Incoming Sony CEO Dismisses Buyout Rumors

In an interview with Japanese newspaper Mainichi Shimbun, incoming Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer has revealed a number of interesting hints as to his future plans for the company and the PlayStation brand. On the subject of the PSP, Stringer indicated that a free copy of the Spider-Man 2 movie would be bundled with U.S. launch consoles to "show the power of combining hardware and software", pushing the convergence angle that he has widely rumored to have been put in place to implement. Stringer further commented that the PSP is the epitome of 'Sony style', showcasing not just gaming, but also movie playback and network functionality. On the wider issues surrounding Sony as a whole, Stringer admitted that the company is not currently operating smoothly, but that he will instigate structural reform that will address this issue and reinvigorate the company. Indeed, the Welsh-born executive's self-avowed wish is to "make Sony cool again". He also made an unequivocal statement concerning rumors of a possible buyout or merger of the company, insisting that if any approaches were made by another company they would not be pursued. However, no indication was given as to when further technical and software details would be given regarding the PlayStation 3. Other company officials have indicated that this will likely happen prior to E3, and will likely be unveiled by Sony Computer Entertainment boss Ken Kuturagi, who, despite stepping down from the Sony board, is still a powerful force in the company.