Sony to incubate Chinese-made game with a game incubator - PingWest

Sony to incubate Chinese-made game with a game incubator

Sony to incubate Chinese-made game with a game incubator

17 hours ago

Sony announced plans to expand a programme to fuel game developed in China, as competitor Microsoft is adding a new team to help Chinese game developers and studios release new content onto Microsoft gaming platforms such as Xbox, Windows PC, Game Pass and Cloud Gaming.

Dubbed the PlayStation China Hero Project, the programme will invest more than 1 million yuan ($140,080) in each game and fund development teams of all sizes in China, according to Bao Bo, Sony's director of China game production.

The PlayStation China Hero Project was halted due to Covid-19, Sony unveiled the plan and re-launch of programme earlier this week during an online event live-streamed to the public.

Bao Bo said the programme is entering its third season, which will far exceed the previous two because PlayStation Studios will provide additional support to enrolled projects.

Sony started the China Hero Project in 2017, and the second round arrived in 2019. The programme has supported 17 titles so far, seven of them have reached the market.

Sony sells the PlayStation (PS) consoles in China, where people have traditionally preferred playing PC and mobile-based games.      

Jim Ryan, CEO of Sony Group Corp’s subsidiary Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) said the company had sold about 670,000 units of PS5 in the country since its Chinese launch in May 2021.

Reuters reported last month that Sony's success with “Genshin Impact” has driven Microsoft to aggressively woo Chinese game developers with big licensing deals.

In September 2022, Microsoft said it would add 1,000 jobs in China next year that include a new team to help local game partners release new content onto Microsoft gaming platforms.

It is not the first time that Microsoft showed his confidence in world’s second-largest economy by adding job there. In February, Microsoft announced its hiring plan for a new team that aims to help Chinese video game studios and game developer expand overseas through its Xbox.

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