Sony Interactive Entertainment is eying the revival of dormant PlayStation IP, while also strengthening third-party collaborations.
During an interview with Famitsu, Sony Interactive Entertainment co-CEO Herman Hulst was asked for his thoughts on fans calling for the revival of dormant PlayStation IP after seeing cameo appearance of various legacy characters in Team Asobi’s 3D platformer, Astro Bot.
In his response, Hulst stated that PlayStation’s extensive IP portfolio is an important asset for Sony Interactive Entertainment, and as part of its efforts to strengthen its portfolio, the company continually explores opportunities to leverage its legacy IP as well as develop new franchises.
Hulst further talked about the Studio Business Group at Sony Interactive Entertainment focusing on expanding its IP, and through PlayStation Productions, the company is bringing game IP into new areas, such as movies and TV series. He gave the example of the upcoming movie based on Sucker Punch’s Ghost of Tsushima.
As for mobile games, the Sony Interactive Entertainment co-CEO said that the company wants to develop PlayStation IP in a way that maximizes synergy with the console. To that end, it will first focus on collaborations with external development studios. In November, 2023, PlayStation announced a strategic partnership with NCSOFT to collaborate in the mobile game sector. In October, 2024, Destiny: Rising , a mobile game based on the Destiny IP that is being developed and published by NetEase Games, , was also announced.
Hulst was also asked about the simultaneous release of certain PlayStation first-party titles on PS5 and PC, such as Helldivers 2, resulting in huge success, and how Sony Interactive Entertainment plans to balance the PS5 business with PC development in the future. He responded by saying that live service titles are released on multiple platforms, as attracting new players and increasing the number of players is key to their success. Therefore, maintaining the momentum at the time of release and penetrating a wide range of players is especially important in the live service domain. As for single-player games, he said that they are an important element in enhancing the appeal of the PlayStation platform, and the company sets strategic exclusivity periods for each title.
