In a single interview with Playstation Magazine, Sony Computer Entertainment chairman and group CEO, Kazuo "Kaz" Hirai said that the XBox "lacks longevity", dismissed Nintendo as a competitor, and proclaimed the Playstation the "official" leader in the console gaming industry despite the numbers, install base, or sales.
Source: Eurogamer [ more info ]

Initially the comic had more text, but in the end I felt nothing more needed to be said. Kaz Hirai is an assface. He opens his mouth and crap falls out. (Pardon the imagery).

I expect big wigs to say and do stupid things. As a matter of fact a large part of my gaming news comics are based on the idea. But most of them, at one point or another, manage to redeeem themselves. If Kaz has ever said anything to rinse away his verbal diarrhea, I've never heard the flush. (Again, pardon the imagery.)

In the world of product consumption there are only a few ways to quantify success: units sold, profit generated and/or number of buyers. The Playstation 3 doesn't lead a single one of those categories, their non-competitor the Nintendo Wii does.

Now don't mistake my position here, I'm not anti playstation. I'd own one if I could afford it. But I'm quickly approaching the point of being unwilling to EVER buy one just because I refuse to support anything Kaz Hirai is associated with.

Note: I do have a version of panel where Kaz is wearing a pair of underwear on his head. It's just not as clear with them on that he's a complete and total assface.

OMG Owie!!!
Just...OWIE!!! I swear I couldn't stop laughing for a good solid 10 minutes! Awesome comic!!!

As for your personal assessment of Kaz...yeah I'd have to agree. Playstations are good when they work, but most of them continue to have the same problem with an internal lens involved in reading Blue Ray formats which they still refuse to acknowledge as a problem, in spite of how long it's been going on and how often it occurs.

Some of them have been dumping BS for a while.

Sega once claimed their Game Gear was the first color portable system, yet Atari Lynx was out a few years earlier.

Nintendo mentioned their Gamecube as the first console with built in 4 players support. Atari 2600 had 4 players support via 2 sets of paddles, and Atari 5200 had 4 ports.

TG-16 was claimed to be a 16 bit system but they are in fact not a true 16 bit system.

Some of those errors or lies could be by an ignorant PR, or the PR is simply BSing trying to make their system look better.

Originally Posted by Woody:

(Pardon the imagery).

*shutters*

As a PlayStation 3 owner, I have to say that I really do love the system, despite whatever Mr.Assface may blab on about. Overall, the two reasons I got the system were for the blue-ray player and the controller. I'm still of the opinion that the PlayStation controller is one of the best out there. I don't have the giant hands required for the other systems over sized controllers.

It's always nice to see someone stick it up to public figures outputting PR crap.

On another note, I own a PS3 and I think it's a great system. If I was judging everything I bought by the public figures in their respective company, I wouldn't own any Microsoft products. Ballmer is more than anyone can handle and he's at the top. *ducks a chair*

Excuse me for one sec sony..... *walks outside and laughs off her head*

but serious it's true sony has a good game system, but the fact there xbox and wii are at good prices for the consumer and the PS3 is still in the $400 to $500 range where as the 360 is in the $200 to $400 range it shows more ppl are more then going to buy a 360 then a PS3, as for the wii, well, that system is just too damn fun

Getting crushed by Xbox and the Wii, and in general the whole Sony Entertainment division has been sliding downhill for awhile now.

I could see why he'd take the high (as in he must be high) road.

Kaz may have a point about Nintendo.They have opened up an untapped part of the market. It's a pretty readily accepted as a party activity for adults at this point. Taking that into account, perhaps classifying Nintendo as a non-competitor might be totally legit from his point of view since it doesn't cater to traditional console gamers.

As I see it though, what Kaz is saying is comparable to Saudi Arabia saying that another country who just tapped into a large oil supply that's been unreachable for years isn't really a competitor. Whether it's a product of denial or truly believing that Nintendo's Wii cant be categorized as a console game systems is another issue.

As far as the longevity of the xbox is concerned, I only have one thing I would like to point out. Obviously, it's Microsoft backed. I don't think it's going anywhere.

Neither of these things are said to bash the PS3 as I've actually considered purchasing one. It's the most wife friendly with the added benefit of a blue ray player. I just don't agree with his views on the other consumer options out there.

Assface status: Confirmed.

Add this story to a long list of reasons why I truly and completely hate Sony.

That said, I still think the PS3 is a solid peice of hardware with some excellent software out there, and I plan on owning one as soon as I finally purchase an HD-TV. (I'm too much of a movie buff to not have the BluRay once I actually have a television that can utilize it.) I just can't stand that company.

Aside from the Woody-induced mental image that brought up a memory of an inner-child-scarring episode of South Park, I have to once again decry the titular and public face of a company saying things so idiotic than in the old days would've wound him up chained to a bloody oar.

As for the PS3- it is a good game system, no doubt. However, so is the Xbox360, and it costs a lot less. In a recession-era, cost will be the determining factor for many consumers. I also agree that the Wii tapped into a heretofore largely untouched market with their new genre of controllers and interactive games, but that doesn't make them any less of a competitor. My wife and I both want an Xbox360, and she wants a Wii. The cost of the two combined is about what it would take to get a single PS3. That, for us at least, settles the discussion. Good and cheap beat good and pricey, blue-ray or no blue-ray.