March 13th, 2012
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Last week, the team over at Microsoft lost one their most creative minds when Peter Molyneux announced he would be leaving the company to head new studio 22 Cans. Today, Microsoft revealed his replacement — former Sony executive and investment guru Phil Harrison.
Harrison will be overseeing Lionhead Studios (Molyneux’s old position), Soho Productions and Rare Ltd.
“I am excited to be joining the senior team at Microsoft at a pivotal time for our industry,” said Harrison. “I am really impressed with the company’s long-term vision for growing the market for interactive entertainment globally and also with the incredible wealth of talent, technology and resources the company has available to succeed.”
“We are honored to have Phil join a team that boasts a wealth of talent from across the industry,” said Phil Spencer, corporate vice president at Microsoft Studios. “Phil is one of video gaming’s true visionaries, and his experience overseeing global studios and deep industry relationships make him the ideal person to lead our European efforts. Under his leadership, we look forward to continuing cultivating the best talent and growing our business in the region.”
Harrison left Sony back in 2008 when he co-founded London Venture Partners, a company specialising in games industry investments. The report from Games Industry Biz states Harrison will continue as Special Advisor for the investment firm as he switches his focus to Microsoft.
Source: Games Industry Biz
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I think that Sony has to offer better jobs than Microsoft so that things like this don’t happen.
Um… I hate to break this to both you, AssassinVenice, and the rest of LoT… But Phil Harrison left sony like…4-5 years ago. Hes been the CEO of Atari/infogrames for the past 4 years.
Wouldnt it a truer statement to say “Former CEO of Atari joins Microsoft”. Your making it sound like he left sony for microsoft when sony basically kicked him out.
Get used to it mate. that kind of reporting is true LOT style.
There’s like 50 websites that have Sony Microsoft and Phil Harrison’s name in the title today. I don’t really see a problem with that. He’s a FORMER Sony executive that just joined Microsoft…
Sorry then. That was just a guess but you people tend to dislike comments like that without even thinking.
English is my second language but sometimes I feel I have a better command of it than some native English speakers:
former 1 |ˈfôrmər|
adjective [ attrib. ]
1 having previously filled a particular role or been a particular thing: her former boyfriend.
• of or occurring in the past or an earlier period: in former times.
LoT is correct. Harrison was a Sony executive in the PAST. When he decided to join MS he had nothing to do with Sony, thus is a former (as in “ex”) Sony executive.
When Sculley joined Apple he wasn’t a former Pepsi Cola executive, he WAS the Pepsi Cola president. It isn’t that hard, is it?
Michelasso, While I agree with you, You cant deny its written like that to make it seem like sony lost someone to microsoft when in fact, they havnt lost anyone.
I do understand that “former” means “in the past”. And I dont disagree with them saying it. What I disagree with is how they phrased it. Its like saying Current President of EA sports went on stage for microsoft and announced the Halo, gears and GTA franchises for them.
While the statement I said is true, he hasnt been with microsoft in years and makes it seem that EA backs the 360 exclusively and lets its employees announce for microsoft (which NO 3rd party company would do, especially for games not from that company)
Bunny, it could be as you say, but the statement
“Former Sony Executive Phil Harrison Joins Microsoft”
is grammatically, syntactically and orthographically correct. It means “ex Sony Executive joins MS”. Nothing else. Maybe “ex” sounds like a more defined word than “former”? I don’t know. But I know they are synonymous. Actually “ex” is more colloquial to me. Maybe “former” triggers in some a different perception or meaning but this would make the reader wrong, not the writer.
Welcome aboard, now you are in the best team.
Really the malevolent would say that MS is recycling Sony’s garbage…
BETRAYAL!!!
But whatever, SONY can manage without anyone.
lol”does anyone realy care about this;]if it was something to do with sony loseing a game like maybe jack and daxter i would be more worried and its not even my type of game;]
where is this “wealth of talent” in microsoft, that he speaks of? its a fact that microsoft has an extremely sparce number of exclusive first party devs or even third party devs, especially compared to the standards set by previous consoles. Microsoft isnt helping to produce jack **** in terms of games. the xbox is basically a multiplat machine at this point.
obviously I expect this type of lip service from someone who works for any given company, but it doesnt change how absurd it is. Microsoft is not putting out exclusive games and content. they are just a leach on the industry. and if all the other consoles followed their business model, console gaming would be utterly pointless.
I find it hilarious that this is the guy that Xbots were making fun of at the begining of this gen, but now that he’s with Microsh*t, he’s suddenly the greatest talent Sony ever had, and they’re somehow at a loss without. This guy was a trainwreck when he was with Sony, and half the reason why the PS3 was almost a failure, which is why Sony kicked his ass out. Enjoy Microsh*t. May you’re next gen be “graced” by this moron’s presence.
so they’re really hiring that goblin face? hahah…. best of luck…
HEY XBOTS!! check uncharted!