Shawn Layden PlayStation 1
Image: Business Insider

Not every game in Sony’s first-party portfolio is a smash hit, but between projects like Dreams and God of War, it’s clear that the company gives its studios an unparalleled sense of freedom. Speaking at the Collision conference in Toronto yesterday, Worldwide Studios chairman Shawn Layden touched upon this a little – explaining that it encourages a culture where teams are able to “experiment and explore” in order to “push the boundaries of gaming”.

The executive added that it’s not just risk-taking which leads to creativity, but also the composition of the teams themselves. “As we broaden the tent for our games and we welcome those from every part of the world and every background, it's important our development teams look like our fans. It's important that we have a wide range of voices if we are to exceed the expectations of our audience.” He said: “Sameness is the death of innovation and creativity.”

The suit concluded that you “cannot control how, when, or where truly creative ideas can happen” but you can “nurture” them. It’s interesting to get this kind of insight from Layden, and we’re genuinely thrilled that this is the firm’s philosophy. While we accept that PlayStation is a business first and foremost, we’ve always got the impression that it has a genuine desire to expand the scope of what interactive entertainment can be – long may that continue.

[source gamesindustry.biz]