Sony Computer Entertainment
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| Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. | |
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| Type | subsidiary of Sony Corporation |
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| Founded | November 16, 1993 by Sony |
| Headquarters |  Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan |
| Key people | Kazuo Hirai: President & Group COO, SCEI Ken Kutaragi: Chairman & Group CEO, SCEI Jack Tretton: President & CEO, SCEA Phil Harrison: President, SCE Worldwide Studios, |
| Industry | Video game consoles, Video games |
| Products | PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PSX, PSP, PlayStation 3 |
| Parent | Sony Corporation |
| Website | scei.co.jp |
Sony Computer Entertainment, Incorporated (株式会社ソニー・コンピュータエンタテインメント Kabushiki Gaisha Sonī Konpyūta Entateinmento?) (SCEI) is a Japanese video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry, mostly in video game consoles and is a full subsidiary of Sony Corporation that was established on November 16, 1993 in Tokyo, Japan.
SCEI handles the research and development, production, and sales of hardware and software for their high-selling PlayStation line of handheld and video game consoles. SCEI is also a developer and publisher of video games for their systems.
The Chairman and CEO of SCEI is Ken Kutaragi who is also known as "The Father of the PlayStation". Kutaragi had also served as President of SCEI until November 30, 2006 when the position was replaced by Kaz Hirai.[1] Kaz Hirai's position who was President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America, is now held by Jack Tretton.[2]
SCEI is comprised of several subsidiaries covering the company's biggest markets: America, Europe, Oceania and Asia. The original soundtracks of its game franchises are produced and distributed by Sony's Japanese distributive unit Aniplex.
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[edit] Consoles
[edit] PlayStation
Sony's first foray into the video game market, the PlayStation (codenamed PSX during development, currently called PSone), was initially set to be an add-on for Nintendo's Super Nintendo Entertainment System (a.k.a. Super Famicom) video game console as an answer to Sega's Sega CD. When the prospect of releasing the system as an add-on dissolved, Sony transformed it into the PlayStation video game console. The PlayStation was released in Japan on December 3, 1994 and later in North America on September 9, 1995. The system was widely popular and quickly became the best selling home console to date, only to be passed by its successor the PlayStation 2.
[edit] PlayStation 2
Sony's follow-up console, the PlayStation 2 or PS2 was released in Japan on March 4, 2000 and later in North America on October 26, 2000. The PS2 is powered by a proprietary central processing unit, called the Emotion Engine and was the first video game console to have DVD playback functionality. Some game developers complained that the PlayStation 2 was too hard to develop for, and others also claimed that the PS2 was not as powerful as its competitors. Despite these complaints, the PlayStation 2 had widespread support from third party developers and was very successful in the marketplace. It placed first in number of units sold in its generation, with Microsoft's Xbox placing second, Nintendo's GameCube third and Sega's Dreamcast fourth, which had been discontinued.
[edit] PSX
In December 2003, Sony upgraded the PlayStation 2 adding DVD burning and a hard drive with video recording functionality. The upgraded system was renamed the PSX (an acronym formerly mis-used to represent the original PlayStation). The PSX has extensive media connectivity with the PSP. It is an expensive luxury device (approximately US$700). Due to its unpopularity, it was never released outside of Japan [1].
[edit] PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 is Sony's next-generation video game console. The system was unveiled on May 16, 2005 at a press conference prior to the 2005 E³ event. The PS3 is powered by a CPU called the Cell developed by IBM, Toshiba, and Sony themselves. The console has many features such as Blu-ray disc technology, a tilt sensing controller, and high-end multimedia interfaces such as HDMI which is fully capable of 1080p resolution. The PlayStation 3 has limited backward compatibility with both the PlayStation 2 and the original PlayStation. Sony defines the machine as "The Super Computer Entertainment Device". The PlayStation 3 was released on November 11 in Japan and six days later, on November 17, in North America. Europe and Australia are to follow on March 23 2007 (though it was originally scheduled for the same time as North America, it was delayed). Currently, the PS3 is third in worldwide sales of seventh-generation consoles.
[edit] Portable
[edit] PlayStation Portable
The PlayStation Portable is the first handheld gaming system made by Sony. First revealed in 2004, the PSP was released in Japan in 2004 and in North America and Europe in 2005. With the ability to play music, watch videos, view pictures, and use the internet, the PSP didn't become a major rival to Nintendo and their Game Boy and Nintendo DS, the Nintendo ds out sellls it 3:1. Firmwares 3.03 and below can currently be downgraded to version 1.50, the version in which it is possible to run homebrew applications on. With over 20 million units shipped to date, the PSP is the most successful competitor in the handheld market against Nintendo, who has been dominant since the 1989 release of the Game Boy, but the DS is still more popular overall.
[edit] Internal division
In September 14, 2005 Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios (SCE WWS) was formed,[3] and will be responsible for the global creative, technical and strategic direction setting of development and production of computer entertainment software for the PlayStation family. It is headed by former SCEE VP Phil Harrison.
Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
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| SCEI Subsidiary Divisions | |
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Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd.
Sony Computer Entertainment Korea Inc.
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[edit] Game franchises
Sony Computer Entertainment owned franchises:
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[edit] Slogans
Slogans by Sony Computer Entertainment advertisings campaign:
- "Enos Lives" – PS
- "U R Not e" – PS
- "Do Not Underestimate The Power Of The PlayStation." – PS
- "Wherever, Whenever, Forever" – PS
- "Live In Your World, Play In Ours." – PS, PS2
- "Welcome to the Third Place" – PS2
- "Fun, Anyone?" – PS2
- "WELCOME CHANG3" – PS3
- "This is Living" – PS3
- "PLAY B3YOND" – PS3
[edit] Linux
In 2002, Sony released the first useful operating system for a video game console, after the Net Yaroze experience. The kit turned the PlayStation 2 into a full fledged computer system running Linux.[citation needed] The mix of hardware and software cost approximately US$149 at launch.
According to recent speeches by CEO Ken Kutaragi, the PlayStation 3 will receive another Linux distribution pre-installed on hard drives to better control online and multimedia capabilities.[citation needed]
In November 2005 Sony formed the Linux Alliance with IBM and Philips.
[edit] Controversial Advertising Campaigns
To commemorate the tenth anniversary of the PlayStation (PS) gaming console in Italy, Sony released an ad depicting a man smiling towards the camera and wearing on his head a crown of thorns with button symbols (Triangle, O, X, Square). At the bottom, the copy read as "Ten Years of Passion". This outraged the Vatican as well as many local Catholics, prompting comments such as "Sony went too far" and "Vatican excommunicates Sony". After the incident, the campaign was quickly discontinued.[citation needed]
Sony's American division also admitted in late 2005 to hiring graffiti artists to spray paint advertisements for their PlayStation Portable game system in seven major U.S. cities including New York City, Philadelphia, and San Francisco.[citation needed] The mayor of Philadelphia has filed a cease and desist order and may file a criminal complaint. According to Sony, they are paying businesses and building owners for the right to graffiti their walls.[4] As of early January 2006, Sony has no plans to keep or withdraw them.
In July 2006, Sony released a Dutch advertising campaign featuring a white model dressed entirely in white and a black model garbed in black. The first ad featured the white model clutching the face of the black model. The words "White is coming" headlined one of the ads. The ad has been viewed as racist by critics.[5] A Sony spokesperson responded that the ad does not have a racist message, saying that it was only trying to depict the contrast between the black PSP model and the new ceramic white PSP. Other pictures of the ad campaign include the black model overpowering the white model.[6]
In November 2006, a marketing company employed by Sony's American division created a website entitled "All I want for Xmas is a PSP", designed to promote the PSP virally. The site contained a blog, which was purportedly written by "Charlie", a teenager attempting to get his friend "Jeremy"'s parents to buy him a PSP, providing links to t-shirt iron-ons, Christmas cards, and a "music video" of either Charlie or Jeremy "rapping". However, visitors to the website soon discovered that the website was registered to a marketing company, exposing the site on sites such as YouTube and digg, and Sony was forced to admit the site's true origin in a post on the blog, stating that they would from then on "stick to making cool products" and that they would use the website for "the facts on the PSP". The site has since been taken down. In an interview with next-gen.biz, Sony admitted that the idea was "poorly executed".[7]
[edit] References
- ^ SCE Announces New Management Team (PDF). Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Retrieved on November 30, 2006.
- ^ Yuri Kageyama (December 1, 2006). Sony game unit appoints new president. MSNBC.
- ^ SCE Establishes SCE Worldwide Studios (PDF). Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Retrieved on September 14, 2005.
- ^ Wired News
- ^ "Sony ad causes white riot", Guardian Unlimited: Gamesblog, 2006-07-05. Retrieved on July 6, 2006.
- ^ "Sony's racially charged PSP ad", Joystiq.com, 2006-07-04. Retrieved on July 7, 2006.
- ^ "Sony: PSP Viral Campaign 'Poorly Executed'", next-gen.biz/, 2006-12-13. Retrieved on April 9, 2007.
[edit] External links
Products
Technologies and brands: Walkman • CD • Betacam • Video8/Hi8/Digital8 • DAT • MiniDisc • MiniDV • PlayStation • DVD • Memory Stick • Cyber-shot • VAIO • PSP • BRAVIA • LocationFree • Walkman Phones • XDCAM • Blu-ray • α • mylo
Historical products: TR-55 • Trinitron • U-matic • Betamax • NEWS • Mavica • WEGA • Sony CLIÉ • AIBO • Qualia
Operating segments
Sony Corp. (Sony Electronics in the US) • Sony Pictures • Sony Computer Entertainment • Sony BMG Music • Sony Financial Holdings
Other
Acquisitions: Columbia Records • Columbia Pictures • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (20%) • Aiwa
Joint Ventures: Sony Ericsson • Sony BMG Music • Sony/ATV • S-LCD • STLCD • Sony NEC Optiarc • FeliCa Networks
Key personnel: Ibuka • Morita • Stringer • Kutaragi • Hirai • Harrison • Lynton • Pascal • Ohga • Idei
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Sony Computer Entertainment consoles
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Consoles: PlayStation • PocketStation • PlayStation 2 • PSX • PlayStation Portable • PlayStation 3 |
