Sony's Harrison Talks PS3 Network, Software Details

In an interview reprinted on Sony semi-official blog ThreeSpeech, Sony Worldwide Studios head Phil Harrison has discussed new information on the PS3's network functionality, yet undisclosed replay features, and the strength of the PS3's broad software catalog. The interview, taken from an upcoming issue of the UK's Official Playstation Magazine, first asks Harrison which of the PS3's launch line-up Sony expects might sell the system. Harrison admits Sony's strategy doesn't lie on a single mascot-driven title, but rather, "it’s about having a wide catalogue that satisfies a number of different consumer tastes and styles" -- whether that be sports, shooter, or action gaming. From there, Harrison was asked what consumers might experience on a day to day basis through the PS3's network a year on after the console's launch. "Checking in with my clan to see what the plan is for tonight’s SOCOM or Resistance games," says Harrison. "Searching out the latest trailers, downloadable demos, skins for my desktop. Downloading a new album, reading a fine editorial of Official PlayStation Magazine, watching stuff on YouTube that my friends emailed me about... You only have to look at the Cross Media Bar to see how everything is going to fit into a Network environment. Obviously you’ve got your friend lists, the ability to chat directly with them, you’ve got your internet browser and the Store with downloadable games." Regarding further functionality of the PS3's network, chiefly the ability to record and distribute replays of games to a player's friends, Harrison adds that while rote video recording and playback is one solution, Sony is looking at a "more efficient way of doing it" by recording game input and sharing that more compact information, adding, "we are doing that in a very innovative way on a game that we haven’t shown anybody yet." Speaking specifically on the upcoming Killzone sequel, which generated a large amount of speculation about the PS3's true power when its trailer was first revealed, Harrison says, "With Killzone, the expectation internally and externally is very high – and I won’t show it until it’s going to exceed people’s expectations," and adds "I can tell you, though, that some elements already exceed the trailer." Finally, still reticent to offer the UK an official launch price, Harrison notes that UK retailers have shown more interest in the higher-end 60GB PS3 model, but that with the 20GB model adding HDMI, "there’s no effective difference in the machines whatsoever, because all of the other functionality is available through a USB card reader," throwing some further speculation into the mix on Sony's official launch plans in the region.