With its latest deal, Sony is looking beyond the console
Sony Interactive Entertainment and NCSoft, known for the MMOs Lineage and Guild Wars, have announced a partnership in which the two companies will “collaborate in various global business fields,” including mobile.
Sony said in a statement that the two companies are currently evaluating “a range of potential opportunities” for “strategic synergy.” Specific financial terms or other details of the agreement were not disclosed.
NCSoft CEO Taekjin Kim stated that the partnership with SIE will result in “new and enjoyable” experiences, but no specific projects were mentioned. The deal, according to outgoing SIE CEO Jim Ryan, will help SIE “expand beyond console and broaden PlayStation’s reach to a wider audience.”
“We’re excited to collaborate to push the boundaries of gaming further,” Ryan said. Ryan is set to leave the company in 2024, so this could be one of his last big deals.
SIE does not have a large presence in the mobile game space, and collaborating with NCSoft on mobile projects could be a way to expand. Microsoft, for its part, has stated that one of the reasons it purchased Activision Blizzard was to enter the mobile game market.
SIE is making this acquisition during a period of reported upheaval within the company. Connie Booth, one of the company’s most important people, recently left. She was allegedly fired after taking the heat for Ryan’s alleged mandate that the company make more live-service games. According to a report, the alleged mandate did not sit well with Sony’s development teams, and the company is now scaling back its live-service plans.