Sony’s Plans Highlight Live-Service Games, “Aggressive Growth Plans” for Mobile and PC

Sony hosted its 2022 Business Segment Briefings this week, and according to a presentation by Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan, the company’s future includes two new live-service games and “aggressive growth plans” for PC and mobile.

The presentation began by detailing Sony’s “record earnings” in FY2021. Thanks largely to “unprecedented demand” for the PlayStation 5, net sales for the company reached over ¥2.7 trillion. When the PlayStation 4 launched, it sold at a rate of roughly six per minute, taking nine days to reach 80,000 units sold. By contrast, the PS5 sold at a rate of nearly 1,000 per minute, which meant it hit the 80,000 unit threshold in only 82 minutes.

To capitalize on this momentum, the company is planning several “new growth vectors.” These include Sony’s newly revamped PlayStation Plus service, as well as an expansion into Europe (including Iberia, Italy, and Austria) by FY2023, ongoing mergers and acquisitions activity, and increased investment into new IP. The company then plans to leverage those IP beyond gaming into movies, retail, and TV series.

Sony’s PC and mobile strategy, which it describes as “aggressive growth plans,” was another point of emphasis in the presentation. Right now, only about 30% of the company’s releases are for PC and mobile. By FY2025, Sony aims to increase that number to approximately half.

According to the report, live-service games are another priority for Sony. Currently, the company’s first-party catalog is comprised primarily of single-player titles (such as Horizon Forbidden West and God of War Ragnarok), while its only live-service game is MLB The Show 22. By FY2025, the company wants to increase its live-service lineup to 12 games. Two of those titles are expected to launch this fiscal year.

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