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Is Jim Ryan the new Don Mattrick?

cormack12

Gold Member
Nah, the damage Mattrick and his team did killed Xbox for years. Even now, with the good feels they are still a couple of years off showing a 1st party IP that will give them a 'wow' moment imo. However, if Jim is responsible for how this campaign has been run with the timings and little information then he's being a dick. Building suspense and hype is an art and knowing when to release it as opposed to letting pressure build up is a key skill.

Having said all that, Jim just reminds me of a customer delivery manager. The face who doesn't really know what's going on and is sent out to be the point of frustration for the customer basically. I don't think he gives me the vibe of caring about PlayStation or its fans. I think he's doing part of a job he doesn't really like or want to do but needs must.
 

Business

Member
EiTR99MWoAIfojw


Jim Ryan looks like the dad from an Australian sitcom.

I spent a good 45 seconds thinking about a "beating around the bush" joke but I don't have the energy.

Jim Ryan is one of these guys that when they reach a certain age starts looking like a grandma.
 
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supernova8

Banned
In a way I get the feeling Don Mattrick was the fall guy for Microsoft's too-soon all-digital plans. If you look at all the boring corporate suit types presenting at Xbox One events early on and compare it to Xbox 360, it's almost like they gutted the entire time and replaced them with boring wet farts.

It's almost the same plan this time around but without the forced all-digital (it's an encouraged option instead) and without Sony being the 'consumer champions'.
 

NEbeast

Member
Pre orders was a mess. ( I know maybe it was not him fault).
"Playstation believes in generatios" but Spider-Man MM y Horizon FW coming to PS4.
"The Xbox series S will be a failure".
"I dont care the olders games, they look outdated".
Premium games will be $70.
What a mess with Spider between PS4 and PS5.
More PS games coming to PC ( what is the point to buy a $500 dls console if they games are not console exclusive anymore?)
Its like a Microsoft insider in PlayStation.
He must GO ASAP.

**Edit**I know that PS cant leave all the millions of PS4 base with Spider-Man MM and Horizon FW, but if you KNOW that, you CANT say: "In Playstation belive in generations" you just keep your mouth shout and say another thing in the best polite way possible.

Man,I might need to take a few days off gaf. These posts are hurting my brain.
 

edbrat

Member
Jim Ryan is a SCEE veteran going back to PS era and is originally a finance guy who became a COO and was the power behind the throne of the David Reeves SCEE era, before ascending to global roles. He is not a games guy, he is a straight talking tough as hell business guy. The success of PlayStation in EMEA for nigh on the three decades he's been there suggests he's doing something right. The console wars aren't fought by three comic book villains in evil lairs they're fought by gigantic ultra corporate organisations and we focus on figureheads to an absurd degree. You don't want someone who makes good memes you want someone who can get shit done alongside thousands of talented and expensive people against a handful of brutal competitors who are also prepared to lose billions of dollars fighting you.
 

Hudo

Member
Well, Don Mattrick made some very stupid decisions and was rightfully let go but the dude also created the Test Drive series.
 
Preorders sold out, and interest in the system appears to be high. This coming off a generation they dominated.
Maybe the whole reason that the interest in the system is high is the result of the generation they dominated.
Seems they can do whatever they want, people will buy the PS5 anyway.

Ryan is not a good face for Playstation, imo.

Add/edit: yeah, where are the Hirais, Houses, Trettons and Laydens? Is Yosp still there? seems so quiet lately.
 
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MastaKiiLA

Member
Jim Ryan is a SCEE veteran going back to PS era and is originally a finance guy who became a COO and was the power behind the throne of the David Reeves SCEE era, before ascending to global roles. He is not a games guy, he is a straight talking tough as hell business guy. The success of PlayStation in EMEA for nigh on the three decades he's been there suggests he's doing something right. The console wars aren't fought by three comic book villains in evil lairs they're fought by gigantic ultra corporate organisations and we focus on figureheads to an absurd degree. You don't want someone who makes good memes you want someone who can get shit done alongside thousands of talented and expensive people against a handful of brutal competitors who are also prepared to lose billions of dollars fighting you.
Very well said.
 

DunDunDunpachi

Patient MembeR
It's hard to discuss these topics because after every single news event you have a pack of monkeys who make these kinds of comparisons.
 
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Roufianos

Member
He has no likability and keeps saying dumb things. £70 games is also the most anti-consumer move I've seen in the video game industry since the Xbox One reveal. Nowhere near as bad as Mattrick yet but I don't think he'll be a positive influence at Sony.
 

Warnen

Don't pass gaas, it is your Destiny!
Lying Ryan is his own beast. Prob go down as the guy on watch as Sony lost significant market share.
 

FranXico

Member
I think after the we believe in generations lie, Jim Ryan will never be taken seriously.

but no, hes not as bad as don matrick. yes, he produced a weaker console but it's not 50% weaker. its also $100 cheaper than the microsoft console. despite the focus on cross gen, there are still a bunch of games coming out on the ps5. their first year is stacked unlike anything else. so things could be worse.

i would say he's the new Phil Spencer. for every good thing he does, there is something equally shitty. but they are both salesmen and you arent getting people like Jack Tretton, Shu Yoshida and Andrew House anymore. those guys truly cared about the playstation.
So, a Phil Spencer without the money.
 
I think after the we believe in generations lie, Jim Ryan will never be taken seriously.

but no, hes not as bad as don matrick. yes, he produced a weaker console but it's not 50% weaker. its also $100 cheaper than the microsoft console. despite the focus on cross gen, there are still a bunch of games coming out on the ps5. their first year is stacked unlike anything else. so things could be worse.

i would say he's the new Phil Spencer. for every good thing he does, there is something equally shitty. but they are both salesmen and you arent getting people like Jack Tretton, Shu Yoshida and Andrew House anymore. those guys truly cared about the playstation.


lVY1fde.jpg
 

TGO

Hype Train conductor. Works harder than it steams.
Playstation fans have literally gone insane after the bombshell by Microsoft. You hate to see it.
Strange, seems most posts and threads are by Xbox Fans 🤔
I've seen members I didn't know existed crawl out their hole.
The last 24hrs has been like the Left telling Black people they're oppressed.
 

FranXico

Member
Strange, seems most posts and threads are by Xbox Fans 🤔
I've seen members I didn't know existed crawl out their hole.
The last 24hrs has been like the Left telling Black people they're oppressed.
It's 2006 all over again. And that's not a good thing.
 

Gloomnivore

Member
Jim Ryan still has some way to go before that comparison becomes fair.

PS5 is launching strongly.

Xbox One launched with Mattrick having torched the brand.
 
What the fuck is this hyperbole?

A misstep with the "we believe in generations" shit, and Microsoft buying ZeniMax makes Jim Ryan = Don Mattrick?
I'm sorry, but what exactly warrants this comparison?
 

mekes

Member
I think Jim just comes across as a bit too much of a company man who worked his way up. He is not necessarily bad, but I dont think he is too in touch with the playstation fan base. He comes across as somebody who might keep his efforts in company, for the company. Ie. Not a "For the players" type.

Just my opinion. I have no idea realistically.
 

TGO

Hype Train conductor. Works harder than it steams.
Remember GTAIV? DLC exclusivity was ok back then. Nowadays people think it's worse than entire publisher buyouts LOL.
yeah I remember, and the exclusives expansion packs for Tomb Raider Underworld that remain exclusive to this day, along with the Next-Gen version of Tomb Raider Legend
Are you suggesting the Bethesda buyout is anti-consumer?!
 
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Codswallop_

Neophyte
Lyin' Jim Ryan is pretty catchy, but he's still not at Mattrick levels and the mess that was the all-in-one tv tuner/kinectbox vision.
 
**Edit**I know that PS cant leave all the millions of PS4 base with Spider-Man MM and Horizon FW, but if you KNOW that, you CANT say: "In Playstation belive in generations" you just keep your mouth shout and say another thing in the best polite way possible.
"We believe in generations"is an empty statement, it doesn't mean the day the new console is out we drop the old one (we were certainly led to believe that tho).

Anyway while There was excitement about seeing "true n'ext gen Games", I for one pointed out that games that actually work on the existing hardware should not be forced off of the existing hardware. Which makes sense... Now I hate Sony's communication under Jim, but I would like to remind you that unfortunately manipulation is not the differentiation factor here:



Neither is good, and I would like Sony to go back to their previous management.
 

Clear

CliffyB's Cock Holster
Jim actually always struck me as pretty decent, look back on the way he handled some really snarky interviews like the Metro GameCentral ones with Jenkins (there was a substantial thread on Gaf about them) as gracefully as he did, and he doesn't seem like a bad guy.
 

deriks

4-Time GIF/Meme God
No. Don Mattrick is worse. But yeah, Ryan is not good either. Kaz and Jack were supreme
 
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soulbait

Member
I will never get the love for these corporate people. All this praising (or hating on) of Phil or Jim is just dumb IMO. They make decisions for businesses to make them money. If you fall for their PR speak, then they are doing their jobs. Sure, you can tell when someone is truly passionate about their product or not, but to place them up on pedestals as if they deserve our worship and praise due to being figure heads of our hobby is just crazy to me.
 

diffusionx

Gold Member
I get the impression from Don Mattrick that he didn't actually like or care about games much. As you may or not know, Kinect was his baby, and when your baby is the "most successful peripheral ever", it gives you a lot of juice in a company. So basically when he got to be in charge, he decided to turn the Xbox into things he cared about, not believing in the typical game market or what gamers like to play.

Jim Ryan is needless to say not like this at all. He obviously still believes the console and game market is a good business to be in. The PS5 is a traditional console and Sony is operating a traditional console business model. The business still seems to be run in a very competent fashion. I think Sony is smart to put more games on PC.

So in other words I don't see the problem.
 

EverydayBeast

thinks Halo Infinite is a new graphical benchmark
I don’t see these two guys now all of a sudden they’re bad guys? We’ll get new consoles and AAA games, you got the best company in gaming that believes in generations, you got the developers locked into sequels for God of War, Spider-Man (BIG GAMES) there’s no way SONY is satisfied with winning last gen with the PS4.
 
Give Don his dues, he was ahead of his time. The idea of updates to games being pushed silently with an always-on console was a brilliant idea and even more handy in today's reality of 200 gig Warzone updates.

Would have had great ramifications for games. You could push stealthy mini-map updates in online games to consistently freshen up the game like parts of the map changing. Epic do it...but it's no surprise in Fornite as you know the update is coming through tweets and fanfare.
 
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