CE-Oh no he didn't! Part XXIV - Jack Tretton wants to give you $1,200

Electronic Gaming Monthly, in an interview with Sony's Jack Tretton in early January, mentioned the recent availability of his company's console: "...it seemed like about 50 percent of the people in line were there to make a quick buck on eBay. And now we're seeing a lot more units on store shelves." Jack seemed a tad surprised by this, but he put his money where his mouth is: "If you can find a PS3 anywhere in North America that's been on shelves for more than five minutes, I'll give you 1,200 bucks for it. I can get any retail buyer on the phone with you and get them to verify that there's not a single retail location in America where there's a PlayStation 3 on the shelf for sale. They've all been sold in a matter of minutes." After EGM let Tretton know they had indeed phoned 18 stores and found half of them had PS3s in stock, some stores with as many as 20 consoles, Jack held firm "if only nine of the 18 stores you contacted had supplies, that seems to be a clear indication that sales continue to be outstanding." So there you have it, Jack's not backing down. We're guessing our check is already in the mail.

[Thanks, Corey B]

[rTwelve @ Feb 9th 2007 2:55PM]

Yes, free money! Why didn't he do this a couple weeks ago? I could have made like... [does calculations] $10,000 at least from the PS3s sitting around at work... does this include returns?

[Jason @ Feb 9th 2007 2:58PM]

Unbelievable. Even a check of inventory tracking sites shows 94% availability of the 60GB PS3 and 33% availability of the 20GB PS3. Funny how Xbox 360 remained supply constrained through April of 2006 yet Sony seems to have hundreds of thousands of PS3s languishing on shelves only a few weeks after Xmas.

When Sony was anticipating 4M PS3s in 2006 and 100% sell out rate on those noone seemed to question them, I wonder what the fanbois are saying now.

Hey Sony, maybe you shouldn't have held up your PS3 for an extra year to try to shove Blu-Ray down the publics throats. Truth hurts, don't it?

[netposer @ Feb 9th 2007 3:01PM]

He's clearly stating he'll give you $1,200 but he's not obligated to pay--so he's really full of shit and misinformed. Walk in to any Wal-Mart or Target around Raleigh, NC and you can buy multiple PS3's but still the Wii is a hard find.

[Joseph @ Feb 9th 2007 3:01PM]

So did he pay up?

[Joseph @ Feb 9th 2007 3:03PM]

oh yeah... and...

"I can get any retail buyer on the phone with you and get them to verify that there's not a single retail location in America where there's a PlayStation 3 on the shelf for sale."

This should mean that the demand is up, so ebay sales should have a higher price.

have several friends who had to return their bundles to costco because they couldnt sell them on ebay.

[Derek @ Feb 9th 2007 3:04PM]

well at my work we are still sitting on 5 of the 60 and 1 of the 20gb units from our second shipment. someone get me his email address so he can payup. i could use the extra free money.. also there is a store where i live that has had 38 of the 60gb units for over 1 month.. but both of the stores are sold out of the WII's

[perpetualtranze @ Feb 9th 2007 3:05PM]

I live in Columbus, OH and just got back from Wal Mart a couple hours ago and was looking for Wiimote covers and saw at LEAST three PS3s sitting in the glass case (the same PS3s that had been there for about a month now mind you), no Wii's, and plenty of 360's. Where do I claim my money?

[Bob @ Feb 9th 2007 3:08PM]

Well I can already see where this comment thread is going to go.
The real question here is does anybody really care what Sony execs say, or any companies execs for that matter? Outside of Jobs of course because as we all know he can do no wrong!

[Agathos @ Feb 9th 2007 3:09PM]

Jason,

To quote a good line from someone here the other day, saying "Sony shoves blue-ray down your throat is like saying MS shoved a brand xxx DVD player down your throat", man they mad a console, made it how they thought it should be made and are now offering it to us (at a big loss) for our enjoyment.

Who cares if you can find PS3's available, do you really trully doubt that the PS3 will not sell well over the course of the next year or so? They're all doing well, end of story.

The entertaining part is the way you fanboys and "anti-fanboys" react to these consoles as if they were part of your family (I'm guilty too on occassion), supporting your favorite and bashing and inflating any tidbit of negative news about the other.

Does anyone out there really want MSoft to obliterate Sony out of the console market??? Think about it.

[Chiding @ Feb 9th 2007 4:21PM]

Its the gamer version of gossiping about celebrities, sports, or anything else really. Its engaging because we are anthromorphizing a company to the point where we assign it motives, sins and virtues, and then predict which way it will zig or zag. You flex the part of your brain that is responsible for navigating through social circumstances and predicting behaviour. People do it all the time, if only because it keeps those skills sharp for when you really need them.

[Tense @ Feb 10th 2007 1:41PM]

I think you are not looking at all the facts. Yes, they made a product the way they thought it should be made. But, you statement that "is like saying MS forced xxxx DVD player down our throats" is not true. Sony was pushing a technology that is in their best interest to push. It isn't really in Microsoft's interest to push a DVD player since they don't make royalties off the DVD format nor it's subsidiaries. Sony DOES in fact make money off the Blu-Ray format. They are one of if not THE biggest backer of the the technology. But, they should have followed their history. Consumers only buy products that show a SIGNIFICANT improvement over the last technology. I hate to tell the tech fan's, but MORE data space is not a true consumer improvement of technology. Especially with only a 40 percent saturation in the market for HDTV. That is why the Beta-Max failed and the Mini-Disc and the Laser-Disc. ALL Sony and others developments.

My long winded point is that they could have made a far more advanced console (Which they did) at half the loss and competitive pricing without Blu-Ray. I for one don't mind changing a DVD or Two. PLUS... How many disc's was Oblivion? One.

[Vinh @ Feb 9th 2007 3:09PM]

I was at frys the other night and saw a pallet full of Ps3. I almost laughed till I realized I bought one a couple weeks back.

[Jason @ Feb 9th 2007 3:09PM]

Ive seen plenty here in Denver for around a month now. EB has had sign for almost that long stating they were in stock. Maybe I should call him and get enough $$$ for the new 360 in april. Still haven't seen a Wii on the shelf yet though.

[August @ Feb 9th 2007 3:10PM]

Well, there's 2 of each here at my neighborhood Target.

I live in a big city, folks.

[K.R @ Feb 9th 2007 3:11PM]

for weeks now my local source has been advertising that they have PS3's available, but when I pass the EB games at 8 in the morning there is at least 1 or 2 people waiting for the doors to open to get their hands on a Wii.

[kudos @ Feb 9th 2007 3:12PM]

amazing how Sony is oblivious to reality.

[matt @ Feb 9th 2007 3:12PM]

do you suppose he's just trying to be the ever present PR type guy, or has he really bought in to his company's own hype?

[matt @ Feb 9th 2007 3:12PM]

And on that note, last time I was at a Circuit City looking for a Wii (some 3 or 4 weeks ago), I was told that they had all sold out, but they had PS3's available if I wanted them...

[zach baker @ Feb 9th 2007 3:24PM]

i bought mine last week from frys and they have had then in stock for 2 days. ill take a check please

[sammy @ Feb 9th 2007 3:26PM]

That guy is a prick. ps3's are all over the place but i still can't find a wii anywhere in ny.

[Grey Acumen @ Feb 9th 2007 3:27PM]

I think I will point out that this interview was from early January... it wasn't until about a week later that consoles began piling up. So this is kinda old news that isn't really relevant at this point.

Still, I wonder what that says about Nintendo, who is now going into February and the consoles are still selling out within minutes to an hour of the store opening.

I know I had to line up when I got mine last month, are people still going to be lining up in February?

It's one thing to have demand on release day. It's another thing to have demand 3 months later.

[Droo @ Feb 9th 2007 3:28PM]

Maybe he's never heard of www.itrackr.com before. I could've bought a PS3-60gb anywhere in 10 of 30 stores in the Irvine CA area last week or pretty much anywhere in Maine. There's also a crapload available online, and the eBay market has pretty much deflated.

What a toolshed.

[Nando @ Feb 9th 2007 3:36PM]

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!

[Jason @ Feb 9th 2007 3:39PM]

Agothos,

Having a DVD player in the Xbox 360 probably added about $15 to the cost of the unit. Sony putting a Blu-Ray player into the PS3 is estimated to have cost $250 per console and delayed the release by at least six months and in hindsight might have been an enormous mistake.

I'm not anti Sony anything, but I would sure be upset if I was a Sony share holder.

[Rick Lyon @ Feb 9th 2007 3:50PM]

I don't his comments so much indicate that he's delusional, as much as it seems rather obvious he is trying to convince everyone else that the PS3 is doing well. I'm an owner, but I'm neutral enough to know this thing will not succeed long term with current pricing. Sony is trying to spin any info they can surrounding PS3 and BRD because I think a large chuck of their future rests on the success of those items.

[Mike D @ Feb 9th 2007 3:53PM]

yeah this guy lives in a fantasy land we got a load of 40 ps3's and we still haven't sold them all.. we got them just before new years!

[Jake @ Feb 9th 2007 3:56PM]

There were at least a dozen sitting in the middle of the floor at my local BestBuy as of last night.

Oh WAIT! Those aren't "on the shelves!" No way I'll see my money... tricky bastard. ;-)

[Agathos @ Feb 9th 2007 3:58PM]

Noooo, If you were a Sony shareholder again you'd be glad as all the recent news is that profits are up for them, they're literally floating on software royalties of the 100million+ PS's, and 100million+ PS2's out there as well as other businesses doing well.

They added to the cost yes, but they're selling me a high end electronic deck for $600 that cost them $800-900, how can I be upset?

Instead of just adding a few new tweaks like MSoft did, upping the memory and proc, they stuck to their guns and made a next-gen machine, more power to them, so did Nintendo, even better.

You know what, all this competition from the 3 big companies, all you fanboy b'tches on these boards, MSoft and Sony having to push and be innovative and not able to soley rule the market, being blindsided by Nintendo's success, it all only makes things better for me the game lover and consumer, I f'ckin love it. I. Love. It. Congratulations to all the fighters in the console war for putting in a good show, and my condolences to all of you who have gotten so wrapped up in the war that you've forgotten to actually sit back and enjoy any one of these kick ass consoles, much less 2 or all 3 of them.

[Warren @ Feb 9th 2007 7:15PM]

You have earned the award of idiot fanboy of the year. Are you blind or do you not know that Sony has been posting BILLION dollar losses for the last year and this year. They decided to play the betamax strategy and now they will lose..badly. Here are some tips for you.

1. Accept that not all of us are l33t 360 fanboys.
2. That your idea of a next-gen system is flawed.
3. Learn current economic reports of companies you boast about.
4. Enoy your shiny Neo Geo, oh I mean 3D0, oh wait, I meant your PS3. I can't really tell them apart in terms of how long they lasted.

Taskman

[Hostile slick inbound @ Feb 9th 2007 4:05PM]

I live in ontario and the 2 walmarts in my town have lots of ps3s, that no one wants. This guy is full of it

[SporkRocker @ Feb 9th 2007 4:11PM]

Overcoming denial is the first step to overcome. If they overcome that they might be able to save thier console. That even, is a bit risky seeing how they lost their big exclusive GTA4.

[RyogaHibiki @ Feb 9th 2007 4:22PM]

I don't know which is worse:

1) Jack is lying.

2) He's out of touch with reality which does not bode well for Sony's future.

[crackpipe @ Feb 9th 2007 4:32PM]

Sony lost the battle. Not enough good games. And too expensive.
Wii is the clear winner. Wii Sports is fun as FV©K. I got out-bid on ebay at least 20 times for one. My girlfriend got lucky walking by an EB in NYC. Got the last one. Shipment had just come in and they weren't telling anyone. Almost harder to get extra Wiimotes.

[Ray-- @ Feb 9th 2007 4:35PM]

the interview was from early January so saying what stores have now is pointless... but it's still the same point since even in early January some stores did in fact have stock... but it's not as shocking to think that an exec (just getting back from his Ski vacation) didnt have a clue about the post-christmas supply surge....

[mblind @ Feb 9th 2007 4:48PM]

There is 4 of them in my local Target cabinet right now.. And they have been sitting there for weeks. (I just asked).. 2.5 weeks to be exact. 600 bucks for a console?!! No thanks. I bought a Wii

[Ayle @ Feb 9th 2007 5:02PM]

I've found 60gb models for $375 on froogle should I get one? Did any body ever bought something from a google base seller?

[Aaron @ Feb 9th 2007 5:03PM]

I was at the local BestBuy last week and they had several PS3s in stock.

[Drew @ Feb 9th 2007 5:03PM]

I'm waiting for my $1,200 Jack Tretton?!?!?

[harry @ Feb 9th 2007 5:44PM]

My local Costco has three PALLETS full of them for 699 each. LOL. 60GB, extra wireles controller and some free game. Whatever, I will buy when the price is 299. If it never gets there, then I will never buy it. Plenty of other things to do for amusement.

[ibelli @ Feb 9th 2007 5:47PM]

This guy gets a check from Sony. Obviously, hes going to wax on, over-exaggerating about sales. Thats a sales technique. The point is, just as he exaggerates, so does the general public. All you guys reporting PS3 stock "overflowing" and "languishing" on shelves" is overblown too. The fact of the matter is, the PS3 is selling. Face it Wii and 360 fanboys. I just came from best buy a few minutes ago. No PS3's. EB games: No PS3s. Sony Store: They had five. When I asked if I could by three, he as a sales manager was hesitant and asked "why?" Is it because he is required to ration them? Maybe. The point is, if there were so many out there, he wouldnt care who baught them. Definitive proof of low stock and sell-through trends, no. But an interesting peice of data none the less. Are most stored sold out of them and haven't restocked because they don't want them? It could be. The simplest explanation, however is that they sold out of them and Sony is slow to replenish them beacuse of distribution and manufacturing delays. NOT because no one wants them.

[August @ Feb 9th 2007 6:35PM]

No, dickless. There is no silver lining here. The PS3 is a shitty value and we as gamers know that.

Microsoft does what it does best, built a decent product and supporting it through constant updates and securing decent exclusive titles (Xbox Live and GTA4, respectively).

Nintendo does what it does best, deliver an innovative combo of hardware and software (DS, anyone?) that would better appeal to non-gamers and traditional Nintendo fans alike (Twilight Princess is the bomb).

Sony did what it does best, for better or worse, delivered a slightly-above-average product saddled with a pretty chassis, hyped the fuck out of it (viral marketing? oh no, not Sony), limited distribution, and slapped an add-on that no one really cares about (blu-ray).

Oh, and the PS3 is like $200 more than a 360. No thanks.

The great thing about all this is that as gamers, we knew this is how this situation would pan out. We knew the 360 would be buggy at first, but Live kicks ass so its OK. We questioned the Wii, but put our trust in Miyamoto, because he has rarely done us wrong. And we all challenged the usefulness of a glorified PS2 with a Blu-ray deck and HDD slapped on it with "true" HD support.

This is typical Sony boilerplate. This asshole only said it so that Wall Street would see it and react as it always has regarding tech securities.

This shit never gets old.

[campbesd @ Feb 9th 2007 5:58PM]

EGM should have called his bluff. That's a unilateral contract offer right there, and they performed the actions required to fulfill the contract. EGM would win the money in a civil suit...

[Firmly Grounded @ Feb 9th 2007 6:05PM]

For all you Wii fanboys out there, whether or not I can by a Wii today at XYZ store or not isn't necesarily a display of its popularity, but merely the supply. So Tretton opened his fat mouth, the Wii isn't in stock because of supply issues, not necesarily because of popularity and the PS3 is in stock because Sony at least can pump out a reasonablr suply, unlike certain of other companies that hype because their products are never on the shelf. To me, never being on a shelf isn't always a good thing, I'd rather see a better supply.

[August @ Feb 9th 2007 6:27PM]

Shut the fuck up please.

[Delusional @ Feb 9th 2007 6:30PM]

What are you talking about? Nintendo is pumping out more Wii's per week than Sony is. And if you look at sales to date, the Wii has almost out-sold Sony at a 3:1 ratio (4.5M vs 1.71M to be near exact, source from vgcharts). and yet the wii is still out of stock. about 2 weeks ago, people still had to wait in line at 3am in order to get a wii from target if they are lucky. i can only assume this weekend will be the same (from silicon valley)

[T-Bone @ Feb 9th 2007 6:11PM]

I just called around to all the places nearby that I imagined had a PS3 but only one any in stock. I've heard about them just sitting around but I can't seem to find any now. Weird.

[Hornswaggled @ Feb 9th 2007 6:32PM]

one word, Idiot.

[purpledog @ Feb 9th 2007 6:49PM]

Every single electronics store in Billings, MT has at least 5. Costco had a full pallet bundled with Genji 2.

[Joseph @ Feb 9th 2007 6:54PM]

Let's try that again...
Only this time look at this before you read the article.
http://smrekart.com/jacktretton.jpg

How's that for a reality distortion field? I kinda believe him now!

[kaztm @ Feb 9th 2007 6:56PM]

Speaking of non-paying guys, what happened to Engadget's PS3 auction which moved to this website?

Who is the new winner of that PS3, and did he pay?
Did Engadget pay the revenue to Save Darfur?