AfterDawn: News

Ken Kutaragi removed from president position

In a recent review of Sony's management of their vulnerable Playstation line, President and proclaimed "father of Playstation", Ken Kutaragi has been removed of his President status. In a recent move, he will now no longer be involved in day-to-day decisions of the Playstation line. Head of the US department in Playstation, Kazuo Hirai will now take over his position.

That's not to say that Kutaragi isn't going to have an integral part in Sony, only not directly involved in what they do with their Playstation line in the future. He's been reappointed to Chairman (as opposed to President and COO). In Japan, the title of Chairman does not hold the same respect as Cheif Operations Officer. Part of this could be blamed for delays in their new PS3 console and less than stellar sales of their PSP. With an anemic launch in both Japan and the US, coupled with a delayed European launch until March, Sony was none too happy about Kutaragi's handling of their flagship console.



Source:
Reuters

Written by: Dave Horvath @ 30 Nov 2006 4:56

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• 33 comments

• connolly

  The guy was a PR liability. No big surprise.

  30.11.2006 05:23 #1

• cloning

  Kaz Hirai knows about Playstation same as i know.
  

  30.11.2006 05:30 #2

• pablova

  hallelujah is was a piece of shiser

  30.11.2006 05:43 #3

• connolly

  But what is a massive surprise, is to see davedough doing yet another 'sony are shit' story. Do you have googlebots on permanent stand-by.

  30.11.2006 06:04 #4

• wheatking

  Adios,jackass. Thanks for an over-priced, over-hyped console.

  30.11.2006 06:38 #5

• psyantist

  haaa-haaaaaa

  30.11.2006 07:00 #6

• ZippyDSM

  why could they not do this 2 years ago...altho I doubt he had anything to do with design and such more a PR head that had voices in it 0-o

  30.11.2006 07:13 #7

• ZippyDSM

  connolly
  and your problem is?
  Ken Kutaragi did more damage to the PSP/PS3 than anyone else.....

  30.11.2006 07:34 #8

• handsom

  ZippyDSM has a very valid point. This is great news for gamers in any camp. He was baltantly insulting the customers, he was making bold, rash, and embarassing statements for the company with pride. He's not who you want representing the biggest game system manufacturer in the world.
  
  It was making gamers look bad on all sides, showing the world that we think it's okay to insult and look down on us while taking our money.
  
  While I'm not a huge fan, Sony is better than that. As a company, they know not to say things like "We could win even without any actual games" and that people will buy your product no matter what because of an established brand. I'm now just surprised this didn't happen sooner, but it was probably a long time coming; they probably just wanted to wait until after the majority of the launch, so as not to appear weak in the marketplace.
  
  Really though, this is a good thing. And for the Sony fans, this isn't a strike against Sony, it's actually in your favor. Ken was making you look bad, and now that's going to stop; it should all be uphill from here.

  30.11.2006 07:41 #9

• ZippyDSM

  TO me its simple reduce the PSP by 25-40% halve the UDM movie price and start reinvigorating the game line that would help the PSP
  
  As for the PS3....forget abotu the current launch fix the problems that are popping up with the current systems,the next batch of systems will be a new revision with the newer firmware in it put HDMI cables in the premium package and reduce the "core" package by 100$.
  its called balance if you want to play the "OMG is teh power" game the Xbox did be ready to lose ALOT of money on console sales to sell the games to make money....
  __________________

  30.11.2006 08:17 #10

• Davedough

  connolly,
  
  It really is surprising to me how many people feel that I'm on an anti-Sony campaign. I don't believe Sony is shit, as you call it. I support Sony with many different products that I own. I don't quite understand how it's my fault, as an online content editor, that Sony has been given a lot of bad press lately. I wasn't working for aD during the time of the Xbox 360 launch, or I probably would have had a lot to say about overheating issues and the like. My job is to bring news to the masses and, good or bad, I can't help it if a company ostracizes themselves with bad corporate decisions.

  30.11.2006 08:25 #11

• ZippyDSM

  Davedough
  meh SO far I have not seen you being harsh on sony just realisitc :X
  ^^

  30.11.2006 08:30 #12

• connolly

  @ zippy dsm
  
  read my first post. PR liability and all that.
  
  @ davedough
  
  I suppose when the prodominant news stories circulating are the Sony mess-up variety then you can't be blamed for reporting them. I just can't see much balanced opinions at the moment. Maybe that will come. Apologies for any ill feeling.

  30.11.2006 09:41 #13

• ToxicFish

  I wonder if Kutaragi had anything to do with Sony crippling the PS3..? 256MB of onboard memory?!?! WTF is wrong with them. The more resources a platform has, the better the developers can work with it. Atleast 512 man... Damn I hate Sony for this.
  
  Even if Kutaragi had nothing to deal with this. He has made Sony look like fools for the past few months. He had it coming.

  30.11.2006 09:46 #14

• ripfuel

  Now maybe Sony will be able to get more units out when they say they will. It is very important for Sony to meet the demands of the customer, they want more units when they were first promised. Hopefully things will turn around now. We will have to just wait and see...

  30.11.2006 09:56 #15

• oofRome

  Connolly, this isn't even a negative story about Sony, it's a story about Ken Kutaragi. And like handsom said, this is actually good news.

  30.11.2006 10:06 #16

• ZippyDSM

  ripfuel
  Unless they do at least 2 of things I have mentioned for the PSP the PSP will not get any better,they might have plans to replace it in acoulpe years anyway 0-o
  
  as for the PS3 get on the ball and fixs all the problems NOW,delay the next batch if need be,to make up for the delay and for the first launch reduce the core by 100$ and add HDMI cables to the premium....other than that I really cant see much else "helping" hem more.

  30.11.2006 10:06 #17

• john_jaxs

  Ken has become an liability to Sony, costing them money and making absurd statements, and the possibility that he already cost Sony the console war by letting to many exclusives slip through his grasp because of his greed.
  
  This is more then likely a PR move, but also a inside move as many gaming companies like Rockstar has blamed him for titles like GTA not being an exclusive to Sony.
  
  In my opinion they probably would had gotten rid of him completely, but he most likely has some kind of clause in his contract to protect him or something that would deal serious damage to Sony, like knowing most of their secrets/moves and the possibility of Microsoft picking him up after Sony dropped him.

  30.11.2006 10:26 #18

• 21Q

  Not to that i'm a sony fanboy but this comes as a suprise to me. Despite recent problems I wouldn't direct them to him.

  30.11.2006 10:57 #19

• OzMick

  No more Krazy Ken? Awww, now who can we make fun of?

  30.11.2006 16:12 #20

• georgeluv

  "We could win even without any actual games"
  
  maybe he wasnt being an ass, maybe he is simply aware that playstation 2 was the pirates dream for a system. and the pirates still needed the ps2 hardware.
  
  so if they just flat out opened the market up and made the games all open source they would crush everyone. no one would buy the systems that used games that cost money and sony would sell butt loads of hardware.
  
  the ps2 has like no protection at all, we are talking no need to even use a mod chip. and they didnt fix that with the slim ether. you could play the backups online and crack the encryption so easily. it definatly seemed like sony wasnt trying very hard to stop piracy.
  
  it made me wonder if sony always has that as the backup plan for when other people start thinking about it or, more rationaly, if/when file sharing becomes totaly legal the world over.

  2.12.2006 08:11 #21

• ToxicFish

  Quote:georgeluv (Member) 2 December 2006 13:11
  ...
  the ps2 has like no protection at all, we are talking no need to even use a mod chip. and they didnt fix that with the slim ether. you could play the backups online and crack the encryption so easily. it definatly seemed like sony wasnt trying very hard to stop piracy.Quote:What do you mean it has no protection? What do you mean Sony wasn't trying to stop piracy?
  
  The only way that you can boot games on the PS2 without a mod chip is by using a methods that simulate a real game actually being inserted. Swap Magic and AR MAX disks can't be burned at home. They are stamped at factories because only factories can write the nessassary date in the parts of the disks that need to be allocated.
  
  Ever notice how the memory card exploit does not work on slimlines. Yeah, Sony made it a point to improve it's security. You don't know crap about what you're talking about.

  2.12.2006 10:02 #22

• ZippyDSM

  georgeluv
  step back and think...soemthign I need to do more but meh,the PS2 has had 16ish revisions including the 50% of of that iffy hardware or price reduceing the other reason to it was Copy protection patching and believe you me they did ALOT of that.
  
  Sony did a fair job at CPing Nintendo always dose a above avrage job,MS didnt really try hard enough...

  2.12.2006 11:34 #23

• Blazter

  I dont know about everyone else but I am buying a Nintendo Wii. The price is better and those games look awesome. Nice to see someone doing something different.
  Also, I will never buy anything from Sony again after trying their crappy "bean" mp3 player.

  4.12.2006 09:14 #24

• handsom

  Ken Kutaragi should go to work as spokesperson for the RIAA. They'd be a great couple.
  
  Sony was wise to remove him from his post, he's not who you want on the frontlines.
  

  Professional Grade Glass Etching - Get your favorite Game/Movie/Anime logos etched into glass, PM me for info.

  4.12.2006 09:36 #25

• solarf

  Ken is just insane is all. Good for sony I guess i myself prefer MS

  6.12.2006 07:42 #26

• BluRay

  I feel as if, and as much as it hurts me to say it, I feel Sony are becoming more and more desperate.
  
  They almost goofed up on everything to do with the console and launch dates etc. They ran into so many problems, that I don't think they might find a way out of this one, but I hope they do find a way out.

  4.1.2007 05:39 #27

• handsom

  lol. We're in opposite positions then.
  
  I think they will, because they're Sony.
  
  I hope they won't, because they're Sony.
  
  Sorry, but after them making numerous statements that aren't just negative, but actually personally slap their own consumers in the face, even attacking the very dignity of their buyers; I sincerely hope for their failure.
  

  Professional Grade Glass Etching - Get your favorite Game/Movie/Anime logos etched into glass, PM me for info.

  8.1.2007 12:24 #28

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by handsom:lol. We're in opposite positions then.
  
  I think they will, because they're Sony.
  
  I hope they won't, because they're Sony.
  
  Sorry, but after them making numerous statements that aren't just negative, but actually personally slap their own consumers in the face, even attacking the very dignity of their buyers; I sincerely hope for their failure.*bonk* how ya been man?
  
  meh Ken left and Sony is still insane.....0-o
  

  
  
  FIGHT THE M.A.F.I.A.A.
  Sony has declared war on importers the consumer will be next with CD's,Videos/Games not far behind that....boycott SONY!
  http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/8062.cfm

  9.1.2007 14:18 #29

• handsom

  lol; yeah. Sony is honestly going to be so much better off without him, but in the short time he's been gone; they've already made statements that they don't need key franchises that gave them an edge, like Grand Theft Auto. Because that wasn't a major landmark, probably justifying well over 50% of Sony PS2 purchases.... right.
  
  Anywho, I'm doing alright, recouperating from a tsunamai of problems, which I can't really detail. But I've sort of crafted my way out of them (God willing) and I think I've finally found the light at the end of the tunnel... Unless there's another 'collapse' *Fingers crossed*.
  
  Wewt! I've missed the boards lately, but I've really barely gotten to check anything but the (still fledgeling) Wii boards, which are full of individuals who speculate wildly impossible things.... It's sometimes satisfying to step on their hopes and dreams for the new system {Even though I myself own one}. Heh heh heh.
  

  Professional Grade Glass Etching - Get your favorite Game/Movie/Anime logos etched into glass, PM me for info.

  10.1.2007 05:27 #30

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by handsom:lol; yeah. Sony is honestly going to be so much better off without him, but in the short time he's been gone; they've already made statements that they don't need key franchises that gave them an edge, like Grand Theft Auto. Because that wasn't a major landmark, probably justifying well over 50% of Sony PS2 purchases.... right.
  
  Anywho, I'm doing alright, recouperating from a tsunamai of problems, which I can't really detail. But I've sort of crafted my way out of them (God willing) and I think I've finally found the light at the end of the tunnel... Unless there's another 'collapse' *Fingers crossed*.
  
  Wewt! I've missed the boards lately, but I've really barely gotten to check anything but the (still fledgeling) Wii boards, which are full of individuals who speculate wildly impossible things.... It's sometimes satisfying to step on their hopes and dreams for the new system {Even though I myself own one}. Heh heh heh.the WII needs to focus on gaming and game control,bring back all fasects of quality gaming if they fail to do that they will live off the gimmicky control system for the WII alone...and that no one wants to see.
  

  
  
  FIGHT THE M.A.F.I.A.A.
  Sony has declared war on importers the consumer will be next with CD's,Videos/Games not far behind that....boycott SONY!
  http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/8062.cfm

  10.1.2007 08:04 #31

• handsom

  I agree, but I think they'll succeed on that front. They did very well with the DS after they got past the 'gimmicky' state; very well in fact.
  
  Every time a new input is made widely available like this, gimmicks absolutely ABOUND. Look at how many bad games came out when CD-Roms first started being used for games, that wasn't even INPUT; it was just better storage. And for half a decade, terrible games came out based entirely around poor acting, and bad CGI graphics designed to 'suck you in' to a sub par game.
  
  The introduction of real, practical 3d wasn't much better with gaming. We got a lot of sub par platformers, etc that only survived because they were in that 'ne fangled third dimension'.... Visions of Croc and Croc II come to mind, among others. Not all of them were bad, but none of them were very good; and that quality would not have survived at any other time.
  
  The DS saw gimmicky titles for a long while, but eventually did break out of that slump (Thankfully), and I think Nintendo is smart enough to pull through this one too. They've so far made a point of releasing titles that AREN'T gimmicky, but just plain fun; like Zelda, which doesn't involve swinging your arms wildly to and fro, lol. Some third party developers get it, Atlus, for one, did spectacularly by releasing a souped up Trauma Center title right away. The game makes masterful use of the remote in ways that feel much less gimmicky, and much more practical. I almost prefer it to the original.
  
  One thing that certainly hasn't changed: It doesn't matter how fast your processor is, how much memory is in the system, or how much different your controller is... The only way to win a console war is by getting consumer loyalty through good(generally exclusive) games.
  

  Professional Grade Glass Etching - Get your favorite Game/Movie/Anime logos etched into glass, PM me for info.

  10.1.2007 11:49 #32

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by handsom:I agree, but I think they'll succeed on that front. They did very well with the DS after they got past the 'gimmicky' state; very well in fact.
  
  Every time a new input is made widely available like this, gimmicks absolutely ABOUND. Look at how many bad games came out when CD-Roms first started being used for games, that wasn't even INPUT; it was just better storage. And for half a decade, terrible games came out based entirely around poor acting, and bad CGI graphics designed to 'suck you in' to a sub par game.
  
  The introduction of real, practical 3d wasn't much better with gaming. We got a lot of sub par platformers, etc that only survived because they were in that 'ne fangled third dimension'.... Visions of Croc and Croc II come to mind, among others. Not all of them were bad, but none of them were very good; and that quality would not have survived at any other time.
  
  The DS saw gimmicky titles for a long while, but eventually did break out of that slump (Thankfully), and I think Nintendo is smart enough to pull through this one too. They've so far made a point of releasing titles that AREN'T gimmicky, but just plain fun; like Zelda, which doesn't involve swinging your arms wildly to and fro, lol. Some third party developers get it, Atlus, for one, did spectacularly by releasing a souped up Trauma Center title right away. The game makes masterful use of the remote in ways that feel much less gimmicky, and much more practical. I almost prefer it to the original.
  
  One thing that certainly hasn't changed: It doesn't matter how fast your processor is, how much memory is in the system, or how much different your controller is... The only way to win a console war is by getting consumer loyalty through good(generally exclusive) games.I dunno the PS2 did "well" by having the most games,I think that will do it more than anything else and yes exclusive's do help but they are not the end all.
  Why do I see similarities in game and auto industries the auto industry is loseing sight decade by decade building over the top vehicles that might last for 5 years,I swear if one would build simple easy to fix vehicles (easy removeable parts) a update on the model T if you will thy would make a killing,the same can be said for competence in the game industry over the top graphics shallow gameplay...blah...just blah...
  

  
  
  FIGHT THE M.A.F.I.A.A.
  Sony has declared war on importers the consumer will be next with CD's,Videos/Games not far behind that....boycott SONY!
  http://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/8062.cfm

  10.1.2007 13:46 #33