Tretton Downplays iPhone/iPad Threat

Speaking to Gamasutra, Sony’s Jack Tretton has downplayed the threat from devices like the iPad and iPhone, with reference to PS Vita.

[drop2]Tretton was asked whether 59p (and free) games represented a threat to Sony and the industry.  “If I open a movie theater next door,” he said, “and start charging 50 cents per ticket, but I’m showing you things I filmed with my camcorder, I don’t think it’s a threat to the theater charging $13 per ticket.”

“It’s about people having reasonable expectations. I don’t think we’re training people to pay $5 for games. The cream always rises to the top.”

Indeed, it appears he’s confident enough that although the games on the App Store are much cheaper than they’ll be on the PS Vita (presumably around £40) he sees such consumers as opportunities.

“For every consumer you lose to a tablet or smart phone, there are three consumers that became interested in gaming in a simple form,” he said.

“And those people might be able to be migrated into a sophisticated gamer. We look at that as being the opposite of a threat, but an opportunity.”