Josh Robinson's blog on PS3/XBOX360

[Berak]

Yeah, I mean the last thing we want is for someone to able to freely express their opinions (good or bad) in a public place and not be sacked. Sure, most of use would think twice about being negative about our employer but I didn't see where he said anything that negative he was just telling it like he saw it. The current state of PS3 development is naturally in it's infancy.

I find it highly disturbing that someone get's fired for telling the truth, assuming he hasn't broken any specific NDAs, and possibly even more disturbing that most everyone here accepts it and feels it was justified.

Let's send a clear message across the world, tow the company line, keep any negative opinions to yourself, you do not have freedom of speech rights in a public place without consequence.

 

[Sis]

Yeah, I mean the last thing we want is for someone to able to freely express their opinions (good or bad) in a public place and not be sacked. Sure, most of use would think twice about being negative about our employer but I didn't see where he said anything that negative he was just telling it like he saw it. The current state of PS3 development is naturally in it's infancy.

I find it highly disturbing that someone get's fired for telling the truth, assuming he hasn't broken any specific NDAs, and possibly even more disturbing that most everyone here accepts it and feels it was justified.

Let's send a clear message across the world, tow the company line, keep any negative opinions to yourself, you do not have freedom of speech rights in a public place without consequence.

It should be obvious to anyone employed that your job is to make the company better. Sometimes openly criticizing your company can be a net positive. But in most occassions, saying what you feel, even if it's the truth, could be bad for the company. This is why these companies spend millions of dollars on PR.

I would not blame Sony in the slightest if they sacked him. If it was an innocent mistake, I would hope they would have given him a second chance. In a corporation of Sony's size, I am not inclined to believe this would true...

 

[Thegameman]

It should be obvious to anyone employed that your job is to make the company better. Sometimes openly criticizing your company can be a net positive. But in most occassions, saying what you feel, even if it's the truth, could be bad for the company. This is why these companies spend millions of dollars on PR.

I would not blame Sony in the slightest if they sacked him. If it was an innocent mistake, I would hope they would have given him a second chance. In a corporation of Sony's size, I am not inclined to believe this would true...

That is the thing this guy can't realy be this stupid,i say he got pist at Sony and trow this out,you can't realy say out of no were that the xbox 360 is better not based on your opinion but on others people opinions more if he work for Sony,what kind of lame pathetic comment is that,even more i read this was say just as the xbox 360 was release...


I would be surprise to read that the dude work for MS now,Odd world creators did something similar to Sony and then jump to MS side cuz MS was giving then a whole lot of money.


This news realy make me laugh when not even MS people dare to say the xbox 360 is the most powerful consoles out of the 2,and have limit them self to say in some areas we are faster in another they are faster.

 

[seismologist]

The guy was a liability I wouldn't be surprised if he was canned. As a company you dont want to run damage control for every bonehead within your own ranks who goes mouthing off based on uninformed partial information. This is why the NDAs are in place.

 

[Berak]

It should be obvious to anyone employed that your job is to make the company better. Sometimes openly criticizing your company can be a net positive. But in most occassions, saying what you feel, even if it's the truth, could be bad for the company. This is why these companies spend millions of dollars on PR.

I would not blame Sony in the slightest if they sacked him. If it was an innocent mistake, I would hope they would have given him a second chance. In a corporation of Sony's size, I am not inclined to believe this would true...

How the hell does PR make a company better? PR exists because there are large numbers of uneducated lemmings. Making something better implies fixing it's problems not covering them up. And again, I don't see where this guy said anything that bad at all, everyone is blowing it way out of proportion if you ask me. He said he HEARD from others they fealt the 360 was a better, big deal.

Hey, if it's OK for corporate America, it certainly should be OK with government too, right? I don't think anyone who works for the government should be allowed to say something like "Hey, you know I think Canada has a better medical insurance program", or "Maybe we should look into these $2000 toilet seats" or anything questioning the absolute superiority of our country. Seems logical to me.

 

[MrWibble]

Firstly it's debatable as to whether he broke an NDA or not - he might have been giving a personal opinion (or passing on opinions from others) but he was privy to information that certainly was under NDA, so it's pretty hard to give an opinion about anything related to that information without breaking that NDA.

Even if he broke no rule and simply employed his right to free speech, his company was likewise merely excercising their right not to employ idiots that create bad publicity (there is no doubt, fair opinion or not, his statement did create negative publicity).

My original opinion of the guy stands - he's an asshat. Perhaps being an asshat isn't actually illegal, but that doesn't make it anything to be proud of.

Now he apparently has free time to go with his free speech.

 

[blakjedi]

How does one developer/executive working for a prominent company saying that "PS3 has more under the hood [than x360]" versus another developer later saying "The consistent comment I am hearing from people on my end is, “The XBOX 360 is betterâ€￾, Make the second developer an asshat yet the first developer "proof"?

He's only a fool for using his name with this particular blog.

 

[MrWibble]

How does one developer/executive working for a prominent company saying that "PS3 has more under the hood [than x360]" versus another developer later saying "The consistent comment I am hearing from people on my end is, “The XBOX 360 is betterâ€￾, Make the second developer an asshat yet the first developer "proof"?

Firstly this wasn't just a throwaway single remark on a board somewhere, this was a pretty comprehensive article, deliberately written.

Secondly they used not only their name, but were clearly identified as an employee with "inside information".

And finally the statement was a lot more than just "I hear this thing is better than that thing" and goes on to say that the title he's working on doesn't look "next-gen" and give various other reasons why the console *his own employer* is creating probably won't look all that great...

Besides which I certainly wouldn't point at any person making a personal comment on the internet as "proof" of anything, nor have I said whether or not I think anything this guy said is accurate or not - you have me confused with someone else if you think I have.

Anyway, enough from me - it's just my opinion of some guy, and that doesn't really relate to consoles in any way, so it's not relevant enough to argue about here.

 

[Nicked]

How does one developer/executive working for a prominent company saying that "PS3 has more under the hood [than x360]" versus another developer later saying "The consistent comment I am hearing from people on my end is, “The XBOX 360 is better”, Make the second developer an asshat yet the first developer "proof"?

When one developer is Carmack and the other is a nobody who claims that he uses one of 5 devkits in NA, yeah, I think its safe to assume that only one of those has the potential to be credible.

Really, this guys post reads like an Xbox360 fanbitch post. No credible developer is going to say (paraphrase) 'our launch game is just a rushed piece of shit'....or 'aren't even in the same league as the competition' or "in fact there are many current games out that look just as good and are using the exact same specs".

Or my favorite: "I’m over the normal maps fad ok everyone!"

I think the "review" is quite hilarious and if anyone takes it seriously (as in, this guy is seriously credible) then they're not thinking straight. Someone might want what he says to be true, but I can't see an Xbox fan with a modicum of intelligence associating this article with reality.

 

[Farid]

Let's send a clear message across the world, tow the company line, keep any negative opinions to yourself, you do not have freedom of speech rights in a public place without consequence.

Welcome to the real world.

No company is ever going to pay you to give you the permission (Note that I didn't say the "right" since that right is still up to you) to badmouth their products and disclose unannouced products publically.
It's not about "right" "truth" or any other grand word, it's simple common sense.

Nobody forced him to work for SOE, nobdy forced him to sign a NDA, nobody forced to say things he wasn't allowed to disclose publically.

He did it, thinking billion dollars businesses weren't run by folks who are trying to sell a product, he then had to face the consequences.

Now, let's just hope he can find a job in a big company again.

 

[Sis]

How the hell does PR make a company better? PR exists because there are large numbers of uneducated lemmings. Making something better implies fixing it's problems not covering them up. And again, I don't see where this guy said anything that bad at all, everyone is blowing it way out of proportion if you ask me. He said he HEARD from others they fealt the 360 was a better, big deal.

A PR department can ensure that people get consistent messaging from a corporation. They can also lie--which is what you allude to--but that isn't the benefit, just a by-product of shady business practices. What this guy did damages the credibility of Sony even though what he's describing may be perfectly normal for every single console ever created.

Further, a company is more than just a product. Just "fixing the problems" assumes that A) there are problems B) the problems are fixable c) the fixes are worthwhile D) the consumer cares about the problems and/or the fixes E) the problems are permanent and unexpected.

Hey, if it's OK for corporate America, it certainly should be OK with government too, right? ... Seems logical to me.

Well, I guess flawed logic is a form of logic.

 

[Sis]

Really, this guys post reads like an Xbox360 fanbitch post.

Yeah, I was actually surprised to hear it was legit. I was expecting it to be a Major Ynos kind-of spoof.

 

[Diamond.G]

Hey, if it's OK for corporate America, it certainly should be OK with government too, right? I don't think anyone who works for the government should be allowed to say something like "Hey, you know I think Canada has a better medical insurance program", or "Maybe we should look into these $2000 toilet seats" or anything questioning the absolute superiority of our country. Seems logical to me.

Luckily the govenment doesn't quite work the same. I cannot tell you guys some of the things that I do in the military. But I can give an opinion of the military in general. He did something incredibly stupid, which was give an opinion of something he does in his job, not his opinion in general. I may not work in the same feild as you guys, but rest assured there are things that I just can't comment on. No matter what my opinion is of them.

I am actually suprised that he was "just" fired. In my line of work disclosing, we shall call it sensitive, information would land you straight in jail. For a while....

 

[ImaginaryIndustryInsider]

Really, this guys post reads like an Xbox360 fanbitch post. No credible developer is going to say (paraphrase) 'our launch game is just a rushed piece of shit'....or 'aren't even in the same league as the competition' or "in fact there are many current games out that look just as good and are using the exact same specs".


I think the "review" is quite hilarious and if anyone takes it seriously (as in, this guy is seriously credible) then they're not thinking straight. Someone might want what he says to be true, but I can't see an Xbox fan with a modicum of intelligence associating this article with reality.

To be fair, the 360 got a lot of negative commentary from the peanut gallery, as the PS3 becomes more"real", this kind of thing should be expected, regardless if the info is accurate or not.

 

[Nesh]

Well, I guess flawed logic is a form of logic.

As if the government isnt covering things up either

Berak: Competition is like war.Dont expect someone to want his weak spots being unveiled to their enemy.Also like war there is this thing called "psychological war" which means trying to make yourself look like a "bigger thread" or lower the enemy's spirit

Companies are no different

 

[seismologist]

he really didn't say anything that new or interesting. His "PS3 review" was posted back in November. Actually it was the same week that the Xbox 360 launched...

 

[one]

And the information he stated was correct. Just because you don't agree with what he said, doesn't mean it wasn't true. I haven't followed this thread, has anybody been able to debunk any of his statements?? If not....

Logical error. Does not compute. Please go back pages in this very thread and reread from the start. Thank you.

 

[Hardknock]

he really didn't say anything that new or interesting.

Ok..

1. The PS3 is behind schedule - PS3 release will be between May and December this year.

2. Launch games will be underwhelming. None of the games he's seen have met the standards of last years E3 "demos" (which he has verified that none but 1 or 2 were real-time).

3. Behind closed doors Sony employees think Xbox 360 is more powerful.

4. Only 5, let me repeat five, final dev kits have been released in the U.S.

So none of this was new and/or interesting?

 

[Almasy]

He got fired, so obviously he was who he said he was. And the information he stated was correct. Just because you don't agree with what he said, doesn't mean it wasn't true. I haven't followed this thread, has anybody been able to debunk any of his statements?? If not...

Aside from one´s recomendation, just think a little. Kutaragi just mentioned that 4,000 dev kits were in the hands of developers. As evil/liar as he can be, that only 5 exist in north america is just beyond ridiculous. Many other facts get in the way of many of his different arguements, from his demo being the only real one at E3, to all companies just using 8,000 polygon characters with normal maps.

 

[BlueTsunami]

Aside from one´s recomendation, just think a little. Kutaragi just mentioned that 4,000 dev kits were in the hands of developers. As evil/liar as he can be, that only 5 exist in north america is just beyond ridiculous.

Its being speculated that hes talking about Final Devkits or something (not to sure)