In a recent PlayStation Blog interview, Head of PlayStation Studios Herman Hulst revealed that there are currently 25 games in development under the PlayStation Studios umbrella. Hulst also stressed that Japanese games and studios were still “extremely important” to PlayStation Studios, citing Team ASOBI and Polyphony Digital as examples. Hulst talked about various topics in the hour-long podcast, from the studio’s focus on single-player narrative experiences to new IPs and PC releases.
When asked about PlayStation Studios’ view on single-player narrative games, Hulst stated that the genre was part of their “DNA”, stating that “PlayStation Studios have made, in my mind, some of the most memorable narrative experiences available.” However, Hulst also explained that the studio is also trying to create a “variety of experiences” for players. These include smaller games, games that are more innovative, and multiplayer games with “great stories.”
Additionally, Hulst revealed that over 25 titles are currently in development across the studio, half of which will be new IPs. The other half, he says, are “titles that are set in franchises that PlayStation fans already know and love.” He mentioned Bend Studio’s recently-announced new open-world IP as an example, and stated definitively that new IPs “are the lifeblood of gaming.” This is effectively reconfirming something that he said last month too.
On the topic of PC releases, Hulst commented that they were still in the early stages of planning for PC. Days Gone released for PC earlier this spring, and Sony also announced that Horizon Zero Dawn would be coming to PCs this summer. While Hulst emphasizes that PlayStation will “remain the best place to play” PlayStation Studios titles, he also says that they still value PC gamers and will continue to “look at the right times to launch each game.”
Finally, Hulst clarifies that Japanese games and developers will continue to be “extremely important to PlayStation Studios and Sony Interactive Entertainment.” The question is likely in reference to the large-scale departure of many Japanese veteran game developers and producers over the last year, after the reorganization of Japan Studios. This included Gravity Rush creator Keiichiro Toyama, Bloodborne producer Masaaki Yamagiwa, and many others. Hulst says that Japanese studios “have a history of innovation, of craftsmanship and skill” and that the studio will continue to focus on developing games through Gran Turismo developer Polyphony Digital and Astro’s Playroom creator Team ASOBI.
[Source: PlayStation Blog]
