M+E Daily

Sony put the spotlight on its latest production and virtual reality (VR) offerings at CES 2022 in Las Vegas on Jan. 4 as the annual show returned to a physical, in-person event after going virtual-only in 2021 due to the pandemic.

Under the theme “Co-create the Future of Entertainment,” Sony introduced various technologies and initiatives that support creators and get closer to users at its booth in Las Vegas and the online platform “Sony Square.”

During a press briefing, Kenichiro Yoshida, CEO, president and chairman of Sony Group Corporation, introduced the company’s latest technologies and initiatives to support creators, including virtual production that removes restrictions on video production and Sony’s new professional drone for “Airpeak,” supporting creativity by those in the air photography market.

“Sony Innovation Studios has evolved its virtual production solution to create a streamlined workflow,” he said, adding: “We have advanced asset capturing, creation and real-time rendering technologies. However, one of the most important elements in virtual production is the LED screen” such as those from Sony Electronics, he said.

“Virtual production frees creators from various restrictions in shooting, such as location, weather, and time, by implementing a production environment that integrates the background image with the subject in real time,” Sony said in a news release. “The combination of Crystal LED, which projects high-definition background images with high contrast and rich colour reproduction, and the cinema camera “VENICE,” which achieves high resolution and delicate depictions, stimulates creators’ creativity and increases the freedom of expression.”

An exhibit at CES featured Sony Innovation Studios’ virtual demo of the technology used to make its film Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Yoshida noted.

Taking the stage next was Tom Rothman, CEO and chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group, who turned the spotlight on PlayStation Productions, a collaboration between Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) to produce movies and TV content based on PlayStation video game intellectual property.

Tom Holland, who stars in PlayStation Productions’ film adaptation of the game Uncharted, and Neil Druckmann, co-president of game development studio Naughty Dog, talked about the significance of the collaboration.

Next up, Jim Ryan, SIE CEO and president, unveiled the next-generation VR system “PlayStation VR2” and new PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers that he said will provide an unprecedented experience and immersive feeling for video games. He also announced the latest in the company’s Horizon game series, Horizon Call of the Mountain, saying it’s a title exclusively for PlayStation VR2.

Yoshida then returned to the stage to highlight the tracking technology of Sony Group company Hawk-Eye Innovations and Sony’s partnership with Manchester City Football Club for the realisation of next-generation fan communities in the virtual space.

Yoshida concluded his presentation by speaking on the latest progress and future direction of VISION-S, an initiative that he explained aims to contribute to the evolution of mobility. “Sony is well-positioned as a ‘creative entertainment company’ to redefine mobility,” he said.

He announced Sony will establish an operating company Sony Mobility in the spring, through which it plans to explore entry into the electronic vehicle market.