2023-05-22 05:33:19
During an interview given to the Famitsu newspaper, Jim Ryan affirmed the importance of the Japanese market in Sony Interactive Entertainment’s strategy. This interview, published on May 19, follows Sony’s marketing strategy meeting report for the coming year, where was mentioned in particular the role that the company intends to give to licenses rather than to unique games. While this report is of particular interest to the most rabid fans of the Sony console, the interview is aimed at a wider audience: Famitsu is the most widely read video game magazine in Japan.
He mentions in particular the Japanese origin of the console as well as the many successful licenses produced by Japanese studios on the machine. An important reminder, when Famitsu points out that the sales of the latest titles on Playstation in Japan are not ideal, despite the figures for the console itself. For Jim Ryanit is the history of this market that makes it specific: it mentions the role of Playstation in the history of video games, with the impact of titles such as Final Fantasy VII or Monster Hunter, but also of a more distant passive:
A little earlier, I mentioned the importance of the Japanese market: there are also examples like this, which prove the specificity of this market. The special characteristic of the Japanese market is really the heritage made up of the assets that have made video game culture. It is from them that we can offer ever more innovative titles.
He believes that it is through these licenses that Playstation will make more sales, while Street Fighter VI and Final Fantasy XVI are looming. This is in line with the projections set out in the marketing strategy meeting: Sony intends to rely on its flagship licenses to develop the emotional attachment of gamers to the products that will be released.
However, this intensification of work around licenses requires looking beyond video games: if current examples, such as the success of the Last of Us obviously come to mind, we must not forget the part that Sony represents in the Japanese animation industry. Indeed, if in the West Sony manages the majority of the export of series through Crunchyroll, Sony also owns the company Aniplex, to which A1-Pictures is attached. The studio, known for series like Sword Art Online, is already taking its first steps into video game adaptation with the animated series NieR: Automata.
This work around the licenses appears necessary for Sony, which mentions future partnerships with Aniplex for other projects. Through the interview of Jim Ryan for Famitsu, we see how Sony sees licensing expansion impacting Playstation product sales for years to come.
The already popular licenses will play a role in the sales of PSVR2, whose figures were not necessarily reassuring. The upcoming arrival of the free Resident Evil 4 Remake mod, specifically for PlayStation’s new VR headset, seems to fit perfectly into this strategy.
Finally, it is an interview for the Japanese market that Jim Ryan chooses to reiterate Sony’s position vis-à-vis the studio’s PC ports, which he considers to be in line with the studio’s desire to expand the intellectual properties. However, these ports must not encroach on the exclusives of the studio: this is why Sony maintains a gap of two to three years between releases.
We are looking to increase the number of exclusive Playstation titles, while gradually releasing the PC versions. When we had the opportunity to gather players’ opinions, we asked them regarding the frequency of these releases: many are in favor of a delayed release of two to three years.
An important question, while PC ports are often put in the spotlight for their disappointing quality in recent months, at Playstation as at Microsoft. It also makes sense to mention it to Japanese audiences, where the status of PC gaming is changing rapidly.
At the same time, the role of exclusives is currently being questioned around the world, through discussions around the legality of the Activision-Blizzard acquisition. While this is probably not a system that will be banned, and the consequences of these discussions are likely to be minimal, it is interesting to see the freedom with which Jim Ryan talks regarding these practices in Japan, when these issues must be handled with caution internationally.
This interview provides an insight into how Sony considers a particular market, the Japanese market. We can only note a rather different tone from that which can be found in the English-speaking interviews: in this market, Sony is playing at home, and Jim Ryan known. Although Microsoft reserves a small share, with a long-term strategy, Sony is only surpassed by Nintendo, which employs a different strategy.
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