Home delay "disappointing" - MS

By Robert Purchese Published 21 September, 2007

Sony underestimated challenge.

Microsoft bigwig Neil Thompson has told GamesIndustry.biz that he thinks the PlayStation Home delay is down to Sony underestimating the challenges of the platform.

The Entertainment and Devices boss for UK and Ireland went on to say he was disappointed in the hold up, but denied that the lack of a PS3 price cut had played into Microsoft's Christmas-themed hands.

"I think one of the disappointing/interesting things I heard from [Sony] at the Tokyo Game Show was that they just delayed the [Home] online service delivery again," Thompson told GamesIndustry.biz. "That's more interesting, because I think they underestimated how challenging it is to deliver this sort of service, and to deliver the elements of the service that consumers really want."

"It would be good to see the reality versus what they had on the blueprints - what they wanted to deliver against what they can actually deliver, because I know they generated a lot of interest based on what they said last year."

When probed about the new DualShock 3 controller, Thompson said he felt Sony was forced to release things early in order to try and counter the progress of the Xbox 360.

"When I went to E3 two years ago, and they were showing a lot of their first PS3 stuff there, it felt to me like they'd rushed a lot of things out because they felt the momentum on 360 was growing at a rapid rate, and they felt they had to come out with something early."

"I think it's fair to say that over the last 12 months or so it has become more and more apparent (probably) to the market - and Sony are a bright bunch so they'll understand this - [that] there are certain aspects in the way they're offering the product that aren't resonating enough - or perhaps they've inbuilt too much cost in things."

On the other hand, Thompson was quick to sing Nintendo's praises, acknowledging the vision and execution of its motion-sensing master plan.

"Perhaps Nintendo really did a very clever thing, they went for quite simple innovation, but it was aligned to where certain broad-range consumers' demand was. That's always the tricky thing with technology - not finding out what's technically possible, but what technology consumers will actually want and desire."

In the full interview that will be available on GamesIndustry.biz on Monday, Thompson delves into the crevices of Xbox Live, the challenges of the Asian market, and the forthcoming launch of Marketplace.

GamesIndustry.biz is a guaranteed fiction-free product.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (53) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • miiiguel #1 5 years ago

    As an administrator of a 24/7 datacenter I can say the guy is right, running a service with these kind of SLA's it is a big deal. Sony took the challenge too lightly.

    edit: typo.
    Edited by miiiguel at 21/09/07 @ 16:08

  • Xerx3s #2 5 years ago

    Oh dear.

  • drumbaby #3 5 years ago

    I love the good natured gloating going on.

    I mean it's touching that this guy is so concerned.

    ;)

  • The-Bodybuilder #4 5 years ago

    >"and the forthcoming launch of Marketplace."

    Eh? Launch? O_o

    And an overall positive remakrs. You see people (and sony), it is possible to comment and criticize your competitors wihout having to belittle them.

  • SeesThroughAll #5 5 years ago

    miiiiguel, congrats for actually stating an opinion based on your experience in a coherent and mature post.

    We like it that way.

  • flapps #6 5 years ago

    'You see people (and sony), it is possible to comment and criticize your competitors wihout having to belittle them. '

    I think he comes across as a bit smug and pompous to be honest, which, to me, is just as belittling...

  • afghan_jones #7 5 years ago

    the usual corporate sniping goes on. wankers.

  • brooza #8 5 years ago

    Eh? Launch? O_o

    Don't forget, he's talking from a UK/Ireland point of view

  • Razz #9 5 years ago

    flapps:
    o_O

    Eh? Are we reading the same article? Perhaps you have "issues".
    Edited by Razz at 21/09/07 @ 16:19

  • Darren #10 5 years ago

    Odd that Neil Thompson thought that Sony had to add rumble to counter the progress of the Xbox 360 but that Microsoft don't feel the need to add motion-sensing to their system to counter the progress of the PS3. ;)

  • SeesThroughAll #11 5 years ago

    Odd that Neil Thompson thought that Sony had to add rumble to counter the progress of the Xbox 360 but that Microsoft don't feel the need to add motion-sensing to their system to counter the progress of the Wii. ;)

    Fixed ;)

    As far as the Playstation brand is concerned, a Buzz! clone will suffice for now.

  • Garulon #12 5 years ago

    I imagine it is disappointing for MS. Combating Sony's empty promises is much harder than the anemic reality. If they'd launched Home (or as I like to call it Chavvo Hotel) and it was the glitchy mess that all 1.0 MMO titles will be there'd be plenty of decent smacktalk that MS could do. Right now it's like nailing fog to a wall.

  • Garulon #13 5 years ago

    @Darren

    "but that Microsoft don't feel the need to add motion-sensing to their system to counter the progress of the PS3. ;) "

    They've probably noticed gamers typically happily ignore it in every title after "trying it" or if it's forced down gamer's throats ruins games utterly. Hi Lair!

  • SEVQA #14 5 years ago

    "Thompson said he felt Sony was forced to release things early in order to try and counter the progress of the Xbox 360."

    What the hell is he on about it’s clearly it’s the other way round! With the ring of death and the Ghostbusters trap for a power supply being proof!

  • dog2_99 #15 5 years ago

    Have to agree that the PS3 does feel rushed and under delivered...still makes me laugh how how it at first had two HDMIs didnt it? Understatement yet over delivery is needed from Sony at the moment! IMO

  • miiiguel #16 5 years ago

    The no-rumble/sixaxis thing was a very bad decision, imho, and Sony understood that, good for the consumers, and it suits them good to finally acknowledge that.

    The worse part of it was that they had a very cocky speech, while of course riding on the success of PS1/PS2, and thought they could avoid the agreement to use it, by throwing the "so last-gen speech". And even sadder was the fact some ppl bought it (the speech, not the machine ;) ).
    Edited by miiiguel at 21/09/07 @ 16:47

  • tiddles #17 5 years ago

    Good thing MS didn't rush any aspect of THEIR hardware...

  • Rirekon #18 5 years ago

    "That's always the tricky thing with technology - not finding out what's technically possible, but what technology consumers will actually want and desire."

    Most intelligent thing to come out of an exec yet!

  • dog2_99 #19 5 years ago

    tiddles:

    i totally agree that MS did rush it but, surely that doesnt stop them or others from pointing out possible short comings of Sony.

    I just think so far the PS3 launch has had some very funny moments! I wonder if the playstation brand wasnt so strong would its future be so bright? (meaning people will buy it whatever happens...once the price is right)
    Edited by dog2_99 at 21/09/07 @ 16:57

  • Garulon #20 5 years ago

    "Good thing MS didn't rush any aspect of THEIR hardware... "

    They didn't rush it, it's a really well designed machine. Sloppy bloody testing though.

  • dave06 #21 5 years ago

    i really cant understand how sony fanbots can say that a large powerbrick is the sign that the 360 was rushed out, i much prefer the way microsoft have done it with the brick on the outside rather than jam it inside like sony has and have a console which is larger than the original xbox, which the sony fanbots also ripped on back in the day. i know its not all one way but sony fanboys really do get up in arms over anyone criticizing there console, when really at the moment there is very little to defend. the ps3 was rushed no question, the 360 was as well but microsoft managed to recover from that in a reasonable timeframe, and i hope the ps3 will be too.

  • moggsy #22 5 years ago

    Odd that Neil Thompson thought that Sony had to add rumble to counter the progress of the Xbox 360

    He doesn't mean that. He means that in the rush to release the PS3 to counter the Xbox 360 they had to leave out rumble...

  • allen #23 5 years ago

    "When I went to E3 two years ago, and they were showing a lot of their first PS3 stuff there, it felt to me like they'd rushed a lot of things out because they felt the momentum on 360 was growing at a rapid rate, and they felt they had to come out with something early."

    Corporate fags ftl. Atleast they had a stable product.

    I want my dual-hdmi outputs back though =[

  • miiiguel #24 5 years ago

    "I wonder if the playstation brand wasnt so strong would its future be so bright?"

    That's what I keep saying, but more often than not I'm accused of "having issues" and "need to seek professional help" and wotnot...

    An illustration: I remember quite clearly my mother saying "you shouldn't be on the Playstation so much time..."; and my father wink at me and say "it's not Playstation it's Xbox!"
    Edited by miiiguel at 21/09/07 @ 17:05

  • JavaJawaUK #25 5 years ago

    Wow. Instead of the usual, "Duuuuudez our c0ns0le completley pwnz ur l4me piece of shit!" he's actually gone after Sony in quite a mature way. Time for the console war to grow up?

  • Qbert2k #26 5 years ago

    ""Good thing MS didn't rush any aspect of THEIR hardware... "

    They didn't rush it, it's a really well designed machine. Sloppy bloody testing though."

    That's generally called rushing it. They didn't allow enough time for it to be properly tested.

  • kangarootoo #27 5 years ago

    "They didn't rush it, it's a really well designed machine. Sloppy bloody testing though."

    Jesus, now that is what I call a well and truly split hair. Seems to me the only difference is that MS didn't KNOW they were rushing the 360 to market and thought everthing was fine, but perhaps that is what happens when you rush?


    I'm actually surprised how civil this thread has been. I was expecting far worse. I guess there is still plenty of time though.


    Also, can someone explain to me what the purpose of two HDMI ports on a PS3 would actually be? Two ports on a TV I can understand, as they are inputs. But what would you do with two outputs on a PS3?

  • lambtron #28 5 years ago

    Originally the idea was to display two separate things on two screens at the same time.

    It was all tied into the power of the cell hyperbole they were spouting at the time.

    I believe. Maybe my addled brain has got it all garbled and I am mis-remembering.

  • crashVoodoo #29 5 years ago

    no you rememer correctly. it was supposed to drive 2 x1080p displays.

    also remember something about 120fps or hz or something ...

    /struggles

  • dog2_99 #30 5 years ago

    yeah 120fps i remember...make me laugh! i mean why say that? perhaps to warrant the HUGE development costs?

  • miiiguel #31 5 years ago

    7 controlers... was it a random number they thought in the heat of the moment ?

  • bad09 #32 5 years ago

    To Darren

    MS don't need to do motion control (how many 360 owner really want it), so they don't. From what I've read about it, motion sensor controls were added at the last minute by Sony to try and steal thunder from the Wii. A lot of the developers making the launch games were not even aware sony were putting it in until it was too late. It works perfectly for the Wii, but from what I hear it is done really badly on PS3.

  • DUFFKING #33 5 years ago

    DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF PLAYSTATION

  • DjFlex52 #34 5 years ago

    MS should keep an eye on the ball, and stop focusing on Sony. The X360 is over with in Japan, and as soon as christmas hits us here in Europe, the PS3 should have outsold the X360 by a long mile ;)

    @f3rrari

    You do admit you're a Sony fanboy, right?

    It's evident.

  • bad09 #35 5 years ago

    "and as soon as christmas hits us here in Europe, the PS3 should have outsold the X360 by a long mile ;)"

    A Bold statement that I just can't see happening.
    1. All the BIG PS3 games are not coming until next year and at the moment there is nothing exclusive that warrants buying one (imho).
    2. Parents will buy Wii or 360 for kids because of the price
    3 THAT PRICE!! (fix up Sony it's too much!!!)

    MS and Nintendo have this holiday season hands down. Sony need to concentrate on SERIOUSLY upping their game next year and they might have a chance.

  • belziah #36 5 years ago

    First time the man says something sensible and I have to agree with him. Its obvious Sony ain't ready for the big time yet and I'm hacked off with the hollow announcements.

    Try waiting till you're ready to launch your product before talking about dates. Even the fucking DS3 is still 6 months away. They've been in this industry a long time now and are acting like amateurs.

    At some point next year, they'll manage to pull it together but for now, less chat and a whole lot more action, if you'd be so kind.

    And promote David Reeves so we customers dont have to put up with his social inneptness anymore. I've got scabs with more charisma.



    In otherr news, got me a cheque from MS this week, which was nice.
    Edited by belziah at 21/09/07 @ 19:55

  • Beano #37 5 years ago

    "Try waiting till you're ready to launch your product before talking about dates. Even the fucking DS3 is still 6 months away. They've been in this industry a long time now and are acting like amateurs."

    I could not agree more. Sony are still messing up and not learning from their mistakes. 5-6 months wait for DS3? 6+ month Home delay? Sloppy EU Store updates every week? WTF!?!?

    MS's statement is still utter BS though and obviously only trying to use the delay - but that's the name of the game and Sony would have done the same thing.

  • bad09 #38 5 years ago

    ".....They've been in this industry a long time now and are acting like amateurs."

    belziah, that is exactly my impression of PS3 from the beginning! PS1/PS2 & PSP are all great machines which Sony handled really well, but with PS3 it seems like they don't really know what they are doing, unless they are backtracking!

    We have no online network....oh wait we do now!
    We have no motion sensor....oh wait we do now!
    we have no rumble....oh wait we do now!
    we have greats games...erm..we do in 2008!

    Sorry fanboys I like Sony but this time around they lost the plot with their console. Maybe they can change my mind next year!

  • ronuds #39 5 years ago

    Hey...compare his comments with the stuff Sony would have said if put in the same position.

    MS comes off as the "men" and Sony are the "boys" spouting off at the mouth. The guy just gives his opinion and tries to stay as factual as possible. None of this, "the power of the cell will be shown 10 years from now!" or "the PS3 is the most powerful console ever developed!"

    Good show!

  • miiiguel #40 5 years ago

    I have to admit that I never thought price would make such a big difference, but it obviously does. Not only by Wii's numbers but also each time a console drops 50-70 Eur, half a dozen thousand more than usual are sold.
    Edited by miiiguel at 21/09/07 @ 23:26

  • The-Bodybuilder #41 5 years ago

    >"I think he comes across as a bit smug and pompous to be honest, which, to me, is just as belittling..."

    How can people tell that through the medium of text? (especially when he uses not smug or pompous language)?

    O_o

  • belziah #42 5 years ago

    @bad09

    I disagree with you on one point. Both the PS2 and PSP were dumped on the market with no telling software. In the PS2's case other than SSX there was fuck all for a whole year.

    I bought a Japanese PSP shortly after launch because it was plain to see Sony had no intention of bringing it Europe when they said they would. Pandering to the cheap arsed Americans(no offense) who, it seems, didn't actually want it. And once again, other that WipeOut, nothing worth the price of admission.

    The only thing they've got right is the quality of their hardware. Everything else has been a Keystone cops series of errors.

    Can you imagine how fucked they'd have been had they actually managed to launch in March/May 06?

    The irony is, the man to praise and yet kick in the teeth at the same time, is Krazy Ken. He obvious took the piss with SCE's budget for his sublime hardware design but his overspending has hurt every single other aspect of their business and its seriously telling.

    They will get over it but, at the moment they're staggering around the ring trying the old Ali "rope-a-dope"(showing my age, I know), and while he came out of that fight as champion, it also resulted in a lot of future brain damage.

  • Ryze #43 5 years ago

    Yep - Sony need GTA, FF & MGS.

    Games make a console great - as we should all know.

  • The-Bodybuilder #44 5 years ago

    >"it also resulted in a lot of future brain damage. "

    His parkinsons disease was caused by boxing? O_0

  • waffle #45 5 years ago

    I'm guessing Michael J Fox must have also spent some time in the ring then.

  • bad09 #46 5 years ago

    belziah,

    I see were you are coming from but personally I thought ps2 and psp done well at launch (maybe thats just my taste in games!). Yeah they weren't top quality (launch games never are) but nowhere near the rubbish that is hitting PS3, i mean most of the launch games were one year old 360 games (that did not look as good) and so called big hitters like lair and Heavenly sword are pretty average from what I hear. Even this Christmas most of the best games are on the 360 as well. They normally do get the hardware right I agree, but with PS3 it's like a bad joke! Seriously, making people pay extra for rumble may have worked when the tech was new (ps1), but to do that now is just a big kick in the teeth for you guys who put faith in Sony.
    You're right about them losing money, I read somewhere that the only things making them money is their camera division and, of course, the Spidey movies.

    If I owned a PS3 from launch, or even now, I would be so pissed at Sony!! I never write off a console, I'll still pick up a console I didn't like at first if they raise their game (like the original XBox) but Sony is killing any kind of interest I had in the PS3. (The new PSP is on my Christmas list though!).
    Edited by bad09 at 22/09/07 @ 10:42

  • glaeken #47 5 years ago

    I blame blueray for Sony's confusion. If they had just been able to concentrate on launching a new console and not pushing a new media format I think they would be far more focused.

  • bad09 #48 5 years ago

    glaeken, You are right 100%, I think they saw PS3 as an opportunity to get Blu-ray in as many homes as poss to beat HD-DVD. I think that they thought PS3 would sell by the bucket load on the back of PS2 so they didn't put that much effort into the core part which, of course, is games.
    In fact I believe that was actually one of their selling points when the told us the price of PS3 "well it's the cheapest Blu-ray player out there"

  • belziah #49 5 years ago

    @The BB

    He was never the same after that fight. Half hour of someone like George Foreman beating on you with no reply will do that a man.

    @Bad09

    When I talked about them not having money, I meant within SCEI. Cant blame KK for Sony not selling walkmans.
    Edited by belziah at 22/09/07 @ 16:16

  • crouchy #50 5 years ago

    An xbox that's dead in Japan and struggling in Europe...

  • miiiguel #51 5 years ago

    "but maybe Sony have not even got SLA in place this is only beta being a administrator I would be worried if you did understand this."

    yes, but just imagine a public beta with poor service, even with non-existant SLA's (and after the: "it's easy" speech)... . Anyhow, I was referring to the Live service as whole, and to the comments where Sony implied it is easy to run.
    As far as I know there hasn't been an incident since its debut.

    "An xbox that's dead in Japan and struggling in Europe..."
    where did it died?, and struggling with whom ?
    man..., I must start reading those tabloids, you know all the weird stories.
    Edited by miiiguel at 23/09/07 @ 16:11

  • busboy33 #52 5 years ago

    @waxBrazillian:

    Yes, there are quite a few nimrods on XBL. Of course, how frequently you encounter then depends quite a bit on what you play. Halo 2 Slayer? Jackhole central. Catan? 99.9% decent, friendly people.
    I don't chalk the idiots up to Microsoft . . . It's statistically going to happen when you have a pool of 7 million people. One of the reasons I'm so enamored with the system-wide friends's list on XBL, and the "kepp this tard from ever appearing on my screen again" option as well. I gotta say, given most of the Sony fanboys behaviour on the message boards, I shudder to think what PSN is going to display in terms of mouthy, screaming jerks.

  • busboy33 #53 5 years ago

    I can definitely sympathize (although I never got any sex pics . . . damn!). The vision cam also definitely makes things worse . . . it's hard to play Uno without seeing someones testicles. As an aside, why would you want to show someone your balls? What reaction are they looking for? Awe? I'll never understand that.
    My opinion, but I've noticed that the Euro XBL players, on the whole, seem to be far more well-mannered than us Yanks -- excluding the flamingly drunk bastards that just got back from the pub. I assume its due to the bigger U.S. installed base, meaning more 12 yr. olds have the system (plus the fact that courtesy and manners died a painful death in the States years ago).
    I don't get to play with the Euros too much anymore (since I just moved to the West Coast -- time difference is murder), but feel free to friend request me (busboy33). I almost never play multiplayer unless its with people already on my list, so mabye you'll meet some non-tards?
    http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/0...