Ken Kutaragi talks AV-centric PS3 ... uh, PSX3? PS3X?

by Christopher Grant { Dec 20th 2006 at 12:28PM }

In his new capacity as chairman and group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment, Ken Kutaragi spoke with Japan's Impress about, what he calls, an AV-centric PlayStation 3. This device, powered by the very capable Cell processor, would "be a standard AV component sized box with a more powerful power supply unit, anti-shake insulator, twice the main memory" adding that dual HDMI would allow the device to split sound and video output. So that's where the dual HDMI output went ...

Of course, we immediately recalled the PSX, Sony's AV-centric PlayStation 2 that suffered from poor sales, ultimately never seeing release outside Japan before stopping production. The unit's high price (¥95,000 for the high-end model) is often cited as the primary reason. So it is with this knowledge that we're wary of the prospects for Kutaragi's device when Impress speculates it may cost as much as ¥300,000 (around $2,500). With the PS3 already fulfilling much of the PSX's promise -- and then some -- we're unsure if the market is looking for a more expensive game console with anti-shake insulators. Toss some DVR-capabilities on the PS3 and we'll forget all about TiVo. TiVo who? See.

[Via Engadget]

Tags: KenKutaragi, PSX

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

STEEL @ Dec 20th 2006 12:39PM

This is gonna get ugly..lol

bob @ Dec 20th 2006 12:37PM

But But But But WAIT IT GETS WORSE...

Agent MOO @ Dec 20th 2006 12:40PM

That's fine and dandy, but All I want for christmas is a Wii

Alice Unchained @ Dec 20th 2006 12:41PM

The current PS3 *is* a component sized unit. How much bigger could it get?? Sony is dead man walking as long as good ole KK is making decisions.

kudos @ Dec 20th 2006 12:46PM

i guess sony didnt learn from the failure of the PSX?

if we wont buy a 599 over priced console - why/who would buy a 2500 PS3X?

Nintendo is our Savior (this is my signature foos)

Jesse Edgar @ Dec 20th 2006 12:58PM

Wow, that is retarded.

Mark Felps @ Dec 20th 2006 1:57PM

Well, as always, I'm glad to hear that Sony is focused on gaming.

Noah M @ Dec 20th 2006 1:27PM

So basically a computer.... right??? (but it plays PS3 games) ohhh ok, still a computer...

Marlos Hill @ Dec 20th 2006 12:53PM

jesus sony makes it SOOOOOOO hard to hold any hope for them. :(

v1cious @ Dec 20th 2006 1:19PM

jesus... please just stop.

Retrojunkie @ Dec 20th 2006 1:01PM

Kotaku is a bias piece of shit
filled with sony bots

Keith @ Dec 20th 2006 1:47PM

What is all this holding out hope crap......Buy the systems with the best games and let go of your fanboy nature

zero2dash @ Dec 20th 2006 1:11PM

Yeah, Sony's doing a knock down bang up job with the Ps3 already and the PSX wasn't too bad of a failure, right?
/sarcasm

Retrojunkie @ Dec 20th 2006 1:06PM

Dude stop using my fucking name

seriously its gay

The TiaMaster @ Dec 20th 2006 1:40PM

"Toss some DVR-capabilities on the PS3 and we'll forget all about TiVo. TiVo who? See."

Am I the only one who hates the PS3 interface? The 360 interface is intuitive (well, I guess because it labels everything) but on the PS3 people are constantly saying 'whats this again?' when navigating the interface.

I assume this is because MS has had enough time to update their interface a couple of times already.

Halorin @ Dec 20th 2006 3:10PM

What earthly reason would Sony even -consider- this? One would imagine that Sony would be moreso worried about selling the product they have now, hell, even just MANUFACTURING the product they have now over creating some bloated version of the same thing.

Ken Kutaragi @ Dec 20th 2006 1:26PM

HA HA! Big funny, but weel see who gets rast raugh.

sparkguy @ Dec 20th 2006 1:37PM

Stop given us S**T give us games. iv got a feeling PS3 Will become a PSP

w()()ter @ Dec 20th 2006 1:48PM

Hahahahahahaha

....oh wait, you're serious? Let me laugh even harder....

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!

x876543 @ Dec 20th 2006 1:39PM

A few questions about this:

How many extra jobs should I have now to buy this?
When should I get on line outside Best Buy to get one?
Will it work with my Sony HDTV, or do I need to buy yet another one?

Thanks

Spartacus @ Dec 20th 2006 1:51PM

Just when I thought Sony couldn't do anything more wrong...

So now, after criticising the 360 last year for 2 sku's, they are one-upping them with 3- One of which is the price of a nice big screen HDTV. WHO THE HELL WOULD BUY A $2500 GAMING BOX? They might as well just strip all the gaming aspects, make a true media box, rename it and sell it as a new product. The whole jack of all trades thing just isn't going to fly. Even then I don't see this product being profitable, but hey, Sony can throw away as much money as they like, I'm not a shareholder...

Bill Gates @ Dec 20th 2006 1:52PM

Wow Ken, you sure are making my job easier. The jokes just write themselves.

p.s.

I got your email about borrowing some of our Live programmers, I'll send a couple out your way after the holidays.

--Bill

Rask @ Dec 20th 2006 1:47PM

Wow. Crazy Ken is still in a psition to hurt the PS brand I see.

How can you gain by selling a product called PlayStation, that's focused on something other than Play and that's 4x the price of your already grossly expensive current product?

Thanks but no thanks. I'd rather just buy a PC loaded with a Media Center(MCE 2005 or Vista Home Premium/Ultimate) and use my 360 to get all the content from there.

And hey get this, I can watch a recorded program on said PC while someone else watches something else on the TV.

number40one @ Dec 20th 2006 1:59PM

I thought that this was the whole purpose of the PS3... besides the different chassis. I mean, I'm sure there'll be future PS3's with increased specs and different footprints, but wasn't the PSX the test bed for the PS3's (already) A/V-centric offerings?

Between the different-but-significant limitations of both Sony and Microsoft's current boxes, I think we've got another generation of hardware to go before we get a truly acceptable living room media center hub... one that catches on en masse. And I'm pretty sure the PC will beat 'em to it.

Spartacus @ Dec 20th 2006 2:05PM

"I assume this is because MS has had enough time to update their interface a couple of times already."

Not really. The 360 interface hasn't changed since launch, it's just had a few more options added. The UI for the 360 is simply better designed and more user friendly than the PS3's. Of course everyone will have their own opinion and preference, but overall most would agree. Not to mention the 360's UI uses less system resources, has background downloading (an feature that was added after launch), more customization options, more music options (custom in game tracks etc.) and all on a system that costs less.

I love my 360 and I hold no warm feelings for Sony, but even so, the PS3 has its merits, but the UI is not one of them.

Skwurl @ Dec 20th 2006 2:32PM

#24

That's funny because even though I'm a Nintendo fan, I think Sony has the sexist interface out all 3 consoles. It's super clean and contrary to what people say, it's not hard to navigate at all.

John @ Dec 20th 2006 2:47PM

does the controller rumble yet? no? well thats the end of that then! lol

John @ Dec 20th 2006 2:47PM

does the controller rumble yet? no? well thats the end of that then! lol

Agent MOO @ Dec 20th 2006 2:53PM

The rumble will be generated by the train that runs on top of the apartment in the slums you will need to move to in order to afford it.

zeno48 @ Dec 20th 2006 3:07PM

Glad to see sony is in the right direction. Thanks crazy kenny for all these wonderful things you are doing to hurt the playstation brand name. Man why don't they fire that guy. He is making idiotic and moronic dicisions.

Mark Felps @ Dec 20th 2006 3:10PM

I wonder if this means Sony is going to bone PS3 owners when it comes to streaming video. If they want to sell the thing, they'll have to differentiate it from the PS3. Since the PS3 already has a hard drive, a 1.3 HDMI connector, high0quality sound, etc. how will they create the differentiation between the two units?

The difference seems likely to be a more open media streaming solution, with the abilities that were left out of the PS3, like connecting to media extenders and streaming video across the wire. It's not like either is particularly difficult to do. The fact that the PS3 can't do these simple things means either a) Sony couldn't figure out how to do it in the time frame alloted, which is hard to believe since connecting to open shares is ridiculously easy b)they couldn't do it with the level of DRM they wanted in the time alloted, also hard to believe since they have their own DRM-ware or c)they intentionally left out the ability. If c) is the right answer, this may be an explanation of why.

Earl @ Dec 20th 2006 3:23PM

Where are all the Sony fanboys that normally "rescue" Sony's image during these bad press articles? (>, Shagi, etc.)
Guess it must be hard to defend a $600 POS, much less a $2500 POS!! WTF is Sony seriously thinking?
Wow, just when you think Sony can't shoot themselves in the foot anymore...

devcap @ Dec 20th 2006 3:52PM

It's foolish to right off the Sony PS3 as a failure and the PSX is a high end piece of hardware for people who want one .It's not going to be in the high street stores like Wal-Mart .People are idiots if they just hate what they can't afford ,Get a life and get a real job.

cakestick @ Dec 20th 2006 4:26PM

Dave: :-(

number40one @ Dec 20th 2006 4:55PM

...and then Dave's head exploded...

dez_mick @ Dec 20th 2006 5:00PM

To #27

No, the rumble will be placed in the box itself! Hence the need for anti-shake insulation (whatever that is). Thats it Sony, keep creating products the market didn't ask for.

Optimus Prime @ Dec 20th 2006 5:02PM

hey guys

I am here to defend sony

PEople stop whining

everybody who owns a wii and 360 are obviously poor

while us rich ass ps3 owners are laughing at you
the psp is outselling the ds
and the wii and the 360 are dying systems
the ps3 wins

Man i am soooooooo smart