Sony re-wrote E3 script after Microsoft backlash

Sony's E3 2013 press conference was the definition of mic drop – Sony Computer Entertainment of America CEO Jack Tretton stepped on stage and devoted his finale speech to tearing down the contentious DRM, always-online and used-game restrictions that Microsoft had just announced for the Xbox One. He never mentioned Microsoft by name, but instead simply listed the things that the PS4 would allow. And the crowd went wild.

Sony Computer Entertainment head Andrew House re-wrote that speech the weekend before E3, after witnessing backlash to Microsoft's policies, he said during the Develop 2014 conference (as reported by Eurogamer).

"I remember reading an article literally the weekend before E3 that was basically saying that this is the direction Microsoft was taking and that it was only a matter of time before Sony adopts the same approach," House said. "That sort of put me on the back foot and I went and re-wrote portions of my E3 presentation script that weekend and we re-crafted the presentation because there was now an onus on us not to be seen to be going down the same path."

House said Sony's policies never changed; only the messaging did. One week after E3 2013, Microsoft reversed the most scandalous of its Xbox One DRM policies. A few of Sony's promised features for the PS4 haven't yet materialized – such as sleep mode and the ability to let a friend take over your game online – but Sony is "working on it."

Posted: Jul 10, 2014 1:42 pm
Related Forum: PlayStation Forum

Source: http://www.joystiq.com/2014/07/09/behind-the-mic-drop-sony-re-wrote-e3-script-after-microsoft-bac/

Comments

slapshot101Posted: Mon. Aug 04, 2014

There are some perks to going second, it really can show you how you can do better and make the bet impression. It's really not a surprise that they did this, it's business and it really worked well for them and it created a ton of uproar in the community positively towards Sony and the PS4.

VayaPosted: Tue. Jul 29, 2014

Glad sony isnt like some other companies they take pride in what they do and try their best to stay out of situations.

DivePosted: Mon. Jul 28, 2014

Yep I agree with the rest it was the best choice.

RSLPosted: Wed. Jul 23, 2014

Gossip It was a good decision on their part.

I agree with you completely.

GossipPosted: Fri. Jul 18, 2014

It was a good decision on their part.

AR15Posted: Tue. Jul 15, 2014

GILF Microsoft are all about making the customers happy and making their products to the best of their ability where as sony just want to make theirs better than microsofts for example
they put a blu ray player in the ps3 just to try and get more people to buy it

True true, but it is whatever brings home the bacon as it is all about the money!

JRMHPosted: Mon. Jul 14, 2014

MVPapi
Hei As an "Xbox Fanboy" it really pisses me off when I see all the things Sony has and what Xbox doesn't, I don't Hate Sony I just hate how they took advantage of Xbox's failures and add insult to injury to us. Xbox Better buy the rights to Titanfall Exclusively, Xbox better have More 1st Party Exclusive games or else PS4 will NEVER allow Xbox players a chance in a console discussion, and Xbox needs Better games with gold games. This is coming from a 8 Year Xbox Fanboy, one of the most Loyal of Xbox players and I myself am doubting Microsoft now. This is looking really bad.

LOL you said it yourself, you're a fanboy. Not an employee of Microsoft, so why say 'us' as in referring you are party of the company? I've had every PS console, wouldn't say I'm a Playstation fanboy, I enjoyed the 360 but why does it matter which is more popular? The exclusives are something everyone has to live with, but doing exclusive content to one system I think is a little cheap, and early DLC is something I never agreed with. I still don't get why people have 'console wars' I could only care about what console I play on and why, not why every other person in the world plays the console they do. A real gamer doesn't compare, they just play, rage, and get better at the game until they've mastered it. No matter what console.

"MVPapi" (lol...) why are you being so immature? He's not hating on the PS3/4 whatsoever. He's mad because the Xbox one is struggling, because he's a fanboy. I agree with him. Xbox is much better, but it's struggling! They need to stop being so money oriented.

NBCPosted: Sun. Jul 13, 2014

I really wish microsoft kept the DRM it would've been so much better

GILFPosted: Sun. Jul 13, 2014

Microsoft are all about making the customers happy and making their products to the best of their ability where as sony just want to make theirs better than microsofts for example
they put a blu ray player in the ps3 just to try and get more people to buy it

attackedheartPosted: Sat. Jul 12, 2014

The ps4 don't have that stuff as they were to busy sending the company bankrupt with trying to make computers, and buying exclusive rights to games to try and out do MS! Sony are even shipping dvd players with the same old crappy looking OS that is on the ps3, focus more on making ur product and company better and spend less time trying to make Microsoft look bad. Sony just looks like a bunch of tools the way they have carried on about Microsoft. Grow the hell up Sony anyone would think the company is ran by a bunch of kids the way yous carry on.

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