Introduction
I, for one, was ecstatic when I heard the news. Sony Computer Entertainment president Phil Harrison really made my day. I mean, I just about erupted with joy when I heard that I wasn't going to need to buy a Windows Vista PC next year, thanks to Sony's PlayStation 3. I could barely contain myself long enough to type this short sentence. Honestly, I hadn't been that happy since I discovered that you could fry a Twinkie.
In case you missed it, Harrison recently spoke with German newspaper Der Spiegel, and made a rather bold statement: "The PlayStation 3 is a computer. We do not need the PC." The context of that statement is this: Harrison and Sony are positioning the PS3 as more than just a game console - it will be a single device that will allow users to watch movies, play music, browse the Web and perform other PC functions. As a result, when Harrison was asked about Microsoft's convergence strategy with Xbox 360 and the PC, he suggested that PS3 could replace the PC.
Sony's Phil Harrison
The rest of Sony might have been a little surprised by that comment. After all, the company does have a PC business itself, one that relies heavily on Windows. To be sure, I don't see that many people running around with Sony Vaios, but I doubt the company is planning on dropping its computer business altogether. At the very least, Harrison & company would have to come up with a new name to replace Sony Computer Entertainment.
I would be excited to see Sony completely ditch Windows - which I despise in all its forms - and go with Linux or some other OS. It's not going to happen, however, at least not in this console cycle. Sony might well have the balls for such a move, but it would require making smart business decisions and taking small steps toward a big objective. And Sony doesn't have a viable alternative to PC gaming right now. Even with the company planning on supporting homegrown, Linux-based content for PS3, it will take several years to get developers on board and designing great games.
We don't need a PC? To say Harrison and Sony are getting a little ahead of themselves would be like saying Barry Bonds has a bit of an image problem. Perhaps Sony is getting defensive, and felt the need to issue some bold statements in the aftermath of E3, which saw the PS3 overshadowed by Nintendo's Wii. And maybe they're concerned about the growing convergence between Windows and the 360. Whatever the case, Sony's PS3 buzz is disappearing faster than Ashlee Simpson's nose. And unfortunately, the buzz has been replaced with hubris and unrealistic expectations.
So, without further ado, here are ten reasons why you don't need a PS3.
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