PlayStation Task Force Uncovers ‘Hidden Gems’ Such as Stellar Blade, Reveals SVP

Sony Interactive Entertainment, or SIE, has a stellar reputation for its first-party games. Titles like Ghost of Tsushima and God of War Ragnarok are destined to become classics for PlayStation enthusiasts. However, the timeline to develop these blockbuster triple-A games keeps growing. To ensure a steady stream of remarkable new games for its console, PlayStation has been collaborating with other companies. This effort is largely due to a skilled team dedicated to finding what they call “hidden gems,” says Phil Rosenberg, SIE’s Senior Vice President of Global Partner Development and Relations.

During a recent conversation, Rosenberg praised SIE’s Content Ventures team, which is spearheaded by Christian Svensson with Shawne Benson by his side. These individuals are pivotal in discovering under-the-radar games like Stellar Blade.

“We have, for instance, in Global Partner Development and Relations, the Content Ventures team, led by Christian Svensson. There’s truly no one better than Christian and Shawne Benson when it comes to finding hidden gems and helping emerging companies gain visibility,” Rosenberg explained. “They have tremendous support from our third-party account management team and the partner development team, who are often the initial points of contact.”

Rosenberg went on to highlight the team’s early collaboration with Annapurna Games on projects like Stray. This partnership strategy also opened the door for PlayStation’s involvement with games such as Genshin Impact, Black Myth: Wukong, and, of course, Stellar Blade.

This approach appears to pay off significantly for PlayStation. Stellar Blade received critical acclaim and was nominated at various prestigious award gatherings like The Game Awards. It also achieved impressive sales, crossing the one million mark just a couple of months post-launch.

Continuing its tradition of bringing captivating exclusives to gamers, PlayStation is poised to release another highly anticipated title this year: Lost Soul Aside. As one of the most notable releases from Sony’s China Hero Project, the game is set to launch on May 30 for both PS5 and PC.