This new umbrella initiative will serve as a marketing branding for their first-party games, similar to Microsoft’s Game Studios.
Taken from Gamedaily … As the next generation of video game consoles begins to take shape, platform manufacturers are stepping up their marketing game in order to build the hype. For its part, Microsoft has spent the last year or so cultivating a shared ecosystem across its various Xbox and PC platforms. In addition, it has steadily grown its stable of developers under the Xbox Game Studios umbrella, and is prepared to leverage their talent in the coming years.
On the other side of the aisle, Sony is leaning on the recognition of its historically-strong lineup of first-party franchises. Earlier this week, the company announced PlayStation Studios, a new branding initiative that highlights Sony’s properties. It takes the form of an animated video that features many of Sony’s characters–like Uncharted’s Nathan Drake, and Horizon Zero Dawn’s Aloy–that will play upon launching a game developed by Sony-owned development studios. The animation will also play a role in advertising, game announcements, and more.
According to Eric Lempel, head of global marketing at Sony Interactive Entertainment, the branding is a way to let prospective buyers know when a game is made by an internal Sony studio.
“We think this is a good way to let consumers know that, if they see it, then the quality games they’ve come to expect from us are here,” Lempel told GamesIndustry this week. “And this brand will exist for well-known existing franchises, as well as brand new franchises that we have yet to explore.”
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