Jim Ryanpresident and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, will leave the PlayStation company in March 2024. After more than 30 years at the company, he has been manager of the European division of SIE, and since 2019, the highest person in charge of the interactive entertainment division of the firm born in Japan. On the occasion of his departure to the 64 yearswe review the most important decisions during his time as a senior manager.
The launch of PS5 in the middle of a pandemic
Jim Ryan has made PlayStation 5 become an unprecedented success for the company despite being released in the middle of a pandemic that made manufacturing and distribution difficult. For months it was almost impossible to get the console, and even so, it has sold 41.7 million consoles as of June 30.
A fully digital console
The commitment of companies and players to the digital format was much stronger in 2020 than it was at the beginning of the PS4 era. That is why Sony chose to launch the same PlayStation 5, but in two different models (one with a reader and the other only digital) and different prices: 500 and 400 euros respectively. Although the adoption of the version without a Blu-ray player is lower, the interest in the device is demonstrated.
PS5 more expensive after launch
In an unprecedented move in the video game industry, SIE announced in August 2022 a price increase for the two PlayStation 5 models due to the increase in production costs derived from the semiconductor crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Ace, PS5 now costs 550 euros and PS5 Digital Edition, 450.
PlayStation Portal and other peripherals
In August, Sony Interactive Entertainment officially announced PlayStation Portal, a portable 220 euros With which play PlayStation 5 remotely, connected to it through a Wi-Fi network. The company also announced the PlayStation Earbuds, headphones in-ear for players. Likewise, it collaborated with Sony Electronics to launch monitors and headsets focused on the PC audience and compatible with PS5.
emphasis on virtual reality with PlayStation VR2
PlayStation VR for PS4 was not a device embraced by the general public. Even so, SIE became interested in virtual reality again with PlayStation VR2 for PS5. Before its launch in February 2023 it seemed that this time they were going to put all the meat on the grill, but more than half a year later, the device catalog is based almost entirely on third-party games.
Increase the price of games for PS5
On the same day in September 2020 that the PlayStation 5 release date and price were announced, it was revealed that the games first party exclusive of the console, those developed by PlayStation Studios, will cost 79.99 euros, a increase of 10 euros compared to the usual price. Since then other companies, such as 2K Games and Square Enix, have done the same.
Paid upgrades for PS5
While Microsoft and many other publishers third party (not all) decided that last generation games could be updated for free to the PS5/Xbox Series God of War: Ragnarok and Gran Turismo 7among others.
“Give gamers the certainty that they are buying a next-generation console”
In 2020, Microsoft argued the end of the concept of generations of consoles, while Sony opted, in principle, for the complete opposite. Jim Ryan said in an interview that he wanted to give the players the “certainty” that they were buying a machine next-gen when getting PS5. They advertised the machine along with a handful of supposedly exclusive titles that later ended up being intergenerational: Gran Turismo 7, Horizon Forbidden West, God of War Ragnarok…
A renewed PlayStation Plus compared to Game Pass
In the current generation of consoles, part of the discourse has revolved around the subscription services, especially because of how Microsoft’s model with Xbox Game Pass shakes up the industry. Last year Sony renewed its PlayStation Plus service, offering three levels, two of them with a wide catalog of games. However, Sony’s proposal is different: arguing that they want to maintain the value of their titles and that it is not profitable to introduce them to the service for the first time, does not include any of the works of PlayStation Studios, although later. In addition, they do release new releases from independent studios.
The launch of PlayStation games on PC
Starting with Horizon: Zero Dawn In August 2020, some PlayStation 4 exclusive games began releasing on PC, years after its release on consoles. Since then, a dozen titles have been published in this way, including PS5, such as Returnal and The Last of Us Part I. Likewise, multiplayer, like the next helldivers 2will be released simultaneously on PlayStation and PC.
Interest in games as a service
Although they assure that they will continue launching the single-player adventures that have become the hallmark of PlayStation Studios, SIE is betting on the games as a service (multiplayer titles in constant expansion, usually free). They promise to have a dozen of them before spring 2026.
The bet on mobile phones
Along with diversifying the business with PC adaptations of PlayStation titles, the company will also carry their intellectual properties to mobile phones: They expect that by 2025 half of their income will come from computers and smartphones. The strategy involves the acquisition of studios dedicated to that platform and licensing their IP, such as the card game wipEout Merge (previously called wipEout Rush).
Reviews of current games: a homogeneous catalog
During the first years of the PlayStation 5’s life, it has been criticized that a large part of the launches first party have been remasters and/or remakes from recent games: Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection, The Last of Us Part I, Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut and others. Likewise, in the catalog there is a predominance of open-world narrative action adventures (Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Horizon: Forbidden West, God of War: Ragnarok), although also exceptions such as Returnal.
backwards compatibility
After leaving aside backwards compatibility in the last generation of consoles, PlayStation 5 is compatible with almost all games published for PS4. However, SIE’s strategy in this regard pales in comparison to that of Xbox, which allows you to play hundreds of Xbox, Xbox 360 and Xbox One titles from its most modern console. In September 2023, the The only way to play PS3 titles on PS5 is through the cloud, and PSX and PS2 games are scarce. Two years before becoming president of SIE, Jim Ryan said of previous generation games: “Why would you want to play them?”
SIE Centralization
The company, based in Japan, It was divided into three branches with its own identity marks: SIE Europe, SIE Japan and SIE America. Ahead of the launch of PlayStation 5, the firm went through a centralization process that lasted approximately two years. From that moment on, duplications were eliminated and Decisions will be made from the United States.
The opposition to Xbox buying Activision
When Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard and King reached antitrust agencies around the world, several video game and technology companies took a stand against it, but none with as much zeal as Sony Interactive Entertainment. Jim Ryan’s firm, and even himself, have released statements, testified in court, offered interviews and disputed Xbox brand claims for months. The CEO’s speech revolved around the the importance of Call of Duty for the industry and the possibility of it becoming exclusive of Xbox, but finally both companies signed an agreement to keep the saga on PlayStation.
Acquisition of studios: Insomniac, Bungie and more
Although SIE has stated on several occasions that they prefer the internal growth of the companies that are already part of PlayStation Studios, in recent years last four years they have bought several studios with whom they had been collaborating for a long time and companies that fit into their new strategies. Since 2019 they have acquired Bluepoint Games, BungieFiresprite, Firewalk Studios, Haven Studios, Housemarque, Insomniac GamesSavage Game Studios, Nixxes SoftwareValkyrie Entertainment and Fabrik Games.
The closure of Japan Studio
In February 2021, Sony did a “restructure” of Japan Studio, which effectively led to the closure of the studio responsible for some of the brand’s most original titles, such as The Last Guardian, Gravity Rush, PaRappa the Rapper, Ape Escape, Loco Roco and Tokyo Junglein addition to supporting the creation of Bloodborne and rogue galaxy. Some developers joined Team ASOBI, creators of Astro Bot Rescue Mission.
An adaptation for the Japanese public
After more than 28 years, Japanese players had to adapt to using the PlayStation controller. While in the West it is usual for the selection to be made with the cross (or X) and the circle button indicates back, in the Asian country it was the opposite. Until the launch of PS5, where the unific system and the Japanese users had to change the chip.
Beyond video games: series and movies
The praised series of The Last of Usthe curious Twisted Metalthe cinematographic action of Incharted on the big screen… SIE founded PlayStation Productions in 2019, a label with which they bring their main intellectual properties to the platforms of streaming now to the cinemas of all the world.
