E3: David Reeves Talks PS3

By Ellie Gibson Published 13 July, 2007

The Euro bundle, the new PSP and the fight to be market leader.

At a special E3 event this evening, Sony Europe boss David Reeves announced a new PS3 bundle for Europe. Comprised of a console, two games and a second Sixaxis controller, it will cost GBP 425 / EUR 599 - the same price as the standalone machine previously retailed for.

Following the announcement, Eurogamer sat down with Reeves to find out more about the decision not to do what Sony America did and introduce a straight price cut - plus the new PSP, future plans and who's going to win the next-gen console battle.

Eurogamer: Now you've made the announcement about the PS3 bundle for Europe, what kind of reaction are you expecting?

David Reeves: I think people will say to us, 'This is really good for the summer, what are you going to do in October?'. We think that we've offered a lot of value to keep the momentum going until the big titles come out. Then we'll look at doing something else, but for the moment I think it's the right move for us.

Eurogamer: How concerned are you about possible criticisms that you should have given European consumers what Sony America gave the US; the option to pay a lower price?

David Reeves: Well, they're not really are they, because what the US are offering from the 1st of August is a USD 599 version with one game. All they're doing is taking their stock they've got at the moment of the 60GB model, marking the price down and it will all be gone by the end of July.

'E3: David Reeves Talks PS3' Screenshot starterpack

The recently announced Starter Pack PS3 bundle.

Eurogamer: So once it's sold out, that will be the end of the USD 499, 60GB model then?

David Reeves: In America, yes.

Eurogamer: Why not offer the 80GB model in Europe?

David Reeves: The difference between 60GB and 80GB is not really necessary. The difference in cost between a 60 and 80 is just Euro sense; it's nothing, because the cost of memory is so small.

Probably we could have gone for 80GB, but does it really make any difference? We just know that we get a better supply on the 60GB than we will on the 80GB. So we chose to continue with the 60GB until we find that we can get something better, maybe lower cost. It just didn't seem necessary to us.

Eurogamer: But if as you say there's no difference between the 60GB and 80GB, is Sony America making the right decision in offering it?

David Reeves: The difference is that the 60GB we have now has about 88 per cent backwards compatibility. The 60GB they had had 100 per cent backwards compatibility. They felt that by going down from 100 to 88, for example, that they'd have to add something in - and that's what they did.

That was their decision. We just felt that we didn't want to complicate things; we wanted to have one model, and we've had one model - we've done very well with it. Now we'll add value and we'll think about what we'll do closer to Christmas.

'E3: David Reeves Talks PS3' Screenshot usbundle

The 80GB PS3 for the US, responsible for the 60GB price cut to USD 499.

Eurogamer: But you're still asking people to commit GBP 425 to a games console. Isn't there a problem with the perception that that's an awful lot of money to shell out?

David Reeves: It is, but surprisingly, people are paying that amount of money for it. Now they'll get two games and an extra controller as well. It's not just a games machine as you know - you can play Blu-ray movies, you can download games from the network, you can browse the Internet and you can play music on it.

Eurogamer: What about the PSP? You've made it smaller and lighter, but isn't the real problem that there aren't the games for it?

David Reeves: Yes. It's setting itself up. It needed to be lighter and slimmer to make it portable. To solve the problem - if there is a problem with PSP - we need to have better and more original games.

Not only third parties but internally. Phil's studios are working not only on PSP games, we're also thinking of moving some of the stuff we have on the Network to PSP - things like Calling All Cars. We may remake it for PSP.

Eurogamer: Why not add some of the other things gamers have been asking for, like a built-in hard drive?

David Reeves: We looked at them and they were too expensive. It might be we can look at a hard drive later, because hard drive prices now are relatively inexpensive. But by putting a hard drive in now you add weight as well. I think it's definitely possible later, yes.

Eurogamer: What did you think of Sony's E3 press conference this year?

David Reeves: I wasn't here; I arrived this afternoon and I'm leaving tomorrow. I've heard reports that it was a bit humbler, with more humility than last year, which I think was needed. And that it was quite slick, that it was focusing on games... So it seems to have been fairly well received. But it's not for me to judge, is it?

Eurogamer: Was that humbler approach taken because you think Sony has appeared arrogant in the past?

David Reeves: I think they have. Not deliberately, but at E3 last year and maybe the year before, the presentations they did to a European and a Japanese perspective - yes. To an American perspective - no, because the difference in cultures is you have to go, 'Ra-ra, I'm the best.'

We in Europe, and especially the Japanese, don't necessarily accept that. You have to say, 'We're doing our best, but we're not the best.'

Eurogamer: So you'll have missed the Microsoft conference as well... Peter Moore seemed to be saying they're in a tight race with the Wii, while PS3 is lagging behind. What's your perspective on that?

David Reeves: Globally, I can't really comment. I would say that in the UK, Xbox 360 is doing okay. I would say in Continental Europe it's about dead. In Japan it's dead. I think it's doing very well in the US.

Wii is doing very well. Hats off to them; not only have they done well, they've got back in stock. They're marketing the console and the games extremely well. Two years ago the industry was writing them off, but they've come back. We owe a debt to Nintendo for keeping the industry going in the last couple of years; they're the ones who have kept it going.

'E3: David Reeves Talks PS3' Screenshot pspgroup

The new PSP design, smaller and lighter.

Eurogamer: Would you agree that Sony is no longer the market leader?

David Reeves: I don't think it's to do with market leadership, it's to do with growth. If we are to look back in five years' time, what we have to say is we have to double this industry in five years. It's not necessarily who's the market leader.

I think it will be cyclical. It's the same with Adidas, Converse, Puma and Nike; they all bring out new models, but in the end they have such store presence and so much marketing they have trebled that industry in the last eight years. That's what we have to do.

We've now got to appeal to families and to older people; that's where the growth is going to come, broader franchises. They're not going to be all Killzones, they're not going to be all God of Wars or Metal Gear Solids. They're going to be LittleBigPlanets, Calling All Cars, localised SingStar versions. We're doing a Bollywood version of SingStar; we'll probably do one in Russian as well.

Eurogamer: Microsoft placed a big emphasis at this year's E3 on titles that are out this year, whereas yours featured more about titles due out in the longer term future, and Peter Moore said it's about winning this holiday. How are you going to compete?

David Reeves: I honestly don't think that just having the games on Xbox 360 is enough. I know it's nice to focus on one year, but he said the same last year - 'We're going to win the holiday season.' But they didn't; they missed that opportunity.

I don't want to criticise them, but they can't say the same again. PlayStation 3, you will see, will be far and away the winner when you look at it by March '08. They really, really will. It's something that is going to be a slow burner, and suddenly it's like a tsunami; it will just overtake you.

Eurogamer: What will cause that tipping point?

David Reeves: You can't take a scattergun approach of putting all the games out. The Metal Gear Solids and the GT franchises - you don't have to put them out in November and December. You can put them out in January, March, April, whenever you like. A big game will move the platform.

In fact having a window of silence sometimes in those months is very good - that's what we've found. Metal Gear Solid always does well in March.

'E3: David Reeves Talks PS3' Screenshot battlefront

The Star Wars Battlefront PSP pack. Complete with new game and fancy PSP design with Darth Vader's head on the back.

Eurogamer: As you say you've got Metal Gear Solid and Gran Turismo, and then Microsoft's got the likes of Halo. Then there's this murkiness around titles like GTA IV, where extra content is coming out on 360 - and Microsoft is saying 360 is the only place where you can get the full GTA IV experience. Why didn't you get that content?

David Reeves: It's just a question of money. If Microsoft wants to pay USD 50 million just for that... Then I would say they're quite desperate. But as Jack Tretton said, we're really not in the business any more of buying exclusivity. We're more in the business of developing, from Phil Harrison's area, new IPs. We want to move on.

It's too easy to look at and say, 'We must get the GTA franchise.' By the time you've got it the world's moved on, and they'll be talking about some other game. I've got children who are 11 to 15 years old, and those kids are looking forward and not necessarily looking back.

They're the kids who are going to be buying it - the new franchises, but not necessarily the old ones that we signed up to E3 four or five years ago. They're not going to drive the market in the future; it's going to be the new ones.

Eurogamer: Where do you see PlayStation, and the industry in general, in five years' time?

David Reeves: It's going to be a lot more network based, to start with. I have absolutely no doubt about that. That will bring in people who are more PC-oriented, people who are more music-oriented and downloading through iPod.

I think there will be much more focus on shorter games, episodic games, instant gratification; less emphasis on a hard console or a hard laptop. The concept of a console eventually will disappear.

Eurogamer: Are you still looking at PlayStation 3 as a ten year machine?

David Reeves: Yes, we are. We think with the capacity in the hard drive to update the firmware, that's certainly possible. We're in year eight of PlayStation 2 and I think we can still get to ten years on PlayStation 3.

That doesn't mean to say that something else might come out. I don't think it will be a PlayStation 4; it will be something completely different. But something will come out before we get to ten years on PlayStation 3.

Eurogamer: So let's say it's not a physical machine, that physical media goes away - where will that leave retailers?

David Reeves: Retail, as they have in the music industry, will be left with something - but not everything they want... I think eventually they will struggle. Some countries like France are adjusting. Certainly in Japan they are adjusting. Unless UK retailers move in that direction, they are going to struggle.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (97) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • agparrot #1 5 years ago

    I think people will say to us, 'This is really good for the summer, what are you going to do in October?'. We think that we've offered a lot of value to keep the momentum going until the big titles come out. Then we'll look at doing something else, but for the moment I think it's the right move for us.

    Fair enough.

    /waits til October

  • Steroyd #2 5 years ago

    'This is really good for the summer, what are you going to do in October?'.

    Wait...where did October come from.

    Hmm....

    /Dr Evil's Evil look.

  • bdaggers #3 5 years ago

    Eurogamer: But you're still asking people to commit GBP 425 to a games console. Isn't there a problem with the perception that that's an awful lot of money to shell out?

    David Reeves: It is, but surprisingly, people are paying that amount of money for it

    "surprisingly" ??? So even HE is surprised Euro consumers pay these prices ?

  • david78 #4 5 years ago

    PS3 price cut in October!!!!

  • david78 #5 5 years ago

    This guy doesn't lick Sony's backside at least.

  • Cloudane #6 5 years ago

    I think I speak for a lot of people to hold out until October now.

    The interview seems brief and not too critical in comparison to Moore's Q&A though.

  • zuljin #7 5 years ago

    Isn't this the same article as on GamesIndustry.biz?

  • aldo_14 #8 5 years ago

    He actually admitted - sort of - that sony appear arrogant. Which is nice.

    Albeit spoiled by the 'tsunami' comment.

  • PlugMonkey #9 5 years ago

    agparrot - Yup, that's what I read. Price cut coming in October. Might as well wait until then. You heard it here first.

  • AtomicBanana #10 5 years ago

    What a complete joke this guys comments were =/

  • Fernando #11 5 years ago

    "I would say that in the UK, Xbox 360 is doing okay. I would say in Continental Europe it's about dead. In Japan it's dead. I think it's doing very well in the US.

    Wii is doing very well. Hats off "

    truth

  • Johnson #12 5 years ago

    "Oh, we're not arrogant but we're going to drown you fuckers by next spring."

    Tsunami for god's sake. Did he not watch the news last New Year's?

  • sickpuppysoftware #13 5 years ago

    I think people will say to us, 'This is really good for the summer, what are you going to do in October?'

    Hands up who said "This is really good for the summer"

  • presh #14 5 years ago

    Sorry Sony, not good enough.

    B-

    Must do better.

  • Pike #15 5 years ago

    How does he define Continental Europe? Here in Sweden the 360 seems to be doing just fine.

  • belziah #16 5 years ago

    Cutting the price now, only 3 and half months in would have smacked of a desperation that Sony arent facing in Europe yet.

    October price cut/GTA bundle makes sense.

    On a personal note I really dont like this man.

  • afghan_jones #17 5 years ago

    Yeah, I think Moore set a new benchmark for PR guys not sounding like cunts, this guy seemed crap by comparison.

  • Whizzo #18 5 years ago

    This bloke seems like a bit of a twit really, if "memory" doesn't cost much really why isn't there an 80 gig drive in the Euro bundle then?

  • SeesThroughAll #19 5 years ago

    Yeah, I think Moore set a new benchmark for PR guys not sounding like cunts, this guy seemed crap by comparison.

    He did sound like a cunt, just a clever cunt. ;)

  • Steroyd #20 5 years ago

    Dead in Europe? There are 11.6 million XBOXs sold worldwide, half in the US - where are the rest? Japan? No - UK? No way has the 360 sold 6 million units here alone.... so the rest have to be in Europe. That's not 'dead'.

    He said continental Europe, and MS's figures are sold to retail i.e shipped.

    Right now, they just sound incredibly arrogant. 'We'll take over by March 08, oh yes!' - Erm, Halo 3? Bioshock? PGR4? Mass Effect? GTAIV Exclusive content?

    What a coincidence all the titles Sony showed at E3 press conference are slated to come out before end of fiscal year that is March 2008.

  • mattigan #21 5 years ago

    Well thats the PS3's saled fucked til October then. And 360 and Wii to some extent too.

  • Killerbee #22 5 years ago

    Nice interview. He's fairly honest about Sony's problems selling the PS3 - high price, lack of games - and PSP - lack of games, but doesn't really seem to be able to offer anything concrete in terms of how Sony are going to solve them.

    "We'll make more games" is all well and good, but dismissing old franchises is a pretty weak effort. I know the only things holding me to the intention to get a PS3 are the Metal Gear Solid and Final Fantasy franchises (ok, and Fumito Ueda).

    I also think this is a missed opportunity to cut the price. The Americans are getting a $499 60GB model versus our £425 so how does Sony bundling a bit of a old stock with the console (a proportion of which is already being bundled with the console by some retailers for £399) compensate for such a massive price difference?

    Thhe annoying thing is, I really want to want one; to get excited by having a new console, but right now Sony are making it very hard for me to think buying a PS3 now is a worthwhile idea.

    Roll on October?

  • Walshicus #23 5 years ago

    "The difference in cost between a 60 and 80 is just Euro sense"

    You don't think he said "€uro Cents" rather than "Euro sense"? Hmm?

  • Ihya #24 5 years ago

    They couldn't cut the price so quickly after the euro launch - that would smack of desperation. They have given us a bundle pack that fits perfectly with their offerings so far, and that'll change again come autumn - which is when I'll pick mine up with Rumble and a more tempting bundle and/or a price cut. Just in time for Little Big Planet.

    They injected humility in this years E3 as a calculated move, and it took the sting out of Sony's arrogant persona for sure. No more 'Next gen starts when we say so,' or having to work harder for the PS3 from the Kuturagi era thank god.

    The guys is still a muppet, but then show me one of these execs who isn't a muppet.

  • FlamingCarrot #25 5 years ago

    Anyone thinks he looks a bit like Derek Acorah?

  • playgen #26 5 years ago

    Seems like the US and Europena offices really don't collaborate with each other.

    I loved when asked to justify the price of the ps3 he said "you can play music on it" - you can play music cd's wow thats incredible!

  • Qbert2k #27 5 years ago

    "the PS2 has been around for 8 years for one reason
    because Sony wants it to be that way
    not for any other reason "
    and?

  • Steroyd #28 5 years ago

    They couldn't cut the price so quickly after the euro launch - that would smack of desperation.

    Or it wouldn't make any sense to price cut now without at least trying to sell their own software first.

    I've got a nagging feeling that Sony is going to do an extreme price cut of at least $150.

  • afghan_jones #29 5 years ago

    @playgen

    exactly. what a prat. games are kind of the main thing about it surely? Its a fucking expensive music player otherwise.

  • chronom4n #30 5 years ago

    "if there is a problem with PSP " not if, but definitely a problem with the psp.

  • Whizzo #31 5 years ago

    I can't see how anyone can use the fact they like their consoles to run for 10 years can be something to criticise, the PS2 is still well supported and that's a great thing, the fact it'll still be in production until 2010 is a good thing not a bad. Same for having the PS3 being around for a long time.

  • zuljin #32 5 years ago

    @ulov3
    I thought this was a pretty hardcore question: "Was that humbler approach taken because you think Sony has appeared arrogant in the past?"

    @mattigan
    True, thats due to people buying less games (in general) over the summer though.

    @Xiphos
    "the PS2 has been around for 8 years for one reason
    because Sony wants it to be that way
    not for any other reason"
    Erm. Sorry I think I missed your point? Don't you think any game company wouldn't want to milk any console for as long as possible?

  • The-Bodybuilder #33 5 years ago

    You didn't catch them out about getting exclusivity for UT3, or having shares in Squenix.

  • Steroyd #34 5 years ago

    So we chose to continue with the 60GB until we find that we can get something better, maybe lower cost. It just didn't seem necessary to us.

    100GB?

  • hamstand #35 5 years ago

    SOFT

  • El_MUERkO #36 5 years ago

    No official price cut but if they're releasing the starter pack then what happens to unbundled consoles. There will be deals to be had. Also he mentions a rethink before Christmas which suggests a price drop which will stop many people from considering the Starter Pack. Silly Person.

  • Xerx3s #37 5 years ago

    They felt that by going down from 100 to 88, for example, that they'd have to add something in - and that's what they did.

    So what did you do for Europeans when you introduced it here? :/

  • Tyronne #38 5 years ago

    Such hard hitting questions....

    I am surprised they did not ask if the cushion he was sitting on was comfy enough and just how many sugars in his coffee he would like.

  • agparrot #39 5 years ago

    @Walshicus
    "The difference in cost between a 60 and 80 is just Euro sense"

    You don't think he said "€uro Cents" rather than "Euro sense"? Hmm?

    Yeah, that would make more cents.

    ;)

  • miiiguel #40 5 years ago

    In a nutshell:
    80gb isn't really necessary, unless you're in the States.

  • Overlush #41 5 years ago

    That's a pretty good deal, considering they're bundling around £110 worth of stuff with it. Anyone complaining is a tight fucker.
    Edited by 1 at 13/07/07 @ 12:00

  • miiiguel #42 5 years ago

    ...or, 80gb in Europe isn't really necessary nor a price cut, because you lovely Europeans buy everything with the Sony logo on, so we can take a dump at your doorstep and you still godify us. Kisses!

  • Peew971 #43 5 years ago

    No comment.

  • miiiguel #44 5 years ago

    Whizzo: my ten year old car had still plenty to give, but I wanted a new one man, I wanted it bad!

  • Stilicho #45 5 years ago

    Not wishing to downgrade the importance of Eurogamer et al, a lot of people are going to accept this bundle as pretty good value because they don't troll the gaming websites and read the comments from all the Sony bashers. And there are obviously quite a lot who have already stumped up the cash without the bundle offer.

    I made the decision to swap my 360 for a PS3 solely on the upcoming games for both systems. Not having enough time to play everything that comes out on one system let alone three, I opted for the system with the most games that appealed to me. Now I've got one I've been nothing but impressed by it. It's totally silent unlike the lawn mower it's replaced and the build quality is superb. I hadn't even considered it as a blu-ray player despite being told that the jump in quality from standard dvd was astonishing. I've now got several blu-ray discs and they look utterly amazing. Judging by the sales and rental figures for blu-ray discs there are considerable numbers who are either buying the PS3 as a blu-ray player as well as a games console or, like me , are discovering how good it actually is for that purpose.

    Maybe the European buyer is looking slightly more long term...

  • miiiguel #46 5 years ago

    Stilicho: if you don't have time to play PS3 is the right choice, no doubt about it.

  • Lacero #47 5 years ago

    This interview seems to be for investors. There's a lot of references to the financial year and about how Sony isn't wasting money on buying exclusives. That's the kind of thing you tell investors not people wanting to know which console to buy. In fact all Sony's actions make a lot more sense when you think about how much pressure they're under from the market, I think things would be different if they had microsoft's Windows and Office money hat to hide under.

    Still absolutely no reason for me to buy a PS3 yet though.

  • Khanivor #48 5 years ago

    LOL.

    And again:

    LOL.

    Any chance that next time a Sony dude spouts total BS you may wish to take him up on it?

    "360 didn't win last Xmas"

    "GT and MGS, we don't buy exclusives anymore we focus on new IP..."

  • miiiguel #49 5 years ago

    Lacero: if you don't have time to play, that's a good reason!

  • stampax #50 5 years ago

    Sorry Sony, heres another potential customer you have upset. Usually I never get angry at the way game companies treat customers - but for the first time I really feel Sony have taken the piss out of us in Europe - late release, inferior console, more expensive, and now this.

    I'm off to give MS and Nintendo more of my money.

  • Arwin #51 5 years ago

    It's true though - Sony doesn't buy exclusives. However, they do apparently make the studios whose games they publish happy with all sorts of 'support', and instead of buying exclusives, they buy studios. :)

    Just think about the extra content of GTA, and off-set this against signing the Media Molecule guys to do Little Big Planet. This is one of the bigger reasons why I like Sony more than I like Microsoft as a games company.

  • SentientNr6 #52 5 years ago

    "It is, but surprisingly, people are paying that amount of money for it."

    rofl. Maybe they should increase their price?

  • The-Bodybuilder #53 5 years ago

    Guys, guys, he wasn't THAT bad.
    Sure he doesn't come across as super-likable, and if anything, he shows too much "business" talk, fragmentation between the sony departments, and is quite possibly living in DE-NILE (by March 08, MS will have too human, alan wake & fable 2), but he's not as bad as harrison or trenton.

  • Vermillion3000 #54 5 years ago

    Possibly because of my exceptionally low expectations of any quotes from the hardware manufacturers, I actually thought this guy did ok.

    It's an interesting observation that the US price cut is, in reality, nothing of the sort. But then we all know that the various Sony Factions don't get on at all...

    Oh and the PS3 bundle sounds very similar to the equivalent 360 pack from last year.
    2 games plus extra controller. (Although I think that I got the Game version which had the 2nd game - didn't the 360 pack just come with PGR3?)

    But yeah... one of the better Sony Bloke interviews I've read.

  • buggrit #55 5 years ago

    Hmmm, this guy seems quite reasonable for a Sony suit.....
    He gave some good answers to some quite prickly questions, but I still won't buy a PS3 until the price actually DROPS! EU gets the shaft from Sony AGAIN!
    What is it about these companies that they don't seem to understand or even care that Europe is actually a very important market for them? A bundle on the back of news that the US is getting a price-cut is a slap in the face for Euro customers, no other way to see it - however Sony try to spin it, we're getting done over again by them.

  • Beano #56 5 years ago

    "He gave some good answers to some quite prickly questions, but I still won't buy a PS3 until the price actually DROPS!"

    I allready have a PS3 but agree completely.

    The US price drop is not a real price drop either - the 60GB is being outphased and when those are sold out, only the $600 80GB model is on the US marked. Clever marketing but fubar IMO.

    However when comparing the new EU bundle with the US 80GB model, I belive the EU bundle is the best "deal".
    Edited by 1 at 13/07/07 @ 13:09

  • Jdoki #57 5 years ago

    What a load of rubbish!

    So in the US they have a choice of 80GB HDD version to compensate for losing 22% backward compatibility.

    Or

    A 60GB unit with almost 100% backward compatibility for a lower price.


    What does Europe get... shafted!!

    He basically admitted that we'll get an 80GB version as soon as supply of the 2.5" drives improves, and that there will be another announcement regarding the price (or 'value') of the PS3 in October. That really makes me want to run out and stump up the money for the fabulous 'Starter pack'!

    Hopefully whatever Sony does in October it involves a price cut rather than some other crappy bundle deal.

  • GiantHaystax #58 5 years ago

    And they have done so well the last 2 days. This guy flys in, hasn't seen/doesn't see any of E3 at all. Spouts off a load of stuff undermining all the good work they have done the last 2 days to try and turn last years disaster around, then flies out again leaving SCEA to sort out the uproar over the fake price drop.

    LOL nice work!!
    Edited by 1 at 13/07/07 @ 13:26

  • Duke_Red #59 5 years ago

    I will admit, to be fair you are definitly getting more value for money with the new bundle, but it is still 425, and it is still alotta wonga for most people.

    If you were to come at it from the perspective of price drop and then having to buy the games separately, it would probably work out to be more, admittedly you do have more of a range of games to choose.

    Me personally, Im waiting for MGS to come out and hopefully there will be a price drop on the console, not a bundle.

    if all else fails I will probably have to take the kutaragi plan of action....

    get a job.

  • Caimbeul #60 5 years ago

    "The 60GB they had had 100 per cent backwards compatibility. They felt that by going down from 100 to 88, for example, that they'd have to add something in - and that's what they did"

    Gee thanks, why didnt they do that or something for us??

    I might just swap out my PS3 HDD for a larger one. Its just a standard latop HDD isnt it?

  • moggsy #61 5 years ago

    @ GiantHaystax

    Just what I was thinking! This guy really is an arse - where did they get him from?

  • GiantHaystax #62 5 years ago

    So he says the cost off the 80gb compared to the 60gb is cents yet they charge an extra $100 for it. What a loser, he needs some lessons from Peter Moore on how to answer questions.
    Edited by 1 at 13/07/07 @ 13:50

  • Chufty #63 5 years ago

    Actually the man makes a good point, the extra 20Gb means very little and doesnt actually cost anything more - try shopping for 60Gb and 80Gb 2.5" HDDs and you'll see what I mean.

    The US 'Price Cut' is just marketing spin, and in Europe we're getting a much better deal. There will be plenty of customers who have been waiting for the PS3 to represent better value for money and with the number of quality games starting to pick up, I'm sure they'll shift a lot more units as a result of this announcement.

    Personally, I'm more excited about the October hint than anything Nintendo or Microsoft have announced this E3.

  • Chrono-Kun #64 5 years ago

    I really really hope Sony just swallow their pride and admit its not doing well. PS3 is also dead in Japan, not as dead as 360, but still dead

  • theweaze #65 5 years ago

    haha so sony firstly admitted they are suprised its selling well,

    and secondly that in america they get a large hard drive to compensate for the decrease in backward compatibility aswell as a bundled game and what do we get?? a higher price

  • Peew971 #66 5 years ago

    @ headbog: Epic isn't owned or affiliated to Microsoft, that would be a revolution :)

  • richardiox #67 5 years ago

    Granted it's retail led, but MS already basically offer a 2 games for free bunlde with the £279 Premium pack. So PS3 is still basically £150 more for gaming. The value only comes into play if you want a Blu-Ray player anyway.

  • Garulon #68 5 years ago

    "but he's not as bad as harrison or trenton."

    Yeah, out of The Idiot, The Sneering Homonculous or The Robot I'd take the Idiot. At least when he blows the lid of whatever scam Sony's doing it's more hilarious than enraging.

  • Hughes. #69 5 years ago

    The first page he sounds like an idiot, the second page he made sense. I suspect he has a chip in his brain that is activated by remote control.

    Sony would do better if they didn't speak to the press, ever.

  • moggsy #70 5 years ago

    They really would be better coming out and saying:

    'Look, we can't reduce the price of the PS3 for at least a year because it's just costing us too much to make and we haven't currently got an easy way to cost reduce it. But we have some great games coming out and it does play Blu Rays so it still good value.'

    At the moment they are shooting themselves in the foot by giving short term price cuts or promising or alluding to price cuts which don't happen. This pisses off current owners and potential buyers in equal measure. If everyone knew it was going to stay at the same price for at least a year then ironically you'd probably get more people buying the damned thing.

    It's the uncertainty and the mismanagement that's killing everyone's enthusiasm for it at the moment.

  • ronuds #71 5 years ago

    MS is "desparate" for paying 50 mil. for GTA content, so what would you call dropping the price on a console that's barely 8 months old?

  • playgen #72 5 years ago

    "MS is "desparate" for paying 50 mil. for GTA content, so what would you call dropping the price on a console that's barely 8 months old?"

    Thing is why did microsoft have to pay 50 million for that content, would it be because sony offered 40 million for it - quite likely me thinks. The only reason for it to be worth 50 million is if someone else was prepared to pay loads for it too, and there is only one potential other bidder.

  • PlugMonkey #73 5 years ago

    playgen - the other reason would be if R* thought doing MS specific content would harm their PS3 sales - which it probably will. People are a funny bunch about this sort of thing. If they did, they would have demanded an exclusivity fee regardless of whether Sony did or didn't offer.

  • playgen #74 5 years ago

    Yeah thats true, didn't think of it that way. Still I bet sony are feeling the pressure from it, gta was a major prize for them with ps2, if they could afford to spend 50 million on getting the content they probably would have. Just like if they could afford to do a proper price cut on the console they would, because their loosing ground to 360 and wii rapidly, whatever they say to the press. All this press talk of not wanting to buy exclusivity or dropping price because they just dont feel its right is pure crap.

  • SniperWolf #75 5 years ago

    So there is no price cut anywhere... it was a lie...

  • Entity #76 5 years ago

    "MS is "desparate" for paying 50 mil for GTA content"
    I don't care that ms have paid 50 million, I just want to play good large long-lasting games. MS arn't my company but they obviously feel they can spend that money and still keep producing first party titles.
    /runs through thread waving his "I love Peter Moore" undercrackers above his head.

  • Garulon #77 5 years ago

    Peter Moore said flat out they didn't pay R* 50 million.

    Hang on though in the interview he says of the PS3 "and you can play music on it."

    HOW? Do you hit it, or is there somewhere you can blow into it?

  • VMerken #78 5 years ago

    "I think people will say to us, 'This is really good for the summer, what are you going to do in October?'"

    Or they might say, "Wake me up when september ends".

    Sorry, couldn't resist :).

  • drumbaby #79 5 years ago

    So this Reeves guy is associated with Sony?

    Instant bastard, right?

  • Dr.Gash #80 5 years ago

    I am interested enough in the PS3 to wait for a price cut and jump onboard then, but not before.

  • Waffleaber #81 5 years ago

    Eurogamer: Why not add some of the other things gamers have been asking for, like a built-in hard drive?

    David Reeves: We looked at them and they were too expensive. It might be we can look at a hard drive later, because hard drive prices now are relatively inexpensive. But by putting a hard drive in now you add weight as well. I think it's definitely possible later, yes.

    Translation: Yeah but no but yeah cause what happened is hard drives is too expensive but relatively inexpensive but they're too heavy but shut up cause we'll put one in anyway soon probably.

  • Garulon #82 5 years ago

    "Translation: Yeah but no but yeah cause what happened is hard drives is too expensive but relatively inexpensive but they're too heavy but shut up cause we'll put one in anyway soon probably. "

    It's not his JOB to describe technical minutae, dammit! It's his job to destroy any goodwill Sony may have built up anywhere in the Western world. At least I hope it is.

    Mrs Reeves had better get the hug + hot mug of cocoa this evening ready I think.

  • Hughes. #83 5 years ago

    Did anyone else read this interview and get the subtext "I'm angling for a job with Nintendo"?

  • konniehuqfan #84 5 years ago

    i reckon these pr types compete with each other to see who can talk the most bollocks.
    Edited by 1 at 13/07/07 @ 18:28

  • jimbob101 #85 5 years ago


    Eurogamer: But you're still asking people to commit GBP 425 to a games console. Isn't there a problem with the perception that that's an awful lot of money to shell out?

    David Reeves: It is, but surprisingly, people are paying that amount of money for it

    "surprisingly" ??? So even HE is surprised Euro consumers pay these prices ?


    Exactly what I thought when reading it!

  • Calgon #86 5 years ago

    I see alot of bullshit here... Sony HAVE paid for exclusivity in the past, they simply cant afford to do it at the moment and who was talking about Sony offering better support to developers?... Where do they get this stuff? thats one of the main reasons I prefer MS, basically everyone whos worked with them has mentioned how much better they are with the tools given and support when they need it - but thats expected with their expertise. MS and Nintendo are software veterans... Sony less so, if MS starts looking for devs houses again(Id rather them actually just recruit developers for their own houses but why is it good when Sony does this and not the other way around?... ) Sony better watch out because they could be so much better at it(look at how far the quality of MS published titles has come since MSGS arrived).

    There was no way the GTA content was going to be an exclusive to anyone without someone paying for it("you want us to do more downloadable content than we'd planned and only release it on one platform?... but arent we forgetting the Money we'd loose out on?";), to be fair if anyone deserves it it's MS anyway for all the online influence theyve brought.
    Edited by 5 at 13/07/07 @ 22:31

  • penguin_overlord #87 5 years ago

    @Calgon

    I really don't think it's a case of Sony not having the money to buy exclusives, more that it doesn't see the need. Microsoft paid Rockstar $50 million for the exclusive GTA4 content which, although a lot, is still not much for a company like Sony which makes billions each year.

  • Calgon #88 5 years ago

    penguin_overlord: Thats just spin and nothing more(dont fall for that line)... Sony love exclusives and yes they would pay for them, they have done in the past, but less so when they owned 70-80% of the market(you can have things your own way much easier in such a situation... ask Nintendo). They DO need stuff like this(anything they can get) they are in a much worse position theyd like to be when all is said and done, things havent gone to plan but they wont tell you that. MS has by far the best exclusives for me and I only see that improving, Sony are going to have to do much much better than they have so far is all Im saying.

    Im also far from convinced that Sony is or has ever been the leading 1st party developer OR publisher(Nintendo whoops them and MS could easily match the quantity to go along with the IMO already higher quality)... just as Im not buying "everybody is excited about Killzone2"(I doubt that but keep telling us every interview you get Sony) are we forgetting the first fell short critically and fanancially of what they hoped for... I havent, you have to deliver the good game before you can sell sequels on hype.
    Edited by 4 at 13/07/07 @ 22:40

  • penguin_overlord #89 5 years ago

    Calgon, I really don't disagree about the importance of exclusives. After all, without any exclusives why would anyone spend the extra on a PS3? But Sony is in the fortunate position of having a larger inhouse programming team than Microsoft and Nintendo combined and with big games like Lair, Warhawk, Singstar (don't laugh) and Heavenly Sword coming out from it before Christmas alone and with lots more before March next year, perhaps third-party exclusives are not as important as they used to be. I don't doubt the sales that will come when MGS4 is released but Sony, like Nintendo, don't need third party titles as much.

    And despite the problems Sony may currently be having with the PS3, the PSP and PS3 remain very profitable for it and, overall, Sony is doing better in both consumer and movie businesses so it definitely has the money if it wants to spend it. Make no mistake, if it wanted to give $50 million to Rockstar it would have.

  • Calgon #90 5 years ago

    Lair, Warhawk, Singstar (don't laugh) and Heavenly Sword.


    Is Singstar the only one on that list thats "In-house"? Theres a difference between publishing and developing In-house... Ive yet to see these in-house games from the "biggest in-house dev team"(which I think is incorrect... didnt they lay people off?) seriously Nintendo gets that title. Second as software company, one whose worked with developers long before Sony have I do beleive MS could outdo them... they are playing it differently... it was 3rd party that made Playstation what it was... to argue against that would be ridiculous now people are turning around and saying 3rd party doesnt matter? BIG mistake ask Sega and Nintendo, they know damn well they need 3rd party support. I still beleive its a case of it being MS' idea and them being bitter about it not being able to buy into it(shareholders are watching them like hawks now... your not trying to tell me things are all peachy in Sony land are you?)

    Anyway I really should have said what I came here to say and left because this could go back and forth all day with the subjective nature of it... it was alot tamer than MS' interview as usual, but Im guessing Ellie didnt do the other one and she did ask one almost bold question.
    Edited by 4 at 13/07/07 @ 23:06

  • penguin_overlord #91 5 years ago

    I know that Sony needs to be careful and I've been a gamer long enough to know what has happened to other company's in the past. It is actually true that Sony has the largest development team of all three companies - I've read that many times.

    Although the 360 may have the most third-party exclusives at the moment, with the exception of the new content for GTA4, Sony may have the most important in the shape of MGS4 and FFXIII. Games like Bioshock look fantastic but they're not system sellers.

  • Calgon #92 5 years ago

    penguin_overlord I totally disagree with that, I see neither MGS4(in-game visuals disapointed me last year at E3, they showed in engine only this year but they rarely disappoint so I'll give them the benifit of the doubt that they will have the great visuals they promised once shipped) or FFXIII(I wouldnt know about this because theyve always looked boring to me but even the fans are complaining about them these days) as enough to turn the tide.

    MGS4 will shift consoles but I dont think it's the blockbuster it once was anymore I think most of the ones who are waiting for it already have a PS3 anyway(some might wait a little longer and see if it goes to 360 too), could it really sell the PS3 to people who havent been interersted so far?

    Bioshock, Mass Effect, Halo3... it doesnt even stop there though theres too many potential AAA titles for the 360 not to be considered as having the best line-up this christmas, thats what sells consoles. If they all play as good as they look then there will be too much buzz around the 360 for people not to notice. Time will tell, I think MS will outsell PS3 in hardware by quite a margin this year and whoop them in software sales to a greater degree(attach rates, charts ect).
    Edited by 3 at 13/07/07 @ 23:24

  • Calgon #93 5 years ago

    Thats all from me anyway, it feels like this gen has really started to turn the heat up now which is a good thing, it could be a really special one the way its shaping up.
    Edited by 1 at 13/07/07 @ 23:36

  • Foxclose #94 5 years ago

    //what a wanker, tell him to go visit this site

    Soar grapes from wankers!! :)

  • EvilFiek #95 5 years ago

    Actually, penguin is right about Sony having the most "in-house"-studios. Microsoft has got about 4 or 5 that are doing stuff for the 360 and that's about it. It just seems like more because they are also publishing many third-party games and also have some second-party developers like Bizarre on board.

    Sony though have got that same amount of in-house devs in Europe ALONE, as well as a bit over 10 in other territories. Nintendo also got more in-house devs and many, many second party developers.

    Still I have to agree that quality is more important than quantity and many of Sony's first-party devs lack the first one.

    On the topic of exclusives:
    I think that FFXIII might be really important for Sony. Not in Europe and not in the US - but in Japan. This is maybe the only chance they have to recover over there if they want to close the gap between them and Nintendo.

  • killyourtv #96 5 years ago

    so the world has moved on from gta? I don't think so

  • BonzoBanana #97 5 years ago

    I just wondered how many people are enjoying Sony's decline. I used to a be a sony fan. I thought the playstation was a stunning design and had some fantastic games. Just seems that nintendo now has become the gaming king again. The DS and wii are huge successes and the ps3, psp and 360 are not basically. When I read about lik-sang being closed down I'm glad that sony have been toppled and that their profits and console division is in a dire mess financially. Lets face it they have become incredibly arrogant and also unfair to europe with their pricing. I have to say I'm enjoying it even though I think the wii is a crap console I'm sort of glad Nintendo are back at no.1