When Ken Kutaragi announced his retirement recently, it seemed the desire for people to score a quick ‘gotcha’ managed to hide the fact that one of the most important men in the history of gaming had laid aside his analogue sticks.
OK, so it’s fair to say he was a tad eccentric at times, but it was his insistence on implementing a big idea that got Sony into gaming in the first place. Of course it helped that Sony only developed their own console after Nintendo betrayed them on their joint SNES-CD project by going with Phillips the night before the Sony-Nintendo collaboration was officially announced, but Kutaragi correctly noticed that cartridge games systems were on their last legs, and that Sony had the knowledge to go it on their own without Nintendo.
Anyone who isn’t a businessman probably won’t care much about that, though, and even the numbers of PlayStations sold is pretty irrelevant as well, though each sale represents a gamer who probably had an incredible experience with their console, if me and my friends’ experience is anything to go by.
In fact, the one thing that makes the PlayStation stand out for me is that I’ve probably wasted more time playing various iterations of the PlayStation than any other console series, and that’s against some pretty stiff competition, from every other major hardware manufacturer. Ken Kutaragi might be the father of the PlayStation, but to me he was the father of a thousand ill-advised late nights, nearly-missed assignment deadlines and supposedly ‘wasted’ time. Would I take any of them back? Not for a second, and for that Three Speech salutes you Kutaragi-san.
By Chris Blenkarn
Hmmm yeah he did a lot of good, he also made a few stupid decisions. Time for some young blood to step into SCE management I think.
Comment by Ben Furneaux — May 9, 2007 @ 2:59 pm
I too salute you,
Despite an odd bollock dropped here and there he is after all only human.
There arnt many that can claim their name into the history books but i think Mr Kutaragi can brag that one.
Top job that man
Comment by Scorn — May 9, 2007 @ 3:56 pm
ken retires and leaves behind a great gaming legacy.
ive had many many a late night,not gone to work etc on the playstation i wouldnt take back any of it - thanx ken
Comment by linton — May 9, 2007 @ 4:29 pm
Its really easy to look over his work and just see some crazy guy who talks about shit 24/7. Often I think his quotes were mis-translated - people don’t realise how much he contributed to the gaming we’ve got today.
Having said that, I think he lost it with the PS3.
Comment by Tom Eccles — May 9, 2007 @ 4:30 pm
I am sad that Ken retired.. I hope his influence on the future Sony Playstations, technology-wise at least is considered. In my opinion, it was good to push the boundaries of technology, as that encourages innovation and adoption of true next gen. technologies. Otherwise, we would’ve gotten Playstation 2.5 vs. 3.0.
Comment by nmc75 — May 9, 2007 @ 5:21 pm
Ken Kutaragi was a true visionary in the gaming industry. It is a disgrace to see so many ignorant people putting him down and dismissing him as a crazy man. Simply put, gaming would not be where it is today without him. Many of these “standard†features we have come to expect from our gaming machines stem directly from his ideas. The gaming industry is in a far better place now because of Mr. Kutaragi’s invaluable foresight and vision.
Thank you Mr. Kutaragi for all you have done for us.
Comment by PaulR — May 9, 2007 @ 5:24 pm
All those inexcusably late nights… up till 4 in the morning, then getting up at 6:30 to go to 6th form… I love it, Mr. Kutaragi-san. What would I do without it? Be awake enough to think in class? We can’t have that. It’s what we live for. You’ll be missed… what a visionary.
Comment by Griffo — May 9, 2007 @ 5:28 pm
ken kutaragi was an engineer,not some jumped up twat in a suit…his remarks may have been bewildering for some people, but he had an enthusiasm for his ‘designed’ product, that has made playstation what it is today…
i too like the other posters up top, salute kutaragi-san
Comment by seedaripper — May 9, 2007 @ 5:48 pm
He’s done so much for the industry and I believe that in time people will revere Ken Kutaragi.
Comment by PSN: Neil — May 9, 2007 @ 6:14 pm
Hear hear.
I to admit spending late nights. Heck, I even ended up staying to watch the sunrise. It was something about the games on the playstation that kept me playing to no end. Oh, it was the introduction of RPG to my life.
Comment by Mr. Dark E — May 9, 2007 @ 6:38 pm
Whatever is all i got to say to those nay sayers. Mr Kutaragi is, and always will be respect from me and my game design peers, and should be by all PS hardcore fans!
The guy is a mastermind, it saddens me to see him go, but hey at least if he plays part in PS4, i will BUY IT!
Comment by Smokey — May 9, 2007 @ 6:57 pm
Even people that claim to hate him secretly love him the most. He also moved for more open standards, and we have him to thank for the Playstation platform using ‘off the shelf’ devices like HDDs, bluetooth headsets, keyboards, and media.
Comment by MongooseKun — May 9, 2007 @ 8:09 pm
I have many things to thank ken for. Mainly me getting interested in prgramming, and things like that.
*Salutes him*
Comment by -soul_reaper- — May 9, 2007 @ 9:32 pm
Thank you for your amazing consoles
*Salute*
Comment by Wormhole — May 9, 2007 @ 9:51 pm
Late nights..oh…that just made me sad…damit…damit! I had sooo many late nights, I had sooo many late nights with my PSone, man,…that were time…
Thx you Ken so much.
Comment by konnichi — May 9, 2007 @ 9:58 pm
FINALLY!!!! People who understand. Ken Kutaragi is the man responsible for making gaming mainstream. No longer are gamers part of a barely noticed sub-culture that is subject to slanderous stereotypes like “nerdy”, “childish”, and “a waste of time”.
Kutaragi-san, without you gaming would still be in the Dark Ages, hidden from mainstream entertainment, having all of its fans ridiculed for their choice of entertainment.
Comment by DragonKnight — May 9, 2007 @ 11:03 pm
Thanks Ken
Comment by Sean — May 9, 2007 @ 11:03 pm
A great man with visionary qualities. Will ps3 at E3 be teh doomeded or is this constant negativity there only chance?. Microsoft are being attacked from all sides in the real world. Laughable how the press report stuff.
Comment by jasp — May 9, 2007 @ 11:08 pm
Here here!!
I think it’s absolutely shameful the way some media outlets reported on his stepping down - they lost the last bit of credibility they had left. Shame on them.
Ken played a big role in shaping the way many of us play games, and for that we thank him, and wish him all the best.
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http://www.gamesey.com - the gaming site that’s refreshingly different.
Comment by Timeless — May 9, 2007 @ 11:09 pm
einstine of video games, paradigm shifter of video games
Comment by a1 — May 10, 2007 @ 12:37 am
Ken, will always be the father of the Playstation and withouth him I wouldn’t have my precious Playstation 3, for that and for all this wonderful days of gaming with my ps, ps one, ps2 and psp. I salute him too.
Comment by s1lens3 — May 10, 2007 @ 1:06 am
Not only did he shape introduce the strongest name in gaming today, he completely changed the face of gaming with his attitude of letting developers put what they want on the system, and by constantly pushing the hardware. Imagine gaming today if we were still stuck with only Mario and Zelda.
Comment by Tenchi — May 10, 2007 @ 2:28 am
Amen. Rock on, Kutaragi - Methinks you have plenty more spirit in you. And I, for one, will not sing your eulogy just yet
Comment by nexus3ooo — May 10, 2007 @ 2:30 am
Kutaragi was a man with a vision and little compromise. Lord only knows what iteration the video game industry would have been without him.
He brought 3D gaming to the masses in their living rooms, he gave computer gamers a reason to look beyond the keyboard and mouse. His systems breathed life into the countless characters and their stories would fill many tomes.
I do hope that Ken will keep some ties with Sony perhaps even help them break ground on the PlayStation 4.
Next time you tie one on pour a lil for Ken.
Comment by D.Vader — May 10, 2007 @ 5:34 am
indeed, kutaragi was a little crazy sometimes, but he created the most succesful brand in the history of videogames to date (in terms of sales of course)
Comment by tomboy — May 10, 2007 @ 10:03 am
Thanks Ken for teaching me the art of patience. I waited god only knows how long for…..
The Playstation 1 to finally arrive
FFVII
MSG
GT 1
FFVIII
GT2
FFIX
The PS2 to finally arrive
GT3
FFX
MGS2
GTA3
FFXII
The PS3 to finally arrive
etc
etc
etc
hmm spot the pattern !
Comment by Neil — May 10, 2007 @ 1:02 pm
Huuge impact on gaming, well done Ken tis a legacy to be very proud of - if it weren’t for one S.Miyamoto you would be the big daddy of (modern) gaming.
PS1 - PS2 the man with the golden touch..
Comment by Basil Brush — May 10, 2007 @ 2:20 pm
As a with the PlayStation as my first console I feel that he is the biggest influence in my gaming life. Without that little gray box I would probably be a business major and not a computer engineering tech. For all there ever was and for all that will ever be, Sony PlayStation is the brand to beat. Good Luck to Ken Kutaragi on what ever he does. Hopefully teach more people about how to move an industry forward.
Comment by Binkocd — May 10, 2007 @ 2:28 pm
PS1 still the best system out there. A+
Comment by sycodude — May 25, 2007 @ 5:48 am
Wow, I really can’t accept the fact that Ken really is retiring.
Come on, without Ken, we’d still be playing with cartridges on whatever systems are out there. Ken is the type who doesn’t stick with what’s safe and cheap and already out there.
Ken wants the industry to keep moving forward, so the consumer can enjoy something different and new each time.
People claim that Sony copied Nintendo’s move to motion sensing. But I don’t think so. Ken always wants to innovate. And when there is the technology to do so, he will do so. Which is why he chose to do motion sensing. And of course, on PS2, the Eyetoy was a heads up about motion sensing for PS3.
But this time around Nintendo ALSO wanted to innovate. Which ended up with both of them having motion sensing.
Man, I just don’t think PS4 will be a PS4 without Ken. It was Ken’s idea to create Cell. Without Ken for PS4, I fear Sony will not be as innovative…
And remember, before Playstation, video games were good. They allowed you to have fun. But because of Playstation, they sucked you in, they moved you, they made you obsessed, they allowed you to experience video games as something serious…. something you can connect with. Which is the very reason why you become obsessed to it in the first place.
See, Nintendo’s systems were great, but they just didn’t have the ability to let the developers create games which could truly connect to a person other than letting them have fun.
Playstation created a different kind of gaming… Playstation is Living…
and soon, you will live in your world… but play at Home!!! ^_^
Comment by Rock Lee — Jun 3, 2007 @ 2:25 pm
Oh yea, and I salute you Ken Kuturagi!
You deserve to be written down in history as the man who brought gaming to the masses!
We will never forget you and your grand visions!
Comment by Rock Lee — Jun 3, 2007 @ 2:28 pm
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