Jeff Minter calls Sony incredibly arrogant over PS3

Sony PlayStation 3According to the BBC, UK video game legend Jeff Minter has criticised Sony for being “smug” about its PlayStation 3 console.

Mr. Minter, who founded Llamasoft in 1982, created the 1980s games Llamatron and Gridrunner and developed a light synthesiser for the Xbox 360, said the machine was “expensive” and lacked launch games. His comments were published in the UK video game magazine Edge.

Sony chief executive Howard Stringer recently defended PS3’s high price, saying it was “high” but that the console was “future proof”.

Mr Minter, writing in his regular column for Edge, said: “They seem absolutely certain that even when they say it’s going to be considerably more expensive than existing consoles… nevertheless us eager customers will rush out in droves to buy it because it’s, hey, a new PlayStation.”

He more bluntly argues with Sony that “Just making the shiniest, most expensive harware doesn’t cut it these days. Sure the PSP was beautiful, shining, pretty and posh, whereas the DS was definitely the ugly sister. But hey, the ugly sister is better in the sack.” And closes off with “Yeah, you’ve got the lion’s share of the current market, but don’t get smug, Sony. Nobody likes smug, and it’s not an attitude that has served companies well in the videogames industry.”

The PlayStation 3 will have a global launch in November with most analysts expecting the initial delivery of two million consoles to sell out immediately. Sony has said it hopes to ship four million PS3s by the end of the year.

Last month Sony’s Stringer said: “The price of the PS3 is high but you’re paying for potential.” He added: “Obviously, it’s a higher-risk strategy – as all new inventions are – but if the PS3 lives up to its total potential, then I don’t think anyone will be worried about Nintendo or Xbox’s cheaper price.”

We’ll found out November 10-17 if the next-gen HD gaming & Blu-Ray equipment is worth the extra costs for gamers.