Michael Ephraim responds to interview comments

For some reason, Sony executive Michael Ephraim manages to cause controversy when he comments on things. He’s made several notes about the pricing of Nintendo’s Wii and Microsoft’s Xbox 360 when The Age’s Screen Play managed to invite Mr. Ephraim for an interview. The fallout from that has been notable to say the least. Well it’s not really that big, but the good folks at 1UP, Gamasutra, and GameIndustry.biz had a reasonable amount of things to say about it.

The Age’s Screen Play (one of the Australian newspaper’s web-blogs) managed to invite Mr. Ephraim (again) and the Sony exec was gracious enough to give out answers to some of the comments that the aforementioned interview generated. Basically people said that he had “double standards” when it came to the PlayStation 3’s high price tag.

Below is a bit from his rather lengthy response:

You may not be purchasing your first console this Christmas but tens of thousands will be (in Australia). Sorry you didn’t have the opportunity to buy a PS3 this year, but I’m sure it beats lining up in a queue for hours on end only to be told the store has sold out.

It’s just entertaining how he points that the delay in Australia could be the silver lining to the possible (emphasis on possible) dark cloud of impending PS3 launch demand problems. If you think about it though, the exec does have a point. But, it also leaves one to wonder if Australia will face the same demand problems come March – “demand problems” of course being a relative term. Some of the more moderate would prefer call it “measures to ensure people get enough consoles”, and some others who are a bit too zealous would call it “people who pre-ordered getting shafted”. But as QJ Blogger Victor B. said: everyone’s entitled to an opinion.

Also, kudos to Michael Ephraim for actually taking the time to respond to comments made on the internet regarding an interview that he just had. That’s something you wouldn’t expect an executive to do.

Hopefully, by March, retailers down under would have enough stock so that people there won’t end up complaining.

For some reason, Sony executive Michael Ephraim manages to cause controversy when he comments on things. He’s made several notes about the pricing of Nintendo’s Wii and Microsoft’s Xbox 360 when The Age’s Screen Play managed to invite Mr. Ephraim for an interview. The fallout from that has been notable to say the least. Well it’s not really that big, but the good folks at 1UP, Gamasutra, and GameIndustry.biz had a reasonable amount of things to say about it.

The Age’s Screen Play (one of the Australian newspaper’s web-blogs) managed to invite Mr. Ephraim (again) and the Sony exec was gracious enough to give out answers to some of the comments that the aforementioned interview generated. Basically people said that he had “double standards” when it came to the PlayStation 3’s high price tag.

Below is a bit from his rather lengthy response:

You may not be purchasing your first console this Christmas but tens of thousands will be (in Australia). Sorry you didn’t have the opportunity to buy a PS3 this year, but I’m sure it beats lining up in a queue for hours on end only to be told the store has sold out.

It’s just entertaining how he points that the delay in Australia could be the silver lining to the possible (emphasis on possible) dark cloud of impending PS3 launch demand problems. If you think about it though, the exec does have a point. But, it also leaves one to wonder if Australia will face the same demand problems come March – “demand problems” of course being a relative term. Some of the more moderate would prefer call it “measures to ensure people get enough consoles”, and some others who are a bit too zealous would call it “people who pre-ordered getting shafted”. But as QJ Blogger Victor B. said: everyone’s entitled to an opinion.

Also, kudos to Michael Ephraim for actually taking the time to respond to comments made on the internet regarding an interview that he just had. That’s something you wouldn’t expect an executive to do.

Hopefully, by March, retailers down under would have enough stock so that people there won’t end up complaining.