Tretton: Sony takes more risks than Nintendo
Nintendo "prints money", Microsoft has "more money than God," says Sony boss
Sony Amercia's Jack Tretton has said that the company is willing to take more risks than its competitors, although he sees both Microsoft and Nintendo's financial positions as enviable.
"We like to see ourselves somewhere in the middle. We don't have unlimited money, we cater to a more mass market audience, we're willing to take a little bit more risk than a competitor like Nintendo," Tretton said in an interview with Forbes.
"We like to say the environment where PlayStation wins is best for this industry, because we have a brand that can play on a worldwide basis - young and old, male and female - where our competition tends to be relegated to either select regions or select consumer audiences."
Nintendo has been catering to the same audience for 20 years, according to Tretton, and reaps the financial benefits of knowing its consumer.
"[Nintendo] know what they do well and they stick to it," said Tretton. "They deliver a casual, youth-oriented entertainment experience, it's very enjoyable after 20 years, and they make money. They print money. Their profitability is their key focus. I think that's enviable."
Microsoft has time to be patient in the long-term with its videogame business, said Tretton, in part due to the amount of money it can afford to pump into the console market.
"I love their money. I mean, they've got more money than God," he said.
"They can afford to be more patient. We're very profit-driven. We're interested in a return on investment in a fairly short period of time. I think Microsoft's will to go at it from a much more steep curve in terms of profitability."