Sony: Microsoft is "Protecting an Inferior Technology"

Speaking in an interview with IndustryGamers Sony Computer Entertainment America's Rob Dyer, senior VP of publisher relations, has taken a shot at Microsoft's content submission and release policy. This follows revelations last week that Microsoft reserves the right to deny games a release on Xbox Live Arcade if they launch on PSN first.

"I think what [Microsoft's European VP of interactive entertainment] Chris [Lewis] and the other representatives at Microsoft are doing is protecting an inferior technology," Dyer told IndustryGamers.

Microsoft's third party guidelines are reportedly adamant that all games released on the Xbox 360 must launch "at least simultaneously" with other systems and must have "at least" the same features and content. It reserves the right to veto release if those guidelines are not met.

"I think they want to dumb it down and keep it as pedestrian as possible so that if you want to do anything for Blu-ray, or you have extra content above 9GB, or you want to do anything of that nature, you'd better sure as heck remember that Microsoft can't handle that," said Dyer.

"So potentially any time we've gone out and negotiated exclusive content of things that we've announced at things like DPS or E3, publishers are getting the living crap kicked out of them by Microsoft because they are doing something for the consumer that is better on our platform than it might be perceived on theirs.

"So from a creativity standpoint and what we are doing to try to make it better for the consumer, our view is Microsoft's doing everything they can to eliminate that because they have an inferior technology."

Dyer touched on the differences between Microsoft and Sony's attitude to independent developers, stressing indies are recognizing that Sony isn't demanding "a pound of flesh" to have a game published on the PSN. He also mentioned Sony's partnerships with Portal 2 developer Valve and Dust 514 developer CCP as examples of where the PS3 is being opened up in ways the 360 is not.