As if we expected Sony CEO Kazuo Hirai to say anything else after Microsoft fell flat in its Xbox One reveal. Speaking at the D11 conference, Hirai took advantage of the PS4's position as a "true gaming machine" by distancing it further from the Xbox One, which is being pitched as an all-in-one entertainment device.
“I fundamentally believe that the initial market that we need to make sure we appeal to with any new platform … is really the gaming audience,” Hirai said. “They will be the supporters of your platform and they will help propel the installed base.”
Hirai mentioned that the PS4 will have non-gaming applications, like Netflix and Hulu probably, but the company will not place emphasis on these features until after the system's launch this fall. Entertainment apps are planned for the system, but Hirai said they would be added "after we establish the platform as a video game platform."
"We want to make sure that we are there for the gamers with our PS4 as well. They will go beyond this, but they’ll definitely start with gamer first," Hirai concluded. "For us, it's all about the gamers."
Honestly, did we expect Hirai to say anything else? Of course he is going to cater to gamers. Right now, Sony is viewed as sort of this white knight in the industry, standing up for gamers with no DRM on used games (although the company has yet to officially announce its own used game policy); it'd be foolish of Sony to say anything other than something that would cater to this audience.
Nevertheless, I don't necessarily think Kaz is lying. Judging solely on the PS4 reveal coupled with Sony's commitment to indie developers, the PS4 is clearly in a position to go hard after gamers. Microsoft, meanwhile, seems content with its label as an all-in-one entertainment device.
