Support NeoGAF

[BibiMaghoo]

That...is a strange turn of events.

Best of luck to him though, perhaps he will contribute a little more than the last guy.

 

[filopilo]

He went to work for Atari and then Gakai. At least he sat on their boards for a while or something like that.

he basically killed atari ,en fact , and got his golden parachute for actually doing worse than nothing (killing it )
The " behind the scene " of these populary loved 'gurus' is rarely up to the love of their fans.

 

[Cerebral Assassin]

Alright, go walk it off sailor.

Eh? His comments on the DS are legendary( & looking back with hindsight, they are fucking hilarious).

 

[CitizenCope]

Yes! We win!!



JOKING! I have a PS3 also.

 

[zroid]

In other news, Sony buys out 22 cans.

 

[Huff]

Bahahhahahahhahahahahhahaha

BHAHHAHAHHAHAHA

E3 here we come!

I don't get this?

Their E3 is already planned. Phil isn't going to change anything in 3 months time

 

[Busty]

Nobody is investing in UK right now. Canada is where it is at.

My point exactly. But in saying that MS and Sony aren't exactly in the same financial positions.

MS have made it perfectly clear that they aren't interested in building a portfolio of first party game studios.

Which is shame for all concerned.

 

[Kerub]

He's still working for Sony.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=466369

OH MY GOD

IT'S ON

 

[Lord Error]

He's still working for Sony.

I laughed too much at this.

 

[Corto]

In other news, Sony buys out 22 cans.

Oh God no!

 

[plainr_]

Microsoft Home incoming.

 

[strafer]

Betrayer.

 

[TheOddOne]

Since Japanese dude arrived all he did was cancel projects and close studios.

No, he refocused their strategy to be stronger in the long run. Investing in new teams in well respected studios, Naughty Dog and Guerrilla Games, should pay off. However, he has been greenlighting more shovelware then usual.

MS have made it perfectly clear that they aren't interested in building a portfolio of first party game studios.

The forming of 343 Industries, MGS Vancouver, Good Science and other new studios beg to differ.

 

[gofreak]

That was quick.

 

[offshore]

VG247 say it'll be officially announced at 4PM UK time.

 

[Globox_82]

No, he refocused their strategy to be stronger in the long run. Investing in new teams in well respected studios, Naughty Dog and Guerrilla Games, should pay off. However, he has been greenlighting more shovelware then usual.

case closed. Guy sucks! Nice fellow but he is Japanese he has no clue what westerners like, even if he thinks he does.

 

[Noshino]

Well this is huge news for Microsoft's first party. It was under Harrison that Sony's studios were unified.

While Harrison is indeed a visionary (he is the ones that helped push the whole "play create share" thing at Sony), he also has greenlight a few turds, so Microsoft might want to keep an eye on him.


As far as his actual persona, I have heard that he can be pretty intimidating....

 

[Shig]

Why would he be on stage at E3?

He's head of MSG Europe.

Why's that a disqualifier? Molyneux's had plenty of stage time at E3.

 

[CrunchinJelly]

Gonna be weird seeing him on stage at E3

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

Time for people to start quoting the shit he said about Microsoft (if any) and put a parallel to it if he says shit about Sony.

I expect MS's first party to jumpstart with loads of exclusives.

 

[Joni]

Did amazing job for Sony. Almost every big IP sony has was green lighted by him.
Heavy Rain, Motorstorm, Infamous, Uncharted, LBP....list goes on and on.
Since Japanese dude arrived all he did was cancel projects and close studios.

Shuhei Yoshida was their third party account executive since before the PlayStation 1 launch so he got us more games than he got cancelled. And Yoshida cancelled mostly games that were announced too soon by Harrison like Eight Days and The Getaway.

 

[Dabanton]

Yes, rather him than that sleezebag Don Mattrick.

How the hell is Mattrick a "sleezebag?"

 

[max-pain]

 

[JWong]

Given MS's short leash, I doubt anyone can do anything but make Kinect games.

 

[Psychotext]

The forming of 343 Industries, MGS Vancouver, Good Science and other new studios beg to differ.

Aye. What MS aren't interested in doing is buying studios, because that never seems to work out for them (I guess due to the way they manage the talent).

 

[Dabanton]

Given MS's short leash, I doubt anyone can do anything but make Kinect games.

I really expect better MS trolling from you.

 

[Globox_82]

That was quick.

Sony hacked them for taking Phil

 

[Chittagong]

BetrayalTON!

5TH POST NAILS IT

Go Phil, absolutely awesome news for the whole Xbox team. Wow.

 

[TheOddOne]

case closed. Guy sucks! Nice fellow but he is Japanese he has no clue what westerners like, even if he thinks he does.

Ohh, don't be such a pessimist

One thing you can say about the guy is that he gives a lot of work to up-and-coming studios.

 

[Clear]

You've been speaking to wrong people.

Maybe so, I can't claim to know everyone who works/worked for SCEE in the UK, but I do know quite a few with backgrounds at various studios.

The truth is that Sony's internal studios have had a rocky as hell history, particularly Studio Liverpool, and as the man at the top he deserves to take responsibility for a lot of it. Going into further detail would be getting into FatBabies territory, so I'll leave it at that.

 

[Larsen B]

Guess you've got to be a bald dude to get this position.

 

[Lord Error]

How the hell is Mattrick a "sleezebag?"

Awaiting mattrick.gifs.

 

[DangerStepp]

2006 me just fainted in disbelief.

 

[sixteen-bit]

720 to be $599 confirmed

They got Phil, not Ken

 

[Broder Salsa]

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=466369

OH MY GOD

IT'S ON

This is a suicide mission!

 

[PetriP-TNT]

How the hell is Mattrick a "sleezebag?"

I don't know why but to me he looks like an bad 90's family sitcom dad.

 

[GANGSTERKILLER]

Wow, he is joining Microsoft? This is huge. Phil Harrison is a charismatic gentleman. MS need people like him.
Too bad Peter Moore is with EA now, he was the best spokesman for the Xbox division!

 

[DangerStepp]

I don't know why but to me he looks like an bad 90's family sitcom dad.

90s sitcom dad's are as wholesome as it gets

 

[Kabuki Quantum Lover]

This is good news.

 

[YoungHav]

what a traitor.

 

[Noshino]

Maybe so, I can't claim to know everyone who works/worked for SCEE in the UK, but I do know quite a few with backgrounds at various studios.

The truth is that Sony's internal studios have had a rocky as hell history, particularly Studio Liverpool, and as the man at the top he deserves to take responsibility for a lot of it. Going into further detail would be getting into FatBabies territory, so I'll leave it at that.

Sony needs Chris Deering back in Europe :C

 

[dankir]

So what will features on the PS Vita will he call gimmicks now?

 

[Flatline]

I love that dude, I hope he manages to drag Microsoft out of the dark pit it's in with Kinect.

 

[zomgbbqftw]

Maybe so, I can't claim to know everyone who works/worked for SCEE in the UK, but I do know quite a few with backgrounds at various studios.

The truth is that Sony's internal studios have had a rocky as hell history, particularly Studio Liverpool, and as the man at the top he deserves to take responsibility for a lot of it. Going into further detail would be getting into FatBabies territory, so I'll leave it at that.

Well from what I have heard there is a lot of frustration within Sony UK that they aren't given the chance to make premier AAA games any more and are stuck either assisting other studios with technical issues or on social games (Home) and they are struggling with a big talent drain right now. It's a shame because SCE UK has previously been a driver of everything that is good at SCEWWS but right now they haven't made a AAA PS3 game for a very long time, at least not the original SCE UK studios (Cambridge, Soho/Camden/London, Liverpool).

It's SCE Liverpool that have been worst hit by this, they made F1 then Sony dropped the licence. They made WipEout HD for PSN but it really should have been a full retail release and it did eventually get one in PAL, but since then they have had budget cuts to try and integrate Evolution and BigBig into their setup but it has not been easy going.

SCE London are stuck making Home crud and Cambridge (probably the most technically gifted of SCEWWS studios) are stuck assisting the rest of SCEE and SCEA studios as well as third parties while making the odd PSP/Vita game here and there.

While I think the appointment of Phil is a good one for MGS Europe, the way Phil fucked over SCE UK towards the end of his tenure was very sad and they should be wary of it.

 

[Joni]

So what will features on the PS Vita will he call gimmicks now?

analog sticks.

 

[StuBurns]

Very unusual move, I imagine practically every interview will be people throwing quotes of him shitting on MS. I remember thinking it was odd Shane was repping KoF12 after he'd been vocally negative about it at TGS, this is like that but for a whole first party.

Other than that messiness, it's cool news, he's a great company frontman.

 

[OldJadedGamer]

Time for people to start quoting the shit he said about Microsoft (if any) and put a parallel to it if he says shit about Sony.

I expect MS's first party to jumpstart with loads of exclusives.

Some of the dumbest quotes from this gen did come from Phil. Like really stupid throw back in your face quotes.

 

[HotHamWater]

PR Time.

REDMOND, Wash. — March 13, 2012 — Microsoft Corp. today announced that Phil Harrison, video games luminary and former Sony executive, has joined the Interactive Entertainment Business (IEB) leadership team as corporate vice president with an emphasis on growing the division’s European business.

As the senior IEB leader in Europe, Phil will not only lead the Microsoft Studios European organization directly, but will also influence the broader performance of IEB’s European business through strategic partnerships and by bringing culturally relevant entertainment experiences to Microsoft platforms, now and in the future.

In addition to the wealth of experience Harrison has in the console gaming space, he has immersed himself in new business models and technologies, particularly in the mobile and social space and will bring that market perspective to bear in the new role. He will also tap his deep experience in studio leadership to grow Xbox’s development efforts in Europe, including overseeing UK-based developers Lionhead Studios, Soho Productions and Rare Ltd.

"I am excited to be joining the senior team at Microsoft at a pivotal time for our industry,” said Harrison. “I am really impressed with the company’s long-term vision for growing the market for interactive entertainment globally and also with the incredible wealth of talent, technology and resources the company has available to succeed."

“We are honored to have Phil join a team that boasts a wealth of talent from across the industry,” said Phil Spencer, corporate vice president at Microsoft Studios. “Phil is one of video gaming’s true visionaries, and his experience overseeing global studios and deep industry relationships make him the ideal person to lead our European efforts. Under his leadership, we look forward to continuing cultivating the best talent and growing our business in the region.”

“Phil has played an instrumental role in shaping modern console history through his keen insights into both hardware and software strategy,” said Don Mattrick, president, Interactive Entertainment Business. “His addition to our leadership team will impact our global business in innumerable ways, as he aligns our studio development and growing portfolio of entertainment experiences in Europe to drive our continued growth worldwide.”

Harrison brings 25 years of games industry and development experience to his new role as the senior leader for IEB Europe. He was a long-time leader at Sony Computer Entertainment, where he held various senior executive positions within the company, most recently as president of Worldwide Studios. After leaving Sony, Harrison joined the board of Infogrames, as president of Atari, where he led the company’s transition into online gaming. Most recently, Harrison is co-founder and General Partner of London Venture Partners, LLP the venture capital firm focused on the web, mobile, social and cloud game sector, where he will continue as Special Advisor.

 

[CrunchinJelly]

Sounds like he's got a much bigger role than Molyneux.

 

[Unknown One]

Sony hacked them for taking Phil

Sony sent Ninjas to assassinate Phil for his betrayal, but things did not go as planned so they sabotaged the gamerscores to have a political advantage causing ill resent from the supporters.