In the aftermath of the Xbox 360 console’s global release, Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios president, Phil Harrison, has claimed that Microsoft’s new console does not have enough features to be labelled as HD.

In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Harrison acknowledged that the Xbox 360 is a far better machine than the original Xbox, but denied suggestions that it was an accurate example of high-definition technology.

“The true definition of HD is the three elements of the HD value chain - the display, the content and the hardware to play back that content - and PlayStation and Sony is the only organisation that has all three bits of the value chain together,”

Harrison said.

“As you well know the Xbox 360 doesn’t play high definition movies and doesn’t have true HD functionality -

PlayStation 3 is the only format that has 1080-progressive, which is the true definition of HD, so it’s really premature to be talking about the HD era.”

With the PS3 possessing the mentioned characteristics, Harrison believes that the HD era will only truly begin when Sony’s next-generation console is released, which is rumoured to be in Spring 2006.

“The HD era really only starts when we are on the market.

High definition as far as the consumer is concerned means high definition movies, which means Blu-ray disc, and that is the reason that people will buy high definition displays coupled with a player that is capable of playing movies and games - which is obviously PlayStation 3,”

Source: GamesIndustry.biz

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