Phil Harrison, president of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios, is leaving the corporation, a press release confirmed yesterday. SCEI president Kaz Hirai will assume his responsibilities.
Harrison had been with Sony since 1992 and saw the launch of the original PlayStation, as well as its division, Sony Computer Entertainment. He is the latest in a series of high-profile departures and restructuring measures.
In September, SCEA´s PR director called it quits. And who could forget ´Krazy´ Ken Kutaragi´s departure last April? In September 2006, Sony had reshuffled SCEI management and promoted Kutaragi away from daily business.
Harrison may not have had much reason to leave voluntarily, since PS3 sales are finally picking up. So was he perhaps fired?
Let us not forget that Harrison´s public track record was stained. In December 2006, Harrison said that the PlayStation3 is so powerful that "nobody will ever use 100 percent of its capability."
In August 2005, he criticized Microsoft for bringing two Xbox360 models to market, saying: "I think it just confuses the audience. They don't know which one to buy, developers don't know which one to create for, and retailers don't know which one to stock. (...) I think we wouldn't take that strategy."
So Sony Japan may have had some reason to get rid of Harrison. And only days ago, Harrison supplied them with another reason:
I have been banging the drum about social gaming for a long time, with SingStar, EyeToy and Buzz. (...) And our Japanese colleagues said that there is no such thing as social gaming in Japan – people do not play games on the same sofa together in each other's homes. It will never happen. And then out comes the Wii.
Source: SCEI
Thanks to: Joystiq
Shit happens!
ReplyDeletehe he he haha ha ha haaaaaaaaaaa in a satanic phyco voice of evil plesure
ReplyDeletefuk him and double fuk sony
...I find it fairly odd, personally. Sony claims to be on top of the world! PS3 broke 10 mil, Blu-Ray's the chief HD format thanks TO the PS3... then they go and fire the division's president. Something tells me that there's more to this than we already know.
ReplyDeletelol good one Falfelkid ;))
ReplyDeleteI personally like Harrison....he has a very authentic, natural charme and a sensible personality...he is a fine guy imo
I hope he won't turn his back on the games industry. I'd love to see him doing Pr for a new Acclaim...Yep, he'd be the perfect guy for Acclaim Entertainment.
:)
-IALS
IALS - Reports are placing Harrison as moving to Atari. Not quite Acclaim, but almost just as dead. ;)
ReplyDeleteSource: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=33463
Hi M. Ferreira.
ReplyDeleteIALS - Reports are placing Harrison as moving to Atari.
And certainly not in a PR position. That would be laughable, given his background as an executive in third-party relations and president of Sony´s studios.
no no not pr but rather in a representive position sorta like at sony of course....
ReplyDeletebtw I totally agree with what he says here:
http://eurogamer.de
/article.php?article_id=93477
- IALS
representATive!
ReplyDelete*blush*
-IALS
Falafelkid: Well played. ;) I should've been a bit more specific, there. However, Harrison still has a long road ahead.
ReplyDeleteStill, if anyone can make that company profitable again, it WOULD be Harrison.
Hi M. Ferreira.
ReplyDeleteFalafelkid: Well played. ;) I should've been a bit more specific, there.
Not at all. My criticism wasn´t directed at you, but rather someone else who I don´t speak to directly.
He was fired because he has a big mouth!
ReplyDeletePhil Harrison -
"The decision we made to put a hard drive in every PlayStation 3 was because we saw the long term benefit. The ten year plan of allowing people to download all kinds of digital content to their PlayStation 3 -- not just games but movies, music, HD, standard definition TV, you name it. And that was a significant investment, but it was absolutely the right thing to do." - Is he talking about Xbox Live ?
"We're not going to slate our lineup just because of competitive activity. We'll continue to plow our own furrow." - Is he talking about PSN ?
"I think Nintendo will be the second system consumers purchase after PlayStation 3." - ??
Maybe SCEJ couldn't keep up with his mouth.
Awwwwwwww!
ReplyDeleteI was going to suck Harrison's dick!
-IALS
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ReplyDelete