Sony Exec Makes Bizarre Claim About Company’s Original IPs

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Sony Exec Makes Bizarre Claim About Company's Original IPs

Key Takeaways

  • Sony CFO Hiroki Totoki believes that the company needs more original IP across its film, anime, and PlayStation businesses.
  • Totoki reckons that the lack of original IP is an issue that can impede the growth of both Sony and PlayStation.
  • Many PlayStation fans have taken issue with Totoki’s remarks, especially after the recent release of Astro Bot, a first-party game that celebrates PlayStation’s rich history.

As a lifelong PlayStation fan who has grown up with the console’s iconic franchises, I find myself at odds with Sony CFO Hiroki Totoki’s recent remarks about the lack of original IP within the company. While I understand that Sony is venturing into new territories like film and anime, it seems almost blasphemous to suggest that PlayStation doesn’t have enough original IP when I can rattle off a list of beloved games from the past decade – Astro Bot, Bloodborne, Days Gone, Death Stranding, Detroit: Become Human, Ghost of Tsushima, Helldivers, Horizon, Returnal, The Last Guardian, The Last of Us, and Until Dawn, to name a few.

There’s been a fair amount of debate among PlayStation enthusiasts online following remarks by Sony CFO Hiroki Totoki about the company lacking sufficient original intellectual properties (IP). Despite Sony’s long history of developing and nurturing numerous franchises, it seems that Totoki feels they may be falling short in this area.

Since the mid-1990s, PlayStation has been a dominant force in the gaming world, with its loyal fanbase well aware of the wealth of intellectual properties (IP) that the brand possesses. A key aspect that every PlayStation console generation has in common is the creation and nurturing of new IP. This commitment to fresh ideas persists even with the current PS5 generation, as almost half of the upcoming games from PlayStation Studios are entirely new creations. It’s clear that PlayStation continues to back original IPs, but it appears that the higher-ups at Sony have a different perspective on this matter.

In a conversation with The Financial Times, Sony Group Chief Financial Officer Hiroki Totoki stated that the company lacks enough intellectual properties (IP) it has developed from the ground up. This shortage in early-stage IP development, as pointed out by Totoki, is a challenge for Sony. Later in the interview, CEO Kenichiro Yoshida echoed this sentiment and revealed that Sony aims to address this issue by focusing more on creating new intellectual properties moving forward. However, Totoki did acknowledge that Sony’s existing popular franchises have succeeded in expanding their reach, possibly due to PlayStation’s PC publishing initiative.

PlayStation Has Released a Lot of Popular Original IP in The Last Decade

  • Astro Bot
  • Bloodborne
  • Days Gone
  • Death Stranding
  • Detroit: Become Human
  • Ghost of Tsushima
  • Helldivers
  • Horizon
  • Returnal
  • The Last Guardian
  • The Last of Us
  • Until Dawn

Nevertheless, the CFO argues that it’s crucial for both Sony and PlayStation to develop original intellectual property in order to foster growth. This stance has left many PlayStation enthusiasts puzzled online, especially given the recent release of the PS5 exclusive game Astro Bot, which boasts more than 150 appearances by PlayStation characters. It’s important to note that the comments made by Totoki and Yoshida extend beyond just the PlayStation division, encompassing Sony’s film and anime ventures as well. Therefore, while some might perceive these remarks as a significant shift for PlayStation, their impact may not be as profound as initially assumed.

As a passionate gamer, I can’t help but admit that our collection isn’t as rich as it could be when it comes to homegrown intellectual properties (IP). We seem to be missing out on the foundation stages (the early days of IP creation), and that’s a challenge we need to address.

As a devoted PlayStation fan, I find it intriguing that some might perceive the absence of original IPs on PlayStation as unusual. This could be a hint at the lofty aspirations held by Sony’s leadership. In fact, there are numerous innovative IPs in the pipeline for the PS5, and let’s not forget about the dormant PlayStation franchises that our community has been eagerly requesting for a comeback.

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2024-09-07 21:13