With recent news claiming Sony is focusing on blockbuster hits and remasters and leaving games like Days Gone 2 in the dust, many players were worried about the future of unique exclusive titles on PlayStation platforms. In an interview with Nikkei, Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan laid those fears to rest by stating the PlayStation 5 will have more exclusive games than on any generation before it. This will include content that is more “suited to the Japanese market.”
Ryan was asked whether Sony was competing for exclusive titles, especially as Microsoft has recently hit the headlines with big-name acquisitions like Bethesda. He stated Sony has been “quietly, but steadily investing in high-quality games” and that they “will make sure the PlayStation 5 generation has more exclusive software than ever before.” After all, Sony has previously acquired companies like Insomniac Games in the past and Ryan “will not rule out that option in the future.”
Despite whittling Japan Studio down into Team ASOBI, causing several renowned Japanese developers to move on to other studios, Ryan also insists Sony is looking to “strengthen our ties with Japanese developers.” One of the ways they’ll be doing this is by becoming an official sponsor of asobu, a community hub for indie game creators in Japan. Sony wants to release PlayStation 5 games that are “suited to the Japanese market” and there’s already a fair number of Japanese titles on the PS5.
Software isn’t the only focus for Sony in Japan right now. Like everywhere else, the region is suffering from a shortage of PS5 consoles, although Ryan likens the console’s availability as “comparable” to that of the PlayStation 4 during the first few months after its launch. This is mostly due to a global semiconductor shortage that doesn’t show signs of getting better anytime soon. Despite this, Sony is asking suppliers to increase their production of the PS5 consoles and these should flow into retailers throughout 2021.
