Xbox One Backlash "Very Useful Source" for PlayStation 4

Sony's Shuhei Yoshida has admitted that the backlash to the Xbox One's DRM and always-online policies was "a very useful source" when the company was finalising its position on user rights.

In an interview with Famitsu (via Polygon), the SCE Worldwide Studios president explained that it wasn't the deciding factor as regards Sony's user policies, but it reaffirmed they were on the right track.

"There were lots of people who gave their opinions on that issue to my Twitter account before E3," he said. "It's not that our hardware policies are decided strictly based on user reaction like this, but when we were thinking about what we had to bring across and how to bring it across, it was a very useful source."

Considering how Sony referenced the feedback Microsoft had received towards the end of the conference, it appears that even if the backlash didn't dictate what the Japanese company decided to do with the PS4, it was happy to capitalise on the negative reaction.

SCE Japan Asia president Hiroshi Kawano added, "As of now, I feel like we're getting a very positive response. For this system, we made a list of what people expected from us, debating over each point, with user feedback forming the main basis for the list. The software makers are also telling us that they feel like they really make some fun stuff with it. A new platform always provides the basis for new forms of play, so I'd like to see it connect to a revitalization of the marketplace."

Kawano also argued that Tetsuya Nomura's appearance at the Sony conference, where he unveiled the newly rebranded Final Fantasy XV, was evidence that Japan's game industry still has a lot to offer.

"He received a wonderful reception at the conference, and that's something that elates us as well," he said. "People sometimes tell us that Japanese games are falling behind and so forth, but I think his presence signified that that's just not the case. We also want to provide gamers with a wide variety of games, and that's something that Japanese producers are good at. I think their presence will grow larger going into the future."

Luke Karmali is IGN's UK Junior Editor. You too can revel in mediocrity by following him on IGN and on Twitter.

Source : ign[dot]com