Sony and Microsoft are currently battling it out to be the best-selling console manufacturer this Christmas — but how much difference can a single sale make? Leaving nothing to chance, SCEA’s president Jack Tretton claims to have relinquished his own PS4 console so that it could be sold to the buying public. Phht. We bet he isn’t even much of a gamer.
[credit provider=”Getty Image” url=”http://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/news-photo/jack-tretton-president-and-ceo-of-sony-computer-news-photo/188039412″]
On the latest official PlayStation Blogcast at the at the 45:40 mark, Tretton admits to not owning a PlayStation 4 due to the limited supply:
It breaks my heart if somebody’s got $US400 in hand and they want a PS4 but we can’t sell them one…I don’t have one yet because I’m like ‘No, sell it.’”
Hmm. We’d take this confession with a grain of salt if we were you. For starters, Tretton could easily afford to splurge out on an overpriced eBay listing if he really wanted to own a PS4 (he’d also be doing other prospective buyers a favour by removing a grossly inflated temptation). Secondly, we doubt any admissions on the official PlayStation blog are off-the-cuff; we’re guessing the exchange was at least partially orchestrated.
On a side note, Tretton also promised that additional shipments of PS4s would be entering the market in the first three months of 2014. Maybe then he will finally get a PS4 to call his own (if he doesn’t have one already).
PlayStation Blogcast 101: The Next Generation [PlayStation blog]
Comments
12 responses to “Apparently, PlayStation’s U.S. Boss Gave Up His PS4 To Boost Sales By One Unit”
Well, He could afford to buy a ridiculously overpriced PS4 of eBay, but that doesn’t mean he has to spend the money on it. Just because he might be well off doesn’t mean he should be blowing his money on it if he can purchase one later himself at the RRP like everyone else.
Also, even if he isn’t much of a gamer, who cares? He doesn’t NEED to own a PS4 if he doesn’t want to.
You really think someone would do that? Just go on the internet and tell lies?
Obvious marketing ploy is successful.
If this guy really cared about getting more PS4’s out there for their potential customers, he’d sort out his crappy supply chain issues.
Its probably something thats being encouraged across the board with Sony employees and management, no freebies until supply catches up to demand. Yeah, one console wont make a different. But if theres a few thousand across the international Sony branches, thats different.
A few thousand? I don’t see that making much of a dent at all when you look at the demand out there.
Supply chain issues like this aren’t fixed by re-allocating a few thousand units, there would need to be some major shifts in a lot of areas to actually get it working properly, something that should undertaken by a competent manager with good leadership skills.
Chris Jager biased much… clearly you dont like the guy. It wasnt enough to report the story but let’s try and pull it apart and question the man’s motives. He probably has one at the office so doesnt need one at his house just yet… who knows. The gesture may be genuine. It’s a bit rich to start suggesting that its orchestrated and if he genuinely wanted one he’d buy one off ebay (wtf?)…
giving up one PS4 is equal to giving away 7 xbones……….IMO even though he is not Australian this man deserves an order of Australia medal!!!
i will get the paperwork started when i get home…..
WoW
If that isn’t a big enough load of cynicism to sour ones day, I don’t know what is
a) I fear for the soul of anyone who actually believes this to be true
b) Impossible that it’s true because Brazil has a TRUCKLOAD of PS4s in stock thanks to their ridiculous price there.
c) He’s the HEAD OF SONY. He has a PS4. Do’nt be naive.
He may be the head of Sony, that doesn’t mean it’s a must have device for him.
Its PR nonsense, 1 console isn’t making a difference no matter who is “giving it up”.
Chris is right to call it what it is, hogwash.
Shouldn’t he have been given one? Shouldn’t the team get special consoles?
I hope he doesn’t have kids,maybe he is an Xbox guy.
I don’t blame him for giving it up. He probably played forza 5 on live and decided he’s better off with an xbox one