Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Nikkei: Kaz Hirai stepping up as Sony president, Stringer staying on as chairman and CEO]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/06/nikkei-kaz-hirai-stepping-up-as-sony-president-stringer-stayin/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/06/nikkei-kaz-hirai-stepping-up-as-sony-president-stringer-stayin/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/01/06/nikkei-kaz-hirai-stepping-up-as-sony-president-stringer-stayin/#comments It's unfortunate, but it seems unlikely we'll be hearing Sony Computer Entertainment's current "executive deputy president" Kazuo Hirai regaling us with extended "Riiiiiiiiidge Racer!" shouts much more, as Nikkei is reporting he'll be taking over as president of Sony Corporation in the coming months. Current president, CEO and chairman Sir Howard Stringer will apparently be losing a third of his title to Kaz, and the move is expected "as soon as April," as translated by our bilingual cohorts at Engadget.

When Hirai was promoted to the deputy president role earlier this year, he became the heir apparent to Stringer's job as president, so it's not exactly an enormous surprise to hear this report. Sony had yet to confirm the news as of publishing, but Nikkei isn't exactly known for its false reporting. All the same, we've reached out for confirmation.

Update: Sony tells us it "Doesn't comment on rumor or speculation." Not exactly a denial, but take that as you will.

JoystiqNikkei: Kaz Hirai stepping up as Sony president, Stringer staying on as chairman and CEO originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Jan 2012 13:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidhoward-stringerkaz-hiraikazuo-hiraimobilemoveplaystationplaystation-vitaps3pspsir-howard-stringersonysony-corpsony-corporationvitaFri, 06 Jan 2012 13:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony predicting another year of losses, despite growing games sales]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/02/sony-predicting-another-year-of-losses-despite-growing-games-sa/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/02/sony-predicting-another-year-of-losses-despite-growing-games-sa/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/11/02/sony-predicting-another-year-of-losses-despite-growing-games-sa/#comments 2011 hasn't been the best of years for the electronics manufacturing giant known as Sony. Its not just that the company's television and mobile phone divisions have failed to gain much ground against their competitors, but a string of bad luck -- a major Japanese earthquake, flooding in Thailand, rioters in Britain and hackers in, well, cyberspace -- has affected their ability to supply consumers with their products. Citing these events, Sony is anticipating its fourth unprofitable year in a row.

This news comes from a New York Times report, which says Sony's video game business is rallying due to strong interest in the Vita, and the ever-increasing sales of the PS3. That just goes to show you that ... video games are better than cameras and televisions. We encourage Canon, Nikon and Panasonic to give up their increasingly irrelevant platforms, and start making video game consoles. Actually, wait: We're going to need TVs, still. You guys keep doing what you're doing.

JoystiqSony predicting another year of losses, despite growing games sales originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businesshoward-stringerjapankaz-hiraiplaystationplaystation-vitaps3pspsonyvitaWed, 02 Nov 2011 12:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony snaps up the rest of Ericsson -- so long, feature phones]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/27/sony-snaps-up-the-rest-of-ericsson-so-long-feature-phones/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/27/sony-snaps-up-the-rest-of-ericsson-so-long-feature-phones/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/27/sony-snaps-up-the-rest-of-ericsson-so-long-feature-phones/#comments Don't you remember you told me you love me, baby? If you've been waiting for the latest and greatest Walkman phone from Sony Ericsson, we've got some bad news. Sony has announced that it plans to buy out Ericsson's 50 percent share in the two companies' joint venture --- at a cool €1.05 billion ($1.47 billion). The goal of the acquisition, according to Sony, is "to rapidly integrate smartphones into its broad array of network-connected consumer electronics devices."

In other words, "feature phones," like the aforementioned Walkman line, are kaput. CEO Howard Stringer confirmed as much during a press conference. The acquisition will allow the company to focus on Android smartphones that will integrate with its other products. As Mr. Stringer puts it, "We can help people enjoy all our content - from movies to music and games - through our many devices, in a way no one else can." The buyout is scheduled to go through this January.

Continue reading Sony snaps up the rest of Ericsson -- so long, feature phones

JoystiqSony snaps up the rest of Ericsson -- so long, feature phones originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 27 Oct 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acquisitionandroidhoward-stringersonysony-ericssonxperia-playThu, 27 Oct 2011 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Stringer: PSN bouncing back after this year's attack]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/02/stringer-psn-bouncing-back-after-this-years-attack/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/02/stringer-psn-bouncing-back-after-this-years-attack/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/09/02/stringer-psn-bouncing-back-after-this-years-attack/#comments PlayStation Network has had a hell of a time with public relations this year. After the well-publicized attack on the service (which potentially exposed the personal information of millions of users), Sony has done everything it can to regain the trust and goodwill of its customers. It would seem those efforts appear are paying off, according to claims conveyed by CNET.

The site reports that Sony CEO Howard Stringer recently addressed the subject at the IFA conference in Berlin, saying that PlayStation Network is "more secure and better than ever." He added that the company is working to expand the service, which has added 3 million new customers since the attack. Furthermore, Stringer noted that PSN sales have actually increased relative to pre-attack levels.

According to Stringer, "the summer of our discontent is behind us."

JoystiqStringer: PSN bouncing back after this year's attack originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 02 Sep 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businesshoward-stringerplaystationplaystation-networkps3psnpsn-outage-2011Fri, 02 Sep 2011 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: Sony CEO Stringer asked to step down by shareholder]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/28/report-sony-ceo-stringer-asked-to-step-down-by-shareholder/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/28/report-sony-ceo-stringer-asked-to-step-down-by-shareholder/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/06/28/report-sony-ceo-stringer-asked-to-step-down-by-shareholder/#comments During a Q&A session at Sony's annual shareholder meeting last night, an investor asked CEO Howard Stringer why he was still there. Okay, it wasn't that abrupt, but according to AV Watch's report of the proceedings, an investor did call for a change of leadership, due to lowered trust and stock prices after the PSN data breach.

Stringer responded by saying the question was understandable, and then apologized for the inconvenience (again). He said Sony is working to strengthen its information management systems to their "maximum."

Stringer also told shareholders that, following the resumption of PSN services, 90% of users have returned. Presumably, that's 90% of the users who can return, a group that doesn't include anyone in Japan since PSN access (specifically the store) hasn't been fully reactivated.

JoystiqReport: Sony CEO Stringer asked to step down by shareholder originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Jun 2011 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>howard-stringerplaystationps3psnpsn-outage-2011pspsonyTue, 28 Jun 2011 11:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Stringer issues apology for 'inconvenience and concern' caused by PSN breach]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/05/howard-stringer-issues-apology-for-inconvenience-and-concern-c/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/05/howard-stringer-issues-apology-for-inconvenience-and-concern-c/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/05/howard-stringer-issues-apology-for-inconvenience-and-concern-c/#comments Capping off a day that's seen his company accused of opening the door to hackers by using outdated software and not using firewalls on its thoroughly compromised PlayStation Network servers, Sony president Sir Howard Stringer has taken to the PlayStation Blog to offer a formal apology for the entire ordeal. In his open letter, Stringer says he and the company are sorry for "the inconvenience and concern caused by this attack," while also addressing what many consider a failure in not letting users know their data was stolen sooner.

"I know some believe we should have notified our customers earlier than we did. It's a fair question," he writes. "I wish we could have gotten the answers we needed sooner, but forensic analysis is a complex, time-consuming process. Hackers, after all, do their best to cover their tracks, and it took some time for our experts to find those tracks and begin to identify what personal information had -- or had not -- been taken."

On the topic of the stolen data being used by the hackers or connected parties, Stringer says that, "to date, there is no confirmed evidence any credit card or personal information has been misused, and we continue to monitor the situation closely." This comes less than an hour after Sony announced that PSN users will receive a free year of ID theft protection from Debix.

Sony says it's in the "final stages" of testing its rebuilt PSN, so hopefully that, combined with Stringer's comments, offers hope that it will get the service back online -- even in a limited form -- by next week.

JoystiqStringer issues apology for 'inconvenience and concern' caused by PSN breach originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 05 May 2011 21:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Howard-Stringerplaystationps3psnpsn-outage-2011sonyThu, 05 May 2011 21:34:00 EST<![CDATA[PlayStation Network issues persist as hacker collective continues attacks]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/06/playstation-network-issues-persist-as-hacker-collective-continue/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/06/playstation-network-issues-persist-as-hacker-collective-continue/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/06/playstation-network-issues-persist-as-hacker-collective-continue/#comments Taking to the US and EU PlayStation Forums en masse, PlayStation 3 users continue to report connectivity issues with PlayStation Network today. Starting with the declaration of attack by hacker group "Anonymous" earlier this week, PSN has been experiencing sporadic issues over the past few days -- Sony characterized the outages as "intermittent" earlier this week, and promised that "engineers are working to restore and maintain the services." As of the time of publishing, we have been unable to connect to PSN today through several staff accounts.

According to a Sony EU forum moderator, a trio of error codes could be showing up for affected users (80710092, 80710D36 and 8071053D), though little else is offered in way of information. "We are currently looking into this and I will update the thread as more information becomes available," the post notes.

Additionally, PlayStation Lifestyle reports that a splinter group of Anonymous -- identified as "SonyRecon" -- is apparently going after specific Sony executives, seeking to reveal "names, phone numbers, pictures, home addresses, email, internet protocol address, family members and other data." CEO Sir Howard Stringer is said to be one of the group's targets, among others.

As previously detailed, Anonymous launched the attacks on Sony earlier this week as a sign of solidarity with hackers George "GeoHot" Hotz and Alexander "Graf_Chokolo" Egorenkov, both of whom are currently in litigation with Sony.

JoystiqPlayStation Network issues persist as hacker collective continues attacks originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alexander-egorenkovanonymousgeohotgeorge-hotzhackershackinghoward-stringerplaystationplaystation-networkps3psnsir-howard-stringersonyreconWed, 06 Apr 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: Sony's PlayStation Certified tablet due this summer]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/05/report-sonys-playstation-certified-tablet-due-this-summer/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/05/report-sonys-playstation-certified-tablet-due-this-summer/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/04/05/report-sonys-playstation-certified-tablet-due-this-summer/#comments Sony's gearing up to release yet another "PlayStation Certified" device by year end, Nikkei reports (via Bloomberg). Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer confirmed as much to the Japanese newspaper, saying that the Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) tablet will be available in unspecified territories by the end of the summer, with the US receiving the first batch.

Oddly, Sony later told Japanese site AV Watch that the tablet would arrive "before the end of this year" -- Engadget speculates that this could both be referring to the Japanese version's release or simply an attempt to muddle things after Stringer said something he shouldn't have.

Stringer unfortunately didn't specify if he was referring to the rumored "S1" tablet in development at Sony (mock-up seen above) or the clamshell resemblant "S2" model, both of which are said to feature Honeycomb and ... uh ... both of them are unreleased Sony tablets. Given how Sony handled its last PlayStation Certified device, though, we expect to hear much, much more as 2011 progresses.

JoystiqReport: Sony's PlayStation Certified tablet due this summer originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidhoneycombhoward-stringermobileplaystation-certifiedrelease-dates1s1-tabletsir-howard-stringersonytabletTue, 05 Apr 2011 15:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Kaz Hirai promoted, next in line for Sony CEO spot]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/10/kaz-hirai-promoted-next-in-line-for-sony-ceo-spot/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/10/kaz-hirai-promoted-next-in-line-for-sony-ceo-spot/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/10/kaz-hirai-promoted-next-in-line-for-sony-ceo-spot/#comments Kaz Hirai Kaz Hirai is a familiar name for anyone following the gaming sector. The one-time head of Sony Computer Entertainment America has been making headlines since the days of the original PlayStation. After returning to Japan to replace Ken Kutaragi as President of Sony Computer Entertainment, things have been looking up for Hirai. This morning, it's being reported that a corporate realignment will have Hirai acting as "executive deputy president," heading up Sony's consumer products unit, one of two core post-realignment groups.

"This is an opportunity for the board to watch Hirai san and judge his performance," current CEO Howard Stringer said. "There may be other candidates, but he has a leadership position." That leadership position is due in no small part to "the turnaround of the games business," which was singled out.

Hirai's promotion takes effect on April 1 and, while it's not a joke, his ascension to CEO is far from guaranteed. "The board and I have talked about succession planning and this is the first step," Stringer said. "We have not made a final decision." The other potential candidate? Hiroshi Yoshioka, who will head up Sony's other core division, "covering business to business areas such as semiconductors, batteries and other key components." While that may sound really boring, Stringer notes, "Yoshioka san has an opportunity to make a lot of money in his group, so the race isn't over."

JoystiqKaz Hirai promoted, next in line for Sony CEO spot originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Howard-StringerKaz-Hiraiplaystationps3pspSCEISonyThu, 10 Mar 2011 06:30:00 EST<![CDATA[60 million PSN accounts created to date, says Sony's Stringer]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/05/60-million-psn-accounts-created-to-date-says-sonys-stringer/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/05/60-million-psn-accounts-created-to-date-says-sonys-stringer/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/05/60-million-psn-accounts-created-to-date-says-sonys-stringer/#comments During the company's CES 2011 press conference this evening, Sony Corp. chairman/president/CEO and honest-to-goodness knight Sir Howard Stringer reported that, to date, there have been 60 million PlayStation Network accounts created. The news was dropped as Stringer spoke of the growing market for connected devices and Sony's place in it.

At last year's CES, it was Sony Computer Entertainment chief Kaz Hirai who revealed that, at the time, 38 million PSN accounts had been activated. This year's numbers stand in contrast to the latest user base figures for Microsoft's Xbox Live service, which as of this past November sat at 25 million users, half of which were paid subscribers. Though impressive on face value, it's worth nothing that Hirai just days ago confirmed that PSN is not yet profitable. The hardware maker hopes to change that in part through PlayStation Plus subscriptions, the number of which have been sold has yet to be disclosed.

Of course, Sony's latest figure also includes PSP users and PSN accounts created via the PlayStation website. As with delivery of these stats in the past, there's no saying whether or not Sony will go into more detail down the line about where most of the users came from and what they're doing.

Joystiq60 million PSN accounts created to date, says Sony's Stringer originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 05 Jan 2011 20:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cesces-2011Howard-StringerplaystationPlayStation-Networkps3psnpspsonyWed, 05 Jan 2011 20:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony pushes profitability goal back to 2013]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/19/sony-pushes-profitability-goal-back-to-2013/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/19/sony-pushes-profitability-goal-back-to-2013/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/19/sony-pushes-profitability-goal-back-to-2013/#comments Apparently unwilling to accept the cold, hard scientific fact that the world will end in December of 2012, Sony has announced that it plans to be profitable and operating at a five percent margin by March of 2013, according to the Washington Post. Though the company originally hoped to hit the goal by March of 2008, an economic-collapse-shaped wrench was tossed into the works of that particular plan.

As you might imagine, the PlayStation division is a big part of Sony's profitability strategy, and the company says it hopes to have that part of its business in the black by next year, partially on the back of digital distribution. Sony's targeting 300 billion yen (around $3.4 billion or 1.7 billion copies of the Andy Dick PAIN DLC) in digital sales by March 2013, which would amount to six times what it pulled in this year.

JoystiqSony pushes profitability goal back to 2013 originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businesshoward-stringersonyThu, 19 Nov 2009 10:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony first-party studios developing 3D games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/02/sony-first-party-studios-developing-3d-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/02/sony-first-party-studios-developing-3d-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/02/sony-first-party-studios-developing-3d-games/#comments
The IFA 2009 kicked off with a keynote from Sony's CEO Sir Howard Stringer. As revealed by Stringer, Sony plans on introducing 3D tech in a number of new products, from TVs to Blu-ray movies, to video games. "Today, 3D is clearly on its way to the mass market through technology, distribution and content," Stringer said. However, he notes that the mass acceptance of 3D will meet the same stumbling blocks as HD. "As with high definition a few years back, there are a variety of issues yet to be addressed. But the 3D train is on the track, and we at Sony are ready to drive it home."

MCV reports that Sony has already produced a number of 3D games via its internal development studios, but won't announce the games "until an industry 3D standard has become apparent." This move should be unsurprising, considering the tech demos presented at CES earlier this year, with MotorStorm: Pacific Rift, WipEout HD and Gran Turismo 5 Prologue all running in 3D.

While we're not entirely sure consumers will jump on the 3D bandwagon as soon as next year, the technology is already slowly proliferating. The recently released Invincible Tiger on PSN, and the upcoming Avatar, can both run in 3D -- provided you have a TV that can support the still-in-development tech.

Source - Financial Times: Sony to throw its weight behind 3D TV
Source - MCV: Sony: 3D TV 'in every home' next year

JoystiqSony first-party studios developing 3D games originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dhoward-stringerifa2009sonyWed, 02 Sep 2009 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Stringer responds to price cut pressure from Activision]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/08/stringer-responds-to-price-cut-pressure-from-activision/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/08/stringer-responds-to-price-cut-pressure-from-activision/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/08/stringer-responds-to-price-cut-pressure-from-activision/#commentsSony's Sir Howard Stringer wasn't scared by Activision CEO Bobby Kotick's suggestion that his company may have to stop supporting the PlayStation 3 if the price didn't decrease. "He likes to make a lot of noise," Stringer said, discussing the statement at the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference -- the same event at which, last year, he described the Wii as "an expensive niche game device." "He's putting pressure on me and I'm putting pressure on him. That's the nature of business."

If Sony cut the price of the PS3 as Kotick suggested, Stringer said that "I (would) lose money on every PlayStation I make -- how's that for logic." It's actually a kind of logic that Sony is quite familiar with, given that the company loses money on every PlayStation 3 it makes right now.

[Via Engadget]

JoystiqStringer responds to price cut pressure from Activision originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionbobby-kotickhoward-stringerprice-cutWed, 08 Jul 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony: Expect bigger, better PSN around Spring 2010]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/26/sony-expect-bigger-better-psn-spring-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/26/sony-expect-bigger-better-psn-spring-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/26/sony-expect-bigger-better-psn-spring-2010/#comments
Sir Howard Stringer has big plans for PSN. He said as much last month, commenting that as long as PSN is tied solely to the PS3, the network would never be able to reach its full potential. It's set to reach for the stars in Spring 2010, apparently, as Kaz Hirai recently commented to CNN.

"It's now a matter of what all the services need to look like for each device, and coming up with a rollout plan," said Hirai. "It's like city planning here, and we can start small. We don't need to build New York City overnight." And the update isn't just cosmetic, as Sony is looking to create a much more open and easier to use service that will bridge all of Sony's devices. Among the proposed improvements are better displaying images from a camera on TV, watching and editing video, sharing content with friends, and storage.

Another interesting thing mentioned is the prospect of rewards for brand loyalists. Sony supporters with multiple Sony products could receive perks such as discounts and even premium services. It seems like a solid plan to us, but we'd suggest rewarding the people who play PlayStation Home first.

[Via Edge]

JoystiqSony: Expect bigger, better PSN around Spring 2010 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>howard-stringerpsnFri, 26 Jun 2009 10:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony's Stringer discusses PSN's 'open' expansion beyond PS3]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/11/sonys-stringer-discusses-psns-open-expansion-beyond-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/11/sonys-stringer-discusses-psns-open-expansion-beyond-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/11/sonys-stringer-discusses-psns-open-expansion-beyond-ps3/#comments The PlayStation Network has come a long way since its inception back in late 2006. At first, it wasn't a major focal point for Sony in pushing the PS3 forward, but since then things have changed immensely. "We developed brand new, absolutely incredible technology for the PlayStation 3, but the cost was high. We've adopted a slightly different approach now, and are evolving the PS3 into a platform for web services," said Sony Corp. head honcho Sir Howard Stringer, speaking in an interview with Nikkei Electronics Asia.

Indeed, services such as the social network app PlayStation Home and the expansion of VOD content on the PlayStation Store reflects Sony's new strategy. "Sony has begun the transition from a closed system to an open one," stated Stringer. "Next we will be expanding the PlayStation Network to hardware other than the PS3, because the number of PS3 units sold puts a limit on the scale of the network possible." Of course, he refers to the PSP (which already features PSN connectivity) and -- most likely -- the rumored PSP2 as well (which looks to be solely dependent on PSN); however, does he also mean to say devices outside gaming could get the PSN treatment? Say, like, um, phones?

[Via Edge Online]

JoystiqSony's Stringer discusses PSN's 'open' expansion beyond PS3 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 11 May 2009 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>howard-stringerplaystation-networkpsnsonyMon, 11 May 2009 16:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony reorganizes divisions, has big plans for future]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/27/sony-reorganizes-divisions-has-big-plans-for-the-future/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/27/sony-reorganizes-divisions-has-big-plans-for-the-future/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/27/sony-reorganizes-divisions-has-big-plans-for-the-future/#comments
Like two lovers caught in a seductive tango, chief executive Howard Stringer has taken the lead as president of Sony's electronics division, taking on a more intimate and hands-on role with the company's future. The previous president, engineer-turned-exec Ryoji Chubachi, will undertake a new role as vice chairman and stay on to assist Stringer. This recent move is part of Sony's attempt to manage the huge losses the company has suffered recently. The reorganization doesn't stop there, oh no, Sony is really shaking things up.

The company is forming two new divisions, one of which will oversee PlayStation and Vaio PCs, while the other takes charge of Bravia TVs, Cybershot digital cameras, and Handycam camcorders. The man in charge of the new PlayStation and Vaio division is none other than Kaz Hirai, head of Sony's gaming business. Heading up the other division will be Hiroshi Yoshioka, who currently oversees Sony's TV business.

On the video game side of things, one of the opportunities presented by this restructuring will be the expansion of PSN beyond the realm of games. Sony wants to offer real network-based content that works across all Sony devices, including its game consoles, Walkman brand, and even the e-Reader. With Sony reorganizing all of its divisions, the prospect of SCE having greater access to other divisions in the company becomes higher. This leaves the possibility of new synergistic ideas within Sony, such as PSN on your cell phone or an MP3 store for PSP. This corporate shuffle will allow Sony to be the "united company" it has been telling us it will be ... for years.

Source - Stringer adds president post in shake-up [Via Edge]
Source - Strategy Analytics: Sony Brings Down Silos To Address Connected Consumer Opportunities

JoystiqSony reorganizes divisions, has big plans for future originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 11:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>howard-stringerkaz-hiraisceasonysony-computer-entertainmentSony-Computer-Entertainment-AmericaFri, 27 Feb 2009 11:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony products invading new Yankee Stadium]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/12/sony-products-invading-new-yankee-stadium/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/12/sony-products-invading-new-yankee-stadium/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/12/sony-products-invading-new-yankee-stadium/#commentsFiled under:

Whilst on stage at CES, Sony CEO Howard Stringer announced a partnership with the new Yankee Stadium that will see Sony product placement appear all over the place. 550 HDTVs will be scattered liberally about the stadium, in "luxury suites, lounges, concourses, restaurants and administrative offices." PS3 games will be available to play, such as MLB: The Show and its ilk, along with more surprising titles such as SingStar.

Games will be rotated periodically and it's possible that PSP and PS2 games could make an appearance, too. Sony Vaio laptops will also be dotted around for people to try out while theyre visiting. Stringer states that the "new home of the world's most renowned sports franchise -- with its storied history of leadership and excellence -- is the perfect place to showcase all that is Sony. It is thrilling for Sony to be playing a part in this new chapter in Yankee history."

[Via Joystiq]

JoystiqSony products invading new Yankee Stadium originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Jan 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CESCES-2009Howard-StringerSonyyankee-stadiumMon, 12 Jan 2009 11:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: Sony 'on brink of upheaval' - factory, division closures]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/05/report-sony-on-brink-of-upheaval-factory-division-closures/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/05/report-sony-on-brink-of-upheaval-factory-division-closures/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/01/05/report-sony-on-brink-of-upheaval-factory-division-closures/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Look, we know the economy is in shambles; a perambulating corpse, gnawing its way through the hopes and dreams of the global populace ... but this is getting ridiculous. Reports of "drastic cost cuts" at Sony have us really spooked - think not only "factory closures" but also "the abolition of several major divisions," according to the Times of London. (In response to the report, Sony told Reuters, "We don't have any such plan.")

While there's no mention of specifics (will the PlayStation brand/division be affected?), the Times does quote a Credit Suisse analyst who says that, unless Sony takes aggressive steps to consolidate power in the hands of prez Howard Stringer - it will be unable to "close the gap with competitors such as Apple and Nintendo." Perhaps more evident to those of us watching the gaming industry specifically is the mention of "frustrations ... and a clear internal cultural clash between Japanese Sony and its US and European operations." We thought Kaz was going to bring some of that good, ol-fashioned American can-do attitude to Japan back in ought-six? Nevertheless, we want to talk to the investors directly:

Listen guys, we know Sony's got some problems. We know that. But you've got to just chill out and relax - chillax even - and wait until the Big S shows off whatever Team ICO's got in the oven. Not buying it? How about this: Microsoft is feeling the economic pinch also, but the grapevine seems to think the Xbox division will be spared. Nintendo isn't the only competition out there, you know?

JoystiqReport: Sony 'on brink of upheaval' - factory, division closures originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 11:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BreakingNewsHoward-StringerPlayStationPS2PS3PSPSonyMon, 05 Jan 2009 11:16:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony on Wii: 'It's not hurting us']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/sony-on-wii-its-not-hurting-us/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/sony-on-wii-its-not-hurting-us/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/sony-on-wii-its-not-hurting-us/#commentsFiled under:


That Howard Stringer is a rascal, isn't he? The Sony CEO recently spoke to German publication Die Welt about the various pies Sony currently has its fingers in, and clearly wanted to shatter a few myths regarding videogames and the current console race.

First of all, the Wii isn't more fun than the PS3, no -- it's just different. PlayStation 3 titles are "designed for those who play a lot." And anyway, it could have been oh-so-different for Sony, as Stringer reckons his company was first to discover the new gamers who have flocked to the Wii. "For a while, we held the same target group with the SingStar karaoke game," opined our man in the know. "But perhaps we neglected to pursue that avenue."

Stringer then confesses that Nintendo may have hit upon a superior business model by selling more consoles and making more money on hardware, before weakly claiming, "the Wii is not succeeding at our expense -- it is not hurting us." For a console that's not hurting Sony, Howard sure likes to talk about the Wii a lot. But it's definitely not hurting them.

[Via Edge Online]

Malice, snide remarks, and backstabbing in a bid to reach the top. No, not another day in Wii Fanboy HQ, but the constant snipes between grown-up gaming CEOs happy to dismiss the Wii as a novelty, or pretend they never really wanted those customers anyway.

JoystiqSony on Wii: 'It's not hurting us' originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businesscompetitionhoward-stringerindustrysonyThu, 28 Aug 2008 17:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Stringer tips hat to Nintendo's 'superior business model']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/stringer-tips-hat-to-nintendos-superior-business-model/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/stringer-tips-hat-to-nintendos-superior-business-model/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/stringer-tips-hat-to-nintendos-superior-business-model/#commentsFiled under: , ,

sir howard stringer
Sony CEO Howard Stringer has rightfully conceded that Nintendo has executed a winning business plan. "Nintendo makes money with the hardware alone," Stringer observed in a recent interview with WELT Online, adding that the competitor's strategy "may be a superior business model, but the Wii is not succeeding at our expense -- it is not hurting [PlayStation 3]." No, PlayStation 3 is hurting PlayStation 3. When questioned about the possibility of recouping the $3.32 billion loss attributed to the console's launch, Stringer joked, "Not for as long as I live." Wait a sec, was that a joke?

[Via Edge Online]

JoystiqStringer tips hat to Nintendo's 'superior business model' originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Aug 2008 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>howard-stringernintendoPS3sonyWiiThu, 28 Aug 2008 16:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Stringer: Consumers purchasing PS3s faster than we can produce them]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/stringer-consumers-purchasing-ps3s-faster-than-we-can-produce-t/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/stringer-consumers-purchasing-ps3s-faster-than-we-can-produce-t/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/28/stringer-consumers-purchasing-ps3s-faster-than-we-can-produce-t/#commentsFiled under:


In an interview with Die Welt, Sony CEO Howard Stringer tells the German newspaper he believes Sony captured the casual audience before Nintendo did. "We held the same target group with the Singstar karaoke game. But perhaps we neglected to pursue that avenue." He admits that PlayStation titles target hardcore gamers. "Playstation games are rather designed for those who play a lot. Although it's a different strategy, it pays off. We currently have a production bottleneck with the PlayStation 3 ... Consumers are purchasing our PlayStation 3 video game consoles faster than we can produce them." Stringer also doesn't see Nintendo as a rival. "The Wii is not succeeding at our expense - it is not hurting us. We decided years ago to build a game console that offers much greater functionality."

Stringer confesses that the $3,000,000,000 spent on the PS3, discounting R&D, will take a long while to recuperate. Though Sony is still losing money on hardware, the CEO informs us that the amount they are making with software is greater than the lost they suffer with hardware. Finally, he doesn't think they will be a price cut for the PS3 before Christmas.

With games like the recently announced Eyepet, it seems like Sony at least wants in on some of that casual gamer action that Nintendo has been getting. Another point to ponder is, should Sony reconsider their strategy of selling a system with such huge losses the next time around? Or will the PS3 make back all the money it lost in the beginning, just like the PS2?

[Via Maxconsole]

JoystiqStringer: Consumers purchasing PS3s faster than we can produce them originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>howard-stringerplaystation-3ps3Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony's CEO: Wii is a game device]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/sonys-ceo-wii-is-a-game-device/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/sonys-ceo-wii-is-a-game-device/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/15/sonys-ceo-wii-is-a-game-device/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Sony Corp. chairman and CEO Sir Howard Stringer has something to admit: He's played a Wii. Sir Stringer also has something to report about Nintendo's console: it's "an expensive niche game device."

According to Bloomberg, Stringer made the statement last week while attending the Allen & Co. media conference in Sun Valley, Idaho ... far away from his home in England, where Wii is obviously going for a lot more than in the US. Actually, it's £179 with Wii Sports. PS3 is £289 and, according to Stringer, is "still the best way to buy a Blu-ray player." (Note: In addition to Blu-ray movies, PS3 also plays games.)

[Via Wii Fanboy]

JoystiqSony's CEO: Wii is a game device originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Jul 2008 05:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>howard-stringernintendoPS3sonyWiiTue, 15 Jul 2008 05:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Stringer: Wii is 'expensive niche' console]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/stringer-wii-is-expensive-niche-console/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/stringer-wii-is-expensive-niche-console/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/stringer-wii-is-expensive-niche-console/#commentsFiled under:

How does one reply to such a comment? Point out that Stringer is obviously incorrect, or just ignore it and hope it goes away? Unfortunately, big Howie S. won't be going anywhere as head honcho of Sony, appearing last week at the Allen & Co Media Conference.

Stringer simply said "I've played a Nintendo Wii," -- betcha he bought one for his grandkids or something -- and he followed that up by stating "I don't see it as a competitor. It's more of an expensive niche game device." Cue inevitable spiel about Blu-ray, and you've got another carbon-copy Sony statement in a nutshell. It's difficult to take anything he says seriously, especially since we've heard it all before.

We could explain that the definition of a niche wouldn't have anything to do with the biggest and most popular console on the planet, or point out that the PS3 is still way more expensive (and will be for yonks), but that would make too much sense.

[Via Gameindustry.biz]

JoystiqStringer: Wii is 'expensive niche' console originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Jul 2008 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>howard-stringernicheps3sonysore-loserMon, 14 Jul 2008 14:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Stringer: Wii not a competitor]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/stringer-wii-not-a-competitor/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/stringer-wii-not-a-competitor/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/stringer-wii-not-a-competitor/#commentsFiled under:

An article published by Bloomberg today concludes that the PS3 "is gaining ground" on the Xbox 360. The article cites the PS3's ability as a Blu-ray player and software exclusives such as Metal Gear Solid 4 and LittleBigPlanet as reasons why it will "hold onto its lead" after outselling the 360 in the first five months of 2008. According to the NPD Group, the PS3 sold 1.2 million units while the 360 sold 1.12 million units. Of course, Microsoft isn't about to give up so easily. When asked about the PS3's dominance over the 360 so far this year, Microsoft spokesperson David Dennis claims the race is "far from over and we are confident that we have a winning strategy."

The most controversial comments in the article, however, were made by Sony CEO Howard Stringer at a media conference last week regarding another competitor: "I've played a Nintendo Wii, I don't see it as a competitor. It's more of an expensive niche game device." Nintendo has not responded to Stringer's current statements. The idea of the PS3 and the Wii targeting different markets isn't a new idea though. Back in 2006, Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto stated that the PS3 is not in competition with the Revolution (the Wii's former name). What are your thoughts?

JoystiqStringer: Wii not a competitor originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Jul 2008 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>howard-stringermicrosoftnintendoplaystation3ps3sonystringerwiixbox360Mon, 14 Jul 2008 11:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Stringer of Sony: game profits are on top of our list]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/20/stringer-of-sony-game-profits-are-on-top-of-our-list/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/20/stringer-of-sony-game-profits-are-on-top-of-our-list/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/20/stringer-of-sony-game-profits-are-on-top-of-our-list/#commentsFiled under:

The Chairman of the Sony Corp., Howard Stringer, stated today at a shareholder meeting in Tokyo that their top management priority is "to restore profitability in our television and game businesses." This comes after Sony's game division predicted profit for for the first time in three years, due to reduced cost of producing the PS3 and broadened game software lineup. Sony's game division has lost over 3.4 billion dollars the past two years under his leadership, so it isn't surprising profits in that area are in Stringer's (and obviously, Sony's) best interest.

Stringer also feels that "we are not No.1 in my mind yet," and with the Wii projected to sell 25 million units this fiscal year while the PS3 is predicted to sell 10 million, we can see why Stringer would feel such a sentiment.

[Via Joystiq]

JoystiqStringer of Sony: game profits are on top of our list originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>howard-stringerps3salesFri, 20 Jun 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony CEO: PlayStation profitability is top priority]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/20/sony-ceo-playstation-profitability-is-top-priority/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/20/sony-ceo-playstation-profitability-is-top-priority/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/20/sony-ceo-playstation-profitability-is-top-priority/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Sony's CEO Sir Howard Stringer told shareholders today that the company's top priority is to "to restore profitability in our television and game businesses," reports Bloomberg. The games division saw a profit during the last holiday season, and Sony expects PlayStation HQ to report an annual profit for the fiscal year ending March 2009, as well as at least 10 million in PS3 unit sales.

While PS2 sales are in slow decline, Sony said lower production costs and AAA titles (like this one, and this one, too) will help boost the division.

JoystiqSony CEO: PlayStation profitability is top priority originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 Jun 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>howard-stringerPS2PS3PSPscesonyFri, 20 Jun 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PS3 was on 'life support,' admits Sony CEO]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/ps3-was-on-life-support-admits-sony-ceo/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/ps3-was-on-life-support-admits-sony-ceo/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/ps3-was-on-life-support-admits-sony-ceo/#commentsFiled under: ,

Walt Mossberg managed to pull a mighty fun quote from Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer. During an on-stage interview at D6, Stringer said that the PlayStation 3 "was on life support for awhile," a pretty honest statement from the top executive of a multibillion dollar corporation about one of its flagship products.

Of course, that bit of honesty was just a preface to how the PS3 is in good shape now, with special kudos given to Grand Theft Auto IV and upcoming games sure to give the console a boost (Snake, you there?). Somewhat peripheral to gaming, but our favorite line from the writeup is when Stringer "notes that if it had lost the format war, his gravestone would have read "Betamax 2." Video of Sir Stringer's interview after the break.

Continue reading PS3 was on 'life support,' admits Sony CEO

JoystiqPS3 was on 'life support,' admits Sony CEO originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 May 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-things-digitald6howard-stringermossbergPS3stringerwalt-mossbergThu, 29 May 2008 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Stringer: PS3 no longer on life support]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/stringer-ps3-no-longer-on-life-support/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/stringer-ps3-no-longer-on-life-support/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/stringer-ps3-no-longer-on-life-support/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Sometimes it's interesting to get a peek behind the curtain at some of your favorite multinational conglomerates -- in this case, Sony. In a fit of honesty, Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer commented that while Sony is not yet out of market troubles, it is on the right track. After commenting on closing their 5% margins, Stringer described the situation as "... a sort of sense of, we're climbing up the mountain. We're nowhere near the top, but we're halfway up... The level of competence is growing, which is the main thing."

The PS3 was quoted as "sort of on life support before" but things have changed considerably thanks to Blu-ray and the PlayStation Network. Stringer knows that Sony is also supporting digital distribution, but doesn't see optical media being tossed aside for another ten years. To close with an analogy of the PS3 and Sony's current standing, Stringer said that it is "a giant department store competing with companies that are really skillful boutiques." Sounds fair enough. Good to know the PS3 is doing better in Sony's eyes, but what about yours?

[via Gamasutra]

JoystiqStringer: PS3 no longer on life support originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 May 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blu-rayhoward-stringerpsnThu, 29 May 2008 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EA predicts PS3 will outsell Xbox 360 in 2008]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/04/ea-predicts-ps3-will-outsell-xbox-360-in-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/04/ea-predicts-ps3-will-outsell-xbox-360-in-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/04/ea-predicts-ps3-will-outsell-xbox-360-in-2008/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Following the release of its latest financial results, EA has shared its estimates for predicted console hardware sales in North America and Europe in 2008. Though the Wii's continued domination seems obvious in even the murkiest of crystal balls, the publisher sides with Sir Howard Stringer's recent observation that the PlayStation 3 has departed the woods and sets

EA sees the PlayStation 3 selling between 9.5 million and 11.5 million units, compared to the Xbox 360's 6 to 8 million units. Sony's system would take the lead in Europe (a view shared by SCEE chief David Reeves), where it's expected to sell between 5 million and 6 million, well over the Xbox 360's 1.5 million to 2.5 million. Towering above both would be Nintendo's Wii, with estimates placing its sales between 12 million and 14 million units.

Only time will tell how accurate EA's predictions are and whether the PS3 will start contributing more heavily to the publisher's bottom line.

JoystiqEA predicts PS3 will outsell Xbox 360 in 2008 originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Feb 2008 09:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2008-SalesDavid-ReevesEAElectronic-ArtsEstimatesHoward-StringerPS3SCEASCEESony-Computer-Entertainment-AmericaSony-Computer-Entertainment-EuropeWiiXbox-360Mon, 04 Feb 2008 09:52:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony, Activision CEOs skeptical of in-game advertising]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/31/sony-activision-ceos-skeptical-of-in-game-advertising/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/31/sony-activision-ceos-skeptical-of-in-game-advertising/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/31/sony-activision-ceos-skeptical-of-in-game-advertising/#commentsFiled under:


At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick and Sony Group CEO Howard Stringer have expressed doubts over the marketable future of in-game advertising, arguing against the assumption that this new form of advertising is the solution to the industry's monetary needs.

Stringer reasons that advertisers' pockets are not as deep as everyone hopes, adding to this the fact that "young people don't like advertising very much." A bold statement, to be sure. For his part, Kotick states "I wouldn't go in that direction myself," causing us to look back at the heavy product placement in the Activision-published Guitar Hero III and Tony Hawk's Proving Ground.

These comments come in direct opposition to companies like IGA, who quite recently boasted about their upcoming integration of ads into the EA-published Burnout Paradise. We'll have to side with Stringer and Kotick on this one; we young people don't like advertising very much.

[Via PS3 Fanboy]

JoystiqSony, Activision CEOs skeptical of in-game advertising originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 31 Jan 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionadvertisingbobby-kotickhoward-stringerin-game-adssonyThu, 31 Jan 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Stringer: PS3 is 'out of the woods']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/28/stringer-ps3-is-out-of-the-woods/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/28/stringer-ps3-is-out-of-the-woods/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/28/stringer-ps3-is-out-of-the-woods/#commentsFiled under: ,


If a PS3 falls in a forest and no one is around to play it, does it still make a sound? It's a vexing philosophical conundrum to be sure, but thankfully one that's easily resolved simply by paying attention to Sir Howard Stringer. Speaking to Reuters, the Sony CEO provided assurances that PlayStation 3 sales are improving, thus surrounding the system with players and removing it entirely from the metaphorical thicket. It's also a very quiet system, you know.

"PS3 has now gone past Xbox on the Christmas market," said Stringer. "It's moving into its own as it gets into higher bandwidth ... PS3 is out of the woods and beginning to hold its own." While the black (and possibly white) monolith still lags far behind competitors in the United States, there is a steadily tightening grip on the own in both Japan and -- according to SCEE chief David Reeves -- the European region.

[Via Eurogamer]

JoystiqStringer: PS3 is 'out of the woods' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 28 Jan 2008 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Howard-StringerHowardStringerPS3SalesSonyStringerMon, 28 Jan 2008 08:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Sir Howard Stringer expresses concern over the yen]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/25/sir-howard-stringer-expresses-concern-over-the-yen/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/25/sir-howard-stringer-expresses-concern-over-the-yen/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/25/sir-howard-stringer-expresses-concern-over-the-yen/#commentsFiled under: ,

Sir Howard Stringer, the lord of lords over at Sony, has recently come out to express his concern over the strengthening power of the Japanese Yen. He assures people that Sony as a company is doing great -- so no, this isn't a complaint about declining profits or something -- but the impact of the strengthening yen may have an adverse affect on business, namely exports. He said at the World Economic Forum, "There is always an impact on exports. The yen is volatile...We watch it with some anxiety."

See, if the yen is stronger, and Sony chiefly profits from exports, this could bode for bad times as other countries will have to pay more for Sony's stuff as imports. Stringer said that the consumer electronics division, especially the PlayStation branch, are holding up just fine, noting the powerful performance of the PS3 as of late: "It's moving into its own as it gets into higher bandwidth ... PS3 is out of the woods and beginning to hold its own." We'll have to watch the world economy a little more closely, too, we guess.

JoystiqSir Howard Stringer expresses concern over the yen originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 25 Jan 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>howard-stringersonyFri, 25 Jan 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[PS3 games more fun than Wii games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/14/ps3-games-more-fun-than-wii-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/14/ps3-games-more-fun-than-wii-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/14/ps3-games-more-fun-than-wii-games/#commentsFiled under:

Fact.

Just kidding, really, so put the Nintendo Wii Fanboy voodoo dolls away, please. Sony's CEO Sir Howard Stringer, however, seems to believe it. Said the chairman, "The PlayStation 3 will come into its own because its [high-end games] are infinitely more fun, demanding and exciting [than the Wii's]."

Before you rant away at Mr. Stringer, keep in mind it's his job to say things like this. Of course, that doesn't mean we have to agree with it. While both systems have their merits, to make such a general statement like that is a bit presumptuous, although expected.

[Via Games Industry]

JoystiqPS3 games more fun than Wii games originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 14 Dec 2007 17:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>howard-stringerplaystation-3ps3sir-howard-stringersonyFri, 14 Dec 2007 17:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Stringer says PS3 games "infinitely more fun" than Wii]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/14/stringer-says-ps3-games-infinitely-more-fun-than-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/14/stringer-says-ps3-games-infinitely-more-fun-than-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/14/stringer-says-ps3-games-infinitely-more-fun-than-wii/#commentsFiled under:

We love Sony - you know we do - but sometimes the company's figureheads will come out with the most ridiculous things when a microphone is pressed against their faces. We're not going to reel off a list of previous atrocities, in order to prevent some peoples' blushes (Phil Harrison and Ken Kutaragi, we're looking at you). Instead, we'll look at the latest batch of hilarious sound-bytes-in-text-form, this time from Sony CEO Howard Stringer. He suggests that PS3 games are infinitely more fun than than the Wii's.

We're perfectly happy to believe Stringer when he says this, but without clear proof (preferably on lined paper, worked out with a 2B pencil with the answer underlined) we're not going to be satisfied. PS3 and Wii games are very different, yes - but is one system more fun than the other? That's down to personal taste, surely. It's a shame, really, because everything else Stringer said in the article we've linked to below makes a decent amount of sense. Let's stay away from the "I" word from now on and we'll all be much happier.

[Via Joystiq]

JoystiqStringer says PS3 games "infinitely more fun" than Wii originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 14 Dec 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>howard-stringerinfinitely-more-funinfinitystringerwiiFri, 14 Dec 2007 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Stringer: PS3 games 'infinitely more fun' than Wii]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/13/stringer-ps3-games-infinitely-more-fun-than-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/13/stringer-ps3-games-infinitely-more-fun-than-wii/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/13/stringer-ps3-games-infinitely-more-fun-than-wii/#commentsFiled under: ,

Sony Chairman Howard Stringer is showing both teeth and scientific breakthrough. In a recent interview with The Guardian, Stringer was exuberant over the PlayStation 3's recent one-week triumph over Nintendo Wii in Japanese hardware sales. "I'm happy the Wii seems to be running a bit short of hardware," he said, before following up with the quip that the PS3 "will come into its own because its [high-end games] are infinitely more fun, demanding and exciting."

Infinitely more fun, you say? So how does one define infinite fun? Let's arbitrarily assign Wii games with a base number, we'll call 'W.' For conversion purposes, we'll let W equate to one anti-meh. Infinity itself is an abstract notion that we can obtain through various roundabout methods. For example, take the limit as 'n' approaches 0 of anti-meh divided by 'n.' (You can't directly divide by zero without the power of the Cell processor.)

This approach works for all scalars of anti-meh: oh, gee whiz, golly, awesome, sweet, wow, etc., which is convenient if a Wii game really is fun, then we can apply the limit (let's arbitrarily call it the "Sony limit") and obtain infinity, knocking the wind out of Nintendo's fun factor.

Continue reading Stringer: PS3 games 'infinitely more fun' than Wii

JoystiqStringer: PS3 games 'infinitely more fun' than Wii originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 Dec 2007 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anti-mehfunhoward-stringerlimitmathnintendoPS3seriessonyWiiThu, 13 Dec 2007 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony planning to go against iTunes, Live in 2008]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/12/sony-planning-to-go-against-itunes-live-in-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/12/sony-planning-to-go-against-itunes-live-in-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/12/sony-planning-to-go-against-itunes-live-in-2008/#commentsFiled under: ,

Let the bell ring and the pretty lady walk by the arena holding up the sign telling us that Round 1 is about to begin -- gloves are off, et cetera. Sony's laid out its plans for 2008 and from the looks and sounds of it, they're planning to up the ante of the PlayStation Network to rival such services as Apple's iTunes and Microsoft's XBox Live service -- all for free. Sony CEO, Sir Howard Stringer, said the PS3 is planned to connect to a multitude of devices, including mobile phones and other "unspecified" electronics.

The mobile phone deal is part of a three year plan, coupled with the persistent rumors of a PSPhone, making the date of April 1, 2008 a little something to look forward to. Stringer outlined Sony's next fiscal year a little like this: "PlayStation Network next year puts us in the direct line of fire with Apple and Microsoft," referring of course to iTunes and Live. He didn't say what was planned exactly, but draw your own conclusions from his quote about a dinner he had: "we had a dinner where the heads of Sony Electronics, [Sony] Pictures, Sony BMG, and Sony PlayStation were all at the same dinner table intermingled and actually communicating." Who knows. It could be any number of exciting things, what with all the different areas Sony covers in the electronics world.

JoystiqSony planning to go against iTunes, Live in 2008 originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 12 Dec 2007 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>howard-stringerpsnWed, 12 Dec 2007 23:30:00 EST<![CDATA[European PS3 sales up to 200k, says Sony CEO]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/11/european-ps3-sales-up-to-200k-says-sony-ceo/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/11/european-ps3-sales-up-to-200k-says-sony-ceo/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/12/11/european-ps3-sales-up-to-200k-says-sony-ceo/#commentsFiled under:


Maybe the "This is Living" campaign is really working. Sony CEO Howard Stringer commented from Japan that sales of the PS3 console have gained significant momentum since the launch of the 40GB model. As many as 200,000 PS3 machines were selling a week in Europe, while 40,000 to 50,000 PS3s were selling a week in Japan, Stringer said. He notes the success not only to the price cuts, but to the shortage of Wii systems as well.

Going forward, the CEO focused on bringing back "the wow factor" to the Sony brand. "The next cycle is actual innovation," he said. He mentioned the PSN's future plans to deliver non-gaming content. Sony's ownership of movie and music studios should make it a force to reckon with -- although, no actual timeline has been revealed.

In regards to the current HD format war, Stringer notes that Blu-ray currently has the edge. However, that doesn't mean victory is close. "We have momentum," he said. "But that's all we have at the moment."

[Via GameDaily]

JoystiqEuropean PS3 sales up to 200k, says Sony CEO originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 Dec 2007 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>howard-stringerps3salessonyTue, 11 Dec 2007 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Stringer: The Xbox 360 is an "obsession"]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/07/stringer-the-xbox-360-is-an-obsession/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/07/stringer-the-xbox-360-is-an-obsession/http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/07/stringer-the-xbox-360-is-an-obsession/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Howard Stringer obsessed with the Xbox 360Well, you know what they say about what to do when you have nothing nice to say ... erm, say that the competing gaming platform (in this case, the 360) is an "obsession"?

That's exactly what Sony CEO Howard Stringer had to offer in an interview with Walt Mossberg of The Wall Street Journal recently. While sharing how The Da Vinci Code from Sony beat up on "X-Men 3" (aka The Last Stand) over in Europe, he seemed to mistakenly throw in "Xbox 3" in the stead of Fox's great summer blockbuster hope. Following Mossberg's correction, Stringer is reported to have retorted, laughing, "There's an obsession!"

We don't know if he's referring to the media's obsession with the corporate gaming rivalry, his own obsession with the console that would dethrone the PlayStation, or some combination of the two (irony really doesn't help here), but he does seem to at least outwardly admire Bill Gates' salesmanship (as well as his hypocrisy in delaying Windows Vista while lambasting the PS3 delay). Of course, a lot of supposed compliments could go both ways, so we've provided a few handy links below to check out what other "nice" things hardware execs have had to say about their competitors lately. We're sure it's all in good fun.

[Thanks, JC & SickNic; also via GameDaily BIZ]

See also:

JoystiqStringer: The Xbox 360 is an "obsession" originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Jun 2006 17:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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