Microsoft has been on a bit of a spending spree of late, having acquired multiple studios last year in a bid to expand their portfolio of first party studios and games. While Microsoft’s acquisitions have been more in an attempt to catch up to the quality of first party games Sony and Nintendo are already at, many have been wondering if Sony or Nintendo will counter by expanding their own lineup of first party developers as well.
Speaking to CNET, PlayStation boss Shawn Layden discussed the prospect of studio acquisitions for Sony, noting that it’s something they would do if they found an opportunity that was “exciting”.
“We’re always exploring opportunities. If we found a partner or a team or a game that we felt was particularly meaningful and interesting in a service area, we will look to bring that in. We’re always open to that kind of experience,” Layden said.
“We try to make it really easy for our teams to focus on what our vision is for the future. And we have simplified it to “first, best or must.”
“If your title is going to be “first” and creating a genre, or “first” and creating a new game activity, let’s look at that. If you’re going to make an action adventure game, It better be “best” in class. And we have the third category called “must,” which is we must support the platform, we must be present when new technology comes out.”
To be fair, as I already noted, Sony doesn’t need to acquire new studios. Their arsenal of first party games and studios is already formidable, and it’s Microsoft who must catch up to Sony’s offerings in that area. That said, it’s good to see that further expanding their first party to stay ahead of the competition is not something Sony has completely ruled out either.
If you want to see more of Shawn Layden’s musings, make sure to check out his remarks on why Sony is choosing to skip on E3 this year.