Sony Interactive Entertainment has officially announced the delay of major existing PlayStation franchise games until April 2025. This decision, communicated during a financial call, impacts highly anticipated titles such as God of War Ragnarok and Marvel's Spider-Man 2.
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Emphasis on Quality and New Franchises
Hiroki Totoki, the head of Sony Interactive Entertainment, reiterated the company's commitment to producing high-quality works and live service games. Despite ongoing development of major projects, there are no plans to release new major existing franchise titles in the next fiscal year, concluding on March 31, 2025. This exclusion potentially affects sequels to games like Ghost of Tsushima and Horizon.
To fill the void left by major franchises, Sony plans to introduce new first-party games from upcoming franchises like Fairgame$ and Concord. The company may also explore remakes, building on the success of The Last of Us Part II Remastered.
Shifting Focus to "Second-Party" Titles
In response to lower-than-expected PS5 sales, Sony is diversifying its exclusive games list with "second-party" titles. These include the timed exclusivity of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Stellar Blade, and Rise of the Ronin, all scheduled for release in 2024. The decision to delay major franchise releases follows Sony's revision of its full-year forecast.
Despite strong third-quarter sales, the company adjusted its annual target to 21 million units, falling short of the initial goal of 25 million.
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