N-Philes :: Forums - Europe is "most important continent", says Harrison

03-23-2007, 01:00 PM

Nin10do

Smooth Criminal

Join Date: Sep 2002

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Europe is "most important continent", says Harrison

Quote:

Originally Posted by GameIndustry.Biz

Speaking at the official UK launch of PlayStation 3 last night, Sony Worldwide Studios boss Phil Harrison highlighted the significance of the European market - which he believes is key to the console's success.

"This is the third continent out of three, but it is the most important," he told GamesIndustry.biz. "It's got most countries, it's the most people, it's the most cultures...

"The fact that we've got the launch here with more consoles shipped on day one that we've ever had in our history is a compliment to the importance of the European market."

PS3 launched in the US and Japan last December, but European gamers have had to wait until now to get their hands on Sony's new console. The official midnight launch took place at the Virgin Megastore on Oxford Street, with most stores across the country waiting to their doors until this morning.

According to Harrison, it's an important day for the games industry and gamers alike: "I've seen PlayStation 1 and PlayStation 2 launched on Oxford Street but this is the most meaningful for me personally, because I think it's so important not just for our industry but for UK consumers - the fact that they're going to get the best machine with the best software support, the most Network service and the firmware update," he said.

"They had to wait, and I feel really bad about that. But I'm hoping we can make it up to them with the quality of software that we've got coming out."

It was Harrison who showcased two new PS3 exclusives - online service PlayStation Home and new game LittleBigPlanet - at GDC recently. Both were well received by the critics, so does he agree that their unveiling helped to build up a head of steam for the European launch?

"That's coincidence. It wasn't part of the plan," Harrison said. "PlayStation 3 has got a tremendous future ahead of it - this is just the start as far as the UK is concerned. We're in a ten year cycle, and we're four minutes into a ten year cycle, so ask me in however minutes that is from now..."

But for Harrison, last night's launch wasn't just about the future of PS3 - it was about seeing the results of Sony's efforts. "The fact that people are prepared to invest their time, their money and their passion in queueing up to be part of a launch is great - and it kind of makes all the hard work worthwhile," he said.

"It's not just for people in the UK, it's for the guys in Japan who make the hardware, it's for the people who make the software, and the thousands of people who are part of the PlayStation story."

I don't think I've ever heard anyone in the gaming industry say that Euro was the most important market. I haven't seen any trends in gaming that prove this either.

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03-23-2007, 01:04 PM	#2
Bionic Commando Tom Cruisin' Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Irlanda Del Norte Posts: 4,050	Actually, the big players have been saying that for months now. They say that Europe will be the major battleground for this generations console war. I don't understand that logic personally, but ah well. Shame the PS3 is selling like **** in Europe right now, eh? __________________ http://ad-hoc-committee.blogspot.com/

03-23-2007, 01:12 PM	#3
Robjomak still going strong Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 8,019	ITS OUR LAST ****ING HOPE IT BETTER BE THE MOST IMPORTANT - Sony (lol)

03-23-2007, 01:35 PM	#4
Batist Treasure Hunter Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Sainte Maxime Posts: 34,890	I want to Geant supermarket (kinda like wallmart), today at 6pm, and guess what I saw? a pyramid pile of PS3s. I could tell some were sold, but there was a **** lot of em. either they had a lot to sale, or it's selling like crap. __________________

03-23-2007, 01:37 PM

Knight of Cydonia

It's unnatural selection

Join Date: Jan 2006

Location: Belgium

Posts: 3,859 Knight of Cydonia needs a hobby

Well, I know of no-one that actually bought a PS3 at launch.

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03-23-2007, 01:45 PM	#6
~~PlayMore~~ Banned Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Merseyside, England Posts: 587	I rang GAME and asked how PS3's they had, and they had plenty left, which is more than they've ever had of Wiis

03-23-2007, 02:12 PM

Coconut

Can has custom title?

Join Date: May 2002

Posts: 15,975 Coconut might want to think about buying stock in N-Philes

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robjomak

ITS OUR LAST ****ING HOPE IT BETTER BE THE MOST IMPORTANT

- Sony

(lol)

Yeah, giving away free HDTV's now this?

PLEASE

03-23-2007, 03:22 PM	#8
Kuriboo Super Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: A Galaxy far far away.... Posts: 12,190	Rob said it all. __________________ Mario's Bitch

03-23-2007, 03:35 PM

kinopio

Operation Kino

Join Date: Nov 2002

Posts: 14,628 kinopio spends too much time pretending to be cool

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nin10do

I don't think I've ever heard anyone in the gaming industry say that Euro was the most important market. I haven't seen any trends in gaming that prove this either.

I remember numbers from like two years ago showing the industry's growth in Europe, and it was not that far from outgrowing Japan. That was before DS took the land of the Rising Sun by storm though.

I can't tell if Wii's surprise popularity is to last, but I predict when all is said and done, PS3 is going to kill Xbox in Europe. And Japan of course.

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03-23-2007, 03:48 PM	#10
Batist Treasure Hunter Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Sainte Maxime Posts: 34,890	when all said and done..but when you get two big outgoings in paris to sell thousands of ps3s and less then 100 people show up at both, it's a huge launch flop. http://www.jeux-france.com/news1969...-en-europe.html it's not just words either, check out the video. __________________

03-23-2007, 04:09 PM	#11
nenned Is she worth it? Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Boston Posts: 9,573	North American is the most important continent- we are losing in North America Asia is the most important continent- we are losing in Asia Europe is the most important continent

03-23-2007, 04:25 PM	#12
Ragnar Danneskjöld Selfish Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Houston Posts: 17,949	Hahahah nenned.

03-23-2007, 04:25 PM

#13

Nin10do

Smooth Criminal

Join Date: Sep 2002

Location: Boogie Down Bronx

Posts: 5,484 Nin10do will one day invent something useful made from recycled shoe inserts

Quote:

Originally Posted by nenned

North American is the most important continent- we are losing in North America

Asia is the most important continent- we are losing in Asia

Europe is the most important continent- we're gonna lose in Europe

Antartica is the most important continent

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03-23-2007, 04:36 PM	#14
Aipotu beN-Philes Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Ottawa, Ontario Posts: 8,933	but Wii has Happy Feet. The penguins are gonna love it. __________________ AIM: BnjmnWood \| 61% cookie/post \| beN-Philes \| Wii # 0112 7505 5548 8223

03-23-2007, 05:04 PM	#15
SilvaHalo Make me smile.. Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Vantucky Posts: 10,159