Speaking to the UK’s Official PlayStation Magazine (via publishing stablemate CVG) Sony Worldwide Studios boss for Europe Michael Denny denied that the company measured its success purely against that the sales of the Xbox 360 and the Wii.
“There are a whole number of metrics we could measure success by,” he said, “but for me on a worldwide studios side of things, there’s nothing more gratifying than when we break new IPs – innovative games we bring to PlayStation fans.”
“In a year like the one just gone, you look at a game like Heavy Rain,” Denny continued. “A lot of people questioned whether that was risky and whether it [could] stand up. But I think that’s what really brings the pleasure of working for Sony first party – we’re willing to take some risks and look at innovation.”
Heavy Rain was, presumably, a considerable gamble for Sony’s first party portfolio, but for most gamers it represented something no other console could offer, and you can’t deny it was innovative.
“I think that what that game’s delivered is fantastic,” concluded Denny, “it’s not only new IP, but I think it’s created a new genre. [It’s had] not only great critical acclaim, but great commercial success as well.”
You can read our review of Heavy Rain here.
MUKARKAR
i agree sony always risky about things and it turns to be a success.
gurglesletch
Sometimes. PS3 launch was not a success
MUKARKAR
But PS3 is success.
Serebii.Net
Sony is the on of the only publishers that are willing to step outside the norm..
I would even say LittleBIGPlanet was a gamble.
Serebii.Net
*one of the only
ericzap
Very refreshing, kind of unlike some other console maker whom will not be mentioned.
Is it ‘who’ or ‘whom’? I think it’s whom but I’m probably wrong.
DJ Judas
I think Sony are preempting the divide that will occur as more and more devs decide to take the safe route of sequels.
there will be large amounts of consumers who lap it up but equally those that want something new will make up an audience of their own.
tonycawley
The difference is, in my opinion, sony have the money to take a risk. If it doesn’t work out financially they can take the hit. Others might fold if they spent millions on new ip and it flopped.
Aitrus
Do you really think Microsoft and Nintendo lack money?
tonycawley
I meant as opposed to 3rd party.
Mick939
This gen sony backed new ops have become some of my favourite series, resistance was a launch title which I played to death along with it’s brilliant sequal, inFamous another brilliant game, and of course Uncharted which comes only second to mgs for greatest games ever in my eyes.
Heavy rain was a nice risk as was lbp but both turned out to be steller new ips.
Severn2j
Agree with the article and its one of the reasons why the PS3 get the love in my house.. I think as time goes on, innovation is going to be more and more important, because (imo) we’re (finally) reaching a point where piling on extra graphical effects onto an old genre just wont cut it any more and doing something new will be the only way to stand out in the market. Personally, I cant wait. :)
bajere
“Denny denied that the company measured its success purely against that the sales of the Xbox 360 and the Wii.” – As they should, its not all about sales figures that determine a great console/product. Ford sell more cars than Ferrari each year, but it doesn’t mean Ferrari makes crap cars (well, apart from the latest batch that has been bursting into flames O_o ).
Keep up the risk taking Sony!!
Boomshanks
And secretly everybody wants a Ferrari ^^
Bilbo_bobbins
glad to hear this, and is another reason I always have purchased a PLaystation. I like the way they work and come up with new ideas.
bunimomike
Being third in global sales I think it’s prompted them to act accordingly with risk-taking and new IP. If only they could market themselves properly. Still, 2009 was a cracking year and 2010 shows no sign of being any different.
cc_star
2009 started the upward curve with the launch of the Slim, the pricedrop a strong ad campaign (in the US) Uncharted 2 etc… Sony have done well to maintain the momentum through 2010 with MAG, Modnation, God Of War 3 and Heavy Rain sealed the deal.
This is the key advantage of strong competition, without the Wii dominance all we’d have to look forward to is the same old games with more pixels crammed into them, rather than a whole ‘new’ way of playing ever more creative games, and without the strength of the 360 causing practically all 3rd party devs to go multi-platform, Sony wouldn’t have invested so much in 1st party studios which are bringing us all these fantastic games.
So, strong competition = everybody wins
bunimomike
Agreed. A good balance of competition is important. Even with the Wii sales, I don’t feel like any particular company has a stranglehold over the market.