Sony tells Activision where to go

PS3 News | Shove it, in slightly more polite terms.

In an interview with The Mercury Press, CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America, Jack Tretton, has lashed out at publisher claims - specifically those of Activision - that hardware prices need to be lowered in order to increase software sales.

"Maybe he should design a platform," Tretton suggested.

Last month, Robert Kotick from Activison stated that he wanted to see $199 US price points for both the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360 within the next two years. Tretton obviously disagrees, saying that platform designers have to look out for themselves, not just publishers.

"I think from an unrealistic standpoint, I’m never surprised by that, because a software manufacturer may not be concerned whether a hardware manufacturer is successful or whether they’re profitable," said Tretton. "But I think they should be, because without the hardware manufacturer, the software manufacturer has nothing to publish on."

A fair point, then. Tretton also bluntly said that it was none of Activision's business as to how Sony prices its products.

"I would never venture to suggest what software publishers should price their software at. So I don’t think it’s appropriate for them to suggest what hardware should be priced at."

Related Content

Tretton not concerned by slow PS3 sales
15 May, 2007 It's a marathon not a sprint, insists Sony boss.

Sony may yet change Sixaxis
08 Mar, 2007 After making up with Immersion.

Gabe Newell really doesn't like PS3
16 Jan, 2007 Sony "should just cancel it", reckons Valve head.

13 Comments

legend166

4 years ago

I think it's a completely reasonable request.

Hell, Sony already dropped the price $200US in one year! In two years we'll be able to get it for free, haha.

Sony should be very careful not to annoy the largest 3rd party publisher in the world.

john_solids

4 years ago

its like telling activision they should drop all there games to under $20

Fetidchimp

4 years ago

Quote

"But I think they should be, because without the hardware manufacturer, the software manufacturer has nothing to publish on."

except for a pc of course

Marka

4 years ago

Maybe if games were cheaper more people would buy them.

Itachi

4 years ago

haha that is never going to happen since costs of making games are increasing. The only way of saving money is importing if you can tbh.

Fetidchimp

4 years ago

^^

ah, the age old argument, which they will shoot down everytime with the tried and tested piracy argument. Viscious circle that one. Games are expensive, thats because you all pirate them, thats because they are expensive......... insert Ouroboros here.

Dracusis

4 years ago

Coming from the company that bumped the price of COD4 on steam to $88 USD (just for us aussies), I find that a bit F-ing rich.

Fetidchimp

4 years ago

^

Especially now that the dollar is settling back to 86 cents, if they don't monitor that, they are going to look very foolish indeed

arbok

4 years ago

How bad is the COD4 manual - not that I read manuals normally or want them to be the size of the Civ 4 or Oblivion manuals but the COD4 manual was a disgrace. All I wanted was a list of multiplayer upgrades and challenges...

wutung

4 years ago

arbok wrote

Its quite pathetic actually, its like you're being punished for not buying the collectors edition.

Aftershock

4 years ago

Dracusis wrote

Coming from the company that bumped the price of COD4 on steam to $88 USD (just for us aussies), I find that a bit F-ing rich.

That i cannot understand.

Why they feel the need to increase the price on steam for australians, where THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE TO THE GAME AMERICANS ARE BUYING!
Digital distribution should be uniform across the globe, because there are no PAL/NTSC conversion issues, so when a company bumps up the price SO AS TO NOT UNDERCUT RETAIL STORES, which is something digital distribution has been doing for a long time, and is part and parcel of the whole model, it just makes my blood boil.

Rob_Jedi

4 years ago

I was thinking this was an article about Sony telling off Activision about the GH3 & Rock Band guitars debacle. Guess not.

Activision really isn't one to talk about pricing considering what PAL territories have to put up with, at least their games aren't region locked.

Skiller

4 years ago

Aftershock wrote

Dracusis wrote

Coming from the company that bumped the price of COD4 on steam to $88 USD (just for us aussies), I find that a bit F-ing rich.

Publishers fear digital distribution, it gives the developer a MUCH larger amount of money (per sale) and if a developer gets enough money they can stop using publishers and then the publisher wont be able to leech money from them anymore.

View as forum topic

Add Comment