Those who watched/heard/read about Sony’s Gamescom press conference know that they added quite a pointed barb at Microsoft. Microsoft has responded, and I’m getting dizzy with the spin!
On Tuesday night, Andrew House ended the Sony press conference with the pointed comment
While others have shifted their message and changed their story, we were consistent in maintaining a message that is fair and in tune with consumer desires.
This is clearly directed at Microsoft’s 180 on always online and DRM issues. Well, Microsoft gave this a nice PR spin when speaking to Eurogamer. Phil Spencer explained:
The two-way conversation we have with our customers is a strength. Certain people have tried to turn that into something that’s a bad thing about what we’re trying to do, and I just disagree.
That two-way conversation with gamers has to be core to who we are as a platform. And if we don’t have the capability of listening and reacting to what people are saying about our platform, then we’re being too disconnected from customers who make investments in our platform and the games we build.
It seems that MajorNelson was on cue when he spoke to us as well. The party line seems to be that they didn’t reverse anything, but rather added on:
Now, we have a vision, and we’ve stayed on that vision around the digital ecosystem we want to put on Xbox Live. It remains a core philosophy. We heard people valued some of the existing generation’s disc-based DRM, so we said we’re going to add that to the digital ecosystem we’re building.
Look, I’m happy with the policy changes, and I think it will make the Xbox One a better console. Also, I know that any company would be stupid not to spin things in their favor. I just wish that Microsoft had the subtlety to do it better. How about saying “we were wrong originally, thank you for making yourselves heard”, or giving it a “power to the people” vibe? There are more playful, fun and creative ways to be spin doctors!
Last Updated: August 22, 2013
Admiral Chief Raider of Tombs
August 22, 2013 at 14:08
Man, needs more WUB WUB
Kromas
August 22, 2013 at 14:09
Yeah these MS screwed up/Sony rules articles needs a bit more spice. I suggest naked WUB WUB.
Admiral Chief Raider of Tombs
August 22, 2013 at 14:10
Naked WUB WUB with beer and biltong and guns and bacon and kaaskrulle
Kromas
August 22, 2013 at 14:11
And then we blow up the E-Toll gantries! I suggest all this goes down on National Braai Day!
Admiral Chief Raider of Tombs
August 22, 2013 at 14:22
Agreed
CypherGate
August 22, 2013 at 14:14
NAked WUB WUB with Jack Dagnells, Bacon and Epic Mealtime!
HvR
August 22, 2013 at 14:34
Throw some left to right ass in mix and you have reached the apogee of awesomeness
CypherGate
August 22, 2013 at 14:39
and rightfully so you deserve an unsuccessful successful handshake
HvR
August 22, 2013 at 14:23
Time to send them to the Filthy University of WUB WUB
Admiral Chief Raider of Tombs
August 22, 2013 at 14:29
dddddrop the bass
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 22, 2013 at 14:08
“Two-way conversation” lol Pull the other one, it’s got bells on.
He’s correct if “two-way” means first they tried it one way & everyone must deal with it, then when people threw their toys & told them to get lost, they decided to try it a second way.
Admiral Chief Raider of Tombs
August 22, 2013 at 14:09
“That two-way conversation with gamers has to be core to who we are as a platform”
InsanityFlea
August 22, 2013 at 14:19
These game press conference’s is just the male version of teens screaming at a Bieber concert.
ElimiNathan
August 22, 2013 at 14:20
“Adding” doesn’t count if you take something from your old console and put it into your new one
Hammersteyn
August 22, 2013 at 14:21
Two conversation? Yeah that tends to happen when people strike or when a boycott is on the cards. Or in this case people simply doesn’t want to buy your product. Then you start to listen to the masses.
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 22, 2013 at 14:22
Did the old Major just confirm everyone’s suspicion that always online is just a DRM measure with that lovely, lovely quote?
My understanding was people liked the disc content, not the disc DRM…
CrasH
August 22, 2013 at 14:28
Got to love how this works… ever seen the movie “Thanks for Smoking” cause this is exactly what it is like.
Just focus Negative on the other and you don’t have to focus positive on yourself.
CrasH
August 22, 2013 at 14:34
Or is this the case of the guy who wet his pants in school and now even though he drives and expesive car and lives in a house 10 times your size and only has to work 1 month in the year but at every school reunion or when you see him in the street, all you can remeber and tell people is that he wet himself…
RinceThisandbeAbsurd
August 22, 2013 at 14:28
Am I the only one in thinking… http://cdn.arwrath.com/1/112255.gif
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 22, 2013 at 14:33
I was more this…
http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7hb1qT4xu1rziwwco1_250.gif
Troll Slayer
August 22, 2013 at 15:27
They both look like they wanna come out of the closet :/
Jakster
August 22, 2013 at 14:43
Sony is a sinking ship gloating about a device that’s not yet released. They are the ones that “need” to win over gamers. This is only the beginning of next-gen, tune in in for more action or indie action, if you swing that way.
Brian Murphy
August 22, 2013 at 14:47
Silly troll, back to the basement with ye.
Troll Slayer
August 22, 2013 at 15:27
He has a valid point. Sony share price down 1/5th since X1 announcement.
Brian Murphy
August 22, 2013 at 16:10
No, he actually has no point. None at all. If you’re trying to suggest that gamer’s look to a companies stock value before making a purchase…seriously, I’ll give you a moment to mull that fallacy over in your head. The vast majority of gamer’s can’t even be bothered to research the titles they’re purchasing, what makes you seriously think that gamer’s are going so far above and beyond that?
Sony needs to win over gamers? Since when? Since the PS3 overtook the 360 in sales? Or since the Xbox One reveal sent masses over to Sony’s side? If anything, Microsoft has had to win over gamer’s after their reveal. It’s not Sony’s fault they came out with the policies they did. No matter how much company loyalists wish to decry the treatment, Microsoft brought this on themselves, and they’re having to claw back into it, themselves. Sony is simply returning the favor of how Microsoft behaved when the PS3 launched.
Why wouldn’t Sony gloat over a device that hasn’t launched yet? Do you expect them to just shit on their own device in the lead-up to said devices launch? You’re not very familiar with advertising, are you? Let me ask another way, when Microsoft released the 360, and the RRoD issue was quickly revealed. Did Microsoft shit all over themselves regarding it? Did they decry their own knowledge of the RRoD issue, that they knew about prior to launch, but did nothing? Or did they draw attention away from that, by extolling the other virtues of the 360 hardware?
Pieter Kruger
August 22, 2013 at 17:16
Xbox one is stronger than ever and the will sell millions and millions of consoles and they will keep bringing top AAA 1st, 2nd and 3rd party games to their fans for years to come! That makes me very happy! ????
Brian Murphy
August 22, 2013 at 17:24
I never said they wouldn’t. Please feel free to point out where I did. Try to follow the conversation more closely, it’s silly to have to rehash the entire discussion because someone feels compelled to add something that wasn’t even being discussed in the first place.
Pieter Kruger
August 22, 2013 at 17:41
Just thought I’d let you know how happy I am with MS and the Xbox One that’s all! ????. Thought you’d be happy for me but it seems I made you sad in doing so? ???? Sorry bro!
Brian Murphy
August 22, 2013 at 17:52
Well, I’m glad you’re happy with Microsoft. If Sony buries them, there’s no competition. Doesn’t mean that Microsoft didn’t create the issues they’re currently facing and having to retract/alter their position. Which is what we were discussing before you chimed in.
And no, when people make choices for themselves, it doesn’t bother me.
Brady miaau
August 23, 2013 at 09:45
Gamers do not look at stock announcement or anything like that. Well, I do. but I am not a hardcore] gamer.
Announcement like that are an indication of what the analysts think will happen to the company profits in the future and comprises of some many points that gamers and consoles may hardly feature in that.
Mathias
August 22, 2013 at 15:09
I laughed at the first jab $ony took at M$ on E3. This one… It seemed low, worthless and a kind of desperate attemp to mimic what happened in June, and it didn’t work. The cheering was akward… Stop focusing on what the other company does and do your own thing.
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
August 22, 2013 at 17:27
hahahaha Oh Microsoft, you’re so funny!
iPrimal
August 23, 2013 at 03:10
If they truly had good communication with their audience, they wouldn’t have made the mistake in the first place. The issue is that they are getting an Apple mentality (always thinking that they know best, and sheep should follow, not complain).
2 words could’ve prevented this; focus groups.