Phil Harrison, current product manager at Google Stadia, worked as president of SCEI at the time of Sony's third home console.
Phil Harrison, president of Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. at the time of PlayStation 3 and current product manager of Google Stadia, has reflected on a meeting with IGN on the occasion of the launch of this new streaming platform on business and marketing problems Who experienced this system.
There were many factors that hindered the commercial success of PlayStation 3, the home console with fewer units sold in Sony's history (87.4 million units); and many others that led to its direct competition, Xbox 360, shorten distances to the point of equating the global sales of both systems. A component of only $ 0.05 caused PS3 to be delayed more than estimated.
Playstation 3
PlayStation 3 was launched a year later than Xbox 360: there is a reason
Let's start by putting things in context: Xbox 360 was launched in the North American market on November 22, 2005, practically fourteen years ago. PlayStation 3, meanwhile, was begged in North America until November 17, 2006 (March 2007 in Europe), a scenario that, according to expert analysts, immediately became a handicap that was going to be very difficult recuperate. While Microsoft was implanted in the three main territories, Sony dealt with a multitude of marketing problems by having to deal not only with the American solution, but also with Wii, the motion-controlled console that managed to ship more than 100 million units .
"Actually we always said that I was going to go out in winter," Phil Harrison jokes in the interview, relaxed, since yes, it was at Christmas time, but 2006 and not 2005. "Indeed, he launched more late than we would have liked. And the reason that slowed down the production of the hardware was none other than a small component, a blue diode necessary for reading Blu-ray discs; a component of about 5 cents (dollar), ”he says.
And so it was, although it was not the only reason that prevented the console from leaving before the date initially desired by the Japanese giant. The lack of units of the component made it impossible to reach the times marked by the calendar.
One of those blue laser diodes
“PlayStation 3 was a moment of arrogance”
It is possible to rescue the words of Shawn Layden, who last October left PlayStation and left the headquarters of Sony Worldwide Studios, recognized in February of this year, on the occasion of the DICE Summit, which PS3 supposed “a moment of arrogance ”In the brand.
He said: “It is still one of the best selling consoles of all time. But the derailment was PlayStation 3, a cruel moment of arrogance in the nearly 25 years of PlayStation brand history. (…) As they say, PS3 was a moment Icarus … For our business, the fall was aggressive. We do not listen to our users. We create even a diabolical work environment; We reacted too slowly and our online network was underdeveloped. And, worst of all, as you remember, was the launch price. ”
But Sony managed to reverse the situation and is closing the current generation of consoles with its system more quickly sold, along with PS2, with a PlayStation 4 that already exceeds 102 million units sold. The future has a name and surname, PlayStation 5, whose first details you can read here. It won't be until Christmas 2020 when I debut in stores.
