwurl @ Nov 10th 2006 1:52PM
Just to clarify, my previous post was directed at #18.
spaceboy @ Nov 10th 2006 1:56PM
do all of you sony f*cks have stock or something? face it - sony has some real issues (not just with PS3). there's no reason to stick up for them. i don't think they've done anything right this year.
GamerG @ Nov 10th 2006 2:02PM
The way things are going the PS3 could come out in Europe 2 years after the 360 did!!
And still people are prepared to wait??
............MUGS!
> @ Nov 10th 2006 2:03PM
"A 9-post gap reiterating the same point is an incredibly childish 'look at me!' attitude. But then again, that’s what we’ve come to expect from your comments…"
In your case, it was a 2 post gap, sucka.
Anyways, this is what happens when bloggers 'editorialise' their posts.. the discussion drifts away from the actual content at hand.
Constantly prodding or sensationalising the 'content' brings in the hits though. Its good business.
In this particular case, there is 'no confirmation' of release date OR delay (which is assumed bby the blogger and everyone else who laps up the 'editorial') from someone who isnt in a position to make such confirmations as he is in development and not production.
D dogg @ Nov 10th 2006 2:03PM
I've noticed I see the same people commenting on most of Joystiqs articles now-a-days. They downright dominate them. You fanboy's who always speak up are like the assholes who were in the back of the class who are never satisfied and always have to contest something.
If I blogged on this site, I'd friggin ban your email address and clean these comments up. You'd still read the articles to... that's the best part.
Marcus Lywood(hating sony) @ Nov 10th 2006 2:11PM
Sony,You suck,always treating us european gamers like ****.And then you expect us to pay 500 quid on a piece of plastic.take your money and shove it up your ****
Josh @ Nov 10th 2006 2:18PM
What's funny is that they fired they guy who hyped the Nintendo CPU production announcement and yet Blake just keeps pouring out crap like this. This is a complete non-story and just another excuse to bash Sony.
Todd @ Nov 10th 2006 2:24PM
Let me repeat: "Face it Europe, Sony does not care about you!"
Sony has half-assed their way into the market and have not planned ahead accordingly. Honestly, Sony should just hold off six more months to increase product numbers and fix any of the "bugs" in the system.
Gonzo @ Nov 10th 2006 2:30PM
So THAT's why they had to shut down Lik Sang.
NorCal05 @ Nov 10th 2006 2:44PM
Just because you're a passenger on the sinking SS PS3, don't get mad at the observer who says, "The ship is sinking!", get mad at the captain who hit the Blu-Ray iceberg
kelekod @ Nov 10th 2006 2:48PM
ALso makes you wonder the quality of PS3s that are launching in USA and Japan. At least it makes me wonder. If they may not have enough to launch in Europe in March 2007, what about more units for the USA/Japan? Seems to me like things are getting shaky at Sony.
crono141 @ Nov 10th 2006 3:22PM
NorCal05,
Nice analogy, I likes it!
Alfarif @ Nov 10th 2006 3:12PM
I love seeing people get their panties in a wad.
"Oh noes, he editorialized the last paragraph"
"Biased FANBOY!"
... if he would've just posted the article, the POSTERS would've said everything he said in the last paragraph. God, people can be such tools.
Good read.
K @ Nov 10th 2006 3:14PM
From the article...
know the difference between "who's" and "whose"
Pince @ Nov 10th 2006 3:47PM
OH MY GOD!
F*ucking leave Blake alone!?
Seriously, what does Sony have to do for you morons to think it warrants a negative comment?
If Sony delays the Euro launch again is no one allowed to express how much they suck for doing that, or is that bias?
They delayed a launch that frankly was supposed to happen in Spring '06, then November '06, and now March '07 but Sony refuses to confirm that. Smart move, covering their asses, but they wouldn't need to cover their ass here IF THEY HAD THEIR SH*T TOGETHER!
I am so sick of the stupid "omg joystiq is so bias" comments. The joystiq journalists are not twisting good sony news to look bad. They are reporting bad sony news as what it is: bad news at the fault of sony. Once they start conducting themselves like an actual company with professional integrity, maybe they will stop taking the crap they deserve. The extent of Blake's comments were "Sony refuses to confirm a euro date. What the hell is up with that, sony?" I see nothing wrong with that. Stop being so damn touchy.
If you want to see a bunch of retards praise Sony to the ends of the earth for doing stupid crap left and right, call up azn_1080p and go hang with him and his crew. They'd be glad to have you I'm sure.
JRM @ Nov 10th 2006 4:25PM
To me, the story that Sony won't confirm launch in europe isn't surprising. That is a non-story. If I worked for Sony wouldn't pronosticate anything either.
The real news is what an asshole Phil Harrison keeps becoming. When you're at work, how many times do you say to others "NO, because that isn't my Job"? That is a terrible attitude to have (that is, unless you absolutely hate your job), especially for an exec.
It's this helpless, irritable, "pass the buck" attitude that just Killing SCE.
cantstanditanylonger @ Nov 10th 2006 5:12PM
Crono141 should be hired to work for joystiq. He's evidently on the anti-Sony side. By the way "Crono141", it seems that you haven't seen Andrew Yoon, James Ransom-Wiley, Ed Stastick, Dan Choi, Nick Doerr, Ken Weeks nor Vladimir Cole post in the comments.
Anyway, Blake Snow should read "Blake S-L-O-W". Blake, if you were on the "smart people" side, shouldn't you know that he ain't a VP anymore?
"In September 2005, Sony Computer Entertainment unified its regional product development operations under a global structure, Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios (SCEWW), and appointed Harrison to serve as President of the new organization. Working closely with the talented studios in Japan, Europe and North America, Harrison is responsible for setting the global product strategy and managing development operations of 13 studios in 5 countries."
Blake doesn't sound more professional by not knowing that Phil isn't a VP anymore. Not more than "Pince" when he calls everyone a moron. He's supposed to be a professional journalist, right? I mean, you all say "BUT ITS TEH BLOG!!", but don't you remember how pissed off was Vladimir Cole when he and the rest of the Joystiq crowd were called pseudo-journalists at best and amateurs at worst by Jago? Stop considering Joystiq "just a blog" when they are clearly offended when you consider them "just that".
Anyway, I find it funny that the Wii60 fanboys try to trash sony when they have no business complaining about this. All of you should know, especially blake, that Phil is in charge of S-O-F-T-W-A-R-E (SLOW, just for you, Blakey), not hardware. So he couldn't possibly answer you that because of something called CORPORATE POLICY. He has no jurisdiction to answer that, period. Public comments have effect on the companies Stock Price, so even if he could answer (in the remote case he could), he wouldn't say anything. You can ask Stringer, Ken Kutaragi or probably even Kaz Hirai. Try being a little more professional next time with your editorials, Joystiq.
Jim @ Nov 10th 2006 5:37PM
Who cares? I own a X360 and I'll get my Wii on Europe Launch Day (08 December) and there are NO games for PS3 at launch that are must-have for me.
NorCal05 @ Nov 10th 2006 6:00PM
thanks crono. I license it to anyone who would like to use it to reply to the stupid "Joystiq is biased" comments in any of these threads
Uchendu Nwachukwu @ Nov 11th 2006 3:20PM
Given that Phil Harrison is the VP of Worldwide Studios at SCE, it actually ISN'T his job to comment on hardware supply issues. It would be his job to comment on game availability for launch. The man you want to talk to regarding hardware issues would be Ken Kutaragi.
John Lucas @ Nov 10th 2006 9:19PM
Don't worry about it, Sony.
Nintendo'll satisfy those European gamefans with some well-placed Wiis.
Concentrate on Kaz's son one first.
Nobody'll remember the PS3's name by 2009.
Face it folks. They're finished in this industry.
Had a nice run though while it lasted.
John Lucas
John Lucas @ Nov 10th 2006 9:28PM
typo: "Concentrate on *getting* Kaz's son one first."
I hate typos.
John Lucas
Epsilon @ Nov 10th 2006 10:14PM
There, there. There's always the Wii.
Jimmy @ Nov 15th 2006 9:08PM
I know I'm late to the game on this thread, but holy god is this a ridiculous article. No self respecting journalist would write such a glib editorial on honest statements made by Harrison.
I'm rooting for the Wii, despite this I can't help but sympathize with Mr. Harrison and their supply chain issues. Of course he doesn't want to make comments on it, he's not psychic. I'm sure the information changes daily.
Mr. Snow, you need to take the emotionality out of your reporting. There is an unwritten rule about blogging, and that is to 'stop and think', then write. Childish "WHY??" commentary isn't worth reading.