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[Twinduct]

Love how everyone kinda misses the point of the comment. Although guess that's par for the course for message boards. Really enjoyed the interview though.

 

[winstano]

Are you sure he's not just talking about the "Day one exclusive" stuff that MS have for some of their games? that's how I read it

 

[M°°nblade]

Those are intended to say "hey this new gaming devices also plays movies on new media that Sony has invested shot loads of money into" rather than being an actual pack in. Plus CR wasn't in the box...

You are right, the intentions are different. Sony gave free movies to promote non-gaming functionality, while MS gives a free game to promote gaming functionality.

But how does this matter? They are both stuff that's given away for free on day one.

 

[Pistolero]

It's not odd, it's awesome

Seems kind of butthurt to me about Microsoft giving away FIFA14, hope people don't follow his sentiment

 

[The Spoony Hou]

You're paying the console price. When the "promotion" ends. You'll be paying the same price. So they're free.

Packins increase the price. PS3 = $399, PS3+GAME = $420, not free, discounted.

That just means it's a temporary promotion. It's still not 100% free.

They're not giving away the full version of Drive Club.

Oh, sorry. I stand corrected.

 

[Amir0x]

Man he sounds confident as fuck about their pre-order numbers.

This is so calculating:

GC: Are you considering offering a direct equivalent or response to the FIFA 14 deal?

JR: No.

GC: You’re not tempted to go and make a deal with some other game?

JR: Why should we do that? Our problem is gonna be matching supply to demand. It’s perfectly rational when a platform holder, or indeed a publisher, runs a pre-order campaign to engage in promotional behaviour to dial it up if you feel it’s not where you need it to be. That’s a rational thing for any businessman to do. We’re perfectly happy with where our pre-order are.

Our problem… we’ve actually had to turn off the day one pre-orders and now we’re onto day two. So why would we go out and add something? Giving away stuff on day one of a new platform launch, in my mind it’s kind of odd.

In my mind I'm reading the subtext like "Why would we need to do such a desperate thing? Our pre-orders our fine. Shit like the FIFA deal is for the failures."

Also does anyone else find it funny he's talking about how odd it is to give stuff away on day one, and yet PS+ is going to be giving away stuff on day one? Although I guess technically you still have to buy into a subscription so that doesn't really count.

 

[Pistolero]

It's not a subtext, Amir0x, when it's so unambiguously stated!

 

[Steroyd]

I don't know, I tend to go with the second theory, but then they're just assuming the game will be a flop. I still think they should allow it the dignity of bombaing by itself.

I don't think so I think it's a little smart and sinister, Driveclub on PS+ isn't the full game, it's a stripped down version where you can upgrade to the full game at a discounted price, PS + edition essentially becomes a f2p title where you can buy cars in inincriments if you choose.

The closest model to describe this is like an even more generous version of what MS are doing with Killer Instinct.

 

[SenjutsuSage]

Sounds like return of cocky Sony. No big deal, though. It doesn't really affect anything, but he's clearly feeling pretty good.

 

[DBT85]

Also does anyone else find it funny he's talking about how odd it is to give stuff away on day one, and yet PS+ is going to be giving away stuff on day one? Although I guess technically you still have to buy into a subscription so that doesn't really count.

As others have said, PS+ "freebies" have been available for years, are not tied to pre orders, and you have to pay extra for them.

 

[George Claw M.D.]

That was actually a great interview, and JR seemed pretty candid for the most part. The PR lady just had to put a lid on it at the end when the interviewer kept prodding JR about The Last Guardian. Also, did we already know about the PS4/Destiny bundle, or did JR just casually leak it?

 

[Amir0x]

It's not a subtext, Amir0x, when it's so unambiguously stated!

haha, true enough.

As others have said, PS+ "freebies" have been available for years, are not tied to pre orders, and you have to pay extra for them.

Yeah I was sort of arriving at that conclusion on my own in the very quote you showed. Still, I think since gamers win whenever they get 'free' stuff, it's worth praising

 

[Marvel]

Great interview.

As for PS+ giving away freebies it really isn't the same... at all.

 

[Kater]

According to his comment its only a timed exclusive. So it'll be coming to the XOne eventually and even the WiiU...

Wii U version... WHHHHAAAT?
For real?


ot: I understand why he would say something like that though it makes him sound full of himself.

 

[The Spoony Hou]

I don't think so I think it's a little smart and sinister, Driveclub on PS+ isn't the full game, it's a stripped down version where you can upgrade to the full game at a discounted price, PS + edition essentially becomes a f2p title where you can buy cars in inincriments if you choose.

The closest model to describe this is like an even more generous version of what MS are doing with Killer Instinct.

Yeah, someone else just corrected me on that. Quite weird to do both retail and f2p models, but it's an interesting take.

 

[Heretic]

Wii U version... WHHHHAAAT?
For real?


ot: I understand why he would say something like that though it makes him looks a bit cocky.

No WiiU version... That's what my sad face was for.

 

[boredandlazy]

Sounds like return of cocky Sony. No big deal, though. It doesn't really affect anything, but he's clearly feeling pretty good.

Not really. If anything the journalist was a bit antagonistic with some of his questions(ie. Controller and launch lineup questions), so I thought Jim's reaction and overall attitude were understandable.

 

[R3TRODYCE]

The days when a pack in is considered odd.

 

[Kater]

No WiiU version... That's what my sad face was for.

Ah, okay.
A misunderstanding on my part then. Though it would have been good news indeed if it were true.

 

[spwolf]

Man he sounds confident as fuck about their pre-order numbers.

This is so calculating:



In my mind I'm reading the subtext like "Why would we need to do such a desperate thing? Our pre-orders our fine. Shit like the FIFA deal is for the failures."

Also does anyone else find it funny he's talking about how odd it is to give stuff away on day one, and yet PS+ is going to be giving away stuff on day one? Although I guess technically you still have to buy into a subscription so that doesn't really count.

Basically, Sony and Microsoft executed their launch strategies and Sony got it right at start, Microsoft didnt, so they are trying to fix it by doing all these things at the same time.

If Microsoft priced their console better at start, they wouldnt need to pack in games to make it look better. But pricing it €100 over competition that is actually more powerful wasnt going to do them any favours.

 

[PairOfFilthySocks]

Now that was a friggin' interview. Take note IGN, Polygon, etc.

 

[lazer_bean]

consoles used to be sold with a free game
Is that considered a bad thing now ?!

 

[dragonelite]

Free stuff is always better.
The more desperate the company the better for me....

 

[kitsuneyo]

Adding a pack-in game at the last minute, especially one from Europe's top-selling series, seems like a last-ditch effort to boost pre-orders. It's not odd exactly, it just indicates pre-orders aren't at the levels Microsoft wants.

 

[Artemis-Thoth]

I see it as not much difference when Sony went all out following the hacking fiasco. MS is trying to curry favour with potentially scorned customers. The FIFA pack-in is a smart move.

The FIFA pack-in only matters in EU, which has never been strong for MS and doesn't matter anywhere else. With the price difference, PS4 owners can still buy FIFA and it'll be cheaper than X1.

 

[Whipped Spartan]

Sony should have gave me free games day one on vita. That thing was so over priced compared to 3ds.

 

[boredandlazy]

Sony should have gave me free games day one on vita. That thing was so over priced compared to 3ds.

I think you're joking but I'm not quite sure...

 

[shiftplusone]

Man he sounds confident as fuck about their pre-order numbers.

This is so calculating:



In my mind I'm reading the subtext like "Why would we need to do such a desperate thing? Our pre-orders our fine. Shit like the FIFA deal is for the failures."

Also does anyone else find it funny he's talking about how odd it is to give stuff away on day one, and yet PS+ is going to be giving away stuff on day one? Although I guess technically you still have to buy into a subscription so that doesn't really count.

"giving stuff away" is really all about the context in which he's using it

Extra benefits to your ps + subscription is technically different than "please buy our thing we'll give you free stuff" even if the end game for both is the same

 

[Captain Tuttle]

'Giving away stuff on day one… it’s kind of odd.’

Unless it's to a Gamestop manager

Haha came to post this.

 

[Whiteshirt]

'Giving away stuff on day one… it’s kind of odd.’

Unless it's to a Gamestop manager

Not really, this sort of thing is standard industry practice. I know at Optus (an Australian Telco), those in sales get incentives from manufacturers if they push their phone products.

Here's a fun fact: when the Z10 launched, Blackberry apparently offered no incentives to sales.

 

[Lynn616]

You can't sell more than all of your consoles.

Will Sony give us money for every PS4 we find on store shelves?

 

[Melchiah]

GC: Okay, but I would say… and in fact it’s not even me saying it because I get lots of letters from readers and it’s often in the form: ‘I really want to get a PS4, I’m not happy with the way Microsoft have been carrying on, but I just don’t like the DualShock controller’. That to them is the sticking point. And that combined with the exclusive games so far announced is what I’d say are the PS4’s biggest problems at the moment. And I know you’re going to say the controller is improved but it’s the basic layout that people seem to be unhappy with.

JR: Well, it has definitely improved.

GC: It is better, I agree. But it’s the position of the analogue sticks. Luckily I have dainty feminine hands but for those that don’t they’re just poorly placed. I imagine someone at Sony thought they had to keep them there because it’s an iconic piece of design, but I just wonder if you regret that now.

JR: No, no. We don’t regret it.

Not this shit again. It's mostly a problem for those, who have gotten accustomed to using the Xbox pad before using the DualShock. Going by his logic, wouldn't the XB1 pad need to be changed, as considering the userbase of all PlayStation platforms versus the Xbox ones, there are far more people who are used to the symmetrically placed analogue sticks. And there's no logic in saying the placement of DS sticks is awkward for larger hands, as if it was so, the XB1 pad's right stick would also be in the wrong place. The problem (for some) was the size of the DS, which has now been corrected.

I'm really tired of seeing this over and over again. It's a thinly veiled attempt to point, that my side is better than yours, and your side should be changed to be like mine.

 

[goonergaz]

The FIFA pack-in only matters in EU, which has never been strong for MS and doesn't matter anywhere else. With the price difference, PS4 owners can still buy FIFA and it'll be cheaper than X1.

Yeah, I tried explaining this to a MS fanboi at work - even saying "I can buy any AAA title I chose and pocket the change (or get PS+ for a whole year)" and he still didn't get it lol

 

[nizerifin]

I think what he's saying is that demand has already outstripped supply and therefore offering add-ins and freebies to further increase demand (holding supply constant) doesn't make much sense. You just make less money.

Now, if demand drops below supply levels (no longer clearing the market), then freebies make sense.

 

[Dr. Kitty Muffins]

Love how everyone kinda misses the point of the comment. Although guess that's par for the course for message boards. Really enjoyed the interview though.

Microsoft has received alot of bad press so fanboys feel the need to spin with what few chances they get nowadays.Its intentional.

 

[KrazyDude]

I see it as not much difference when Sony went all out following the hacking fiasco. MS is trying to curry favour with potentially scorned customers. The FIFA pack-in is a smart move.

This says it all , 100% agreed.

 

[LiquidMetal14]

JIM RYAN

I like that video. He says some interesting things sometimes.

 

[Senor Kami]

So Sony is anti-bundles?

 

[Principate]

I think you're joking but I'm not quite sure...

Considering how much it bombed he would be correct. It doesn't matter how much it costs to make if it's undesirable at that price to the majority of consumers it's not worth the price to the majority of consumers. You can over engineer something as much as you want if it doesn't have sufficient demand at that price it's not worth the price (unless the few that it buy are willing to spend a heck of a lot to counteract the economies of scale and opportunity cost).

 

[Snowden's Secret]

Telling a company that they "obviously won E3"

welp

 

[DBT85]

So Sony is anti-bundles?

Sony is anti giving things away when they think they have enough pre orders and interest and intent to sell out anyway.

If you are the pretty girl at a ball you don't need to flash your norks to get a dance.

 

[Melchiah]

Reading through the interview, and found this golden nugget.

GC: But take something like a static screen, an inventory screen for example. There is currently no way to tell they’re running on a new console, not in terms of resolution or number of colours or anything like that. And that’s never been the case before. Do you not see that as a problem in selling it to the mainstream in particular?

So, we're judging next gen graphics based on inventory screens? I don't even...

GC: Well, I’m saying I personally am glad you’re doing it. But if I was a businessman maybe I would be telling you to stop wasting your time with these arthouse games that you can’t advertise.

JR: Well, I am and I’m not. [laughs] I guess one way to answer it is to look back at the PS3 and to look at the games that came from Thatgamecompany: flOw, Flower, and Journey. And, you know, they started off as classic indie developers. And I would argue to anybody that those games are platform enhancing. They’ve certainly repaid whatever financial investment we made in them, those boxes are ticked.

But I would argue that those games have achieved breakout, and have really worked and worked well to improve the credibility and overall attractiveness of the PS3 platform. Indeed to the extent that we’re sticking them on a Blu-ray disc and selling them in the stores.

Not all of those other indie games is going to achieve that, and some will just go to establishing a critical mass of credible indie games. But you will get breakout with one or two, and they will do that.

I think Ryan has a good point there. Who's to know how some of these these indie developers will grow in the coming years.

Pretty interesting and humorous interview all in all, eventhough some of the humor stemmed from the interviewer's rather myopic comments.

 

[moai]

Sony is anti giving things away when they think they have enough pre orders and interest and intent to sell out anyway.

If you are the pretty girl at a ball you don't need to flash your norks to get a dance.

but sony saved us from DRM and they are not here for our money, they love us, gamers.

Spoiler

j/k

 

[twobear]

It's not really that odd. Obviously calculated in order to drive home the 'lol preorders' angle, but much like that 'when you do it the first time you do it for the customers when you do it the second time you do it for yourself' thing the other Sony guy said, when you think about it for more then four seconds it quickly becomes stupid.

 

[kidhero1000]

In a way though, it must be perilous working at MS's in their gaming division right now.

You talk shop and set up the console, then get farmed out to Zynga (Don Mattrick).
Open your mouth on twitter, get fired (Adam Orth).
Talk shop trying to promote bad policy by saying "Flip a switch", then watch reversal and look like a Major Twat (Larry Hryb)

After everything thats happened, I reckon half of MS's staff are cowering under desks, the other half are lined up outside the toilet with a sewage plant in their underwear

 

[Nightengale]

Pretty interesting and humorous interview all in all, eventhough some of the humor stemmed from the interviewer's rather myopic comments.

I can't tell if it's intentional or not.

I can't help but feel he's doing it on purpose just to see what kind of response he'll get out of Jim.

 

[Usual Suspect]

Surprisingly two good interviews from a non gaming site.

Puts a lot to shame...

 

[Metalmarc]

I miss demo discs, i know theyre pointless now we can dl them day one but they were great


The first time i had a ps one with the demo disc i mustve played the demo of Abes Oddessy a hundred times
Then id buy the magazines with free demos too

 

[Riky]

It is odd, but not for the reasons he is saying. With the low amount of consoles that seem to be available for launch they probably would be sold out regardless, so they didn't need to add FIFA to encourage launch orders they can't supply.

So credit for doing it and for putting the headset back in also.

 

[metalslimer]

Well he's right. MS's european pre orders obviously were far below expectations to throw fifa in there.