Sony Interactive Entertainment

Company logo since 2016

* *Astro Bot*
*Destiny*
*God of War*
*Gran Turismo*
*Horizon*
*The Last of Us*
*Ratchet & Clank*
*Uncharted*

**Sony Interactive Entertainment** (**SIE**), formerly known as **Sony Computer Entertainment** (**SCE**), is a Japanese-American multinational game publisher, console manufacturer and digital entertainment company. It is a subsidiary of Japanese business company Sony Group Corporation.

The company was founded in 1993 following a fallout between Sony and fellow console making company Nintendo which resulted in the former's formal entry into the gaming industry in 1994, with the release of the original PlayStation. Since then, the PlayStation brand has grown to include several successor consoles, handheld platforms and related accessories, as well as presence in mobile and personal computer markets. In 2016, the company was reorganized as Sony Interactive Entertainment following a merger with Sony Network Entertainment International, with headquarters based in San Mateo, California.

Since its inception, SIE has founded and acquired several game development studios while relinquishing or closing others. Beginning with 2005, the majority of those studios operate under PlayStation Studios (formerly Worldwide Studios), which oversees the development of video game titles and cooperation between various teams within and outside the company. SIE also manages other subsidiaries and divisions including PlayStation Studios Creative Arts, PlayStation PC publisher unit, PlayStation Studios Mobile Division for mobile game development, PlayStation Productions for film and television adaptations, the Evolution Championship Series and multiplatform developer-publisher Bungie.

SIE is the world's biggest video game publisher in terms of revenue as of 2021, and one of the major platform holders and console manufactures of the gaming industry since the launch of the original PlayStation console in 1994. Among its most prominent franchises are *Astro Bot*, *God of War*, *Gran Turismo*, *Horizon*, *The Last of Us*, *Ratchet & Clank* and *Uncharted*, as well as licensed properties such as *MLB: The Show* and Marvel Games franchises *Spider-Man* and *Wolverine*.

## History

### Establishment

Sony Computer Entertainment was founded on November 16, 1993, by Sony and its subsidiary Sony Music Entertainment of Japan. The new division's creation was meant to help Sony's venture into the video game industry, following a publicized fallout with fellow game company and platform holder Nintendo. Ken Kutaragi, who was a prominent part of the Sony-Nintendo deal and previously designed the sound chip for Nintendo's Super NES, became the primary designer of the division's first major product, the PlayStation.

## Personnel

### CEOs and Presidents

* Ken Kutaragi: 1993 - 2007
* Kez Hirai: 2007 - 2012
* Andrew House: 2012 - 2017
* John Kodera: 2017 - 2019
* Jim Ryan: 2019 - current

SCE America
* Kaz Hirai: until 2006
* Jack Tretton: 2006 - 2014
* Shawn Layden: 2014 - 2018

SCE Japan
* Shawn Layden: 2007 - 2010

### SIE Worldwide Studios

#### Heads of Worldwide Studios

Presidents
* Phil Harrison: 2005 - 2008
* Shuhei Yoshida: 2008 - 2019
* Hermen Hulst: 2019 - current

Chairmen
* Shawn Layden: 2018 - 2019

## Divisions and subsidiaries

### Support teams

* **ICE Team** - technology group within Naughty Dog
* **Malaysia Studio**
* **Nixxes Software**
* **San Mateo Studio** - founded in 1998, collaborator team
* **Valkyrie Entertainment**
* **XDev Europe** - founded in 2000, collaborator team

### Former studios

#### Former divisions

* **SCE Liverpool Studio** - founded in 1984, acquired in 1993, closed in 2012
* **SIE Manchester Studio** - founded in 2015, closed in 2020
* **Sony Online Entertainment** - founded in 1995, sold off in 2015

#### Former subsidiaries

* **989 Studios** - founded in 1995, relaunched in 2001, closed in 2005
* **Bigbig Studios** - founded in 2001, acquired in 2007, closed in 2012
* **Evolution Studios** - founded in 1999, acquired in 2007, closed in 2016
* **Icognito Entertainment** - founded in 1999, acquired in 2002, closed in 2009
* **Team Soho** - founded in 1994, merged into SCE Liverpool Studio in 2002
* **Zipper Interactive** - founded in 1995, acquired in 2006, closed in 2012

## Franchises owned by Sony

* *Ape Escape* (1999-2011)
* *Astro Bot* (2018-current)
* *Dark Cloud* (2001-2002)
* *Everybody's Golf* (1997-current)
* *God of War* (2005-current)
* *Gran Turismo* (1997-current)
* *Gravity Rush* (2012-2017)
* *Horizon* (2017-current)
* *Infamous* (2009-2014)
* *Jak and Daxter* (2001-2009)
* *Killzone* (2004-2013)
* *Knack* (2013-2017)
* *The Last of Us* (2013-current)
* *LittleBigPlanet* (2008-current)
* *MediEvil* (1998-2019)
* *MotorStorm* (2006-2012)
* *PaRappa the Rapper* (1996-2001\0
* *Ratchet & Clank* (2002-current)
* *Resistance* (2006-2012)
* *Sly Cooper* (2002-2013)
* *SOCOM* (2002-2011)
* *Syphon Filter* (1999-2007)
* *Twisted Metal* (1995-2012)
* *Uncharted* (2007-current)
* *Warhawk* (1995-2012)
* *White Knight Chronicles* (2010-2012)
* *Wipeout* (1995-2017)

## Reception

Metacritic ranked Sony Interactive Entertainment as 2022's Publisher of the Year with a mean score of 85.6%.

## References

1. ↑ https://www.metacritic.com/pictures/2023-game-publisher-rankings/31