Sony Invests Billions in Original Content to Drive Growth Amidst Industry Shift
September 5, 2024Totoki emphasized that while Sony has successfully attracted new audiences to existing IPs, the development of new content is essential for achieving higher returns.
Sony is making a substantial investment, amounting to multiple billions, to develop new content across video games, films, and anime.
The company's recent collaborations with indie developers and initiatives like the China Hero Project demonstrate its commitment to exploring innovative gameplay experiences.
This investment reflects the company's strategic shift from relying on existing franchises to focusing on creating original intellectual properties (IPs) to drive growth and improve returns.
CFO Hiroki Totoki acknowledged that Sony has not sufficiently fostered original IP from the beginning, which poses a concern for the company's future growth.
First-party studios like Insomniac Games and Guerrilla Games are prioritizing new projects, moving away from reviving older franchises.
As part of this initiative, Sony has recognized a lack of original IP within its PlayStation division, prompting the need for new content.
However, the decision to remake popular titles like Until Dawn raises questions about the balance between revitalizing old IPs and creating new ones.
Sony is also looking to diversify its portfolio by creating culturally significant IPs, especially as many of its popular characters now belong to other companies.
This focus on original content aims to counter the trend of remakes and remasters that have dominated the gaming industry.
There is potential for Sony to revisit older franchises, similar to their approach with titles like Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, but the emphasis remains on new creations.
Despite past successes, many of Sony's game franchises have been dormant for years, with recent attempts like Sackboy: A Big Adventure and MediEvil failing to achieve financial success.
Summary based on 2 sources
Get a daily email with more Gaming stories
Sources
PlayStation LifeStyle • Sep 4, 2024
Sony Doesn't Have Enough Original IP, Says Company Leadership - PlayStation LifeStyleXfire • Sep 5, 2024
Sony Reveals Multibillion-Dollar New IP Gamble in a Nostalgia-Driven Market