The topic of original IP is a tricky one for PlayStation at the moment – after all, it just killed a project which has taken years to create and millions to develop mere weeks after it launched.
According to Sony CFO Hiroki Totoki, the company is lacking when it comes to tried-and-tested intellectual property – a statement that might have some PlayStation fans scratching their heads in confusion.
Speaking to The Financial Times (behind a paywalled link), Totoki said:
Whether it’s for games, films or anime, we don’t have that much IP that we fostered from the beginning. We’re lacking the early phase (of IP) and that’s an issue for us.
In the same interview, Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida adds that the company is focusing on the creation of new IP moving forward:
We have the technology and creation is the area where we like and where we can contribute the most. By putting our efforts in creation, that also means that we will work with partners on the distribution side.
It's worth noting that Totoki and Yoshida's comments aren't limited to just video games but include Sony's film and anime interests, too – and in that regard, you could argue that outside of games, Sony does indeed lack wholly-owned IP to exploit.
Even so, it seems like an odd thing to say when you consider that there's a seemingly endless selection of PlayStation IP to choose from, with many popular franchises having been dormant for years – and even more so when you look at the acclaimed hit Astro Bot, which celebrates PlayStation's diverse and colourful history.
And, lest we forget, video game IP is very useful in the realm of movies and TV – as The Last of Us has proven. Surely Sony can leverage some of its gaming IP in that regard, too?