PlayStation Boss Jim Ryan Teases More Acquisitions in Coming Months

PlayStation Studios recently acquired Bungie and Haven Studios.

By Siddhant Chandra | Updated: 5 April 2022 16:38 IST

PlayStation Boss Jim Ryan Teases More Acquisitions in Coming Months

Photo Credit: Sony Interactive Entertainment

PlayStation has appeared to shift its focus towards live-service games

Highlights

PlayStation has already acquired Bungie, Haven this year
Xbox announced a multi-billion-dollar deal for Activision Blizzard
Sony added five major studios to its family in 2021

PlayStation Studios is expected to acquire more gaming companies this year. The news was confirmed by Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan on the official PlayStation podcast. Sony acquired five major studios in 2021, and recently announced the acquisition of Bungie, the developer of the original Halo trilogy, and Montreal-based Haven Studios that is currently working on a AAA multiplayer title. Sony does not want to be left behind after Xbox Game Studios went on an acquisition spree of its own, highlighted by the acquisition of Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion (roughly Rs. 5,10,990 crore). These deals are awaiting regulatory approval.

In a recent episode of the PlayStation podcast, Ryan indicated that Sony is currently lining up future acquisitions. The company has already added Bungie and the Jade Raymond-headed Haven Studios to its family this year. PlayStation's last generation was dominated by single-player story-driven gaming titles such as God of War and Marvel's Spider-Man. However, these two acquisitions indicate a shift in Sony's strategy towards live-service games. Bungie has developed one of the most successful live-service gaming franchises in Destiny.

PlayStation and Xbox appear to be in a race to dominate the current generation of console gaming. Earlier this year, Xbox announced a multi-billion-dollar deal that will see it take over Activision Blizzard by 2023. Activision Blizzard currently has popular titles like World of Warcraft, Call of Duty, and Overwatch under its belt. Xbox aims to add these games to its gaming subscription service, Xbox Game Pass. Recently, Microsoft India introduced a reduction in its subscription tariffs by up to 28 percent citing local market conditions.

In related news, Sony has also revealed a revamped model for its gaming subscription service PlayStation Plus. The new service is set to launch in June, and will offer the combined services of the current PS Plus and PS Now subscriptions. It is said to include over 700 games, including games from the original PlayStation, PS2, and PSP.

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God of War (2018)

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Good
Superlative combat
Engaging narrative
Great setting

Bad
PS4 Pro gets exceptionally noisy

Read detailed Sony God of War (2018) review

Genre Action-Adventure

Platform PlayStation 4 (PS4), PC: Windows

Modes Single-player

Series God of War

PEGI Rating 18+

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Marvel’s Spider-Man

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Good
Solid combat
Fantastic sense of movement
Relatable hero
Compelling story

Bad
Stealth sections may be frustrating for some

Read detailed Sony Marvel’s Spider-Man review

Genre Action-Adventure

Platform PlayStation 4 (PS4), PlayStation 5 (PS5), PC: Windows

Modes Single-player

Series Marvel’s Spider-Man

PEGI Rating 16+

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