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Sony: 360 GTA won't hurt us

Sony of America's Jack Tretton reveals company was "really pleased" with E3 performance, no exclusive GTA for PS3 won't be harmful.

Just as many in the industry agree that Sony ruled E3 2005, several also saw the company's showing at E3 2006 as disappointing. The price tag of the PlayStation 3 ($600 for the high-end model), coupled with the fact that some previously announced features were scrapped, left some scratching their heads.

Not Sony, though. In an interview with TheStreet.com, Sony of America co-COO Jack Tretton said that the company was "really pleased" with its showing at E3.

"If we were trying to do a PR blitz on our announcements, we would have perceived it a little bit differently," Tretton said. "But we really saw this as an opportunity to announce some very important details to the trade. And I think if you ask the trade, meaning the retail constituency and the third parties, they came away pretty pleased with how everything went."

TheStreet.com's Troy Wolverton asked Tretton about the pricing of the PS3, to which Tretton responded, "Well, I guess if price is the only consideration, then we've won the war, because we've got a $129 PlayStation 2 that outsells the Xbox 360 today." He went on to say that the premium edition of the Xbox 360, priced at $399, "falls well short of what the PlayStation 3 offers at $499."

One of Microsoft's biggest announcements during its pre-E3 press gathering this year was the fact that the next installment of the top-selling Grand Theft Auto series would be coming to the Xbox 360 on its first day of release. Previous editions of GTA were released on the PlayStation 2 before they eventually pulled any Xbox crime sprees.

While Microsoft seems to be making a big deal out of this (see Peter Moore's faux tattoo), Tretton doesn't appear bothered. "There's no question that having the Grand Theft Auto franchise helped us a lot and helped us sell some units, but I don't think the battle would be any different with or without Grand Theft Auto ... I don't think [losing GTA exclusivity] hurts us. ... I really don't."

998 Comments

  • Mr_Supernaut

    Posted Apr 3, 2007 5:38 pm GMT

    hahaha ps3 sucks they give away there best game of course they have other games but...thats there best right, yes.Ok let me get this straight now this is called "undersstanding ps3" -the ps3 shoots off in november they have shipping problems so they only sell 3.5 mil to date then gta iv is develpoed and we know that gta belongs to sony but then they give it away to microsoft to make sony's suicide more painful then they say it won't hurt them becuase there gay correct me if im wrong.Its like you have 2 tickets to enter a contest and if u win u get lots of money, u have one ticket left and then u bump in to your worst enemy and u give him your left over ticket becuase your a dumbass ,then he endes up winning the money.ps3 fan boys say "give the ps3 sometime they will do better soon" ok maybe they will but the "good" games that they might "make" will no longer be so good becuase by then we will have the second versions of the good 360 games that are out right now like halo 3, halo wars, gear of war 2 and the next gta game that ps3 will deliver to us. DON'T ARGUE WITH THE FACTS PS3 FAN FA GS.Want i meant by "the next game that sony will give us" is gta 7.

  • neezie

    Posted Mar 22, 2007 12:46 am GMT

    NND1 what is that, a Transformers avatar. What are you, 4.
    NEwayz...who cares PS3 and 360 are both getting a sweet game now fanboys shut the hell up.

  • seanmcgee87

    Posted Mar 17, 2007 5:07 pm GMT

    PS3 = Lame... the graphics are dissapointing. add the fact that the 360 version is getting exclusive download packs that are the same size as liberty city stories and vice city stories were. The Ps3 version is a rip off. Worse graphics and less gameplay. I think ill stick to my 360. Or right one more thing.... 360 OWNS. PS3 Sucks.600 for a blue ray player . Blue ray doesnt even have any good movies right now...

  • NinjaFoot

    Posted Mar 8, 2007 10:50 pm GMT

    GTA not being exclusive to ps3 wont hurt Sony because GTA will only have 4d graphics on the ps3. Oh yes, and rumble is last gen. At least until they settled the lawsuit. More PR BS.

  • raydey100

    Posted Mar 8, 2007 9:42 am GMT

    I agree with Adras_SG. I own a xbox 360 and still think Blackiron is a goddamn moron. Microsoft hardly make any hardware, they're a bloody software company. Have you even seen the xbox 360 specifications? It uses an IBM Power PC processor. IBM =/= Microsoft.

    Get your facts right before getting all pissy. Why do fanboys have to snub people? It just shows insecurity. Why not wait until a said system fails or something (which is probably not going to happen) and then say "I told you so". Surely it would be just that little more sweeter?

    Asshat

  • MASTERCHIEFUSMA

    Posted Mar 8, 2007 6:46 am GMT

    Definently getting this for Xbox360, As for Trettons comment, its obvious in his statement that he doesnt like the thaught of GTAIV not being exsclusive , and in the long run its going to hurt sony, PS3 and xbox360 have pretty much the same graphics, the only huge differences are Blu-Ray and 1080p for some PS3 games, no offense but how many people actually own a 1080p TV or can see a huge difference between 1080i and 1080p, And if Blu-Ray doesnt take off playstation 3 is gona fall flat on its face, Blu-Ray isnt bad though its just expensive compared to HD-DVD and in most cases cost means everything (Remember Beta ad VHS might bring back some memories)

  • crazy1pumpkins

    Posted Mar 7, 2007 6:36 pm GMT

    Adras_DG :
    "To that moron who said "microsoft makes everything". Blackiron I think. Your a moron. "

    Hehe. He might be a moron, but I bet he at least knows the difference between '"your" and "you're".

    Sorry, couldn't resistance.

  • lil50cent

    Posted Mar 7, 2007 3:49 pm GMT

    gettin this on ps3

  • NND1

    Posted Mar 6, 2007 3:46 pm GMT

    I don't care about the BS3 version I am getting the best version with RUMBLE and the graphics will prob be the same OH and much better online

  • Spartan_458

    Posted Mar 6, 2007 11:49 am GMT

    Hmm......does he remember what the biggest selling game for the ps2 was? Oh yeah, it was GTA! Plus there'll be about 10 million more people who can buy it for 360 than can buy it for ps3.

  • Konfusion

    Posted Mar 6, 2007 10:13 am GMT

    Yeah, it won't. And the Wii is an impulse, gimmicky buy, too. Gears of War is worthless, the DS is a gimmick and only the PS3 can do true HD not only because of the cable restrictions, but because DVD9 isn't enough for 1080p.

    Oh, wait...

  • bigaxel123

    Posted Mar 6, 2007 1:52 am GMT

    LOL. Wing King baby!! Rob and Big ftw!!! I'm sorry did someone from Sony say something?

  • Matth13

    Posted Mar 5, 2007 5:18 pm GMT

    omg, sony is so fake. it's like somebody i know: he lies thru his teeth all the time but we can see right thru his BS.

  • MSPeck17

    Posted Mar 4, 2007 9:18 pm GMT

    I think Jack Tretton is full of crap, I honestly do. And I also like how he avoids price questions and instead he denotes the 360. I honestly have to ask if I have to show him the PSM article in which the writers of PSM, the people who write specifically for Sony, said the 360 was the better console.

    Also, another thing that he doesn't seem to realize, is if blu-ray doesn't take off, the PS3 crashes. Blu-ray doesn't hold half the content that HD DVD does and so if HD DVD wins the CD war, the PS3 has crashed and burned completely.

  • Deez_Nutz

    Posted Mar 4, 2007 7:57 pm GMT

    i agree with RunzWthScissorz ,
    before when i just had a playstation the original playstation, i didn't even think of buying a PS2 untill i played a rental of GTAIII at my cousin's house. I was hooked and that's what led me to buy a PS2. I've been a GTA addict ever since. haha. sh*t i even bought a 360 just to try out xbox's version saints row. even though I got a 360, you know i play different games also, but im going to buy me a top of the line PS3 right when GTA4 comes out in October. bes believe that!

  • RunzWthScissorz

    Posted Feb 26, 2007 1:01 pm GMT

    Hey Jack Tretton (he reads this stuff)... regarding your last comment in this article... I bought the PS2 specifically for playing GTA III when it came out. Sure, I have purchased more games since then, but bought the console SPECIFICALLY to play GTA III. I am also waiting for GTA IV to come out before I buy the next console. If it is out on both platforms at the same time, my decision on which machine to purchase at the time will be decided on the number of good games available AT THAT TIME for each platform.

    To make a short story long... not having exclusivity IS going to hurt Sony.

  • YeOldKnight

    Posted Feb 25, 2007 4:58 pm GMT

    Well...I have a PS3 and I think Sony is being stupid right now since there really losing more of their exclusive games. The only way Sony is going to sell more of thier consoles, is to make thier graphics 5x better than the Xbox 360, and keep more of their exclusive titles.

  • qaisibrahim

    Posted Feb 17, 2007 2:12 am GMT

    And that is SONY!!

  • Shundhit

    Posted Feb 5, 2007 4:58 am GMT

    All hail PS3!!!!!

  • Pimpsrus718

    Posted Jan 19, 2007 7:57 pm GMT

    Whatever is already good stays good! and xbox360 is good and gettting better when gears of war 2 comes out that will just wreck whatever they make just 1 game will ruin ou WING KING BABY!

  • Sinneronezz

    Posted Jan 19, 2007 7:54 pm GMT

    brooooo i told you give it 6 monthssssssss!! youll be crying for a ps3 and smackdown's gonna be 45X better on ps3 and f** gta IV watch! were gonna come out with maad sh*ttttt well rock youre pantsssssssssss WING KING BABYYYYYYYYYYY

  • Pimpsrus718

    Posted Jan 19, 2007 7:52 pm GMT

    aright im takin the b3 right now nah but for real ps3 shouldve kept gta IV for themselves they got nothing now! name 1 thing they got!? we have Gta now lol halo gears of war SMACK DOWN VS RAW urs got cancled lost planted ithink crackdown and what!!!!!!!

  • Sinneronezz

    Posted Jan 19, 2007 7:50 pm GMT

    lettss dooo ritee twenty thirddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd lmaoo hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

  • Pimpsrus718

    Posted Jan 19, 2007 7:49 pm GMT

    Yea ok fight me thennnnnnn ill rock you like xbox is rockin ps3 :O

  • Sinneronezz

    Posted Jan 19, 2007 7:47 pm GMT

    Broo PS3 is gonna rockkkkkkk the 360 in half no jiggiti jokee watch!, give it 6 months watch what happens! ITS OVERRRRRR!!! PS3 Is taking OVER =]

  • Pimpsrus718

    Posted Jan 19, 2007 7:28 pm GMT

    I don't think [losing GTA exclusivity] hurts us. ... I really don't." whoever said that will cry for saying that lol watch what happppensssssssssssssssssssss Xbox is rockin ps3 and what!

  • IronMC

    Posted Jan 15, 2007 6:12 pm GMT

    Its a win for all gamers. Online gaming has no appeal to me and neither does Halo. All past GTAs played better on Playstation than Xbox, so maybe that's what Sony is paying for now...

  • thomass60r

    Posted Jan 12, 2007 11:07 pm GMT

    that guy at sony says that to him but i bet he crys into his pillow with fear of the 360 taking over

  • tig1979

    Posted Jan 5, 2007 4:04 am GMT

    I think a big factor in the "console wars" is going to be online playability, at present if nothing else 360/ Microsoft have proved with xbox live they know how to do it and they have done a damn good job of doing it too, i dont think Wii is competition for either as its more a party console than an all rounder, as for 360/PS3 choice is yours but i will stick with my 360, was always a PS fanboy, some of my work colleagues talked me into a 360 after a lot of abuse, and i will never look back awesome piece of kit with awesome online capabilities, i also read ( could be wrong so dont flame me here) but apparently the 360 is easier to write games for than the PS3 so its ok saying PS3 has all this hardware but if its a **** to code for then 360 will still win? Look at the gamespot screenie article beetween the 2 not an awful lot in it but 360 has smoother framerate?

  • gearhead987

    Posted Jan 3, 2007 8:16 pm GMT

    hmmm... back stabbing comes to mind, how could sony have been so arogant after the gta franchise helped revolutionize gaming and do it mostly from their ps2 console, to go and say that it won't hurt them, god, rockstar, drop their asses... thats just two timing righ their, thats like not giving complements to your friend for gettiing your back in a fight.. may not be a good analogy, but wow... to say that.. is just.... geesh....

  • Nate2583

    Posted Dec 30, 2006 11:36 pm GMT

    True that black iron...No doubt the ps3 has nice hardware...but we wont even be seeing the peak performance for another 6 months+ and by that time the 360 will have loads of games,accessories, content, you name it...to me the ps3 is a shiny p.o.s..they should stick to making tvs . just my .02.

  • BlackIron13

    Posted Dec 26, 2006 2:57 pm GMT

    Me again if it weren't for microsoft u wouldn't be typing ur stupid "360 sucks" comments.mgs 3 isn't that great it is just a regular game on ur shelf. mgs 3 did no records. halo 2 lol look in the 2005 WORLD RECORD book it says "halo 2 for xbox sold 4 million copies" mgs sold about 2million .halo3 will sell even more wich means im lookin in the world records book 2007 to see how much they sold. halo wars also be a great hit.the ps3 might be a challenge for the game cube but never the 360. 360 sold 15million the estimate for march 2007 will be about 20million. wii sold 5 million the estimate for june is10 million.the gay ps3 has only sold 3million by march it will only sell 5 if it goes down to 399.99. the ps3 is challenginhg the xbox360 when it still needs to go pass the wii.

  • BlackIron13

    Posted Dec 26, 2006 2:40 pm GMT

    IM a big xbox fan own xbox and 360.Whats the big deal with xbox 360 vs play **** 3 sorry i ment play station 3. Wii,XBOX360, and ps3 all have to be made with computers and computers chips and who makes those computers and chips? microsoft with out microsoft there wouldn't be a ps3. ps3 is living off microsoft. If i were the microsft owner i would only make computer chips for the 360, but since they want money they make chips for other consoles,sony buys the computer chips from microsoft so microsoft make money when a ps3 sells. To the point,360 is better than the ps3 and wii.sony go make me a new hd tv beg for microsft to make u some computer chips for free so i won't pay.i wan't sony tomake a console with out computers it will look like a empty cardboard with a hole to put a cd in don't expect it to play.This story should shut up the sony fans if not they just like to run there mouths and ignore my truth.

  • nakasa5

    Posted Dec 22, 2006 9:03 am GMT

    no one game makes a console (i.e. mgs is only one title). the fact is that the more major titles that make their way to the 360 and PS3 (assassins creed, GTA, Oblivion), the more people will buy a 360. why get a PS3 for $200 more when you can get a very good console that offers the same titles, along with GoW, Halo, Mass Effect, and other awesome titles? lets not forget that the 360 also has a more proven online service to boot. overall, 360 is a better value, and getting GTA simply increases that value.

  • rarabwasmyname

    Posted Dec 20, 2006 1:44 pm GMT

    mgs beats everything microsoft has ever had and will ever have. Including windows.

  • thomass60r

    Posted Dec 17, 2006 6:30 am GMT

    take that sony whos smiling now and by the way im a BIG BIG MICROSOFT FANBOY AND I LOVE IT GTA IS OURS NOW YOU HAVE NOTHING SONY HAHA

  • fuzzhead

    Posted Nov 30, 2006 1:11 pm GMT

    But they aren't really losing gta exclusively, it's just coming out on the 360 as well. Xbox should be arested for grand theft game, they stole it from us 'cause bill gates has too much money and is a chump!

  • Sparky2002

    Posted Nov 26, 2006 2:43 pm GMT

    If sony loses MGS & FF Exclusives there well & Trully sunk there ship
    Go back to making CD Players

    People Buy Gaming Consoles for Games or the console means S**T ALL

    Now im a PS Fan BUT & i will SAY IT LOUD & CLEAR
    IM BUYING AN XBOX CAUSE I CAN GET GTA & CONSOLE FOR $400 LESS

    SO SONY UR TALKIN OUT UR BUTT TO SAY LOSING GTA WONT HARM U
    UR ALREADY LOST 1 CUSTOMER ME & I'VE BEEN DIE HARD FAN SINCE PS PS2 PSmini's PS Portables....... HOW MANY MORE WILL U LOSE???

    PS: I WILL ALWAYS BE A PS FAN BUT $400 DIF FOR EXACTLY SAME GAME NA XBOX CAN HAVE MY MONEY........
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SONY SPEND EVERY GOD DANG PENNY U HAVE ON A BUYBACK
    OR GIVE UP NOW WHILE U STILL HAVE SOME DIGNITY........... ((((((((( FOR CHRIST SAKE DONT DO A NINTENDO ON US ))))))) ITS ALL ABOUT THE GAMES NOT CONSOLE WOW GOOD CD PLAYER,,
    ITS ALL ABOUT THE GAMES & GAMES EXCLUSIVES IS EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD OF GAMING.....
    ITS NOT CALL THE WORLD OF CONSOLES (((WORLD OF GAMING)))

    & NO SMART CUSTOMER IS GOING TO PAY EXCESS MONEY WHEN THERE IS GOIN TO BE NO DIFFRENCE IN THE GAME AT ALL..... SAME GAME SAME GTA5 SAME FINAL FANTASY REUNION SAME
    GRAPHICS IS COOL I ADMIT BUT ITS THE GAME PLAY & VERSITILITY TO THAT GAME PEOPLE KEEP COMING BACK FOR SEE YA OLD FRIEND

  • King_Jeremy_77

    Posted Nov 25, 2006 6:06 am GMT

    Losing GTA exclusivity WILL hurt Sony...they just have a hard time believing that little thing called the truth. GTA alone sold PS2's...a lot of PS2's.

  • agni_1

    Posted Nov 23, 2006 10:43 pm GMT

    hey AG217 lay off the caps lock...by the way it is pathetic not PETHETIC. I cant believe sony's nerve, after all grand theft auto did for them...sheesh. They are really gone blow their chances of winning this console war if they keep up this attitude

  • Tetradore

    Posted Nov 20, 2006 4:58 pm GMT

    to infestedcyborg1 the ps3 doesnt have better graphics than the 360 its proof now with cod3, if they want better graphics than the 360 they need to sacrifice frame rate, and this is a fact

  • webdoom

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 10:01 am GMT

    AG217 = 12yr old child rofl

  • webdoom

    Posted Nov 15, 2006 9:59 am GMT

    it only makes sense that R* wants to make money... and its not gonna be a big market for PS3 owners
    but x360 owners are a plenty so why not bring it out on the 2 platforms... BRILLIANT IDEA!! im off to get a 360 and a Wii

  • AG217

    Posted Nov 14, 2006 2:32 pm GMT

    THAT IS TRUE...SONY HAS WAY MORE EXCLUSIVE GAMES THAT WILL SELL THE UNITS....GAMES LIKE MGS...LAIR...FF....JUST TO NAME A SMALL FEW....AND XBOX HAS TO BUY OUT GAMES LIKE GTA FROM BEING SONY EXCLUSIVES BECAUSE XBOX KNOWS THAT THE GAMES THEY MAKE SUCK....AND IF THEY WANT TO STICK AROUND THEY NEED TO KEEP BUYING OUT EXCLUSIVES....SONY LOST 2 OF THEIR BIG NAMES (gta and resident evil) AND THAT HASN'T BRUNG SONY DOWN....ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS KEEP MAKING GREAT EXCLUSIVES WHICH THEY ARE DOING...THAT WILL SELL ITSELF NEVERMIND THE 3rd PARTY GAMES AND THE EX-EXCLUSIVES THEY HAD (gta and re).....XBOX EVEN CRIED TO SONY DEVELOPERS TO SWITCH TO XBOX HAHAHAHAHA....HOW PETHETIC THAT THEY EVEN KNOW THAT THE ONLY WAY TO BE HERE IN THE FUTURE IS TO GET SONY DEVELOPERS TO THEIR SIDE....WHICH IN THE INTERVIEW (not this one another one i read on ign.com) THE DEVELOPERS SAID NO WE ARE LOYAL DEVELOPERS OF SONY....SO TOO BAD FOR DREAMCAST...I MEAN XBOX

  • MIDI_BLACKJACK

    Posted Nov 14, 2006 11:32 am GMT

    Bootsfansonly..... That's what I tell everyone.... A blue ray player is like 1000$ alone and xbox 360 needs a bunch of extra stuff The only factor I think is valid nowadays is which games are the best....

  • Bakademo

    Posted Nov 12, 2006 8:00 pm GMT

    Sony still rulez!
    you bunch of Microsoft fanboy

  • infestedcyborg1

    Posted Nov 12, 2006 12:00 pm GMT

    I also agree with aceburg he has hit some very good points, sony have really messed up with the ps3 and im laughing so hard at all of it.

    And lets not forget nintendo did help sony with the ps1 and now nintendo are coming back with the wii, which lets be honest the wii is going to offer better games and better game play. I really do think nintendo will be back on top with the wii, then it will be the 360. Im not going to waste my money on a ps3 dont see the point for a bit more smoke and lighting effects.

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