A screenshot from Days Gone (2021), Bend Studio

Hiroki Totoki, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Sony shared that he does not believe the company has enough original IP as it attempts to completely overhaul the company from a consumer electronics company to a global entertainment company.

A screenshot from God of War Ragnarök (2024), Santa Monica Studio

In an interview with Financial Times, Totoki shared, “Whether it’s for games, films or anime, we don’t have that much IP that we fostered from the beginning.”

He added, “We’re lacking the early phase (of IP) and that’s an issue for us.”

A screenshot from Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection (2015), Naughty Dog

One of the ways in which Sony is attempting to correct this perceived lack of original IP is through co-producing Japanese anime productions whether through Sony or its subsidiary Crunchyroll.

Crunchyroll President Rahul Purini told the outlet, “Given the constraints within the ecosystem, there is opportunity for various companies, including Sony, to see if there is a way to add additional capacity, bring additional talent and potentially leverage digital technology in the creation process [of anime].”

A screenshot from Ghost of Tsushima DIRECTOR’S CUT (2024), Sucker Punch Productions

Sony has a ton of IPs that it owns whether original or not. Their subsidiary Sucker Punch created Ghost of Tsushima, InFamous, and Sly Cooper. Another of their subsidiaries, Naughty Dog, created Jak & Daxter, Uncharted, and The Last of Us.

The company owns the rights to Spider-Man, one of the biggest IPs of all time, and has created a number of films based on the character’s villains and supporting cast.

Marvel’s Spider-Man (2018), Insomniac Games

Sony also owns Firesprite which developed Horizon as well as Bend Studios, which created Syphon Filter, Days Gone and Resistance: Retribution. It also owns Insomniac Games, which created Resistance and Ratchet & Clank.

It also owns God of War, SOCOM, Killzone, Warhawk, MediEvil, MAG, Bloodborne, and more.

A screenshot from Horizon Zero Dawn (2017), Guerilla Games

What do you make of Totoki’s claim that the company does not have original IP and it specifically does not own the IP in the “early phase?”