TSA podcast man crush, Jack Tretton, has suggested Microsoft inadvertently ‘helped Sony’ buy booking hip thrusting ladies man Usher to perform at their EA press conference.
Tretton spends most of the interview with Forbes hard selling the PlayStation Vita but takes time to talk about the ‘ecosystem’ of Sony products and services.
Even the most hardcore gamer listens to music, goes to the movies, has other interests. If you can keep that machine on and keep people experiencing all those things through their device, why have to hand them off?
But I think the great thing is, for Sony, if they do go to the movies there’s a good chance that they’ll be seeing a Sony movie. Or if they might be listening to Sony music.
I thought it was pretty interesting that Usher was a guest at Microsoft’s press conference. Well that helped Sony ultimately, you know? Not directly, but let’s face it – that’s a Sony artist.
Jack also discusses how Microsoft are positioning the Xbox 360 as a multimedia device rather than just a games machine but suggests ‘it’s hard for me to find exceptions where we [Sony] weren’t there first.’
Jack also reveals an interesting factoid:
We remain the number one utilized device for Netflix. I mean Netflix is on everything; I’m surprised it’s not on a toaster. But the number one usage device, according to Netflix, is the PlayStation 3.
Over the years Microsft and Sony have switched marketing tactics, at launch the Xbox 360 was all about the games and PlayStation was the multimedia hub ‘at the centre of your living room.’
Now Microsoft are now pushing the non game content and Jack is insisting ‘first and foremost, PlayStation is a games machine.’
Source: Forbes
IAmJacksMedullaOblongata
Great time to be a gamer. Buy all the consoles and enjoy what each has to offer.
fs
Its all about the games.
Sympozium
THE GAIMZ…
gazzagb
I think it more helped Sony by showing how little MS had to offer. They gave him more screen time than they did for their main games such as Halo, Gears etc. That was their biggest mistake imo, and what helped Sony look marginally better as they showed off a few more games.
carson321
It was a crap E3 all round (apart from perhaps nintendo).
Roll on Gamescon!
bigbaldwolf
Gears of War from MS and that was it for me although Sony hardly did well themselves. Most of the PS3/Vita stuff we all knew about anyway. I don’t think Ms helped themselves this year but neither did Sony IMO with the Vita
bunimomike
Ah, he’s having a bit of fun at their expense and it sounds like a lighthearted jibe. Fine with me. It’s not like he’s rounding up the children of Microsoft employees and stitching them together to make a giant nerd that’ll crush mankind.
PoorPaddy89
The Human Sonypede?
p9ul
Microsoft have gone too far though – adverts get more attention than the game you have in the drive does…
Awayze
Usher was so bad anyway, MJ wannabe, his vocals live sucked and I can’t see grown men listening to Usher’s latest pop cr*p. At least Yeah was good back in 2004. It also helped Sony by showing Xbox had very little to show gaming wise! I wouldn’t be surprised if next year Justin Beiber or One Direction is performing at M$’s E3.
The Lone Steven
That and probably the focus on apps, smartglass, gimmicky kinect stuff, instead of games, helped Sony as well. And Ninty. ;) I actually had trouble remebering what happened at MS’s conference. :O
Oh and someone tell the lads to not wet themselves whenever JACK EFFING TRETTON is mentioned. ;)
MS are making a huge mistake by marketing the 360 as a media hub as there are so many other gadgets that can do the same thing but for cheaper. Barring the gaming part of course. They should just focus on games and cauaslly mention it does the other stuff. :)