Sony: "We didn't steal Nintendo's idea"

Arthur_Tuxedo · Post by **Arthur_Tuxedo** » 2006-05-31 03:24pm

Get a load of this.

Full text for lazy bastards:

Article wrote:Sony: We Didn't Steal Nintendo's Idea

Relations between Nintendo and Sony are turning into a downright pissing match in the U.K. First Nintendo's UK boss David Yarnton attacked Sony's new controller saying Sony "didn't innovate, they copied." Now SCEE's Phil Harrison denies that, saying they've been working on motion sensing for "a long time."

Hit the jump for the full load of Harrison BS.

In a way I understand why people say [we stole Nintendo's idea], but it is a little stupid, if you forgive the remark."

When we brought the PlayStation to the market in 1994, we introduced real time 3-D graphics for the first time," he noted. "When Nintendo launched its N64 in 1996 it also had 3D graphics, did we say, "Nintendo stole our idea!"? Obviously not. Such innovations become possible because of a combination of technology, cost and manufacture capacities.

We've been working on [motion-sensing technology] for a long time and Nintendo has certainly likewise already been working on something similar. The difference between our strategy and that of our competition is that our controller is still similar to the Dual Shock, the industry standard controller. I estimate that nearly 400 million Dual Shock controllers have been sold worldwide.

Right, because Sony's Playstation was the first console to have real time 3D graphics. Maybe in Magical Pretend World where the 32X, 3DO, and Atari Jaguar never existed. Granted, he would have had something if he had said it was the first successful console or good console to focus on 3D.

Bounty · Post by **Bounty** » 2006-05-31 03:34pm

Right, because Sony's Playstation was the first console to have real time 3D graphics. Maybe in Magical Pretend World where the 32X, 3DO, and Atari Jaguar never existed.

No need to go that far back; even the SNES had polygon-based, realtime 3D games. Sprite-based pseudo-3D has been around since the 2600.

We've been working on [motion-sensing technology] for a long time

One has to wonder why the original banana prototyope had no mention of motion sensing technology - it's not like Sony has ever held back from throwing out buzzwords

Vendetta · Post by **Vendetta** » 2006-05-31 03:40pm

And why they didn't even tell the developers of their biggest titles, like Hideo Kojima, until a few weeks before the announcement.

Lost Soal · Post by **Lost Soal** » 2006-05-31 03:50pm

Didn't I read on this board a few months back that Sony lost a patent battle concerning the force feedback which was threatening to pull the PS off the shelves. That ruling was what came to m ind the moment I heard about the motion sensing, so they had to replace it with something else. Motion sensing won the toss.

Pezzoni · Post by **Pezzoni** » 2006-05-31 05:18pm

Those theiving Nintendo bastards! Stealing ideas for vibrating controllers, rotateable cameras, etc etc...

I'm also sensing more arrogance on behalf of Sony here:

We've been working on [motion-sensing technology] for a long time and Nintendo has certainly likewise already been working on something similar. The difference between our strategy and that of our competition is that our controller is still similar to the Dual Shock, the industry standard controller. I estimate that nearly 400 million Dual Shock controllers have been sold worldwide.

What the hell? Industry standard? The only 'standard' there is present because you're too fucking lazy to innovate and actually change a rapidly stagnating controller design.

And it's not even 'motion sensing'. It senses tilt... Oooh! Like numerous Gameboy Advance titles have done in the past!

Shogoki · Post by **Shogoki** » 2006-05-31 06:58pm

Wow, if at least they could deny it gracefully, instead they had to go and call literally everyone in the industry and their mothers stupid.

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2006-05-31 07:07pm

Hilariously, the 'standard' Dual Shock controller is the worst controller of the next generation. The 360 controller is an excellent 'regular' controller, and the Rev controller is interesting and full of potential. The 'Playstation One' controller doesn't really cut it anymore. And I was a huge PS controller fan a month ago - before I used a 360 controller.

Neko_Oni · Post by **Neko_Oni** » 2006-05-31 09:56pm

The 360 controller is good, except for the D-Pad, doesn't seem as "defined" as the original's. Rest of it's pretty damn good though.

As for the OP. More of Sony's self-righteous crap. Well I guess we'll see when this over-priced console actually hits the shelves. And if E3's anything to go by...you might be boned Sony.

LaserRifleofDoom · Post by **LaserRifleofDoom** » 2006-05-31 10:08pm

Might be? Why are we using half-terms. Sony has killed its reputation and will die totally when it becomes apparant that the college-student customer base has no interest in 700 dollar HD-reliant machines.

Hamel · Post by **Hamel** » 2006-05-31 10:29pm

Stark wrote:Hilariously, the 'standard' Dual Shock controller is the worst controller of the next generation. The 360 controller is an excellent 'regular' controller, and the Rev controller is interesting and full of potential. The 'Playstation One' controller doesn't really cut it anymore. And I was a huge PS controller fan a month ago - before I used a 360 controller.

Thank you for saying this. I don't see how anyone would prefer the DS2 over a 360 handburgler. The segmented Dpad is a pain on the thumbs and finger coordination with the layout of the L/R buttons is troubling.

I'd love to try the Wii classic controller, it looks damn comfortable to hold

LaserRifleofDoom · Post by **LaserRifleofDoom** » 2006-05-31 11:16pm

Nintendo makes good controllers. it's almost like they're trying to please the consumer. What wacko thought up that? This is the corporate world- the customer is the enemy.

Praxis · Post by **Praxis** » 2006-06-01 03:06am

Hamel wrote:
I'd love to try the Wii classic controller, it looks damn comfortable to hold

It is- and since the power comes from the Wiimote, it's extremely lightweight as well (compared to, say, a Wavebird or 360 controller).

Superman · Post by **Superman** » 2006-06-01 06:30am

Down with Sony!

Long live Mario!

Arthur_Tuxedo · Post by **Arthur_Tuxedo** » 2006-06-01 12:24pm

Apparently, there's more to this interview. Here's a link to the full text of the interview.

Of particular interest is this:

SPIEGEL ONLINE: The PS3 will play Blu-ray-discs. The movie industry, including Sony pictures, wants HDMI-interface and HDCP copy protection, which is now pushed back because Microsoft's HD-add-on-drive doesn't have the necessary interface. And now the cheaper version of the PS3 will also come without an HDMI-interface. So you're basically jeopardizing the strategy of Sony Pictures and other film studios to protect their content. Sounds like the decision may have been contentious at Sony?

Harrison: Not at all. The Blu-ray-disc-association, which manages the format of Blu-ray-discs, defines the specifications. Not Sony, not Sony Pictures. We are one member of this consortium, but not the chairman or boss. The specification of Blu-ray disc is that by 2011, HDMI has to be included in all Blu-ray-disc players. We adopt that specification in our machine that we will launch in 2006 -- five years aheaed of the specification requirement.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Don't you think your colleagues at Sony Pictures will be worried that those are five years in which people will take HD content and pirate it and do things with it they're not supposed to?

Harrison: No, because I think the fact is that the size of content is such that the only way to enjoy that content is from a disc. So it's not an issue, it's not a concern at all.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: So the copy protection is the medium itself?

Harrison: Yes. Ten years from now the idea of sending 50 gigabytes online will be commonplace, but today -- no way. Not easily.

Leaving aside the idiocy of this notion, it sounds to me like they're saying there won't be any downsampling on non-HDCP cables until 2011.

Also of interest,

Harrison: We think that Playstation 3 is the place where our users will be doing their gaming, their movie watching, their Web browsing and a lot of other computer entertainment functions. That will satisfy them. Playstation 3 is a computer. We don't need the PC.

They said that about the PS2 as well and it turned out to be bullshit. Still, if they did somehow manage to turn the PS3 into a computer, that would be interesting, and the first good move from the Sony camp in quite some time. Even if it did have full web browsing and word processing, though, I have my doubts about it being a big selling point for them. People will mostly set up the console in their living room where there's no good place for a keyboard and mouse. Also, people that don't already have an adequete PC are mostly people that use one at work and don't want one at home.

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2006-06-01 12:29pm

Arthur_Tuxedo wrote: They said that about the PS2 as well and it turned out to be bullshit. Still, if they did somehow manage to turn the PS3 into a computer, that would be interesting, and the first good move from the Sony camp in quite some time. Even if it did have full web browsing and word processing, though, I have my doubts about it being a big selling point for them. People will mostly set up the console in their living room where there's no good place for a keyboard and mouse. Also, people that don't already have an adequete PC are mostly people that use one at work and don't want one at home.

Also keep in mind that most people who would be willing to shell out money for a Sony PS3 that can do everything a full computer can probably have a bleeding edge computer system already.

Pezzoni · Post by **Pezzoni** » 2006-06-01 01:04pm

I'm interested about blue-ray actually: Will it become the first ever really sucessful propitery Sony format?

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2006-06-01 01:11pm

Pezzoni wrote:I'm interested about blue-ray actually: Will it become the first ever really sucessful propitery Sony format?

What, you mean you don't have shelves overflowing with MiniDisc music, Beta videotapes, and PSP movies?

Mobius · Post by **Mobius** » 2006-06-01 01:31pm

and let's not forget the ATRAC 3 walkmans

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2006-06-01 03:32pm

Pezzoni wrote:I'm interested about blue-ray actually: Will it become the first ever really sucessful propitery Sony format?

Let's see. . .costs upwards of $50.00 per -blank- disc per customer to purchase, requires a significant investure of money into the re-tooling of factories, putting out thousands of expensive new players capable of handling blu-ray, which is likely to cost out the ass. . .yeah, real winning formula there.

Vendetta · Post by **Vendetta** » 2006-06-01 04:32pm

Consider this: There are significant numbers of people on this forum who love technology, and are early adopters. Some of them have the kind of income that would make HDTV and Blu-Ray a viable choice (if they didn't spend it all on PCs).

If you asked people here who wanted a Blu-Ray player, you'd get naught but tumbleweed.