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Why Robin Makes Batman Better Last summer, we broke that former Tecmo president Yoshimi Yasuda was at the centre of not one Tecmo employee brouhaha, but two. The president eventually resigned, but he’s found another job. Good for him.
Ken Kutaragi, former CEO and President of Sony’s PlayStation division, is best known for being the mastermind behind the successful PlayStation consoles. He’s ready to tell you about the future.
What is PlayStation creator and former Sony Computer Entertainment boss Ken Kutaragi up to these days? Passing on his wisdom, that’s what.
When Kaz Hirai took over Sony Computer Entertainment, the company’s outlook changed. The previous head, PlayStation father Ken Kutaragi, kept talking up the PS3′s other selling points. It was a Blu-ray player! It was a super computer! It had 4D!! Somewhere along the line, the focus that Sony Computer Entertainment made game machines was lost. Hirai has done a sold job of roping that back in. In an interview with Nikkei, Hirai said:
Speaking with a group of game writers earlier this week SCEA head Jack Tretton talked briefly about how Sony Computer Entertainment has benefited under the shift from Ken Kutaragi to Kaz Hirai.
Specifically, he talked about the promise that Sony’s regions would be a bit more antonymous under Hirai.
“There is no question that Kutaragi-san ruled with an iron fist, but it was his vision”, Tretton said. “In terms of how we went to market in region, that was anonymous”.
But Tretton said that Hirai has a better understanding of the company’s day-to-day operations and the challenges they face both in Japan and abroad.
Ever wonder what PlayStation father Ken Kutaragi is up to? After that messy, messy PS3 launch, Kutaragi was elbowed out of the limelight in favour of Sony Computer Entertainment of America honcho Kaz Hirai. Still connected with Sony Computer Entertainment, Kutaragi no longer works for SCE in any active function.
Ken “the Father of the PlayStation” Kutaragi is set to score another industry honour this year, dragging the former Sony Computer Entertainment exec from the comfort of his pajamas and back onto North American soil for another round of fawning. The Consumer Electronics Association announced that it would induct Ken into the CE Hall of Fame in October, along with 11 of his industry peers, according to a report from GameSpot.
Kotaku guest editor and Game Trailers faceman Geoff Keighley talks to David Jaffe about important things like overestimating the audience for small games, the possibility of Twisted Metal for the PS3 and hair loss. There’s also a hundred dollar bet whether Ken Kutaragi knows who David Jaffe is. So exciting! Hit the jump for part 2, where Jaffe talks about how he’d do a Mario game. (Hint: DRUGS.)
The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences have bestowed their 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award on former Sony exec and, yes, we’ll wheel it out again, Father of the PlayStation Ken Kutaragi. The award is, obviously, for his role in the creation of the original PlayStation and subsequent models. AIAS Presidnet Joseph Olin: Ken Kutaragi’s passion, innovative thinking and business savvy sparked a monumental movement that was unstoppable.
If it wasn’t for Ken and his concept of the original PlayStation, there wouldn’t be the billion dollar industry there is today. His contributions have clearly set new standards for developers, publishers and consumers worldwide.
The gong will be handed out in February during the D.I.C.E. summit, and is the second award he’s picked up in the past two months. Bravo, Ken! Write us sometime, we miss you. :(
Sometime nowish (global time’s too much for me sometimes), Ken Kutaragi, aka Father Of The PlayStation, aka Retired Ken, will be honoured by the ESA for his services to gaming. Oh, he’s also Krazy Ken. Why crazy? Look at him! Dude’s clutching a Dualshock, even though he’s riding a rollercoaster. It’s not even plugged in! Krazy. ESA president Michael Gallagher: Ken’s contributions to our community and the entertainment lives of ordinary consumers are extraordinary. His insight and vision revolutionised in-home entertainment, enabling advancements in creativity, technology, and innovation.
Sadly, Kutaragi’s contributions to 4D gaming seem to have gone unrecognised.
