CES 2023 Press Conference｜Sony Official
[DRAMATIC MUSIC] Please welcome Kenichiro Yoshida [APPLAUSE] Happy 2023! Thank you for being here. I'm here today to share with you how Sony is moving people forward. 2022 was a year when we all desired a return to normal, despite uncertain times. What remained constant is the universal desire to experience joy, wonder, and amazement. Moments that move people's hearts and connect them to one another. Moments that, at Sony, we refer to as Kando.
Our corporate direction is "getting closer to people", including creators and users. As we focus on "people", we also consider our impact on the planet. Yesterday, Sony's first nano-satellite launched.
[APPLAUSE] A Japanese astronaut once told me that when you look at the earth from space, you can see how thin the atmosphere is. And from space, there are no borders. STAR SPHERE, provides an opportunity to learn more about our planet. This is made possible by Sony's technologies such as CMOS image sensors that capture the real world. It changes the way we "see" the world and the cosmos all around us. Our purpose to fill the world with emotion, or Kando, drives us to collaborate with creators.
Their ideas, visions, and stories move people. We constantly look for new ways to support their creativity. CMOS image sensors that not only change the way we "see" the world but they help to unlock the potential of film and television productions to create Kando. The digital cinema camera VENICE, created with and for cinematographers, offers a compact and intuitive design. It was used to capture the spectacular visuals in blockbusters like "Top Gun 2: Maverick."
Sony's FR-7 Cinema Line camera opens creative possibilities in studio, live production and filmmaking settings, with its versatile remote control. Virtual production is another field we are strengthening to support creators. In addition to Sony Innovation Studios, we acquired PIXOMONDO in October last year, giving us the ability to deliver an end-to-end virtual production solution. We are also working with Epic Games. Their Unreal Engine powers real-time rendering of virtual production.
In our film division, we continue to bring to life, fascinating stories. We're particularly proud of films that introduce diverse voices and perspectives to audiences. To talk more about harnessing the potential of various creators, here is President of Tri-Star, Nicole Brown.
At TriStar pictures, we want to create incredible, cinematic experiences, ones that are noisy, original, director-driven, and culturally relevant, and also a lot of fun. Everything about "The Woman King" is authentic, and that speaks to exactly what Tri-Star and Sony want to build. The characters in the script were so moving and powerful and the action that the script painted was so thrilling and exciting from a visual point of view and a landscape point of view but also from an emotional point of view.
And the opportunity to have fresh perspectives tell great Hollywood stories is so refreshing and so exciting and clearly the audiences respond to that. Another film is "I Wanna Dance With Somebody," our musical biopic of the Whitney Houston story. Unlike some of the other smaller stories that have been told about her life, this is a real bringing together of her whole community from Clive Davis to the estate and what's also so special about this film is we have the masters, and we have done an incredible job of creating a sonic experience so you feel like you're in the room as the legend Whitney Houston is singing to just you.
We've really been collecting filmmakers who are dedicated to the big screen, who want to celebrate cinema, and who have something unique to say and show. And that is a beautiful thing. And I can't wait to tell more stories that do that. We also continue to explore the potential of our best-loved video game IPs as they move from the PlayStation platform to the screen. "The Last of Us" premieres Sunday, January 15, on HBO and HBOMax. "Twisted Metal" and "God of War" are being adapted for television as well.
Now, I would like to talk about a racing game that created a generation of driving enthusiasts and even professional drivers, "Gran Turismo". Let's hear from GT creator, Kazunori Yamauchi. [SPEAKING JAPANESE] Gran Turismo generated excitement for racing and influenced people in both the virtual and real worlds, so it made sense to bring the story to the big screen. To talk about the film, please welcome Sanford, Asad, and Director Neill Blomkamp.
[APPLAUSE] Thank you, Yoshida-san, it's great to be here! Sony Pictures Entertainment has more than ten projects in development and production with PlayStation Productions between the film and television groups. With "Uncharted" surpassing $400 million at the global box office, we're energized about where the genre is heading. Now, we've got an incredible action adventure based on "Gran Turismo", which we have been working on with our partners at PlayStation Productions.
Asad, tells us more. Yeah, no, well, first of all, it's been an absolute pleasure partnering with our sister company at Sony Pictures. We're excited about what's in store for "Gran Turismo", which hits theaters this summer. It's a property that revolutionized the racing game genre by simulating the most authentic driving experience.
Visionary filmmaker Neill Blomkamp is pushing the boundaries of big screen movie making with state-of-the-art technology; making the game and real worlds collide in what will be an electrifying film that reflects the emotion of racing. But what is interesting, is that this is not a typical game-to-film adaptation, Assad, tell us more about that. Absolutely, this is why we're thrilled about this film. It's a film that takes the high-stakes, the adrenaline-filled racing simulation game and combines it with the ultimate wish fulfillment tale of how a teenage "Gran Turismo" player went from a gamer who's playing in his basement with his parents, and becoming a real-life professional racecar driver. And it's a story that revolutionized the racing world. And we're absolutely thrilled at PlayStation that someone like Neill, as talented as Neill, came aboard to direct.
We all were. Neill, thank you for being here, I know you literally flew in straight from the set. We just finished shooting just the other day. So can you talk briefly about what it was like for you adapting this big IP? Well, I mean, the thing that was immediately captivating about it was the fact that, for someone who's as interested in video games as I am, to read a script that was a true story that organically connected straight into the video game, the character was a real person, it was a super emotional story. And the game itself is interwoven in a way that I couldn't believe. And then the second thing was just that, I love cars and it was this opportunity to shoot like high-adrenaline car photography in a way that really excited me.
So I just, you know, I needed to sign on. And from what we have seen so far, you have really done just that. And what's cool is that Sony technologies really were very supportive of the film in terms of providing technology. Talk about using that technology in the film.
Well, I mean, there were-- the main thing really that was a huge benefit to us was-- so the Sony VENICE 2 camera has as a detachable sensor, which is the-- it's called the Rialto. And we used the Rialtos all over the inside of the cars and the cockpits in spaces that typically you could never get an IMAX resolution sensor into those kinds of spaces. So the Le Mans prototype cars that we were filming in in the third act in the film have a tiny, tiny cockpit. And we needed to be able to shoot left to right, right to left for race footage, and then neutral, all right up with the actor.
So we had these tiny sensor blocks in there with small lenses right by the actor, and then all of the cables running back to the body so that we could store anywhere we wanted on the car. And then for exterior photography, you can get into places and position them because they're so light in places that we could actually simulate the "Gran Turismo" angles. Like, the famous grille angle when you're racing.
The POV angle inside the car, which, again, because of confined spaces, you couldn't do normally. And then, finally, the third person POV behind the car. We had a tiny Rialto camera on an arm that gave us a POV that was highly unusual. Well, I know from seeing the dailies it looks pretty extraordinary, and we're really excited. So, Asad, I know from making "Uncharted" together that PlayStation has some unique considerations when adapting a game to a film.
Maybe a little bit about that? No, no, absolutely. It's a great question. So when we look at adapting game IP to the big screen, we carefully consider how do we appeal to both long term fans of the games and newcomers.
And so we balanced that with Uncharted, and I think we were very successful and very excited about that. And now, with "Gran Turismo", we feel it has all the elements to do that as well. It has this incredible, compelling true story. It has this on-screen experience that elicits the same emotional ride that the gaming gives you and also racing gives you. And for PlayStation, we really wanted the spirit and the energy of the game to be captured. And, again, Neill was the perfect filmmaker to do that and also a fan of the game, which helps.
Massive fan of the game. That's right. I agree. We all were thrilled, and we're also really excited that the world is going to get to see the film when it releases worldwide on August 11. But today, we're going to debut, for the first time ever, a little sneak peek on the film.
We're thrilled to show it to you. Let's roll. [VIDEO PLAYBACK] [MUSIC PLAYING] - Hey, everyone. We are so excited to tell you about our movie "Gran Turismo." - This movie is made for the cinema.
- It's a Sony PlayStation partnership. It doesn't get any better than this. - It's a movie based on a true life story.
- With heart-pounding action and drama. It's a love story. - And it's bad-ass race action you're going to feel like you're in the middle of. - Body-vibrating sound.
An audience is going to feel every jolt, every thrill of this racing at 200 miles per hour. - We're excited to share "Gran Turismo" with you exclusively in theaters. [MUSIC PLAYING] [END PLAYBACK] [APPLAUSE] GT demonstrates the power of an iconic game to connect with audiences, not just on the PlayStation platform but also in the real world. From live game play to shared experience in theaters, we know that audience value live events.
So we want to broaden how audiences experience a live event by making immersive experiences possible, even if you are not physically present. A concert venue may only hold a limited number of fans, but the virtual world is open to everyone. So recently, we talked to creators about how they envision the evolution of entertainment experiences in the virtual world, and here's what they said.
[VIDEO PLAYBACK] [MUSIC PLAYING] - So when you create a game, you are creating a whole universe, especially for Haven, we get to create a brand new franchise. So we're reimagining everything. The exciting thing about live service games and what we're really passionate about is growing a really healthy community and evolving a game and a universe alongside that community.
It's not just the dev team coming up with our ideas, and the way we see the universe, but really leaving space to co-create and evolve that universe with the people who will spend their time in it. Ultimately, the players that we're creating it for. - At Bungie, we create worlds that inspire friendship. I think a big part of the challenge is that a game now isn't a work of art that you just put on a shelf, and it stays the same. A game is a moment in time that is constantly evolving. The important thing to really think about with development is that it's a two-way conversation.
It's always about a back-and-forth where we're almost building the game jointly with our community. It's not just our ideas. It's their ideas because they own the experience at least as much as we do.
[MUSIC PLAYING] - What's cool about performances in the virtual world is that fans can actually come on stage with me and run around and interact in a way that they can't do in real life. It brings a whole new dynamic to the experience. Me and my team are always thinking of new ideas and cool ways to work in the virtual world. I'm in a very creative space right now, and I'm working hard on a lot of music, and all this new immersive technology gives me the opportunity to really be creative and have fun with that. [MUSIC PLAYING] - One of the most exciting aspects of this collaboration between Sony and Manchester City is that it's at the intersection of sports, technology, and entertainment. We believe the lines are getting blurred between these three worlds.
In terms of value that this proof of concept should deliver is learning what fans are expecting from us in the future. Ways of interacting with the game. Ways to explore new spaces virtually.
Ways to engage with each other beyond their own personalities, so learning is probably one of the most exciting parts of the project. - We want the fans who cannot join the stadium to experience the atmosphere and to share the excitement and enthusiasm of the match with fans around the world. We are creating a prototype that produces the match highlights and allows you to enjoy it from the player's perspective and from various positions. The avatars of players, 3D images, and other expression unique to the metaverse will make it possible to communicate with players in a new way. I think we can expand the live experience that has only been available in real stadiums to a virtual space by combining Manchester City's knowledge of football and the fan community management with Sony expertise in technology and entertainment.
We can't wait to share this to the fans. [END PLAYBACK] The essence of has always been live. Creation and the interaction technology will support the virtual world to provide live experience and connect them with the physical world in exciting ways. Sports is the ultimate live experience. In sport, virtual fan engagement is driving the creation of a global online fan community.
People can gather to interact with other fans as well as a team and establish new levels of connection with global sports teams such as Manchester City Football Club. Hawk-Eye, a Sony Group company, provides new and exciting angles to view live competitions that will revolutionize how we watch and officiate sports. This data can also be used to recreate the gameplay in a virtual stadium. Beyond Sports, which we recently acquired, will further strengthen delivery of sports directly to fans with its AI-based data analysis and visualization technology. Spatial Reality Display delivers an immersive 3D optical experience and expands the potential of the real and virtual worlds by providing an experience that feels physical.
For creators to have a more dynamic virtual presence with ease, our sensor-based motion capture system can be used. mocopi enables creators to express themselves with a high degree of freedom. PlayStation VR2 takes users into a new era of virtual gameplay that is highly interactive and immersive.
To talk about PS VR2, please welcome the President of Sony Interactive Entertainment, Jim Ryan. [APPLAUSE] [VIDEO PLAYBACK] [MUSIC PLAYING] [END PLAYBACK] Thanks, Yoshida-san. It's great to be here at CES again. Next month, PlayStation VR2 launches a new generation of virtual reality experiences that enable players to feel a greater sense of presence and escape into worlds like never before. The launch lineup for PS VR2 will take VR gaming to new heights. More than 30 games are currently on track for the launch window, including much loved franchises with "Horizon: Call of The Mountain," "No Man's Sky," and "Resident Evil Village."
These games showcase PS VR2's ability to immerse players and to captivate their senses in new ways, leveraging the hardware's next-gen sensory features and the power of PlayStation 5. Today, I'm excited to announce that one of our most storied franchises will be coming to PS VR2 at launch. "Gran Turismo," a game which has sold more copies across the series than any other title developed by PlayStation studios. GT 7 launched last year to critical acclaim, and through a free upgrade, PS VR2 players will be able to experience the game like never before.
PS VR2 launches globally on February 22, and you can pre-order now on PlayStation.com. And that's just the beginning. I'm happy to announce that one of the VR games that defines the medium is in development for PS VR2. "Beat Saber," the award-winning and best-selling VR rhythm game is coming to PlayStation VR2. And we'll have more information to share in the near future.
PS VR2 is just the latest example of innovation from PlayStation. We're always challenging ourselves to create new play experiences for our community of gamers around the world. As that community continues to grow with new players, it's our mission to make those experiences accessible to all gamers, regardless of their physical abilities. Today, I'm thrilled to announce our next step in the journey to make gaming more accessible, Project Leonardo, our codename for a new PS5 accessibility controller kit that will allow players with disabilities to play more easily, more comfortably, and for longer periods.
Project Leonardo is highly customizable-- thank you-- and works out of the box providing a robust kit of swappable components and a suite of software options on PS5. It's a true canvas that enables many gamers with disabilities to craft their own play experience. It can be used as a standalone controller or paired with a second Project Leonardo controller or a DualSense wireless controller.
We'd like to thank wonderful organizations like AbleGamers, Special Effect, Stack Up, and several other accessibility experts who are supporting us on this journey, and we can't wait to share more details soon. Sitting at the heart of all this innovation is PS5. We truly appreciate the support and patience of the PlayStation community as we managed unprecedented demand amid global challenges over the past two years. PS5 supply improved towards the end of last year, and I'm happy to share that December was the biggest month ever for PS5 console sales and that we've now sold more than 30 million units through to consumers worldwide.
Everyone who wants a PS5 should have a much easier time finding one at retailers globally starting from this point forward. With PS VR2's launch around the corner, and blockbuster games like "Final Fantasy XVI," "Hogwarts Legacy," and Marvel's "Spider-Man 2" coming to PS5 later this year, it's never been a more exciting time to be part of the PlayStation community. Thank you. [MUSIC PLAYING] [APPLAUSE] Thank you, Jim. It is exciting to see new ways to engage in the virtual world for all users, and we are aiming to further expand our reach.
The metaverse is a new space for people to connect with each other. It's made possible through advancements in computing and network technology. Likewise, mobility is being enhanced by these same technological advancements, allowing the creation of a evolved space. A space that moves you. We recognize that the future of mobility will offer more than just transportation. Sony is committed to developing a software-driven mobility platform.
We are accelerating our effort through our joint venture with Honda. And now, it's my pleasure to introduce the CEO of Sony Honda Mobility, Yasuhide Mizuno. [MUSIC PLAYING] [APPLAUSE] Hello, everyone. Today, I'd like to share with you our vision together with some exciting updates. Move people through the pursuit of innovation with diverse inspirations.
Under this purpose, we, Sony Honda Mobility, has just begun our journey. As a mobility tech company, we are revolutionizing mobility through collaboration and software-centric cutting edge technology. Our innovation in mobility will be based on the three A's, autonomy, augmentation, and affinity. Autonomy database are new way to experience mobility.
It is also focused on ensuring safety and security. Augmentation is about improving conventional concepts of space and time and transforming the mobility space into a moving entertainment space. Affinity represents harmonizing with people and contributing to society.
We aspire to create an open and collaborative ecosystem. We believe that our vision of mobility will write a new chapter in the history of how people move. Well, today, we brought you something.
Allow me to present you our new brand, AFEELA. [MUSIC PLAYING] This is a prototype, and our new brand, AFEELA. And at the heart of this mobility experience is the world of "FEEL." AFEELA represents our concept of an interactive relationship, where people feel the sensation of intelligent mobility and where mobility can detect and understand the people and society by utilizing sensing and AI technologies. Following this prototype, we will further proceed with the development towards mass production, anticipating to start taking pre-orders in the first half of 2025 and start sales within the same year. The first shipment will be delivered to customers in North America in Spring, 2026.
For the design, we are taking an approach that aims to set new barrier standards for mobility. As we evolve automotive design to focus not only driving dynamics and performance but also on software networks and interfaces, we want to think out of the box to revisit the underlying philosophy of vehicle design. On the exterior, "Media Bar" allows the vehicle to interact with the people, expressing itself by sharing various types of information to people around it. Together with our partners and creative communities, we plan on exploring the possibility of how Media Bar can create a fun and exciting mobility interaction. As safety and security are essential to mobility, we will integrate Sony's sensors and the Honda's safety along with other intelligent technologies.
This prototype is equipped with a total of 45 cameras and sensors inside and outside the vehicle. In-car cameras and Time-of-Flight sensors detect the driver's status, along with the vehicle condition to prevent accidents. Combining these sensing technologies with maximum 800 TOPS high-performance SoCs, We aim to achieve industry-leading automotive "Automated Drive" (AD) and "Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)."
And, of course, we also intend to provide best-in-class entertainment for our customers. In addition to movies, games, and music, we envision a new in-cabin experience using our expertise of UX and UI technologies. In order to realize intelligent mobility, continuous software update and high-performance computing is required for AD/ADAS, HMI/IVI, and telematics.
To that end, we will work closely with Qualcomm technologies. We will utilize their latest SoCs from Snapdragon Digital Chassis to realize next-generation mobility experience. Being able to share our common vision and direction with a Qualcomm team, we are very excited to build a strategic technology partnership with them. Well, we have a lot to share with you tonight. We have also started exploring how we can make augmented time and space for mobility experience with one of our key partners, Epic Games.
Please welcome, Kim, CTO of Epic Games. [MUSIC PLAYING] Thank you so much. Thank you.
Wow, it's pretty awesome. Hello, everybody. It's great to be here with you all. At Epic, we make games like Fortnite, and at the heart of that is the Unreal Engine, which is used to build all sorts of entertainment and industrial applications. Sony has been a great partner for over two decades using Unreal Engine to create amazing games, and more recently, TV shows, concerts, and much more. It's a collaboration that spans many markets, games, music, consumer products, and even professional media.
At Epic, we're really passionate about cars and the automotive industry, and we couldn't be happier to see Sony and Sony Honda Mobility enter this innovative world of interactive automotive technology. We're working closely with them to help deliver connected automotive experiences that lead the way, not only in visual communications and safety, but also in entertainment. Modern vehicle technology has loads of potential to enhance the driving and passenger experience with sensors, active safety systems, and beyond. And the most natural way to visualize such data is through intuitive interactive photo real augmentation.
The very stuff our game engine was made to do. As mobility is changing, so are the expectations around user experience. A programmable, highly capable solution, like Unreal Engine, enables these experiences not only to be cutting-edge but also to evolve over time. In the future, the automobile will become a next-generation destination for social connectivity, not only for the occupants, but also their network of friends and colleagues. It will become a continuum of our digital lives.
Given Sony's experience and expertise in entertaining and delighting people across the planet, we know they'll come up with some incredible ways to capture the imagination. And Sony Honda Mobility is uniquely positioned to lead the creation of these incredible new experiences. Together with Sony and Sony Honda Mobility, we will look forward to bringing forward new, exciting updates on this revolutionary new space.
Thank you very much. Thank you. [MUSIC PLAYING] We will continue to evolve our new services via software updates over the network, including 5G connectivity. What we have shared today is just the beginning.
We will proceed as a mobility tech company to connect diverse inspiration and pursue cutting-edge technology to create mobility experiences that move people. Thank you. There's more to come. [MUSIC PLAYING] It's exciting to see a new adaptation of game engines moving from content creation technology to making an enhanced mobility experience possible.
Based on the roadmap from mobile to mobility, we have introduced software-defined products that were foundational mobility solutions. Aibo is one such example. It actively approaches people with lifelike movements and continues to evolve through software updates as well as AI that enables it to run. Airpeak transports creators to places that are difficult to reach and provides unique views that are amazing to experience. Our common partner who has supported us in achieving key milestones on our mobility roadmap is Qualcomm. So please allow me to invite the CEO of Qualcomm, Cristiano Amon, to the stage.
[MUSIC PLAYING] Thank you, Cristiano. Thank you. So happy to be here. Such an honor and privilege, especially on this day.
Thank you so much. Thank you for coming, Cristiano. Thank you.
So, Cristiano, can you tell us Qualcomm's roadmap from mobile to mobility? Yes, we are on a mission to really make everyone and everything connected and intelligent. And as a result, we have been changing the company, and it's scaling our technology roadmap that is started in mobile to basically make every single device connected, having high-performance computing, intelligent. And we are on this journey with companies like Sony. A great example, I think, of that transition at Qualcomm coming to life and the roadmap is what we're doing together not only on XPERIA mobile devices, but also on Aibo, on Airpeak, and now, of course, with mobility. And the car is one of the greatest example of this transformation of technology.
When we look at the opportunity to transform the car into a software-defined vehicle that is 100% connected, it is intelligent, and it has completely new experiences. That's why we set ourselves to create this platform. The Snapdragon Digital Chassis, which represents our ability to drive those new experiences for the future of mobility. And we couldn't be more excited to partner with you and Sony Honda Mobility on this journey. OK, Cristiano, what excites you the most about our partnership in the mobility field? Well, there's a lot that excites us about this partnership, but I would just say, Sony Honda Mobility is one of the companies that really understands the potential of this technology and can really bring our technology to those new consumer experiences.
And we look at every single element of the Snapdragon Digital Chassis. How we connect the car to the cloud 100% of the time in a reliable manner. Connectivity's changing some of the car experiences, built the digital twin of the car in the cloud. How we put all of those screens for the Snapdragon Digital Cockpit.
Car companies now can talk to their customers every day in real time, personalized experience, bring new services, entertainment, and then, of course, safety and autonomy. And we're super proud to be partnered with Sony Honda Mobility for all of those aspects of the Snapdragon Digital Chassis. But the reality is, one of the things that really excites us about this partnership is the joint passion that the two companies have for innovation.
OK. Right. Great, thank you. So I understand our collaboration will yield an exciting result. So thank you for joining.
Thank you so much. Thank you so much for the partnership. Thank you.
[MUSIC PLAYING] So our venture in mobility demonstrates that we are transforming how people move and are moved while contributing to sustainability. Sony is focused on the future, and we continue to push boundaries together with 110,000 employees. Creating Kando is the heart of our purpose. Kando connects people and is significant for society. We continue to deepen our connection with creators who share our desire to fill the world with emotion.
Thank you for being with us today. Enjoy CES. [MUSIC PLAYING] We are supposed to be the good guys. We are. [MUSIC - HALF ALIVE, "HIGH UP"] High up, high.
Been looking at the mountains. High up, been looking at the mountains. High up, looking, been looking at the mountains. High up, high up, high up.
But when you look at me, I'm lifted high up. Sitting on the mountain, I'm high up. When you look at me, I'm lifted. Blue skies are all I see when your eyes are locked on me.
I'm high up, never want to come down. Hello. What's your name? Otto. Otto? O-T-T-O. I'm Abby.
O-T-T-O. [SCREAMING] [MUSIC PLAYING]
2023-01-06 22:55
