Ken Kutaragi insisted on Spider-Man font for PS3

by Kevin Kelly on Mar 29th 2007 3:22PM

File this under "Trivia": did you know that since Sony owns the rights to the Spider-Man font, it might have shaped the look and feel of the PlayStation 3? According to CVG, Kutaragi insisted on the use of the font, and it was one of the first design elements chosen for the console.

According to Sony's Teiyu Goto, "If you really look at the PS3 contour carefully, it is rounded when viewing the console in profile. Rather than creating a typography with all the risks that entails, it was wiser to use the one from Spider-Man, for which Sony has the rights."

Er, call us confused, but what are all the risks that creating a new font entails? Death and destruction raining down? Sharp edges? Cats and dogs living together? Thankfully, Kutaragi wasn't a hardcore Comic Sans fan, or who knows what the PS3 would have ended up looking like.

Source

Tags: font, kenkutaragi, Kutaragi, PS2, PS3, Sony, Spider-Man

Reader Comments (55)

Ken Kutaragi really needs to kill himself.

Yet another example of laziness on Sony's part.

What about the fact that the original Xbox Font was a variation of the font "1979", used then by Spiderman and now the PS3.

I hate comic sans. It is so pointlessly overused. There are actually "road construction ahead" signs around where I live in comic sans! What the hell

Who the hell cares? Its a cool font, it looks good on the PS3. Thats all it matters.

I cringe when I see the PS3 logo like when I see people using overused fonts on their website. It looks amateurish and lazy. Like when someone uses Jokerman or Matisse

Thank you for including that BanComicSans.com link! I was reading the reviews for Viva Pinata and kind of looking forward to playing it until I noticed that all of the interface type uses Comic Sans. I can now never touch that game.

"I hate comic sans. It is so pointlessly overused. There are actually "road construction ahead" signs around where I live in comic sans! What the hell"

We need pics!

Bad fonts?! Mass hysteria!

agreed. i think the font looked played out even before Sony used it. could've been worse -- they could've used the Ogilvie font. when i saw Summoner using it, i almost puked.

Font talk = sloooow news day.

Considering the amount of knock off fonts that only change, like, the way a comma is or something, I think Nintendo or MS should rip off the Spidey 3 font for their next console's logo.

I always just assumed it was nice for Sony to be able use the Spider-Man font for the PS3, but didn't give it much more thought. Others however, must have found it much more interesting....

People also severely overuse Anna ICG and Papyrus.
I like both of those fonts, but God DAMNIT, they're everywhere! I can't use them anymore without feeling like a hack these days.
Not as bad as Comic Sans, of course, but still..

Playstation 3? MORE LIKE GHEYSTATION 3!!!!1

The only font worth using is Times New Roman (or in rare cases Arial)

IF this seriously bothers you, take any blunt object and jam it in your worthless eye. Then maybe you will get perspective on life.

It is unbelievable that Sony could not create something new for such a big product. it looks like they are just trying to show no matter how bad they marketed it, it will still sell.

Heh. We finally get to see what Sony, and Ken, find most important in a gaming console.

While your at it, will someone please ban the use of "Brush Script". That is such an awful font. Sooo many bad fonts and poor usage of fonts...ughhh, Hermann Zapf and Emil Ruder must be spinning in their graves.

damn we have a shitload of designers here present company included.

Isn't Hermann Zapf still alive?

so how does sony own the rights to the font?

it was originally designed in 1995 and is owned by the design house (T-26) that created it

http://www.myfonts.com/fonts/t26/mata/

I'M TYPING THIS ENTIRE POST IN COMIC SANS I LOVE THIS FONT XOXOXO COMIC SANS YOU'RE IN ALL MY DESKTOP THEMES!!! LETS BAN ALL THE FONT H473R22

i wasn't aware that the type of font used could make or break a system...i used to think actual games sold systems, but i guess in this day in age if you slip up and put the wrong font on your system you can kiss your ass goodbye.

seriously people. Its a font. For once, I agree with Matt B.

And nice Ghostbusters reference, since it looks like only one other person here got it.

perfectchaos, you'd be surprised how important image is to a products sales.

anyway, now that I look at it, you can totally see the consoles look being inspired by the font. Just look at the S in playstation, and look at a ps3 from either of the sides (or top/bottom if you have the console verticle)

I noticed this a while ago. I've always detested that font. On Spiderman movie posters, etc - it's fine. But it makes no sense on the PS3 - It simply does not fit.

Times New Roman, Arial, Verdana, Tahoma, Courier New, FixedSys and MS San Serif are over-used as well. When was the last time you went to a web-site that didn't have these fonts?

I think every writer has their favorite fonts for various things. I typically use good ol' Times New Roman for actual work to submit, and Arial for publishing (because people whine when you use serifs). I like using Courier New for writing emails for its simplicity, and I also use it to edit (because I like fixed width for checking mistakes, and each letter looks sufficiently different to eliminate confustion).

But for my own enjoyment? Nothing is classier than Garamond, baby.

For the PS3 font... I think people deride it just because it looks like Sony is trying to somehow tie the PS3 in with the Spider-Man movies. Personally, I just wish companies would use serifs more. Serifs rule.

Spider man Spide..... ah screw it. The song kind of sucked any ways.
P.S. the Wii would like to play commercials suck ass. How about something a little more exciting.

"Serifs rule."

I am with you 100%

The reason why Verdana is used so much in websites, is because it is easily the most 'professional' and easy on the eye. Try making your site in comic sans, or even times new roman for that matter...
Example:
(http://www.fanboys-online.com/index.php , Sorry scott, yours is the only one I know that really uses times in the newspost :p)

And I do agree that font doesnt matter in this case. But to say that it doesn't matter at all, breaks the web developer in me :(

Hmmm, I was thinking along the lines of brand confusion.

They should have used Wingdings. Wingdings is worth 600 dollars.

As JodyAnthony points out, the two go together, just as the ps2 logo did with the ps2 system. It was very square, sharp edged... look at the letters in the ps3/spiderman logo. It's shaped almost exactly the same way as the ps3 system. I've seen a couple of photochop mockups using other fonts, and they don't really fit the system. It's rounded shape calls for a slightly rounded font, and why not use one that already exists rather than trying to create something from scratch? Looks better than BankGothic at least.

As for the importance... how many times has this come up now? I realize it's a(nother) popular thing to criticize about the PS3, but the fact that it's a reoccurring topic speaks to the awareness people have of it's impact.
Oh yeah, and rock on Garamond.

>> 26. Times New Roman, Arial, Verdana, Tahoma, Courier New, FixedSys and MS San Serif are over-used as well. When was the last time you went to a web-site that didn't have these fonts?
---

Those fonts are virtually guaranteed to be on all PCs and web developers have to be able to count on the font being present (unlike in print). Mac users would say the same about Helvetica, etc.
---

>> 29. "Serifs rule."
>> I am with you 100%
---

ewww ;-)
---

I know a lot of people here are saying "it's just a font, what's the big deal?" but, to a designer, font selection is *extremely* important.

@JodyAnthony

Your right Zapf is still alive. That guy is so freakin' old I thought he was dead by now. LONG LIVE ZAPF!!

Looks like my lucky day chrono. I'll be picking up a lotto ticket on my way home. ;)

The reason Verdana, Arial, Times, Tahoma, etc. are all used everywhere on the web is because they are standard fonts that exist natively on both PCs and Macs by default.

Anyone that uses a custom font on a website is shooting themself in the foot. Unless the user coming to your site has that exact font on their machine as well (which is HIGHLY unlikely), then all they are going to see is probably Courier.

Now, as for the PS3 font, the "dangers" are probably something along the lines of trying to make sure that any custom font they create doesn't too closely resemble a font someone else has created. If it does, they could be sued by the creator for infringement.

Don'tcha just love our litiguous society.

Here's a mystery that's been bothering me for years.

Spiderman, the movie franchise, was created by Sony so why do Spiderman games based on the movie appear on non-Sony platforms? I can understand Spiderman appearing in that Marvel Alliance game because it's not based in any way on a film but those Spiderman games are. Even when it's just a loose connection you still have the actors from the movies doing the vocals and all.

Doesn't anyone else find this strange? It's almost like Nintendo allowing a game to be sold based on the Super Mario Bros movie.

I noticed the font and assumed they did it to link the PS3 subtly to another big Sony success, the Spider-Man movies. Most people won't see the font and directly think of Spider-Man, but perhaps it will make them slightly more positive towards the PS3, based on how they feel about Spider-Man.

Which is a good idea, if that's why they did it.

if I remember to grab my camera tomorrow when i go out, pics will be had tomorrow night.

(in other words, no pics will be had, as i am very forgetful)

http://jodyanthony.deviantart.com

I like Eurostile as well =]

the spiderman font is just gay though

24. I got the ghostbusters reference. Venkman rules.

why is it far fetched that Sony wants to connote movies with PS3?

very much so. it's a huge part of their strategy. HD movie playback is what supposedly justifies the price difference between 360 and PS3. its obviously not the games that differentiate it.

.

As a font dude and designer, I was really disappointed when I saw that font carry over from pre-release E3 hype to actual manufactured models.

I've gotten to the point where I don't think about it too much anymore, but the idea that Sony would tie the two entities together (beyond maybe offering a free Blu-Ray of Spiderman) is UNNECESSARY. The machine exists seperately from a movie franchise. You are Sony. You make up amazing tweaky logos ALL THE TIME (MiniDisc logo, Digital8 logo, PS2 logo, the blobbish Walkman 'W' logo, etc.) and I can't accept the 'risky mission is just too risky' argument. The Sony design department is one of the few parts of the company that really shines consistantly.

Sad that no one stepped up and gave the thing it's own identity.

the original playstation logotype font was so great. i think its an honest change of focus.

.

The reason Spiderman games based on the movies appear on other systems is because Sony doesn't own all the rights to Spiderman. Marvel has the rights to the characters, Sony has only some specific rights to the movie. I'm not sure which but you can have rights to the movie in numerous areas such as the rights to distribute, the rights to produce, the rights to merchandise, the rights to make a game based off the movie, et cetera.

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Ken Kutaragi insisted on Spider-Man font for PS3

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