Talk:Ken Kutaragi

"Xbox 1.5"

The source for the "Xbox 1.5" comment is here. It's a May 21, 2005 interview at E3 by Masaichi Honda of PC-Watch.

The relevant passage in Japanese:

我々としてはMicrosoftがこの分野に投資することそのものは大歓迎です。しかし、今までのゲーム機の出力解像度を上げ、グラフィック機能を強化しただけでは、現状のゲーム機の世界を拡張することにはなりません。これでは初代Xboxの次世代機ではなく“Xbox 1.5”です。Microsoftも、既存のゲーム機ベンダーが行なってきたことを高性能なハードウェアで置き換えるのではなく、全く新しい分野を自らのオリジナリティで発見して欲しい。それならば“コンピュータを用いたエンタテインメント”の世界をともに拡げて行くことができるでしょう。

A rough translation of the passage, in which Mr. Kutaragi differentiates the approaches Sony and Microsoft took in engineering their consoles:

We applaud Microsoft's investment in this industry. However, one cannot expand the current console gaming world by merely raising the graphic resolution and processing power of past consoles. The result of that decision [the Xbox 360] is not a next-generation Xbox, but an "Xbox 1.5". We would rather that Microsoft expanded into new, original ideas rather than simply do what this industry's always done with upgraded hardware. We feel that this would have broadened the world of "computer entertainment".

Although he was talking about greater possibilities through computing power as opposed to graphics, one might see the irony in his statement.

24.248.97.178 22:24, 12 July 2007 (UTC)

Unsourced

• No, it is for computing-but I wanted to change the concept of computers. The name of our company is Sony Computer Entertainment; I wanted to merge computer technology and entertainment. It may be regarded as game applications for the time being, but I wanted to realize the day when "computer entertainment" would mean all such entertainment applications, including games.
  • On the Cell Broadband Engine Computer Architecture in the PlayStation 3 and upcoming Cell-powered devices

• Though sold as a game console, what will in fact enter the home is a Cell-based computer.
  • About the PlayStation 3

• is it not nonsense to compare the charge for dinner at the company cafeteria with dinner at a fine restaurant? It's a question of what you can do with that game machine. If you can have an amazing experience, we believe price is not a problem.
  • About the PlayStation 3's price

• You can communicate to a new cybercity. Did you see the movie The Matrix? Same interface. Same concept. Starting from next year, you can jack into The Matrix!
  • About the PS2. From Kutaragi to Newsweek, March 2000

• Beating us for a short moment is like accidentally winning a point from a Karate master, and Microsoft is still not black belt.
  • About Microsoft's Xbox Live

• Is just an Xbox 1.5 and stated that it was only going after PlayStation 2.
  • About the announcement of Xbox 360

• I believe we made the most beautiful thing in the world. Nobody would criticize a renowned architect's blueprint that the position of a gate is wrong. It's the same as that.
  • In response to the original PSP units' square button problems

• PS3 is not a game machine. We've never once called it a game machine. I'm not going to reveal [the PS3s] price today. I'm going to only say that it'll be expensive. I'm aware that with all these technologies, the PS3 can't be offered at a price that's targeted towards households.
  • Highlighting Sony's desire to attract consumers interested in high-end, convergent technology with the PS3.

• Brazil? People there lacks money even to buy food.
  • E3 2000, when asked about the possibility of PlayStation consoles officially in Brazil.

• It is Microsoft. And I will kill them.
  • 1994, when asked who he thought the biggest competition would be for his upcoming PlayStation game console.