Phil Harrison, President of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios (SCE WWS) has gone on record to state that console game controllers are too complex for non-gamers looking for an introduction into playing videogames, suggesting that it is almost like placing a “live gun” in their hands.
Speaking at the Game Developers Conference last week, Harrison, who will be leaving his position with Sony this Friday, commented: You hand somebody a game controller and it’s like you’ve handed them a live gun or a hand grenade with the pin taken out.”
Harrison then turned his attention to the Nintendo Wii controller, praising it as a "non-game centric device", which he feels has bought an element of “democratisation" to playing videogames.
Similarly, he also congratulated Apple’s efforts with its iPhone device, adding, "I saw this first hand a few weeks ago where a two year old was playing with an iPhone and he knows how to get the pictures up of mum and dad. The two year-old then intuitively thought that all electronic devices worked like that.”
"He’s pressing the TV to change channels."
"He’s right and the rest of us are wrong – that should be applied universally. Apple should be applauded for that innovation," said Harrison.