In an interview conducted with Gamespy at the DICE conference, Nintendo VP of Marketing and Corp. Affairs, Perrin Kaplan, discussed the different approaches used by Sony and Nintendo during their coincidentally timed launches. Kaplan says, "Well, we didn't have anyone in line that got shot waiting for our system. So there's one sign of the different approaches between our two companies.
Nintendo never seemed to really get involved with all the dirt slinging going on between the rivals but this was a low blow, you've got to admit. That lineup shooting had nothing to do with Sony, it's marketing strategies, or it's fans.
If you see a line of people and you know they're waiting for the PS3 then you can safely assume that some may have 600 or more dollars in cash on them. Which is like a smorgasbord for thieves looking for some quick and easy cash. Kaplan's comment was way out of line.
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"Well, we didn't have anyone in line that got shot waiting for our system. So there's one sign of the different approaches between our two companies."
Thank god, or else 2 million people would have died on the Wii launch!
Indeed, the Jedi's would really have felt that one.
That was very unproffesional. Why does she even still work for Nintendo? I don't like her but she must be good at her job.
I'll admit, that was uncalled for. Sony is not responsible for the shootings. It was the people's own ignorance that they could be carrying around at least $600, and criminals can definitely cash in on that opportunity.
Still, if Sony is like Ricky, Mrs. Kaplan just shattered their glass balls.
Unless she said jokingly or tounge in cheek. It's impossible to detect that kind of stuff through text.
Which is the reason why we have this on the site:
^-- that was a sarcastic comment
Just so everybody knows.
I like Perin. Sure, it was a low blow. But Sony and Microsoft do enough trash talking.
If Perrin has glass balls I'd question a few things about Nintendo. <_<
Lol... I would join you in asking such questions, though I'm not so sure I'd want the answers.
I don't see how someone could call it a low blow, because it's TRUE!
Truth hurts sometimes.
It's because she was blaming Sony for it, which isn't true.
Sony hyped their system and did not deliver on how many they said would be out at launch. It doesn't matter if it's a PS3 or a tickle me Elmo doll, if you put something to market and don't have enough of the product and people know they can resell those items for lots of profit, then your bound to have people hurting each other.
Sony isn't foolish enough not to understand this, let's not pretend that they are. They wanted hype...they got it. Maybe next time they'll have their butts in gear and deliver on promises and shipment amounts instead of talking out both sides of their mouth.
Yes, because everyone knows Sony intended for someone to die for their console.
I don't think they intended someone to die for their console.
But people, in a line, with that much money just for a game console. They definitely expected something extraordinary from their fans.
The death wasn't there fault but its not like its a bad thing to make little jokes... its better than sitting her going "Oh that was so sad, why did it happen?" wah wah wah.
And yes, I do think Perin was saying that in a tongue in cheek style.
nice flame Ricky, but what I'm saying is this...put 2 and 2 together.
Must have video game system (sony says)
+
extremely limited quanities
+
---------------------------------------------
huge profit for resale=violence.
most people would beat the crap out of someone for $20 bucks. what happens when people can can easily make $1000 when the PS3 first came out.
If any company didn't see that violence would happen, then they just weren't looking hard enough. If Nintendo had shipped as many as Sony and the same thing happen, I'd be saying the same about them.
edit----------------------
in the end though Sony has some responsibility, but the REAL blame goes to the DUMB-ASS stores and employees who jerked people around, had them line up in one spot, then tell everyone the line would begin at another spot, and whoever got their first would be #1.
'Twas sarcasm LM. 'Twas also the night before Christmas.
Greenfrogthing, that wasn't a flame and I apologize if you took it as such. All I'm saying is, Sony didn't intend for people to die. Nintendo saw violence for it's console as well, it doesn't matter how many systems are avaliable if people want it, then there are people that are going to get hurt. There's no preventing it. People get killed for shoes that are IN STOCK and only cost around $120. Are you saying it's the shoemakers fault for making the shoe so desireable? No. Like I said, it isn't Sony's fault.
F***. When I was lined up outside Best Buy the manager was a real jerk. It was FREEZING and we asked if we could just warm up in that area between the two doors but they wouldn't let us in (There was only 5 of us!!). Then, at 6AM they had the consoles, games, and accessories all set up on a table near the doors with employees just walking around doing nothing. We asked if they could just sell them to us then so that we could save some time but they said we had to wait till the store opened at 10. And wouldn't you know it, they opened their doors at 10:30. They spent an hour by the main entrance in a circle, talking. I'm never going to that Best Buy again.
'Twas sarcasm LM. 'Twas also the night before Christmas.
Greenfrogthing, that wasn't a flame and I apologize if you took it as such. All I'm saying is, Sony didn't intend for people to die. Nintendo saw violence for it's console as well, it doesn't matter how many systems are avaliable if people want it, then there are people that are going to get hurt. There's no preventing it. People get killed for shoes that are IN STOCK and only cost around $120. Are you saying it's the shoemakers fault for making the shoe so desireable? No. Like I said, it isn't Sony's fault.
the only difference is this. The PS3 is a very expensive piece of equipment. Unlike a pair of shoes, if someone got a PS3 on the first day it was available, then could go home, log into ebay, and expect at least $1000 dollors in profit. If Sony would have shipped more units, then there would have been FAR less market for over-priced PS3's.
Perhaps Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo should consider public well-being next time they launch a new system. Having a minimum of 1.5 million systems at launch wouldn't mean less people lining up for them, but it would detract from those who want to make huge profits off of others. Which then means that people still want the system, but the profit isn't there to hurt someone for it.