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Gaming Monday, January 21st 2013 at 4:45 pm

Sony Releasing PlayStation 4 After New Xbox, Will Allegedly Give Them an Edge

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There was once a time when Sony never would have dreamed of letting the competition get a head start reaching the market before any of their PlayStation consoles. But going into 2013, the company has achieved some level of mature wisdom since releasing the PlayStation 3, with Sony’s CEO, Kaz Hirai, hinting that the upcoming PlayStation 4 will be released after Microsoft’s successor to the Xbox 360. Certainly a bold statement on Hirai’s part, especially when buzz around Sony’s corporate office seems to be saying otherwise.

CVG reported that an anonymous contact from inside Sony stated that the company would not be allowing Microsoft to stake their claim first in the next console war by delaying the release of the PlayStation 4, noting that a similar mistake was made back in 2005 when the Xbox 360 hit the market before Sony could react, providing the rival console adequate time to establish an increasingly dominant presence.

Conversely, Hirai firmly believes that there is much to be gained by allowing the distinguished competition to present their offerings first. His reasoning is predicated on the Sun Tzu-esque philosophy that being tardy to the party grants the opportunity to analyze the specifications of rival consoles and, with this knowledge, work to develop a better product, while preventing Microsoft from doing the same.

As per the norm, we know next to nothing about the PlayStation 4 or whether the company will abide by Hirai’s business convictions, although it has been reported that the world will get their first glimpse of Sony’s next brainchild during February’s Destination PlayStation event. It may be a month away, but we’re calling it right now: Bill Gates will show up to the console’s demonstration disguised in a trench coat, fedora, and Groucho Marx glasses.

(CVG via Digital Spy, image via m-s-y)

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  • J Shampton

    It’s definitely a risky strategy. I think if they were capable of bringing out the PS4 first, and far enough ahead of the Xbox 360, they would do it. Looking at the amazing success of the Wii, it’s possible that this next generation of games will be defined by their controllers… it will be interesting to see what the Xbox and the PS4 will have to offer.

  • http://blog.coatesism.com/ Shaun M Coates

    Sony needs to focus on Sony and not let Microsoft (or Nintendo) drive their direction. If they deliver the best PlayStation experience that they can, then they will be fine.

    When I get my PS4, I want it finely tuned without any gimmicks.

  • Jack Bond

    They’re waiting for the competition to show them what they’re going to be making.

  • Anonymous

    I agree. They just owned Microsoft with Blu-Ray. Unfortunately once Kinect came out, Sony focused on the PS Move.

  • Matthius311

    really? there was a time when sony wouldn’t dream of letting the competition release something sooner than them? That’s weird, because the xbox 360 came out almost a whole year before the ps3. whoever wrote this article is obviously retarded.

  • J Cam

    this past 2 weeks, there’s been all kinds of rumors that sony’y has been rushing to get their system out first, plus a so called official leak on the system’s specs last week by a site called Digital Foundry, which was spread to a wider audience by the site noshitshurlock and by vg24/7. seems like the info doesn’t really have credibility, and neither do the 3 sites.

    but… i wouldn’t discount the possibility that this info here and the recent leaks are a bit of propoganda on the part of sony to throw microsoft off. rumors that the playstation will be announced between the end of february and april, i bet that doesn’t happen either.

    granted, there are developers hiring for next gen stuff, we know that, but there’s alot that can be done by developers before the system’s even been tweaked and finalized. especially if it’s a new intellectual property. assembling staff, writing, pre-production storyboard, concept hash outs, learning the developer tools, etc.

  • Ennio Balatini

    i hope microsoft doesn’t end up delaying their release; the ps4 announcement would thus have been superfluous and both ps4 and xbox 720 users wouldn’t get to have seen anything. That would have been cringingly annoying XD

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=687991878 Dave Diem Martinez

    For some, it’s too late. You mentioned no gimmicks, and sadly that’s the reason I sold mine, as I primarily used it for the bluray and as a media streamer, and it kept telling me which files I could and couldn’t play. They locked the machine down to the point of unusable. You lost your chance Sony.

  • http://profiles.google.com/joint.striker joint striker

    “There was once a time when Sony never would have dreamed of letting the competition get a head start reaching the market before any of their PlayStation consoles.”

    Wrong. The first Playstation console was launched after it’s market rival, the Sega Saturn. For several reasons that were no necessarily connected to it’s hardware capabilities, the PSX crushed the Saturn in less than a year. I think the head start is sometimes good in a way that allows you to evaluate the mistakes of others.

  • Asharp

    Well if any true playstation onwer knows sony know what they are doing with holding off and letting Microsoft release first by doing so once people buy the new xbox and sees what it does and how it plays sony drops the ps4 with better design and more feature like always people forget sony has been at and in the gaming businesses longer than Microsoft so don’t be fooled or mislead by Sony strategy.

  • X_Abraxas

    I wouldn’t believe this stuff, its all just speculation. But I do imagine that ps4 will hit after the new xbox. Its what they did last time. Personally I don’t really mind waiting a little while. We’ve got a handful of great games about to hit ps3, and I’ve got the Wii U to keep me company until I can get my hands on a real next-gen console. But be ready for a whole new host of consoles to be released soon. Valve is working on one (I know for a fact this is true, I know the person working on the controller). The Ouya will hit soon. Ps4. Xbox720. Plus the Wii U just hit. I wouldn’t buy any of them until you get to see what games are going to be coming out for them. I have a feeling this will be the age of exclusives. Chances are Playstation will cater to the mature audiences, which is probably why I’ll buy one (I hate those pre-pubescent voices in multiplayer!). But who know, maybe Microsoft will do something right, and if not…Valve? Yeah, sure. I’m interested in seeing other people’s heart rates while I play.

  • MasonLA23

    They were talking about when the Xbox 360 came out and surprised Sony. Sony dominated the gaming market until Microsoft released the Xbox 360. PS3 sales actually went up and Sony started to catch up with Microsoft on sales, even though the Xbox 360 was out a year or so before the PS3. My opinion would be for Sony to wait a month or two later and release. To make sure the PS4 or the new playstation is better. You sir are obviously ignorant. Learn to get your facts straight before commenting. Bye

  • SA

    Seriously Matthius, don’t go name-calling without properly reading something first. They were talking about previous generation consoles. If you read a few more sentences you would have seen “noting that a similar mistake was made back in 2005 when the Xbox 360 hit the market before Sony could react, providing the rival console adequate time to establish an increasingly dominant presence.”

  • Asharp

    Well if any true playstation onwer knows sony know what they are doing with holding off and letting Microsoft release first by doing so once people buy the new xbox and sees what it does and how it plays sony drops the ps4 with better design and more feature like always people forget sony has been at and in the gaming businesses longer than Microsoft so don’t be fooled or mislead by Sony strategy.

  • Anonymous

    Not bad Sony well played. Releasing later can give them just enough time to use a better processor on a different process. Or even get the same processor on a smaller process to save on cost upfront. Interesting times ahead.

  • Guest

    MAtthius311 you are a fool. Sony didn’t allow Microsoft to reslease the XBOX 360 early, Microsoft stole a march on Sony with the 360 who then scrabbled to catch up.

    Their strategy this time is that they will be reasy but intentionally hold back to let Microsoft to release an XBOX.

    First read, then comprehend, then comment chico, you’ll look like less of an ass this way.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/SG-Ali/100003477006163 SG Ali

    Matthius311 you are a fool. Sony didn’t allow Microsoft to reslease the XBOX 360 early, Microsoft stole a march on Sony with the 360 who then scrabbled to catch up.

    Their strategy this time is that they will be reasy but intentionally hold back to let Microsoft to release an XBOX.

    First read, then comprehend, then comment chico, you’ll look like less of an ass this way.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Anthony-Aha-Ha/173403053 Anthony Aha Ha

    Historically, PlayStation has ALWAYS released their systems after at least one competitor… not just the 360, but the PS2 was released after the Dreamcast, and the PSX after the Saturn. The first line of this article makes no sense.

  • PS4 fan

    This report is false, IGN and Machinima reported that Sony is hinting to releasing details of Ps4 in May, focus on games during E3 , and release the system in the fall…

  • PS4 fan

    This report is false, IGN and Machinima reported that Sony is hinting to releasing details of Ps4 in May, focus on games during E3 , and release the system in the fall…

  • PS4 fan

    Dont worry this report is FALSE

  • deadlyouth

    lol no matter who owns who, I still got to have both. Its what gamers do, play the game you desire you fanboys. I hate comparing these two cause I love em both!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/briancmckinley Brian C McKinley

    Hitler

  • WankRAgOfDeath

    I still have my ps1. Best console ever

  • Jerry McBride

    After the way they blocked Linux, I’ll never buy another Sony product and I’ll do my best to avoid Sony media.They suck so bad, you can hear the wind blowing….

  • http://twitter.com/Cornerss william

    its never too late, as Nintendo. Sega and other consoles used to be the bomb then they disappeared. Like microsoft , sony has other technology products that can run side by side their game consoles.Kind of how car races help the auto industry make our cars better.Microsoft and sony can use their other techs to make their consoles better and with less money and still stay on the edge, which usually costs a lot of money