Today is April 1, which means Sony Computer Entertainment, the arm of Sony that has been responsible for the PlayStation since its inception, is no more- instead, it has now been rebranded into Sony Interactive Entertainment. For the end user, not a whole lot has changed (Sony have even opted to keep the same logo)- but Sony themselves see it as a step into a much brighter future for PlayStation.
“What does this day mean for you, the gamer?” PlayStation boss Shawn Layden wrote. “If I’m honest, probably not a whole lot — at least not in the short term. But in the long run, it will mean everything.”
Layden explained that this integration and change will allow PlayStation to deliver on new services at the cutting edge of technology, pointing to PlayStation Now and PlayStation Vue as some examples.
“The formation of SIE will allow us to forge a unified PlayStation organization that can adapt more quickly to meet the needs of the gaming community, innovate with digital services like PlayStation Vue and PlayStation Now, and — above all else — drive consistent and constant innovation in the dynamic medium of videogames. You’re already seeing the early fruits of that effort with PlayStation VR, and the work will continue across a number of fronts.”
It sounds like Sony really plans to make PlayStation their tentpole brand, and be the standard bearer for their return to relevance. Let’s just hope they don’t lose their focus on the games, and the gamer, which has got them so far in the process.