PS4 praised by Microsoft: 'Sony has done a nice job'

The corporate vice president of Microsoft Game Studios has praised Sony for its continued efforts with the PlayStation 4, as well as its commitment to original IP such as Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls.

Speaking in an interview with OXM (via VG247), Phil Spencer congratulated the Japanese hardware giant on doing a ‘nice job’ at defining its next-generation console.

“Sony – and I’m focused on first-party because of what I do – I really respect their focus on investing in new things and creative things, what they’ve done with David Cage and Quantic Dream around Beyond [Two Souls] and Heavy Rain; they stay committed to franchises even if they don’t sell 10 million units, they’ll stay committed to things,” said Spencer.

“I think that long-term commitment to franchises is important,” he continued, “where it’s easy to pull off the Band-Aid and move onto the next thing [if it doesn't sell]. I respect their stick-to-it-ive-ness. I’ll say, they’ve done a nice job with PS4 [...] When I think about their announcement, their clear focus on a customer, leading with the value proposition of what they’re trying to do, staying true to a vision, I think they’ve done a nice job in how they defined the PS4.”

Sony and Microsoft are going head-to-head in the next-generation punch-up, with PS4 currently in the lead with 4.2 million consoles sold worldwide. Xbox One has moved three million units to date. Both machines were released in November 2013.