Nintendo has dominated the current generation of consoles and handhelds by it mediocre hardware specs and new interaction methods. Microsoft's Xbox 360 has also seen its highest sales numbers in the days following Kinect's release. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like Sony has learned that lesson yet.
Speaking to Fortune, Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Jack Tretton expressed his belief that new consoles have to be cutting edge in order to succeed.
"If you're really going to sustain technology for a decade, you have to be cutting edge when you launch a platform," he said.
"Here we are four years into the PlayStation 3, and it's just hitting its stride," he added. "We'll enjoy a long downhill roll behind it because the technology that was so cutting edge in 2006 is extremely relevant today and is conspicuously absent in our competition."
"[Microsoft and Nintendo] are starting to run out of steam now in terms of continuing to be relevant in 2011 and beyond; I mean, you've gotta be kidding me. Why would I buy a gaming system without a hard drive in it? How does this thing scale? Motion gaming is cute, but if I can only wave my arms six inches, how does this really feel like I'm doing true accurate motion gaming?"
Tretton then noted that Sony's upcoming NGP was designed with this mindset and that it have cutting edge hardware such as a 4-core CPU, Wi-Fi, 3G, GPS, 5 inch AMOLED screen, motion sensors, dual analog sticks and multi-touch pad on the back.
Sony's CEO then dismissed Nintendo 3DS as a "great babysitting tool," claiming that "no self-respecting 20-something is going to be sitting on an airplane with one of those. He's too old for that."