Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) announced the PlayStation China Hero Project will expand into “phase three,” which includes more than 10 upcoming games.
The first two phases supported 17 games in total including ANNO Mutationem and F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch. According to SIE director of China game production Bao Bo, PlayStation China Hero Project third phase will “far exceed” phases one and two. Sony Interactive Entertainment will invest one million yuan into each supported game, Bo confirmed to Reuters.
Some of the new games in phase three will be published by SIE and supported by PlayStation Studios. Thus far, SIE announced it will publish Lost Soul Aside and Convallaria. Additionally, the “China Game Production” team was formed to oversee new games developed in the country.
SIE Shanghai president Tatsuo Eguchi believes the success of HoYoverse’s Genshin Impact convinced management that Chinese games are important. More resources are being allocated to facilitate the growth and success of the Chinese gaming industry. Sony’s partnership with HoYoverse is still going strong according to Eguchi.
3.5 million PlayStation 4 and 670,000 PlayStation 5 units were sold so far in China. Sony wants to sell twice as many PS5 units as PS4 units according to Eguchi.
“We want gamers around the world to better understand the creativity that comes from China. I have always had a dream which is for console gaming to become a regular part of daily entertainment for Chinese people,” Eguchi said.
