As the start of a new generation of console gaming is now upon us, professionals and enthusiasts have begun looking ahead to what the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X could potentially have to offer. As the PlayStation 4 touted more than a few monumentally successful exclusives, many of them brand new franchises, there’s certainly a fair amount of expectation for the PS5 to repeat such an amazing feat. However, according to Sony CEO Jim Ryan, debuting such a variety of new IPs is actually considered a “very risky” move.

As part of a recent interview with GQ, the Sony Interactive Entertainment boss divulged a bit about how PlayStation plans to tackle the new era of the PS5. On the topic of first-party releases, Ryan revealed the gaming division has “never been in better shape” and that they “intend to continue to grow that capability.” However, he admitted that such success hinged on taking risks on a high-dollar scale, with new franchise entries like Ghost of Tsushima requiring upwards of $100 million to be fully realized.

“The thing with those blockbuster games is that they need a box office release,” the Sony CEO said. “They cost more than $100m dollars to make these days and in order to be able to do that and bring new IP to the market – which is a very risky thing that we did four times in the PS4 generation – you’ve got to have a box office release.”

Most of Sony’s new IPs definitely paid off with the last-generation debuts of The Last Guardian, Horizon Zero Dawn, Days Gone, and Ghost of Tsushima. However, it’s also easy to see how each of them were a massive gamble for the PlayStation brand, especially without big-name recognition like God of War or Spider-Man attached. Still, the large-scale risks don’t appear to be standing in the way of future new IPs, as Jim Ryan expressed intent to deliver both “new iterations of much-loved series” as well as “shaking things up” with fresh game ideas.

“We have a management organization that sits over the individual studios and one of the things that we look at a lot is the portfolio and we look at is the balance between new iterations of much-loved series such as God Of War or Uncharted and shaking things up with new IP such as Horizon Zero Dawn or Ghost Of Tsushima,” the Sony CEO added. “We think about this very deeply and very carefully.”

What do you think? Are you glad that Sony is willing to take the risk with new IPs, or are you upset that there still isn’t an Uncharted 5? Let us know you’re thoughts about the Sony CEO in the comments below and be sure to follow Don’t Feed the Gamers on Twitter and Facebook to be informed of the latest gaming and entertainment news 24 hours a day! For more headlines recently featured on DFTG, check out these next few news stories:

• Dragon’s Dogma 2 Reportedly Under Development
• Hyrule Warriors Likely Won’t Become A Series After Age Of Calamity
• Baldur’s Gate III Mod Lets You Play As A MIndflayer

If you enjoy this writer’s work, please consider supporting them by tossing a Ko-fi their way! Every little bit helps and aims to keep DFTG independent and free of bias. Thank you so much for your support! Eric Hall @ Ko-fi