Jim Ryan doubled down on Sony's commitment to increasing its live service offerings in the coming years during the Game & Network Services portion of Sony's 2022 Business Segment briefings.
As you can see in the slide below, Sony wants to double the number of live-service games it operates in 2023 as compared to this year, going from three to six. By 2024, it wants that number to reach 10, increasing even further to 12 in 2025.
Keep in mind that Sony's graph refers to fiscal years; fiscal year 2025 runs from April 2024 through March 2025, so it expects to achieve its goal of 12 live-service games by that March.
This isn't completely new info. During a Q3 call in February 2022, Ryan already stated Sony's intention to launch 10 live service games by 2026. Now it appears Sony's target has shifted to a few more live service games than the number mentioned in February.
Sony's always been known for its first-party single-player titles that are "prestigious" (a nebulous term in the gaming industry that differs depending on who you ask), but recent acquisitions and announcements indicate Sony's desire to diversify its business model.
Its ongoing acquisition of Bungie and companies in 2021 that specialize in PC ports already suggested Sony's move to invest in live-service games and interest in getting its games on different platforms other than the flagship PlayStation console. Ryan's G&S Services presentation only drives in the nail with a hammer on how committed Sony is to getting a whole lot more live service games on its roster.
And no wonder: Live-service games make a lot of money. GTA Online, a game released in 2013, remains one of the most active games ever. FFXIV also has become a significant money-maker for Square Enix, bringing in impressive profits. It is hard for new one-off AAA games Sony likes investing in to compete with these long-running games and their devoted fan bases.
However, for those who like Sony's traditional first-party titles: Do not fear. Sony has promised to keep making single-player titles.
For more information on Sony's business, check out the below articles:
- Sony Sees Bright Future For Live-Service Games, But It's All About Choice, Exec Says
- Sony Is Planning To Invest Heavily Into Live-Service Games With Bungie Buyout
- Whether Sony Likes It Or Not, Game Pass Makes The New PS Plus Look Underwhelming
- A Look At PlayStation's Games And Studios Following Sony's Bungie Acquisition