Sony Insomniac Reaction

Sony working the hype cycle would seriously benefit us at Push Square, but we can’t help but appreciate the organisation’s swagger these days. Case in point: it announced its acquisition of Insomniac Games during Geoff Keighley’s prominently promoted Opening Night Live press conference. Alas, it didn’t confirm the news live on stage, smiling smugly like Xbox chief Phil Spencer, while hordes of brainless corporate cheerleaders hooted and hollered. No, it just casually dropped the information on Twitter.

This is how the Japanese giant seems to be playing things these days. We’ve been vocal in our criticism of company’s non-existent communication, but it’s clear that it’s business as usual behind-the-scenes; the firm is still making megaton moves, it just doesn’t feel the need to tickle its fan base into a frenzy every few seconds. Look no further than the PlayStation 5’s official unveiling: it emerged in a Wired article on a drizzly Tuesday afternoon.

This kind of swagger could be considered arrogance, and there is an unquestionable confidence about it all. But the ‘Arrogant Sony’ memes of yore don’t really apply here, as this isn’t an instance of the organisation overpricing and undelivering like it arguably did with the PlayStation 3 – it’s doubling-down on the future of its brand, and it’s doing it all in an understated manner.

Sony Buys Insomniac Reaction

The acquisition of Insomniac Games makes sense, of course. Despite founder Ted Price’s insistence on independence, the company’s always saved its best efforts for Sony, and the success of Marvel’s Spider-Man practically ties it to the brand for the foreseeable future. There’s also the threat of the financially flush Google and Microsoft sweeping by; this keeps both at bay, while dramatically enhancing the firm’s stable of first-party developers.

Sony knows all of this, of course – it obviously understands the importance of the news. That it can make waves without even appearing on stage, while breaking away from major conventions like E3, says so much about where PlayStation’s mindshare is at right now. There’s a confidence exuding from the organisation, and unlike in previous generations, it’s the positive kind. The company may not be communicating much of late, but everyone listens when it has something to say.

What do you think of Sony's most recent moves? Are you a fan of this shadow drop approach? Do you think snapping up Insomniac was the right call? Wait for another megaton announcement in the comments section below.