SAN FRANCISCO – The President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment is among the most wanted persons of the moment in San Francisco, among the patrons of the World Conference of videogames developers. And why Andrew House Welsh degree in literature at Oxford and a career that took him from the communications department in Tokyo in 1990 at the top of Sony today is carefully watched by his collaborators, who do not never leave him alone in the hotel room where the journalists welcomes and where he discovers he has 3 thousand followers on Twitter who follow an account not his: “it can not be, it’s not me, I do not Twitter.” Facebook on the other hand there is its official announcement, loaded after the keynote: price and date of release of the gem of the house, the viewer for the Sony virtual reality, former “Morpheus” project, which will move the first steps on the market in October in 2016 under the name of VR Playstation, at a cost of $ 399. A competitive price that will not prevent the company to make profit from the first day of sale.
Morpheus woke up. What makes you most proud of this “creature”?
“The opportunity to be part of the technological change. It is a brand new product.”
What it is the particular aspect of Playstation VR?
“offers a simple approach to the consumer, and it is not not too expensive, I hope, for most of them.”
If all those who were buying the console viewer would be fine?
“well, I would say that would be very good but it is not realistic. There is a large base of loyal that have our Playstation and are excited to try something new. the PS4 has sold 36 million units total in the world. That is, they are ready for the viewer, even if you do not buy it right away. “
What are the real sales expectations?
“You have to be cautious with forecasts, although there is much interest from the media and the development team. We must balance the enthusiasm and expectations with the fact that it is a brand new product and I prefer not to expose myself on sales expectations. “
not even a hypothetical number?
” you will not get even a hypothetical number to me “(smiles, ed.)
What impact will the virtual reality on the games industry?
” it has completely changed the design rules of the games and I think that will open new market frontiers mainly independent developers and small groups: have the opportunity to emerge, there is still great competition and the production of content is reduced. It reminds me of the early days of cinema, when independent filmmakers could experiment with. “
Do not just video games. Educational, tourism, medicine. What do you think?
” What there are possibilities of development for this technology that also increase thanks to the interest that shows the industry against him. We have received interest from the automotive industry, for example: imagine how it can change the test driving a car before purchasing guide if the experience is 360 degree, immersive. By tourist companies and museums and, of course, to the sectors that Sony has at home, from the production of television content to those musical. There are creative in the industry that after trying Playstation VR have had an immediate stimulus, but there is still nothing definite horizon. We have shown the potential. To give you a taste: I am a fan of classical music, and one of my favorite demo is a violinist who plays ‘for you’, as if it were a private concert. This could happen because Joshua Bell (American violinist, ed ) wanted to do: he came to us, interested in being involved, and we set up the set to achieve the demo, there was synergy. “
Zuckerberg is excited about this new technology. Elon Musk terrified that there might overwhelm. Andrew House what proof?
” i would say something that is at a point somewhere in the middle between the two. More excited, however. There is something extraordinary in the experience of virtual reality. Still lacks a professional development system to produce specific sofware, but it is only a matter of time. “
No doubt?
” No, because I myself was skeptical when engineers have come to me and we discussed the project, I did not believe much but I said ‘okay, let’s move, let’s try’. I think for everyone there is a time when precise experience of virtual reality makes a difference and changes your perception. It happened to me when, after finishing a game, I tried to place the joystick on a table that was not there. At that moment everything changed. And also I have changed my mind. It was intense, and magical. “
If one day come home and whereabouts his wife wearing the visor and ignores her, how you would react?
” Ah. . (smiles, jokes, but it comes right back seriously, ed). I do not care, because the fact that he thought the game in plain sight on the screen means thinking about sharing: no one is completely excluded, alienated. We did not want to create a closed world. Even if you do not play you can watch and participate, it’s a shared screen. And so we have created the set for ‘playroom’ which gives the opportunity to interact. “
It has been said of the experience with the viewer: pervasive, shared, immersive. What would add?
“Simple. Experience simple, in terms of interaction in the game, but enjoys the same “.
What to say his sons Playstation VR? The give advice?
“Well my biggest studies computer and want to get into the games industry since she is 8 years old, now speaks for the industry professional, is concerned because it would become a developer so yes, I very helps its opinion. My daughter is 16 years instead: yes, she told me that she likes, but at that age has in mind everything except video games or virtual reality. “
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