Unity CEO and former Electronic Arts chief, John Riccitiello recently spoke at the GamesBeat summit about a number of different topics. When the conversation turned to who really won the console wars between the Xbox One and the PS4 the exec wasn’t remotely shy about detailing why he felt Sony won.
Among other things, Riccitiello said that Sony won the battle because Microsoft bet on some big ideas, that stretched past gaming and lost. Sony, on the other hand toook a “gamers first” approach to things and found their audience. Riccitiello also said that Microsoft tried to take on Apple with the Xbox One “they didn’t feel gaming was big enough to justify the pent-up desire … to have the recognition they wanted as an innovator.”
Summing up the battle between the two companies as a game of billiards, he characterized Microsoft as looking at the shot, after the shot they needed to make. Microsoft missed the 7-ball in the corner pocket and didn’t have the opportunity to take that other shot. Sony instead focused on the shot they needed to make right now. “A tight execution on the 50 million people that matter, which are the people currently lapping up consoles … Sony [expletive] nailed it, and they deserve the victory.” Riccitiello added.
Finally, as his time at GamesBeat wound town, the Unity CEO opined on the future of gaming and admitted that right now, no one can afford the equipment that will really change gaming in a huge way. He closed with, “That beautiful zenith is just going to take more money and more time.”
