Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan has claimed PS5 will be home to more exclusive games than any previous PlayStation console.
Speaking toNikkei(paywall, translated by VGC), thePlayStationboss said the company has been “quietly” investing in the creation of first-party software, and that it could pursue further M&A opportunities to bolster its in-house development capabilities.
“We have been quietly but steadily investing in high-quality games for PlayStation, and we will ensure that the PS5 generation will have more dedicated software than ever before,” Ryan said.
“We have repeatedly engaged in mergers and acquisitions, includingInsomniac Gamesin the US. We will not rule out that option in the future.”
In terms of upcoming exclusives, SIE is currently gearing up to releaseHousemarque’sReturnalon April 30and Insomniac’sRatchet & Clank: Rift Apartin June 2021.
Guerrilla’sHorizon Forbidden Westis slated for release in late 2021andGod of War Ragnarökwas announced via a brief teaser last Septemberfor release on PS5 this year, although nothing more has been heard ofSanta Monica Studio’s sequel since.
In February,Gran Turismo 7’s release datewas delayed from this year to 2022due to “Covid-related production challenges” experienced by developerPolyphony Digital.Naughty Dogis also reportedlydeveloping a remake of the original The Last of Us.
PlayStation recentlyclosed its oldest first-party developer,SonyJapan Studio, but Ryan told Nikkei the company remains “committed to the Japanese market”.
He said: “It is important for us to provide software that fits the Japanese gaming community, and PS5 has included a lot of software from Japanese developers since its early stages.
“We will continue to strengthen our ties with Japanese developers and release content for PS5 that fits the Japanese market.”
Ryan also commented on the current supply ofPlayStation 5consoles in the market, and claimed that Sony had asked manufacturers to increase production.
“There are several reasons why PS5 was hard to come by,” he said. “Supply under the new coronavirus was very complicated, and we had to limit distribution to online. The supply and demand for semiconductors is also tight worldwide. We are asking our suppliers to allow us to increase production, which will flow into the market this year.”
Further reading
As well as heavily investing in PS5 exclusives, Ryan recently said Sony was planning to bring “a whole slate” of games toPC.
FollowingHorizon Zero DawnComplete Edition’sPC release in August 2020,Days Gonewill be released for PC on July 29, 2025.
SIE is also opening a new business unit toadapt its biggest franchises for mobile.
