Ex-Sony President Says Microsoft has an Identity Crisis While PS4 is a “Runaway Success”

In an interview with CNET, former Sony Computer Entertainment America President and CEO Jack Tretton spoke about his previous employer and their competitor. Mr. Tretton is an especially good source for info on the current console generation, considering he was the man that led Sony going into the launch of the PS4. Few gamers will forget his “mic drop” moment from E3 2013 where he declared the PS4 would support used games, feature no intrusive DRM, and would be priced $100 less than the Xbox One. Microsoft ended up reversing course and mirroring a lot of Sony’s plans, but that has caused its own problems according to Tretton.

I think they’ve got a little bit of an identity crisis going on right now

When asked about Microsoft, Tretton seemed to have a positive view overall, but said that they still have some work to do to fix their image. “I think they’ve got a little bit of an identity crisis going on right now,” said Tretton. “Although I think that they’ve kind of come out of it, but I don’t know if the average gamer is fully aware of that. You still hear a lot of people talking about their initial presentation for the Xbox One, and a lot of the confusion over DRM, the ability to use used games, and to have it on. Of course they made, ultimately I think, the right decision in all of those areas, but because that was a departure from what they initially said, that baggage tends to stick with you.”

Moving on, Tretton was asked about Sony and how they have fared after his departure from the company. “I think the PlayStation 4 is a runaway success, and I’m very proud of what we were able to accomplish there,” said Tretton. “That was an amazing thing. I think one of the big challenges for Sony and for the PS4 is that it’s a very expensive industry, and you’ve got some real fierce competition. So, I think keeping their eye on the prize, and being focused on the crown jewel is gonna be the smartest move for them. I think anything that takes their focus off of that could ultimately leave the door open for competition.”