PlayStation’s boss says it’s open to reviving classic franchises

PlayStation co-CEO Hermen Hulst has said Sony is open to reviving its back catalog of classic game franchises.

Speaking to Famitsu, the exec said that going forward, the platform holder intends to offer a broad range of experiences from both its first-party studios, and by working with external developers.

“The various IPs that we own are an important asset to PlayStation, and as part of our efforts to strengthen our portfolio, we are continually looking at opportunities to leverage past IP, as well as develop new franchises,”he said.

“Our goal is to publish games by the world’s best creators, both inside and outside of PlayStation, and we have achieved many successes so far by working closely with external development studios.”

Hulst also praised the performance of Team Asobi’s Astro Bot, which won Game of the Year at The Game Awards this month.

According to the co-CEO, Astro Bot sold 1.5 million copies in its first nine weeks, with nearly 40% of those sales coming from players who were either purchasing a PlayStation game for the first time, or for the first time in two years.

“We are thrilled that it has been so well received by the gaming community, with a Metacritic score of 94 and a wide range of players who are truly enjoying the game,” Hulst said.

“It has also contributed significantly to the expansion of the community, with a higher percentage of younger players and families purchasing the game compared to other titles.”