Shaky Sony Prepares to Reveal All at GDC

The early months for the PS3 could have gone better; Phil Harrison will be giving the console a boost this week.

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In a recent interview with GamePro, Sony's American boss, Jack Tretton, said that Sony was open to the idea of different types of controllers - something the company has traditionally shied away from.

The trouble then, as Sony sees it, is that its critics are thinking too narrowly, expecting too much right now. "We're going to take some risks and give consumers the technology that they'll need for the next ten years," Tretton told GamePro, in response to criticism that the £425 PS3 simply costs too much.

The idea that the PS3 is going to be around for quite some time, thanks to the inclusion of next-gen technologies such as Blu-ray and the Cell processor, is one that reaches right to the top of the multinational company.

"I think it's fair to say," Sony chief executive officer Sir Howard Stringer told the Wall Street Journal (read it here), "that any time you're aiming for the stars, you're running the risk of falling a bit short on your timetable."

Europeans know well what Stringer means. The PS3 was meant for worldwide release in November, but parts shortages led to a four-month delay in Europe. Now retailers there are saying that they're seeing unprecedented demand, even as some observers wonder why pre-orders aren't selling out nearly as fast as they did for the Wii.

Perhaps what Europeans and people around the world need are more reasons to want a PS3. Phil Harrison's talk on Wednesday should be the first place they go looking.

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