Kaz Hirai: We may have been a little too zealous with the PS3’s capabilities

If you had the chance to go back and do things differently, what would it be? Kaz Hirai answers this question in his interview with EDGE, and reveals that he would probably have been a bit more prudent with the marketing strategy of the PlayStation 3.

In an interview with EDGE Online, Kazuo Hirai, CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment, says that he is feeling very good. And why not? There’s been a stream of successful games for the PlayStation 3 like Metal Gear Solid 4 and GT5 Prologue. And then there’s another sure-hit title coming this November, LittleBigPlanet.

Yes, things sure are looking up for Sony. But apart from that, there’s also the renewed interest in their handheld, the PSP, thanks to the redesigns they’ve come up with – first the Slim, and now the 3000. But the interesting bit in the interview was his revelation that they may have been a little too gung-ho in promoting the PlayStation 3.

Says Hirai when asked what he would do differently (on the PS3 story so far) if given a chance to go back:

Well, I was not in place to decide on some of the issues for the worldwide launch, but while we were very confident – and still are – of the PS3’s capabilities, we may have been a little too zealous in trying to get that message out too quickly. In other words, we can talk about all the non-game functions, features and services now because we actually have them.

He also disclosed that there was a little disconnection between the US operation and Japan‘s, because they had different rallying points when it comes to marketing the PS3’s strengths. The US office was focusing on how great a videogame console it is, while overseas, Japan was concentrating on its other features “at a time when we didn’t have anything to back up that claim.”

But past is past, and all that’s earned Sony a lesson or two with how to introduce their products more consistently and fluidly across the board. And right now, Hirai can’t dwell too much on the past because he’s still got so much to do ahead of him.

We’ll be watching out for more new surprises coming our way from the “Station Master”.