Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan has said that the backlash surrounding The Last of Us Part II will not deter the company from crafting diverse experiences, and he’s proud of Naughty Dog’s accomplishments.
In an interview with GQ Magazine UK, Ryan was asked how Sony responded to the backlash internally, in response to which he suggested that the developers weren’t “unduly bothered by that stuff” (minus the death threats, of course).
I met Neil last year and congratulated him on his art and his storytelling. Neil’s a big boy, as am I, and I don’t think either of us would allow ourselves to be unduly bothered by that stuff.
Neil knows he makes great art. He knows that he’s successfully broached topics that have never been addressed in a mature manner in any video game ever before. I think that is an outstanding thing and I’m very proud that the PlayStation is the platform in which that happened. The rest of the toxicity you just take in your stride and just move on.
In the same interview, Ryan said that Sony has been working hard to ensure that it offers diversity in its video games and has been employing individuals from diverse backgrounds as well.
We’re working harder than we ever have to ensure that we have as diverse a working population as we possibly can and that we behave with the right respect towards each other. I think that’s permeated down to the studios and is resulting in a greater number of female protagonists, as well as Miles Morales, but it’s not management by diktat. With Miles… that’s probably been about three years in the making.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales is out now.
[Source: GQ]