Sony UK Director: America is "a land of cheap people" (Fake, so it seems)

[Mikleran]

In an interview with Martin Matt, from the popular GameIndustry.biz site, Sony UK managing director Ray Maguire calls America "a land of cheap people", while the UK is “a little island where rent and rates are at an absolute premium”.

When asked about the high price of the PS3 in PAL areas, especially in the UK (where Sony’s console is currently being sold for GBP 425- US $840- more expensive than anywhere in Europe) this is what Ray Maguire had to say:

“If you take what's considered to be the most expensive and the least expensive – consider the US with its massive land and cheap people. Then you look at the UK – a little island where rent and rates are at an absolute premium, and the cost of people is a lot more. The cost of retail is vastly more in the UK than it is in the US and that's before you even stop to consider the US doesn't have VAT at RRP, they put a small amount on afterwards. Whereas, we get stung by 17.5 per cent. And pity the poor Irish and places like Sweden.

http://www.playfuls.com/news_06695_S...PS3_Price.html

That's not very nice, is it?

Appended by The_One:

Is this an April Fools joke, or just a n00b stab at Sony--again? The article got the URL incorrect (GameIndustry.biz as opposed to GamesIndustry.biz), not to mention, the ACTUAL interview (HERE) states NOTHING of that nature.

[Eric]

How is this a disaster, as for the most part it is true... (I'm American btw so don't think I'm being arrogant)

[LexusIS350]

Haha..god I am such a cheap *******...I hate being an American. Straight bullocks you bloody Brit. j/k Where is Phil Harrison to do some damage control, Sony should know that the only person who should be talking is Jack Tretton and Phil Harrison...everyone else should just chill til the next episode.

and yes I would say this statement has some truth to it. Although I am far from cheap. I don't think he meant we are froogle, more so we expect not to pay a premium for anything, be it fuel, homes, food, clothes, etc.

[duketogo]

In a way its true, North America pays less for real estate, fuel....pretty much everything. I don't know if that necessarily makes us cheap, but it does make one expect cheaper prices.

[TrojanHorse]

Yay, another PR disaster!

Completely agree,

Even though what he is saying may be true, it doesn't sound right! He should have stopped at mentioning the high cost of living and taxes in the UK and Europe and thats it!

[THEBLAKWALSTREET]

haha its true, but im canadian

[Alyxm]

http://www.playfuls.com/news_06695_S...PS3_Price.html

That's not very nice, is it?

yeh.. The Irish have it worse then the Uk, but again, we earn more money to balance everything out, from what I saw, PS3 has been so far a really really good console in Ireland, the 360 not so much, but the Wii I think is the leader, hey wouldnt you be the leader if u cost 250.

[Charl3z523]

It is true. I mean c'mon, people actually buy Xbox's over here! Europe and Japan knows not to buy cheap **** that breaks down all the time!

[Kamahl]

Hmmmm.... it's true...

It may sound bad to some of you but if you think about it and compare USA with other countries, you will notice its true.

[Morganator]

The truth hurts! Doesn't it! D By the way; that is the understatement of the century.

[Organic_Shadow]

Wow you guys are totally taking his statement the wrong way. Calling someone cheap, and then talking about how it is much more affordable to live in the US than the UK are two different things.

[Doc Evils]

Well it is the home of eBay.

[Grinchy]

We do suck at paying money for luxuries, we'd rather save it for something we need more(like medicine). We want our electronics cheap, especially. It balances out because while our medical care is top notch it also costs top notch. Our medical coverage, as a nation, sucks compared to most civilized countries. That's one area where we pay out the @$$

[davbere]

Thats it I am going to sell my ps3........

[Shadow780]

I think he's just trying to justify the higher price that UK gamers has to pay for the PS3, but then that damn slip of the tongue....

[LighthouseJ]

Yet plenty of europe has massive taxes. The US isn't filled with cheap people, we just aren't used to overpaying for everything. In Amsterdam, a gallon costs $7 USD. Are we "cheap" or are we just not being massively overcharged? I think the Sony UK director is just jealous of the cheap gas and lower taxes. When you step back, the US has a really sweet deal.

[circus_freaks]

Wow... where do they get these guys... Sony needs to shut it's exectutives up. I would be putting together a Media Image exectutive training couse if I was them. Pull the exeutives from what ever swill pit of excess they're swimming in and teach them some common sense. When they open their mouths they say stupid things. I don't disagree with anything that was said. I'm Canadian but N/A is the land of Walmart. Big boxes of cheap. We Canadians pay more for things and are overtaxed compared to the U.S. but it's nothing compared to the UK and Europe. That's the point I think he was making. I think the spin is worse than the actual statement (what a surprise) but still you have to use your brain to make your mouth work. Especially when Sony's public image is tainted an arrogant green right now. You have to watch how you present yourself. You shouldn't act arrogant and then act shocked when people call you on it.

[kingsam]

Wow it's gettng taken seriously out of context. The choice of wording probably wasn't the best tho.

The price of people is expensive in the UK, because there is less land, we are expensive people. There is a tonne of space in the US thus people are cheap. That's what he means. He doesn't mean people from the US and cheap (ie tacky), although in some cases that may be an arguable point.
It's talking abotu economies and price points and the factors that go into that.

[XXYoungJinXX]

hahaha, as true as this statement is he still shouldn't have said it =P. Doesn't do wonders for their current PR job that's for sure aye. In America, we need a lotta proof that something works before purchasing it, it is just how it is. Or if it's just the current phase of popularity =P...

[Argoth]

He just used the wrong word. Instead of "people" he should have used something like "living". Just read the whole quote, he refers to the UK as "expensive people". This isn't a disaster just a faux pas.

[fis]

Cheap = inexpensive:

That's what we say in the UK, CD are cheaper in the US, cost of living is less than UK i.e. it is cheaper to live in the US than UK.. for people that speak the same language we do seem to have a language problem!

[MrFenwick]

Yep, we are cheap. We grip about gas prices all the time over here. And whatever else there is.

$10 for a sandwich? Hell No! Wheres my $1 McValue meal?

[iLLuSionS]

this is so true... its like, the more populated an area is, and the smaller it is, its gonna obviously higher.

look at japan... their inflation is like 5$ per can of coke

[GamerG]

he meant the cost of employing people is much cheaper in the states, the avearge salary is much greater in the UK than it is in the US, the minimum wage for example is twice in the UK than what it is in most US states.

He didn't mean anything by it!

[darkiewonder]

Guess i'm in the minority or whatever you want to look at it. I spend money where I can spend. so pfft ;P