PlayStation Boss: “We Empower Our Development Studios to Constantly Push the Boundaries of Gaming”
Since its unexpected incursion in the console sector, Sony and PlayStation have cemented the success of their proposal in the creation of exclusive experiences achieved through great support for the studios that decide to participate in this type of charge. From PlayStation and PlayStation 4, players have enjoyed several titles that have left their mark on the history of the brand and recently Shawn Layden highlighted the position taken from the beginning.
During an interview with Gamesindustry.biz, Shawn Layden, head of PlayStation, talked about how PlayStation has done things for more than 2 decades and highlighted the work they have done, and do, with the studios that are part of its structure. To begin with, the manager considered that an important part of the growth of PlayStation is due to the particularities of the fans of the brand: “The video game industry straddles creativity, innovation, entertainment, and technology in ways, unlike any other industry. Our fans are boisterous, passionate, vocal, and extremely unforgiving. The lessons learned since the birth of PlayStation back in 1994 can serve many of you well, whether you’re a founder, entrepreneur, growing a start-up, [or] starting a business through this next wave of innovation.”
Later, Layden highlighted the position they have taken for their studios, giving them creative freedom and motivating them to go beyond what was expected: “We empower our development studios to constantly push the boundaries of gaming and give them opportunities to experiment and explore. We encourage them to take risks. We enable a culture that learns from mistakes and failures. As leaders, we encourage developers to act fearlessly and share new ideas. We try to be approachable, available, and responsive.”
Finally, the head of PlayStation considered that one of the essential elements that have given success to the studios of the brand is the diversity of each team, which allows approaching things from different perspectives: “People with different backgrounds bring new perspectives. They help ignite the creative spark by thinking differently. If your teams all look the same and act the same, if they all share the same history and the same point of view, your products will not evolve and will eventually become lackluster and unimaginative. Sameness is the death of innovation and creativity.”
In other news, Jim Ryan, head of PlayStation, spoke about the arrival of streaming services and what is a new era in the video game industry during the recent financial report of Sony Interactive Entertainment.
What do you think about Shawn Layden’s statements?
