A new IP for the PlayStation 5 is in the works at Sony's London Studio, according to a new job listing. The studio is known for its development on various PlayStation peripherals, like the EyeToy, and virtual reality games like VR Worlds. Its current project appears to be veering away from this and is attempting to tackle a larger, "next-gen IP." The listing for a Principal Online Gameplay Designer which will tackle multiple duties was posted to the PlayStation London Studio website.
What the game will be like isn't explicitly mentioned, but multiplayer is referenced as one aspect of it. The studio is looking to continue striving for innovation, saying, "As a 1st Party Studio we set out to produce games which show the exciting potential of the latest PlayStation hardware, so it’s important you are up for experimenting and working in uncharted design territory." Since development is still in its hiring stages, it will likely be some time before anything is revealed about the project, but listings like this do allow audiences to glean a bit about the nature of the game.
Studios associated with the Sony brand are going to play a heavy role in the future of the company, according to a recent report by Bloomberg. As part of a new strategy, Sony is betting its enduring success on AAA developers such as Naughty Dog and Santa Monica Studio to carry it forward, letting smaller teams and studios fall by the wayside. The company intends to focus on its heavy-hitting franchises, which have been incredibly successful.
Seeing these changes as not being in the best interest of gamers, some PlayStation fans want Shawn Layden back. He was the Sony Interactive Entertainment Chairman for Worldwide Studios until 2019. His successor, Jim Ryan, took the reins shortly after, and there are those who think things have been worse off for it. The recent closure of multiple PlayStation Stores is noted as one example.
This shift in focus on prominent franchises is already leading to strange outcomes, such as reports that a The Last of Us remake is in development. Whether this was a decision by Sony or Naughty Dog itself, it is starting a conversation between fans on whether or not it would be a good idea. As much as the franchise is beloved, it is unusual to remake a game that not only still holds up, but has also received a remaster in the previous console generation.
There's a chance audiences will learn more about the remake, and whatever else Sony is cooking up for its PlayStation brand, at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo. The convention will finally return this year as an entirely online event, and a list of companies confirmed for E3 2021 so far has also been revealed to the public. It's unlikely anything regarding Sony's London Studio will appear, however.
Source: Sony London Studio