Ken Kutaragi to leave SCEI
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DUALDISASTER
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So what exactly does this move mean? What does KK do now and could there ever be redemption for KK?
he draw one of the most impressive pieces of hardware on console history (two, if you count psp)
That Ps3 board layout, etc, its just impressive, he was the one who draw it.
The P.R stuff many people joke about, i dont think its worth to comment. Half is lost in translation and the rest is a click war between game sites. The more one spins sony news into something bad, the more hits it gets.
That Ps3 board layout, etc, its just impressive, he was the one who draw it.
The P.R stuff many people joke about, i dont think its worth to comment. Half is lost in translation and the rest is a click war between game sites. The more one spins sony news into something bad, the more hits it gets.
Hmmmm. Who's going to provide the vision for PS now? Will we see a box that's designed by committee, trying to be conservative in every way and not tread on too many toes? Let's gp fpr mediocre speed so it doesn't cost too much. Let's not push for cutting edge features that few people will use. Can we get away with older drive technologies? The result would be the insipidness of daytime TV - fluff created on lowest common denominator principles.
Furthermore, where is KK going to pursue his dreams of networked weirdness?
Mr. Kutaragi has decided to pursue his dreams beyond PlayStation and to accelerate his network vision. What platform is going to let him create his Matrix monster?
Furthermore, where is KK going to pursue his dreams of networked weirdness?
Mr. Kutaragi has decided to pursue his dreams beyond PlayStation and to accelerate his network vision. What platform is going to let him create his Matrix monster?
Watch MS snatch him up!
Peter Moore,he was once SEGA USA COO and vice presiident at 2002....
wanna see Ken lead Xbox 720 project and take the leader job at MS japan in 2010?:lol
OK...I think Ken would still keep his royalty for years.But as for a "Honor job",his power is totally reduced.
DUALDISASTER
Newcomer
So what exactly does this move mean? What does KK do now and could there ever be redemption for KK?
2006/12,Sony Stinger changed Ken's job away from SCEI core position,now ken's power will be more reduced.
Just think about what "honorable Job X" means in a company.
I doubt KK has nothing on his slate, so he'll probably be involved in personal interests advocacy as well as various consulting jobs, as is the norm for a retired exec of his stature. As time goes on, he may latch on to some project/company or another and take a high profile again, but who knows. At Sony proper, there would have to be a combination of new CEO, drifting vision at SCEI, and some sort of post-departure validation of some of his theories before he would be sought out once again in a Steve Jobs-esque fashion.
Speaking of Apple though, I would imagine a relationship between Apple and KK before I would imagine a relationship between MS and KK - and that's not to say I envision Apple doing anything in consoles.
DUALDISASTER
Newcomer
So he was fired?
(In Sony's context...) Only Stringer knows.
In my view, the most powerful (and positive) message is that:
He is changing Sony's runaway corporate culture: Under him, staff can be let go. In fact, even influential forces -- such as iconic maverick and talented engineers -- can be stopped if they no longer serve the larger Sony. Hopefully Sony comes out stronger, more focused and leaner paying more attention to marketing and business needs.
The second bullet is his drive to get different Sony divisions to work together. Unfortunately, we have not seen a clear cut example of this yet. Blu-ray + Playstation is a start, but they didn't execute well enough to talk about it. The other game plans (e.g., digital distribution and living room war) are not revealed yet. Hopefully we get to hear more in their upcoming financial event.
The third, which is unclear now, is will Sony's engineering DNA be preserved or strengthened ? Stringer has declared that he doesn't want to cut Sony up beyond recognition. So I wonder what moves he will put in place to show people that Sony is still beating in their hearts.
The only sure way to know is to look at their future products. Meanwhile... I would recap and drum up Playstation's vision more cleverly for a start.(e.g., Game 3.0 follow up, and how Sony believes it can serve gamers better by being different and still relevant).
Present communication is still piecemeal and up to the media to interpret what Sony means... which is risky. They have to clean up the communication channel first.
I will also find some way to get frigging Chubachi and Kutaragi to deliver something high level together. Kutaragi's name is still invaluable. He speaks to many existing Sony fans' mind directly.
These are just some quick thoughts off the top of my head.
Unlikely. He moved back in November (within a week of the PS3 launching) to this new position with Kaz doing the day-to-day work. Sounds like he just got fed up of not being able to get his hands dirty (the man is an engineer) so retired.
DUALDISASTER
Newcomer
It's a shame really...Unless Sony reinstates KK, the next playstations could end up..well...ordinary. And once that happens, i have no need for games in general.
good post Patsu! :smile:
Personally, hindsight being 20/20, I now think Sony's best strategy would have been to wait until late 2007 or even 2008 to release the PS3 with everything that KK had envisioned PLUS with 1024 RAM and a more powerful GPU.
They would have been way behind MS software-wise but it's possible they could have introduced it as a Next-Next Generation, stepping over 360 as they did Dreamcast.
this IMO would have allowed KKs vision to be more cost effective allowing a more mainstream price. I do not fault his vision in any way but the implementation with the release of 360 (and to a degree Wii) was pushed forward ahead of schedule IMO.
Just look at the Ps2 sales to see that they easily could have milked that as their main performer for another year or two while PS3 Fab costs came down and software was refined.
again a risky move but with the advantage of hindsight.
Based on some of KK's comments they were perhaps a bit to arrogant for their own good possibly as well (at the current pricing)
Personally, hindsight being 20/20, I now think Sony's best strategy would have been to wait until late 2007 or even 2008 to release the PS3 with everything that KK had envisioned PLUS with 1024 RAM and a more powerful GPU.
They would have been way behind MS software-wise but it's possible they could have introduced it as a Next-Next Generation, stepping over 360 as they did Dreamcast.
this IMO would have allowed KKs vision to be more cost effective allowing a more mainstream price. I do not fault his vision in any way but the implementation with the release of 360 (and to a degree Wii) was pushed forward ahead of schedule IMO.
Just look at the Ps2 sales to see that they easily could have milked that as their main performer for another year or two while PS3 Fab costs came down and software was refined.
again a risky move but with the advantage of hindsight.
Based on some of KK's comments they were perhaps a bit to arrogant for their own good possibly as well (at the current pricing)
DUALDISASTER
Newcomer
How much of a detriment do you personally think this will do to SCEI or Playstation for that matter?
Patsu you're clearly much more a Stringer fan than I am.
I just hope this larger Sony of his is more than a highly profitable operation that exists for a single point in time, and that a nod is given towards the risk/reward gambles that tech R&D requires to be successful longterm in the biz.
If they do that, they would have a late start in propagating Cell expertise. This is what kills a new processor architecture (No software). IMHO, it's better to rough it out in the market (like Windows 1.0 -> 3.0).
Thanks to Sony, we now have an early start in next-gen multi-core development (as opposed to SMP). The research communities and national labs are also embracing this movement.
We will only know its true impact 1-2 years down the road.
Gaming-wise... I think we will get a glimpse of their fruits of labor near end of the year. What they do need to improve further is their communicaiton and prioritize their rollout.
why cant people just call it Xbox 3? I cant tell you how brainless it looks when people keep doubling the 360 name the current Xbox has.
well perhaps it's worth it if it does not come at the sacrifice of an entire console generation for Sony.
I mean they will most likely do many more things right with PS4 than they have with PS3 and perhaps you are correct in this technology vision but I was thinking of it from a marketing POV.
Patsu you're clearly much more a Stringer fan than I am.
No I'm not a Stringer fan, but I can fully appreciate his work and I reserve judgement until Bullet #3 (preserving Sony DNA) is realized.
I have worked with someone like Kutaragi before and certain parts of me (plus the larger "industry") still hurt from his departure. You know what, he's back in business late last year, put back into power by the very circle who got rid of him. It seems people realize one day that mad people are a part of the change cycle. It's just timing. He came back more matured and smarter (Having all the time to reflect)... just like Steve Jobs.
Hang in there Mr. Kutaragi... or go do a PSN game
Too early to tell for now. Kutaragi's departure may show Kaz's or another engineer's genius. We all have to embrace uncertainty sometimes.
What gets me in all these gaming fora is so many are entrenched in past behaviour and thinking. To me Nintendo and Sony are doing more good than harm by going out of the way to push the envelope.
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Hm ? The war is not over yet.
Not necessarily. PS4 is largely an unknown at this point. I don't really see PS3 as a wrong move per se, but a risky one. Most of the promises are not on the table yet, so it's only natural that the demand generation is not here.
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