Microsoft Not Crowing Over Sony's PSN Woes

[Tom Goldman]

Microsoft Not Crowing Over Sony's PSN Woes

Microsoft realizes that even a hack against a competitor is bad for everyone.

You might think that Microsoft looks at Sony's recent PSN troubles [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/109568-Sony-Admits-Private-PSN-Info-Has-Been-Stolen-All-Of-It] as its gain, but the house of Xbox doesn't see things like that. Officially, anyway.

In an interview with IndustryGamers, COO and CFO of Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business Dennis Durkin expressed his condolences for Sony. "It's bad for the industry that this has happened to Sony," he said. "It's very, very bad. It's very damaging."

"We don't wish that upon anybody and you've seen we've been actually pretty quiet on the subject because we don't want to appear to even be looking to be taking advantage of somebody else's situation like that," Durkin added. "That's just not in our DNA."

Durkin says that a "secure environment" is extremely important for Microsoft's future efforts and that any competitors being hurt the way Sony was hurt is only bad for consumers that probably also patronize Microsoft's services. He points out that all of the recent hacking incidents should be a wake up call for people to be more careful with their passwords, and definitely change them from something other than "password."

Durkin promises that Microsoft is doing everything it can to be "as secure as [it] possibly can be." Microsoft has been security-minded or lucky enough to avoid hack attacks for now, but that unfortunately could make it something like the impenetrable fortress that the hackers work even harder to bring down.

Source: IndustryGamers [http://www.industrygamers.com/news/xbox-coo-on-psn-and-hacking-we-do-everything-we-can-to-protect-xbox-live-data/]

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[Fasckira]

we don't want to appear to even be looking to be taking advantage of somebody else's situation like that," Durkin added. "That's just not in our DNA."

Wait, he managed to keep a straight face while saying that?

 

[-Dragmire-]

"We don't wish that upon anybody and you've seen we've been actually pretty quiet on the subject because we don't want to appear to even be looking to be taking advantage of somebody else's situation like that," Durkin added.

One big company kicking another big company when they're down would get some very pr anyway. I think staying quiet about it was an extremely smart move on their part.

 

[Epona]

Microsoft added Paypal support for those who were afraid to trust Microsoft with the credit card after the Sony mess. I think it's obvious the Microsoft realizes that it hurt the whole industry and took measures to help customers feel more secure.

If they wanted to take advantage of this, they could have done so without question. They didn't nor would it have been wise.

 

[the spud]

Hmmm...classy.

I don't believe them, but at least they aren't gloating.

 

[William Fleming]

Everyone has been getting hacked recently.

First it was Sony, now Square Enix and Bioware are a few off the top off my head with multiple hacker groups spreading threats around and about it being "the beginning of the end" for some companys

Seems like a stupid, bullshit joke gone way too far IMO

 

[Kyoh]

"Now if you'll excuse me I have a lol-@-Sony party to go to. Geohotz is the guest of honor."

 

[Serving UpSmiles]

Suppose beating up Sony while they were still picking themselves up from the ground is worse than taking the moral high ground with that statement.

 

[Skops]

Well I soppose it's nice to see Microsoft's PR doesn't act like their fanbase.

 

[Compatriot Block]

Wasn't there a sale on Gold subscriptions during the PSN outage?

Microsoft has been pretty smart about this, I think. "Oh, what happened to Sony was terrible! That said, since you're already here, I've got an offer for you."

 

[CardinalPiggles]

Durkin promises that Microsoft is doing everything it can to be as secure as it possibly can be.

I certainly hope so, as soon as I found out PSN users were having account information stolen, I felt very bad for them, and I hope that never happens to me.

 

[T'Generalissimo]

He points out that all of the recent hacking incidents should be a wake up call for people to be more careful with their passwords, and definitely change them from something other than "password."

Wait...what? No! I mean, yes, that's good advise but it has nothing to do with recent hacking incidents. If anything, recent hacking incidents show that it's irrelevant what you make your password because it's all being stored in plaintext anyway.

 

[Jumplion]

Good show, Microsoft, good show. Taking the highroad on this, respect increases +3 or something.

 

[Rex Fallout]

Not surprised here. Of course they arent going to be happy about it, first off it makes everyone far more cautious about online gaming and giving away credit card information, ie. it hurts sales for everyone, and second, they need the competition. Its part of being in a capitalist society. I mean dont get me wrong, I HATE microsoft, I mean I absolutely abhor it, and see it as a money grabbing greed filled monster, but with that said, I don't want them to stop making games, even if they charge outragous prices to play online. I do not want their company to close. Sony needs the competition. As does Microsoft.

 

[ZeZZZZevy]

I agree, this kind of incident reaches a lot farther than just the victim company. It shakes the consumer's belief in online services as a whole, which is bad for everybody.

Let's hope these attacks slow down a bit.

 

[Antari]

What he really means is Microsoft is getting hurt by the general thought by most users that online services are not worth the risk of use anymore. They are being affected even if they didn't get hacked.

 

[Vyress]

we don't want to appear to even be looking to be taking advantage of somebody else's situation like that," Durkin added. "That's just not in our DNA."

Wait, he managed to keep a straight face while saying that?

I had to laugh out loud when I read your post. xD

 

[mjc0961]

On the other hand, if Xbox Live got hacked and was down for about a month while they fixed it, can you imagine the kind of bullshit that would be spewing forth from Sony? Or more specifically, Jack Tretton? It would be so much bulltshit that you'd need a shovel to get out from under it.

Kudos to Microsoft for making a statement about it that isn't along the lines of "haha you got hacked and we got some of your customers" and for not insulting their own fanbase in a statement either.

 

[TheHappySquid]

TBH though, if MS did gloat, the internet hate machine would turn on them so fast, and they'd be in the exact same position. They're just looking out for their own interests, like any company.

 

[weirdee]

See, Microsoft likes to do things their way. If they're going to kick somebody when they're down, it's on Microsoft's terms, not some third party. They enjoy the doity work. And they're not about to let somebody else get in the way of their ongoing plan for domination.

There is a bit of truth to be worried when a big company takes it to the shins like that from some unknown group, though...