Sony's Tretton describes console war with food analogies

167 Comments by Ross Miller Jul 18th 2007 2:25PM
Filed under: Sony PlayStation 2, Sony PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, Business

A little known fact: in the game industry, everything gets equated to food. Nintendo's Satoru Iwata did it, as did Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima (though, later, he gave new analogies). Our newest public food statement comes from Sony's Jack Tretton in an interview with GamePro, who unsurprisingly relates the PlayStation 3 to a Surf n' Turf (i.e. steak and lobster).

The PS2 is "your favorite burger restaurant," and as for the rest? The Wii is "a lollipop, and I'm too old for lollipops," he said. "The other one [Xbox 360] I get sick from once in a while because the cook isn't always reliable." Red ring of burn! That jab is sizzling! Okay ... we're done. Regardless of your fanboy affiliation, do phrases like this make you as hungry as they do to us?

[Via PS3 Fanboy]

Tags: food, jacktretton, microsoft, nintendo, sony, tretton

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(Page 1) Reader Comments

RKN2K: Jul 18th 2007; 2:28PM

A little.

Fernando Rocker: Jul 18th 2007; 2:30PM

And the PS3 is the elegant expensive food of a fancy restaurant that come with little portions.

Matt B: Jul 18th 2007; 2:32PM

You mean where all the rich and beautiful people go.

JodyAnthony: Jul 18th 2007; 2:53PM

too bad there is a lot more poor ugly people like me in the world.

Shagittarius: Jul 18th 2007; 2:31PM

The Wii is the Fondue of the console world.

samfish: Jul 18th 2007; 2:42PM

You mean it's awesome and it makes you seem classy and gets you laid on dates?

Shagittarius: Jul 18th 2007; 2:43PM

Fondue only gets you laid with chicks that have pubic hair thick as shag carpeting.

JodyAnthony: Jul 18th 2007; 2:51PM

alton brown had an episode of good eats about fondue, and alton brown can do no wrong.

Wii is like Alton Brown: awesome and fun
PS3 is like Emeril Lagasse: loud and well known but annoying
360 is like Rachel Ray: was cool at first, but now played out

or something

faceless coward: Jul 18th 2007; 4:39PM

Hah, Jody, you described all of the popular Food Channel people perfectly. Alton Brown FTW (I try to use FTW sparingly)!

Matt B: Jul 18th 2007; 2:31PM

He was asked to do this if you read the article. It's not like he just said it for no reason.

Jonah Falcon: Jul 18th 2007; 2:32PM

Tretton says a LOT of things. He still owes a lot of people money, for one.

Jonah Falcon: Jul 18th 2007; 2:32PM

The words "No comment" exist, you know.

Sky_Shark: Jul 18th 2007; 2:33PM

"The other one [Xbox 360] I get sick from once in a while because the cook isn't always reliable."

Wow, thats hilarious. His analogies do work I guess, although I guess since lollipops sell way more than Surf n' Turf, the Wii will be the winner this generation?

MaX PL and the 360 r4pe Tr4iN: Jul 18th 2007; 2:34PM

PS3 is more like "it tastes good sometimes, but mostly tastes like shit".

What?: Jul 18th 2007; 2:40PM

opposed to getting e. coli from 1/3 of your visits to the unreliable cook

Phranctoast: Jul 18th 2007; 3:07PM

you eat shit for breakfast?????

Ezira: Jul 18th 2007; 2:36PM

I am just like Tretton. I hate lollipops. Lollipops are for little kids, You can't be mature and like lollipops. That's the same reason I only play games that have realistic graphics, big guns and blood.

RKN2K: Jul 18th 2007; 2:39PM

:sigh:

Vigi: Jul 18th 2007; 4:16PM

If you're truly mature, you don't need to worry about whether or not your food is grown-up or not.

JodyAnthony: Jul 18th 2007; 2:41PM

haha, +1 to you

absolute_nonsense: Jul 18th 2007; 3:05PM

Ezira,

By the very nature of you saying that it makes you seem like a lollipop yourself. Kids are allways trying to be more adult/mature. Blood and violence while certainly cool in some games, isn't a hall mark of maturity in and of itself. If anything it makes you seem like a small child trying to wear his dads shoes thinking hes grown, but not realizing his feet are still to small.

BIG Reub: Jul 18th 2007; 3:15PM

Sarcasm.

eelb: Jul 18th 2007; 3:20PM

absolute_nonsense, ezira's post was ironic.

WedgeTalon: Jul 18th 2007; 7:04PM

People, people, that's SATIRE, not sarcasm or irony.

Well played. *golf clap*

mccomber: Jul 18th 2007; 2:39PM

The PS3 is like steak at a restaurant you always remember as being good before, but now it has slow service and "market price" listed on the menu.

kennethrios: Jul 18th 2007; 2:41PM

Tretton is a lollipop.

Player1: Jul 18th 2007; 2:42PM

Surf and turf? More like an overly expensive steak, with no seasoning or sides.

JodyAnthony: Jul 18th 2007; 2:42PM

anyone that says they don't like candy is a liar

samfish: Jul 18th 2007; 2:44PM

I hate candy.

...but I work for candy magazines, so I have a damn good reason for it.
I'm surrounded by the crap all day.

samfish: Jul 18th 2007; 2:43PM

Oh Sony! It wasn't enough for you to rip off Nintendo anymore, was it?

Now you're ripping off Hideo Kojima's analogies!

For shame! FOR SHAME!!!

vidGuy: Jul 18th 2007; 2:45PM

Sure it's the surf n turf, but you have to wait two years to be served. If you go to that other restaurant and don't get sick, you get a better deal. And if you do get sick, they'll give you your next meal free. And everyone can enjoy a lollipop, just not those that are worried that having a lollipop makes you look uncool. Those people buy the steak to look rich, but secretly they want to go to the other restaurant AND to have a lollipop instead of being stuck looking for their waiter and their cold steak and shrimp.

JodyAnthony: Jul 18th 2007; 2:46PM

kojak looked cool with a lollipop

vidGuy: Jul 18th 2007; 2:50PM

Don't you forget it.

BulletToothTony: Jul 18th 2007; 2:56PM

man vidguy you're hilarious.. everytime there's something related to ps3 you're there... it cracks me up how someone can be so incredibly blind and stupid, and make the dumbest comments, and straight up lie on most threads..

why are you so angry at the ps3?? why are you so angry period??

last thread you said, "do you rather lock your shoulders and use the guncon like a real gun? or would you rather use the wiimote from the comfort of your lap?" LOL

are you serious? which one do you really think it's better.. just let it go man.. stop being such a jackass.. (which im not you're not) but you're honestly a joke dude.. you have contradicted yourself in most threads.. it's obvious that you just lie in order to make yourself feel better about your console..

save some money and buy a ps3 and get it over with.. it's time to say good buy to denial and face the truth jackass.. the ps3 has an awesome lineup, which starts in less than 3 weeks and that's the bottom line..

vidGuy: Jul 18th 2007; 3:04PM

Thanks, I'm trying to become a troll but it's a hard transformation to make. Maybe you have to be born into it...

NeverSage: Jul 18th 2007; 8:07PM

@vidGuy

That was an awesome response to Tretton. I applaud you sir.

colin: Jul 18th 2007; 11:54PM

agreed, but i think getting sick from the meal isn't even a good analogy. it would be like going to the nice restaurant, ordering a good meal, then the waiter drops your plate on the way to the table ... then he gives you a couple of free drinks and you get another meal a little while later. no harm, no foul.

Bugger: Jul 18th 2007; 2:46PM

The truth: Jul 18th 2007; 2:47PM

Nah... The more accurate analogy for Wii is:

"It's like that hip, stylish, affordable, new restaurant that EVERYONE wants to dine at, but is impossible to get a reservation at unless you reserve months in advance."

Matt B: Jul 18th 2007; 3:39PM

Only to be let down once you are inside.

Geist: Jul 18th 2007; 3:53PM

I think it's more like the place is awesome, but still under construction.

Also, despite the fact that there's a clown handing out fliers outside, there's still classy entertainment inside, if you know where to look.

Mr Khan: Jul 18th 2007; 4:03PM

the restaurant is so exclusive that the only way to get reservations is to create an alternate universe where you already have them

-Requisite Daily Futurama reference

Rask: Jul 18th 2007; 2:47PM

Theo nly thing that makes me sick occasionally, actually make that every time, is Tretton's analogy.

But hey, ay least his steak place will knock 20% off the price after the steak has been lying in the pantry getting stale for the last 8 months.

Myrpok: Jul 18th 2007; 2:50PM

stupid analogy is stupid

Gorf: Jul 18th 2007; 2:53PM

I would say the Wii is more like In-N-Out, cheap delicious food and a fairly limited menu selection. Man I sure could go for a double double about now.

micheal82: Jul 18th 2007; 2:54PM

No wonder I don't have a PS3 I'm allergic to lobsters. thanks Jack Tretton for warning me before I get some thing that may hit my weak spot for massive damage.

JodyAnthony: Jul 18th 2007; 2:54PM

this thread is delicious

JodyAnthony: Jul 18th 2007; 2:55PM

hahahaha SURF and turf
GIANT ENEMY CRAB

that tickles my netherregions

The Wicker Man: Jul 18th 2007; 2:57PM

is this really a story? slow day huh?

Adam: Jul 18th 2007; 2:58PM

Is anyone else getting tired of Jack Tretton? I understand it's his job to put a positive spin on Sony, but in every interview of his I read, he just displays himself as more and more of a fanboy, just like the ones that litter the internet.

I own all 3 new-gen systems, and in this gamer's opinion, Sony is falling behind. I play games for the games, and the PS3 is lacking in that department.

This food analogy just makes me sick of Tretton even more.

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