Sony employee fired for comparing PS3 to Xbox 360

**radio667** · 02-06-2006, 07:28 PM

from GI.biz ............. SOE artist defends online article

A former employee of Sony Online Entertainment has spoken out about how an online article criticising the PlayStation 3 ended up getting him fired from the company.

In an interview with PS3week, former SOE 3D artist Josh Robinson said: "All I really did was write a few paragraphs that gave my opinion on publicly released information... I didn’t reveal any tech info and I didn’t reveal different shipping plans. I’m still in awe at the whole uproar over what amounts to NO information."

In January, Robinson posted an article on his blog which read: "Our game just keeps getting moved back... And back... And back. Again, where is the box? Where is the final system? When is it coming out? No one knows and in the mean time people in the industry are starting to get just a little salty."

"You could always tell where the PS3 dev box was because it’s the room that had the F-bomb coming out of it half the day," he added.

But the comments most likely to have riled Sony executives were to do with the PS3's technical capabilities versus those of the Xbox 360: "I’ve also talked with people on the technical side of the Xbox 360. The consistent comment I am hearing from people on my end is, 'The Xbox 360 is better'," Robinson wrote.

"They are saying that it is capable of just doing more."

Robinson told PS3week that he asked at least two Sony employees to read the blog entry before it was posted, and even showed it to an SOE producer. "We were all in agreement that I was not breaking NDA with what I was saying," he said.

However, according to Robinson, he was "Let go at Sony after the article was plopped on the desk of Sony corporate. I was also asked to remove the article immediately, which I did without any resistance."

Although Robinson has defended his right to publish the article, he claims that he has no bad feelings towards SOE: "It was something unfortunate that happened and I sincerely hope Sony isn’t damaged by it... In fact I cannot say enough nice things about the CEO and the VP of the company."

"Did I knowingly break NDA? I absolutely did not. I would never do that and I would never want to hurt Sony Online. Did I dance in the grey area by even opening my mouth? Yes I did and I was fired for it."

Robinson said he received four or five job offers immediately after leaving Sony, and even got a book deal as a result of the article. He has now accepted a new position at an unnamed company in the Santa Monica area - but while Robinson is optimistic about the future, he has clearly learned a lesson from his experience.

"I guess the new rule for me is, don’t ever say anything at all about anything. Ever... Ever."

King Mango · 02-06-2006, 07:42 PM

This guy was begging to be fired. What a dumbass.
Hey, I'll post about how the competition's product is better. GREAT IDEA! lolol

n3m35i5 · 02-07-2006, 01:43 PM

Quote:

you could always tell where the PS3 dev box was because it was in the room that had the F-bomb coming out of it half the day.

This does NOT bode well for the console. although I'm sure the same thing happened with the Xbox, the Xbox was always a much better made console in the first place. oh, yeah, and the xbox didn't have a disk read error epidemic...

Altar · 02-07-2006, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by n3m35i5

oh, yeah, and the xbox didn't have a disk read error epidemic...

It just had the catching on fire epidemic.

King Mango · 02-07-2006, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by n3m35i5

This does NOT bode well for the console. although I'm sure the same thing happened with the Xbox, the Xbox was always a much better made console in the first place. oh, yeah, and the xbox didn't have a disk read error epidemic...

My buddy's Xbox had serious read problems after it got warm. Nothing like shooting the best round on Tiger Woods and then the next hole failing to load. :|

02-06-2006, 07:28 PM	#1
radio667 I R Happy Goat Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 10,752 Downloads: 2	Sony employee fired for comparing PS3 to Xbox 360 from GI.biz ............. SOE artist defends online article A former employee of Sony Online Entertainment has spoken out about how an online article criticising the PlayStation 3 ended up getting him fired from the company. In an interview with PS3week, former SOE 3D artist Josh Robinson said: "All I really did was write a few paragraphs that gave my opinion on publicly released information... I didn’t reveal any tech info and I didn’t reveal different shipping plans. I’m still in awe at the whole uproar over what amounts to NO information." In January, Robinson posted an article on his blog which read: "Our game just keeps getting moved back... And back... And back. Again, where is the box? Where is the final system? When is it coming out? No one knows and in the mean time people in the industry are starting to get just a little salty." "You could always tell where the PS3 dev box was because it’s the room that had the F-bomb coming out of it half the day," he added. But the comments most likely to have riled Sony executives were to do with the PS3's technical capabilities versus those of the Xbox 360: "I’ve also talked with people on the technical side of the Xbox 360. The consistent comment I am hearing from people on my end is, 'The Xbox 360 is better'," Robinson wrote. "They are saying that it is capable of just doing more." Robinson told PS3week that he asked at least two Sony employees to read the blog entry before it was posted, and even showed it to an SOE producer. "We were all in agreement that I was not breaking NDA with what I was saying," he said. However, according to Robinson, he was "Let go at Sony after the article was plopped on the desk of Sony corporate. I was also asked to remove the article immediately, which I did without any resistance." Although Robinson has defended his right to publish the article, he claims that he has no bad feelings towards SOE: "It was something unfortunate that happened and I sincerely hope Sony isn’t damaged by it... In fact I cannot say enough nice things about the CEO and the VP of the company." "Did I knowingly break NDA? I absolutely did not. I would never do that and I would never want to hurt Sony Online. Did I dance in the grey area by even opening my mouth? Yes I did and I was fired for it." Robinson said he received four or five job offers immediately after leaving Sony, and even got a book deal as a result of the article. He has now accepted a new position at an unnamed company in the Santa Monica area - but while Robinson is optimistic about the future, he has clearly learned a lesson from his experience. "I guess the new rule for me is, don’t ever say anything at all about anything. Ever... Ever." __________________ , "There is also a river called Helikon [in Pieria]. (...) But, they go on to say, the women who killed Orpheus wished to wash off in it the blood-stains, and thereat the River sank underground, so as not to lend its waters to cleanse manslaughter." —Pausanias, Description of Greece 9. 30. 8

02-06-2006, 07:42 PM	#2
King Mango don't worry about it Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Just another lost Angyul Posts: 7,424 Downloads: 37 My Files: 5	This guy was begging to be fired. What a dumbass. Hey, I'll post about how the competition's product is better. GREAT IDEA! lolol __________________ It was on my fifth birthday that Papa put his hand on my shoulder and said, 'Remember, my son, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm. -Sam Levenson

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes	Rate This Thread
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode	Rate This Thread: