Kutaragi Envisions Roadmap for PlayStation 4, 5 & 6

April 30, 2007 | By: James Brightman

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That's right, not just PS4, but also 5 and 6. According to the EE Times, SCE Chairman Ken Kutaragi has the entire PlayStation business mapped out and he's passed along cost reduction tips to the PS3 design team. The question, though, is how involved he'll be in the future of PlayStation. IDC seems to think the answer to that is "very."

Reporting on the retirement of Sony Computer Entertainment Chairman and Group CEO, Ken Kutaragi, EE Times has revealed that the "Father of the PlayStation" already has a roadmap of sorts all planned out for the next PlayStation and beyond.

"As a matter of course, I have the vision of PlayStation 4, 5 and 6, which will merge into the network," he told EE Times. Kutaragi said that he already laid out his plans to the PS3 design team about how to reduce costs through PS3 design changes over the next couple years. Having passed on his plan he said, "Now I'm ready to start working with a much wider world."

According to the report, creating a new world on the network is the next challenge Kutaragi has in mind. "The design concept of the Cell processor is the network processor," he said.

Although some in the industry have viewed Kutaragi's stepping down as a sign that Sony is not pleased with the PS3, it was actually Kutaragi, himself, that proposed the retirement. He said that he will maintain an amicable relationship with the company, but noted that future projects will be largely independent of Sony. Although he will continue to support Sony as a senior technology advisor, it's not clear how much of his vision for PS4 and beyond will actually become reality.

That said, IDC does expect Kutaragi to continue to be heavily involved behind the scenes. In a statement sent to GameDaily BIZ and other media, the firm said, "IDC believes that Mr. Kutaragi's considerable talents are needed behind the scenes developing next generation technology rather running a business unit. Kaz Hirai is the best choice for executing the strategy and tactics to turn on PS3's afterburners.

"Ken Kutaragi is primarily a brilliant engineer and his work with the PS3 was complete before the first unit rolled off the line. He can retire at the top of his game in confidence that he has changed the dynamics of the games industry. He was directly responsible for all three iterations of the Playstation as well as the PSP, and we can thank him for the immersive 3D console gaming we now enjoy and for the control interface hardcore gamers know intuitively underneath their fingertips. The successor to the PS3 is unlikely to be released before 2012, and IDC expects that Kutaragi will be working on hardware that will impact the next cycles of consoles and handhelds."

IDC also went on to remark that PS3 may be off to a slow start, but the console is going to take off later this year and especially in 2008. "IDC stresses that the PS3 is ahead of the market, like its predecessors, while the Xbox 360 and Wii were designed for immediate market impact. Must-have exclusive content, which in this generation will come from first party studios (Heavenly Sword, Lair) and network services (Home), will turn around the PS3's position," the firm said. "Later this year new PS3 games will begin to demonstrate the advantages of the console's specifications and the network will show us some new tricks. IDC expects steep uptake for the PS3 to begin in 2008."