Sony: We're leading user-generated content on consoles
Euro studios boss Michael Denny wants to continue to promote online community and products as Sony moves into 2009
Sony's Michael Denny has said the company is at the forefront of realising user-generated content on home consoles, following the success of online titles LittleBigPlanet, Buzz and SingStar.
LittleBigPlanet users have created almost 180,000 levels, and played them over 22.4 million times online, according to Sony. Denny has also revealed that Buzz players have created over 100,000 quizzes for the game, which have been played over seven million times.
"I think if you look at Worldwide Studios heritage in Europe, we always - whether it's internally or externally - work on innovative new products," said Denny, in an exclusive interview published today.
"Although we've had the success in the social genre we want to move that on as well, like finding new experiences with LittleBigPlanet and user-generated content. In the console field that's an area we can rightly claim leadership to now. We want to look at more areas of that."
The imminent public launch of Home is another crucial step in Sony's online goals, but Denny, who's responsible for all internal and external development studios for Sony in Europe, wants to continue to push for more online innovation from all products in 2009.
"In some of the more established genres, like shooters with Killzone 2 – we've had some great results in the beta trial, certainly in the online space. I don't think people have really seen enough of Killzone 2 – the customisability, the clan support, the tournament support. We're really excited where that can go," he added.
Dedicated communities have helped Sony establish some of its biggest properties online, said Denny, enabling titles like SingStar and Buzz to evolve as they've moved on to the PlayStation 3.
"With community spaces, SingStar is now an online community of over 300,000 users. With Buzz as well, look at that going online in terms of user-generated quizzes, there's over 100,000 user-generated quizzes that have had over seven million plays. Those have helped us transition those titles into an online space on PlayStation 3," he said.
The full interview with Michael Denny, where he discusses the future of Sony's London Studio, hopes for Quantic Dream's Heavy Rain, and more, can be read here.