Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Jack Tretton says it’s over for the Wii, and the DS is for kids only.
Tretton feels confident that the PS3 will continue to live on for at least another six years, while its biggest competitor from Nintendo is already irrelevant.
In a recent CNN interview he said, “If you’re really going to sustain technology for a decade, you have to be cutting edge when you launch a platform. Here we are 4 years into the Playstation 3, and it’s just hitting its stride. We’ll enjoy a long downhill roll behind it because the technology that was so cutting edge in 2006 is extremely relevant today.”
That’s not just hot air. The PS3 is the only console with a built-in Blu-ray player, it is the only home console advertising stereoscopic 3D functionality, and it’s the only one with features like built-in wireless connectivity and hard drive from day one.
When it comes to the PS3’s competitors, Tretton said, “They’re starting to run out of steam now in terms of continuing to be relevant in 2011 and beyond. I mean, you’ve gotta be kidding me. Why would I buy a gaming system without a hard drive in it? How does this thing scale?”
He also took a jab at the Wii’s motion controls, which were revolutionary at the time but the Xbox 360 and PS3 have both launched more sophisticated versions of the technology.
“Motion gaming is cute, but if I can only wave my arms six inches, how does this really feel like I’m doing true accurate motion gaming?” Tretton asked.
It’s almost as if Tretton has been wanting to say this stuff for four years, and can finally do it now that the PS3 is gaining a significant amount of traction.
This is in contrast to earlier comments from other Sony execs, who liked Nintendo for the fact that it just released the 3DS, a glasses-free 3D handheld gaming system. Because Sony is pushing for the advancement of 3D gaming, the company has said it hopes the 3DS sells well.
But apparently the regular DS, and the Wii, can just curl up in a corner and die.
