What’s more, the official way to type out the name was in ALL CAPS.

The new console iteration ditches both in favour of either the PlayStation 3 or simply the PS3. There’s new font, too! When asked by The Times why the font was changed, Sony Computer Entertainment exec Kaz Hirai replied that the company wanted to “set a new direction for the PS3.” And what better what to do that than by resetting the logo, Hirai asked.

The new PS3 Slim — which Sony is selling at a loss — also helps Sony transition into a new chapter in the PS3’s lifespan.

The logo change, however, was inspired more than merely giving the console a re-start. “On a practical level, when you have PlayStation 3 spelt out, the aspect ratio was such that if you wanted it on a billboard it became tiny,” Hirai said. “It didn’t work in terms of visibility.” Thank tiny text for for killing the Spider-Man font. Thank you, tiny text.

Sony boss reveals plans for PlayStation [Times Online]

When the original PS3 launched, Sony bled money on each PS3 sold. But the manufacturing process improved, and Sony was able to close the gap.

Just as that started to happened, the company is now launching a new hardware iteration. New hardware means new costs. When The Times asked Sony exec Kaz Hirai if Sony was losing money on the PS3 Slim, the exec said this:

If you’re just talking about the hardware alone, the quick answer is yes. That makes good headlines, but I don’t actually know that that’s the true nature of the business that we’re all in, whether it’s PlayStation, Xbox or the Wii. I think the better indicator is to look at the business as a whole platform, to ask: are you profitable in terms of the hardware, software and peripherals. And the answer to that question is yes on a gross profit level since the last fiscal year.

So the small picture is that the PS3 Slim is not profitable, but the big picture is that PS hardware, games and peripherals are.

Oh, and thanks for the headline, Kaz!

Sony boss reveals plans for PlayStation [Times Online]

PlayStation boss Kaz Hirai has told The Times “we are slating it for spring of next year”. “It” being the motion controller. “One of the things is that we just don’t want to put out the controller,” he says. “We need a great software that supports the controller at launch. It’s something that we’ve been working on for the longest time.”

Wonder if he means one or two pieces of genuine software, or an EyeToy-like pack-in of party games?

Sony boss reveals plans for PlayStation [The Times]

The keynote, titled “New Tactics for 2009″, will kick off on September 24th at 10:30am. There will also be a panel discussion about tactics and strategy for global game makers featuring execs from Capcom, Sony, Bandai Namco and Square Enix.

This year’s Tokyo Game Show runs from September 24 to September 27 at the Makuhari Messe convention centre in Chiba, Japan.

SCE平井一夫氏：TGS2009基調講演で「2009年新戦略」を語る/ゲーム情報ポータル：ジーパラドットコム [Gpara]

According to a Fortune report, it was PlayStation boss Kaz Hirai that said the bigger PlayStation Network should rear its head next Spring. The service is said to make Sony devices “talk to each other efficiently,” according to Stringer, that it will make it easier to handle digital camera images, edit video, share content and store whatever it is you download from a Sony device.

Fortune also reports that Sony has designs on making acquisitions that would “accelerate the effort,” but plans to “start small” and roll out the new PlayStation Network over time.

Sony: Lost in transformation [Fortune/CNN Money]

Over 8,000 investors were in attendance at the annual shareholders meeting in Tokyo. Stringer told investors that the company was trying to streamline business. For example, Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Kaz Hirai will head a new business group that brings together Sony’s mobile electronics and personal computers.

“This reorganization is designed to transform Sony into a more innovative, integrated and agile global company,” said Stringer earlier this year. These changes and reorganization “will now make it possible for all of Sony’s parts to work together.”

Sony has been posting enormous losses due to a strong yen, global economic slump and competition from rival companies like Apple and Samsung.

Sony shareholders approve new management [Japan Today] [Pic]

A console always needs a solid core of games that appeal to gamers… If you go mainstream too quickly and don’t support the core gaming audience then you lack the pillar to support your platform. Without this pillar you end up with a fickle audience that might be big but will probably move on.

Why? Because I agree 100% with the man. It’s been my biggest fear/concern for Nintendo for a while now that when the wind changes – and one day, it will – they’ll be left without that “pillar”, and fall flat on their faces.

People often make fun of Sony for going on and on about a “ten year lifespan” for the PS3, but the tale of the tortoise and the hare has been told and re-told for a reason.

Interview: Playstation boss Kaz Hirai [The Guardian]

When asked if including a Blu-ray drive on the PS3 was a mistake, Hirai replied, “Purely from a gaming standpoint there was no other choice for us.” The reason being, Hirai explained, that the disc capacity is essential. “Last year’s Metal Gear Solid 4 was pushing 50GB as it was,” Hirai told The Guardian. “If it was on DVD it would have been a 6 disc set. The packaging and cost would have been prohibitive and it would have been hugely inconvenient to consumers.”

What’s more, the PS3 helped Sony get a leg up in the format war. Winning that format war was a bright spot for Sony — and the company isn’t looking to abandon it any time soon. “Conceptually it may make sense to remove the Blu-Ray drive but in reality it doesn’t make sense,” said Hirai. “Also we never want to be in the position where countries without super fast broadband connections are locked out of the PlayStation business because the PS3 has gone download only.”

The PS3 launch, however, wasn’t as smooth as the company would have liked. Does Sony have any regrets? “Looking back if we could have done it again we probably would have not gone for the simultaneous worldwide launch,” Hirai said. The exec pointed out that it’s not so much how a console starts, but how it finishes — take the PS2, for example.

“For other consoles which have a five year life cycle it is much easier to judge performance after two years,” said Hirai. “But for us, with the 10 year life cycle we have, it is premature to judge after such a short time.”

Interview: Playstation boss Kaz Hirai [Games Blog]

“We need to quickly bring our PlayStation business on a break-even level and later to profitability,” Hirai said Thursday. Sony plans to do this through cost-cutting efforts and network service expansion. According to Hirai, Sony is thinking about added PlayStation Network services to other Sony products like televisions and digital cameras.

This echoes what Sony boss Howard Stringer stated way back in 2007 — that Sony was “trying to get our devices to talk to each other efficiently. PlayStation Network should migrate from gadget to gadget.”

What appears to be phase one was announced today with Sony’s new phone that lets users stream media from the PS3.

“We need a strategy where buying a hardware is not the endpoint but instead a starting point that can offer new experiences to our customers,” Hirai said.

An aggressive strategy is needed as Sony’s game division has been in the red three years running. Sony as a whole chalked up its biggest group operating loss ever. Whether or not that rumoured fall PS3 price cut will factor into Sony’s plan, Hirai refused to say. Instead, he stated that prices will be decided by “market developments.”

Sony’s Hirai vows to bring game division back to profit [Japan Today] [Pic]

Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Kaz Hirai will continue to oversee Playstation in his new role as the head of the Networked Products and Services Group.

Earlier this morning Sony announced a major restructuring of their company, with Sony CEO Howard Stringer being named president of the company and the formation of two new groups within the company, the New Consumer Products Group and the Networked Products and Services Group.

As head of that latter group, Hirai will oversee the Walkman lines, Sony Media Software and Services, which develops a common service platform across Sony products, and Sony Computer Entertainment.

The goal of this new group is to “maximize the potential and pace of Sony’s innovation and to enhance profitability.” Integral to this process, Sony says, will be the utilization and expansion of the Playstation Network.

What does that mean to gamers? It sounds like Sony is trying to do a better job of getting their different groups to work better together, which could mean greatly expanded Playstation Network offerings and some interesting product development. PSP phone? PSP Walkman? Who knows?

Sony Corporation Announces Major Reorganization and New Management Team Led by Howard Stringer [Sony]