Sony accuses MS of copying
Why can't they all just get along?
It seems the war of words between Sony and Microsoft is far from over yet - now SCEA boss Kaz Hirai has declared that he's sick of MS copying their ideas.
"Every time we go down a path, we look behind and [Microsoft is] right there - we just can't shake these guys," Hirai told Official PlayStation Magazine.
"I wish that they would come up with some strategies of their own, but they seem to be going down the path of everything we do."
Hirai didn't stop there, laying into Microsoft's decision to include an HD-DVD drive as an optional external device - rather than supporting a next-gen DVD format from the outset as Sony is doing with its Blu-Ray drive.
"You're not going to be asking me, 'So, talk to me about this Blu-Ray add-on that you have. Does it work for games? Is it just for movies?' That's exactly the kind of pitfall you fall into if you launch something that's too early, too premature..." Hirai claimed.
Sony itself has been accused of copying competitors' ideas in the past - eyebrows were raised at E3 this year when the PS3's motion-sensing controller was unveiled. Execs claimed the concept has been in development for several years, but some observers still believe Sony was influenced by the Wii's remote controller.
Similarly, Xbox Live marketplace and Live Arcade services offer connected online gameplay and digital distribution of multimedia content, with basic services free of charge - all of which has been promised from Sony when the PS3 launches in November.