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Tag: Kenichiro Yoshida

  • Epic Receives $2 Billion to Invest in Metaverse Development

    Epic Receives $2 Billion to Invest in Metaverse Development

    Epic has received $2 billion from Sony and KIRKBI to help it invest in metaverse development, a major focus of game studios.

    The metaverse is becoming an increasingly important area for the tech industry, and especially game studios, as companies races to stake their claim. Epic is already the creator of one of the most immersive, traditional games on the market, Fortnite. Sony and KIRKBI, the company behind the LEGO brand, obviously believe Epic is in a good position to capitalize on the metaverse, with each company investing $1 billion in the game-maker.

    “As a creative entertainment company, we are thrilled to invest in Epic to deepen our relationship in the metaverse field, a space where creators and users share their time.” said Kenichiro Yoshida, Chairman, President and CEO, Sony Group Corporation. “We are also confident that Epic’s expertise, including their powerful game engine, combined with Sony’s technologies, will accelerate our various efforts such as the development of new digital fan experiences in sports and our virtual production initiatives.”

    “Epic Games is known for building playful and creative experiences and empowering creators large and small,” said Søren Thorup Sørensen, CEO, KIRKBI. “A proportion of our investments is focused on trends we believe will impact the future world that we and our children will live in. This investment will accelerate our engagement in the world of digital play, and we are pleased to be investing in Epic Games to support their continued growth journey, with a long-term focus toward the future metaverse.”

    This latest investment brings Epic’s valuation to $31.5 billion, and should help position for the next evolution of immersive experiences.

  • Honda and Sony Partnering on Electric Vehicle Efforts

    Honda and Sony Partnering on Electric Vehicle Efforts

    Honda and Sony are working together, forming a new company to sell electric vehicles (EVs) as the entire industry pivots away from gasoline engines.

    Sony showed off its Vision-S SUV at CES 2022, a sleek-looking EV born as a result of the response Sony received from unveiling the Vision-S sedan a year earlier.

    “The excitement we received after we showed off the Vision-S really encouraged us to further consider how we can bring creativity and technology to change the experience of moving from one place to another,” CEO Kenichiro Yoshida said at the time. “This is our new Vision-S SUV. Vision-S has been developed on a foundation of safety, adaptability and entertainment. Safety has been our No. 1 priority in creating a comfortable mobility experience. That has not changed when building this SUV. A total of 40 sensors are installed inside and outside of the vehicle to monitor safety.”

    Sony has found a partner in Honda, a company that has the engineering and manufacturing capabilities to help bring Sony’s vision to life. According to Reuters, the two companies will form a joint venture, with plans to bring EVs to market in 2025.

  • Sony Looks to Building and Selling EVs

    Sony Looks to Building and Selling EVs

    Move over Tesla: Sony is looking get in on the electric vehicle (EV) market.

    Sony used CES 2022 to show off its Sony Vision-S sedan, which the company first revealed at last year’s CES. The company also took the wraps off a new prototype, the Sony Vision-S SUV.

    According to TechCrunch, before unveiling the SUV prototype, President and CEO Kenichiro Yoshida credited interest in last year’s reveal as the motivation behind the new prototype.

    “The excitement we received after we showed off the Vision-S really encouraged us to further consider how we can bring creativity and technology to change the experience of moving from one place to another,” said Yoshida. “This is our new Vision-S SUV. Vision-S has been developed on a foundation of safety, adaptability and entertainment. Safety has been our No. 1 priority in creating a comfortable mobility experience. That has not changed when building this SUV. A total of 40 sensors are installed inside and outside of the vehicle to monitor safety.

    “In terms of adaptability, we have connectivity that enables us to build a vehicle that continuously evolves. It also makes it possible to personalize the cabin for each user. With 5G, it enables high speed, high capacity and low-latency connectivity between the in-vehicle system and the cloud. The Vision-S also evolves mobility as an entertainment space,” said Yoshida. “The Vision-S also evolves mobility as an entertainment space, including gaming experience and audio. We have learned more about mobility through our exploration of Vision-S and through our partners who have supported this effort.”

    As part of the reveal, Sony announced it is establishing Sony Mobility. The goal of the new company is to “make the best use of AI and robotics technologies, help realize a world where everyone can live in harmony with robots on a daily basis, fill people with emotion, and contribute to society. With VISION-S, which contributes to the evolution of mobility, together with the autonomous entertainment robot aibo, and the drone Airpeak, Sony will seek to continue to create new value in a variety of fields.”