PlayStation Suite Service

Apr 17, 2009
7,729
San Diego, CA
PlayStation Suite Service

Q: Can you tell us the platform dependency of the PSS?

Hirai: There are not only Android-based mobile devices but also Windows- and iOS-based mobile devices. If we try to support all of them from the beginning, we will run out of resources.

So, we will put priority on sales volume and focus on Android. When we put weight on sales volume, among Android-based devices, smartphones are the best and tablet PCs come second.

If the use of the "Sony Internet TV Powered by Google TV (Google TV)" spreads and its sales volume increases, we might provide the PSS to its users, too. Also, we might provide the PSS as a killer application to spread the use of the Google TV.

Again, we are not going to ignore other platforms than Android. But we will put importance on sales volume and start with Android.

Q: Some publishers (providers) of game software are already providing games as applications for smartphones. For publishers, what is the difference between providing games through the PSS and providing games as applications for Android-based devices?

Hirai: The PSS enables to comfortably play "PlayStation-quality (PS-quality)" games and check their operations. I think this is a big difference.

Basically, games provided through the PSS operate on any Android-based device. However, depending on device, their operations might become slow or it might become difficult to control them.

Therefore, we will start providing a licensing program called "PlayStation Certified" to mobile device makers in the aim of guaranteeing that PlayStation-quality games can be played on Android-based devices.

As for game software, for example, it is possible to eliminate games with too much violence and games that are offensive to public order and morals. We will examine games provided through the PSS as strictly as existing PlayStation games.

We can provide only those that passed the examination to our users as PS-quality games. In other words, the appeal of the PSS is the fact that SCE guarantees the quality of games. This makes a difference from the world of games for PCs and mobile phones where anything is permitted.

Q: How are you going to provide games compatible with the PSS?

Hirai: Basically, we are considering providing them through the "PlayStation Store," an online store run in the "PlayStation Network (PSN)." But we have not decided the details yet. We like to have talks with mobile carriers about the role of the store because they are operating their own stores. And some consider that games distinguish their services from others.

What I want to stress here is that the PSS is open to carriers and mobile device makers. A considerable number of Android-based devices have already been shipped. And the PSS is a new service that brings the PlayStation (PS) world to the Android world.

So far, we have been providing game software only for SCE's game consoles. But we want to make the PSS open. So, we are planning to have talks with various mobile device makers.

Q: I heard that games developed for the first-generation PlayStation will be the first contents to be released for the PSS. Are you planning to increase the number of game platforms (e.g. games developed for the PS2 and the PS3) that will be offered through the PSS? Will games for the NGP also be provided through the PSS in the future?

Hirai: We will first provide games developed for the first-generation PS. But, basically, we hope that game makers will develop new games for the PSS.

In addition, it's not that any game can be played on Android-based devices. For example, there is a big difference between the hardware of the NGP and the hardware of Android-based devices.

Furthermore, while games can be played on Android-based smartphones and tablet PCs, they are not dedicated to gaming. To play games thoroughly, hardware and expressive power like those of the NGP are necessary. So, it's not that all games will be absorbed by smartphones and other mobile devices.

Q: How are you going to beat your rivals such as games for smartphones and Nintendo's "Nintendo 3DS"?

Hirai: The PSS is the answer to the question, "How do you respond to games for smartphones?" Against those games, we chose a strategy of entering the market instead of winning or losing.

On the other hand, some people talk about the competition with game consoles like the Nintendo 3DS. But I think that it's too narrow-minded to discuss the competition among game platforms such as Wii versus PS3 and Xbox versus PS3.

Game is an entertainment. In other words, any kinds of entertainments can be its rivals. So, movie, TV and even drinking party can be its rivals.

There is no point in being happy about winning or losing in the competition with the 3DS if other kinds of entertainments are booming in the world and no one plays games any more. Anyway, we consider it important to provide games and their platforms that users can enjoy.

Q: Currently, social games are booming.

Hirai: We will respond to the boom of casual games like social games with the PSS.

On the other hand, the situation where casual games are booming implies that those who have not so far been interested in or even touched traditional games for existing consoles dedicated to gaming might enter the game world after playing games on Android-based devices. Of course, most of such users will just continue to play only casual games. But some will feel that games are interesting and shift to traditional games.

In that sense, casual games created an opportunity to attract users whom we could not attract in the past. So, we believe that not only the shift from traditional games to casual games but also the shift from casual games to traditional games will occur.

At this point, the important thing is that users will follow us if we offer fun games to them. For example, we have shipped more than five million packages of "Gran Turismo 5," a racing game for the PS3, and "Monster Hunter Portable 3rd" for the PSP has sold in huge numbers since its release in December 2010 (four million packages), contributing to the sales of hardware.

Q: What's the difference between the Minis, a group of low-priced mini games announced in 2009, and the PSS?

Hirai: They are very different. The Minis is a group of games for the PSP platform. On the other hand, the PSS is a service for Android-based devices. The Minis will not disappear just because the PSS will debut. We are still offering the Minis, and the number of titles for the Minis is increasing.

Q: How do you develop games for the PSS?

Hirai: We want to open as many doors as possible for those who develop games for the PSS. The relationship with traditional developers are as important as in the past. But, to expand the relationship, we will open doors for new developers.

As for loyalty, we will discuss it from now. We have not yet decided whether it will be the same fee structure as the current ones. However, because SCE will incur some costs to run the PSS, we will do some sort of profit sharing.