Sony Computer Entertainment Inc (SCE) of Japan has released two new models: the PlayStation 3 (PS3) upright model in Sept 2009, and the portable PSP go system in Oct (or Nov in Japan). Both models are significantly smaller and lighter than earlier designs. Masayuki Chatani spoke to us about his goals in releasing these products, the technologies used to make them possible, and his future strategies for the game business.
The key objective behind these new releases is to emphasize small size and light weight - always two of the most important elements in the PlayStation line - so that the systems will be used by an even wider range of users.
The PS3 has spread this far primarily through game fans, but now we hope to successfully appeal the system to people who enjoy entertainment of all types, regardless of age or gender. The PSP is already well-received by diverse users. In addition to games, for example, there are also users who download imagery from Sony hard disk drive (HDD) recorders to their PSPs for viewing. Game distribution over the network is becoming more common, too. Given these developments, we thought it was about time to add a new PSP model that takes network connection for granted.
Considering that a game system has a lifetime of a decade, it is crucial to give the platform a major boost at about the halfway mark. The first PS3 was released in Nov 2006, which means a little under three years has passed, and that's just about the right timing. We added smaller models to the original PlayStation, PlayStation 2 (PS2) and other lines in the past, all successfully.
With the PS2, for example, we released a smaller model in Nov 2004, about four years after the initial release. The smaller model supported a spread in our user base into new segments such as the elderly and women. We think the new PS3 model will have the same success. Developers will no doubt start working on new content aiming at these new user segments. And as the user base grows, we expect new types of game software to appear, new and interesting network services, and the like. That will be a very good positive spiral.
It was pretty tough to squeeze a power-hungry piece of equipment like the PS3, drawing up to 250W, into a case this small, complete with power supply. I think it's a very advanced design, and am really proud of the engineers who achieved it. True, the case could have been made even smaller if we'd left the power supply on the outside, but that would have imposed restrictions on transport and use, making it harder to use freely.
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