Ken Kutaragi is Resigning

[joeybastard]

PlayStation creator Ken Kutaragi is resigning from Sony's videogame unit, the latest development in CEO Howard Stringer's stepped-up efforts to turn around the company.

 

Story

 

This should be interesting to see how this plays out on the future of the PS3.

[Gregory DG]

I wonder if this is a sign that Sony views the PS3 as a failure?

 

I remember when the Virtual Boy bombed and Gunpei Yokoi was "fired" (asked to leave, whatever) even after creating the highly successful GameBoy.

[Atarifever]

This is like when a team utterly sucks in every single area and they fire the coach as a sign that things are going to change. The coach might have been the best thing about the team, but firing him just sends a big message with a minimum of lost talent.

 

If the PS3 bombs in the end it will likely be due to pressure from the company overall to have Blu-Ray in there to save the whole company, despite the Playstation line itself not having been in need of saving. Thus, perhaps the only person not to be all that responsible will be the guy they just fired (his few cases of mispeaking aside).

 

This quote says it all for me:

Since taking over the helm of Sony nearly two years ago, Mr. Stringer has been trying to get the company's fractious business divisions to work together to create products that better integrate software.Sony's videogame unit, fiercely controlled by Mr. Kutaragi, had been known to be one of Sony's most independent subsidiaries.

 

Yeah, how dare he try to run a videogame division. Doesn't he know Sony makes movies and CDs?

Edited April 26, 2007 by Atarifever

[8th lutz]

I saw this coming. I have to say the person who will be placing him, Kazuo Hirai will be the hot seat. This guy in the past had been opening his mouth like like ken has at times in the past.

 

As far Ken goes, I think the ps 3 and the psp, was something that sony's other divisions wanted and it was not much in ken' s hands for those two products. Sony made the two systems in order help out sales in other divisions. I wonder if Sony may pull a "Sega" with the ps 3 soon? I am not talking this year, but next year at the earliest.

[joeybastard]

I don't think this means the "death" of the PS3 at all. I think it just means a vastly different marketing/advertising strategy.

[Flojomojo]

It definitely sends a message about the PS3's perceived success from within Sony. Kutaragi's fall is pretty much the classic Greek tragedy about the dangers of hubris.

 

Icarus

Caesar

Anakin Skywalker

Napoleon Bonaparte

Donald Rumsfeld

Ken Kutaragi

[8th lutz]

I don't think this means the "death" of the PS3 at all. I think it just means a vastly different marketing/advertising strategy.

Of course it doesn't mean death of the ps 3 yet. The only way to find out is in 2008 or 2009. If the ps 3 continues to sell like it it does Japan: Sony will be even more concerned. 2 weeks ago in Japan, the ps 3 sold under 12, 000 units. This was the 2 or 3rd week a row at least the hardware sales in Japan went down for the ps 3. America is not bad as Japan, but Having the GBA outselling the Ps3 in March is not good sign in america. If I remembered right GBA sold 145,000 hardware units.

 

I think biggest indication of how well the ps 3 is when The next final fantasy game get released the ps 3. Final Fantasy is one of the biggest measuring sticks on how well a system sells.

Edited April 26, 2007 by 8th lutz

[MCHufnagel]

If the ps 3 continues to sell like it it does Japan: Sony will be even more concerned. 2 weeks ago in Japan, the ps 3 sold under 12, 000 units. This was the 2 or 3rd week a row at least the hardware sales in Japan went down for the ps 3. America is not bad as Japan, but Having the GBA outselling the Ps3 in March is not good sign in america. If I remembered right GBA sold 145,000 hardware units.

 

I think biggest indication of how well the ps 3 is when The next final fantasy game get released the ps 3. Final Fantasy is one of the biggest measuring sticks on how well a system sells.

Dragon Quest IX is going to be on the DS. This tells us all we need to know what Japan (at least SE) thinks of the PS3. Of course Sega didn't win Japan with the Genesis and it was highly successful console. Losing one region doesn't mean that a system is doomed.

 

I look at this as a conflict between Kutaragi and Stringer. Kutaragi lost when Stringer became CEO. This is just the final chapter of that story.

[darklord1977]

Good:) now hopefully things will start running smoothly for the ps3

[Steril707]

I hope the PS3 doesnt die...I wasn't the biggest fan of Sonys decisions in the last year, but i certainly don't want only Microsoft to be left next to Nintendo in the console market...

[bones]

It's official, Ken has resigned. Article below for reference. Shame really, as someone else mentioned I doubt he was the one pining to put Bluray in the PS3.

 

TOKYO - The chief architect of Sony's PlayStation game console stepped down Tuesday as the Japanese company struggles to defend its dominance in the video game industry and revive its reputation as an electronics pioneer.

 

Ken Kutaragi, 56, retired as Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.'s chairman and group chief executive, the gaming unit said Tuesday. The unit is now headed by Kazuo Hirai, SCE's former president and chief operating officer.

 

Kutaragi had already been relieved of day-to-day responsibilities as president last year but stayed on as chief executive and chairman. In April, he announced his intention to retire from those positions this month.

 

Though no longer a board member, Kutaragi will hold an advisory post at the gaming unit, according to SCE official Sayoka Henmi.

 

The departure of Kutaragi, an icon among gamers, marks the end of an era at Sony Corp (NYSE:SNE - news). that saw the company dominate the video game industry with its flagship PlayStation consoles.

 

But it also highlights troubles amid a series of blunders over the rollout of its PlayStation 3 and intense competition from Nintendo Co.'s Wii console and Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360.

 

Kutaragi's most recent brainchild, the PlayStation 3, has been marred by embarrassing production shortages and a $600 price tag that some fans said was too steep. It went on sale late last year.

 

Tokyo-based Sony shipped 5.5 million PS3 machines in the fiscal year through March 31, fewer than the 6 million the company had targeted. Nintendo shipped 5.84 million Wii consoles worldwide during the same period.

 

The PS3's hefty startup costs have weighed heavily on the company's fight to drive up profit in its core electronics division. Sony is not expecting to post a profit in its game business until the fiscal year ending March 2009.

 

The flop has added to the woes facing the maker of the iconic Walkman, which has ceded its leadership in portable music players to Apple Inc.'s iPod.

[+Charlie Cat]

PlayStation creator Ken Kutaragi is resigning from Sony's videogame unit, the latest development in CEO Howard Stringer's stepped-up efforts to turn around the company.

 

Story

 

This should be interesting to see how this plays out on the future of the PS3.

 

Ken Kutaragi, received (In corporate Japan) a Window Seat!! The reason its called a Widow Seat is when Prominent Workers make high cost mistakes in a product that is already established on the market. What happens is, instead of recommending you, or give important work in a day-to-day operation, they demote you (for a short time) and make you sit by a widow doing meaningless work and then put you back in your regular position. Unfortunately, despite that he help create Playstation 1 and 2 (which are excellent references) it doesn't matter to the Japanese, because they try to set an example on what they do for Punishment. Poor Ken Kutaragi received just that, just like Gunpei Yokoi with the Virtual Boy.

 

Anthony...

[Lauren Tyler]

Did he actually get a Window Seat? Oh jeez...

 

Seriously, though, now that he's gone I hope the PS3 price goes down.

[NightSprinter]

They're still trying to work on that. For them they're trying to figure out how to not lose even more money from a price cut.

[tantone56]

I think that all can be forgiven if they include HD cables and a rumble controller from now on. At least I know that would put my mind at ease over the price of it.

[Lauren Tyler]

Ken Kutaragi, received (In corporate Japan) a Window Seat!! The reason its called a Widow Seat is when Prominent Workers make high cost mistakes in a product that is already established on the market. What happens is, instead of recommending you, or give important work in a day-to-day operation, they demote you (for a short time) and make you sit by a widow doing meaningless work and then put you back in your regular position. Unfortunately, despite that he help create Playstation 1 and 2 (which are excellent references) it doesn't matter to the Japanese, because they try to set an example on what they do for Punishment. Poor Ken Kutaragi received just that, just like Gunpei Yokoi with the Virtual Boy.

Anthony...

 

 

In Japan they have a lot of unusual punishments that are exceptionally harsh. I'm guessing it's part of traditions, but some are still rather unusual.

 

Case in point: Sometime last year there was a case of a train that derailed because it took a curve too fast, and several people were killed. The reason behind this was because the operator had left the previous station later than anticipated and was trying to make up for lost time. Because what happens is if you're late by even just a minute to any station, all of your superiors stand around you and berate you. Not something that I'd want to face either.

 

Tragically, the operator was one of the casualties in that accident.

 

The Window Seat, however, was truly a new one on me though.

[NightSprinter]

Oh, this position's been around for some time. The last person in the gaming industry I know who received it sadly was the late Gunpei Yokoi. This was due to the failure of the Virtual Boy.

[Lauren Tyler]

Oh, this position's been around for some time. The last person in the gaming industry I know who received it sadly was the late Gunpei Yokoi. This was due to the failure of the Virtual Boy.

 

I know, that was how I learned about it. I also have to wonder what other penalties he faced as a result.