■ Entertainment MRP

Over three days on November 9, 10 and 15, we held the mid-range plan (MRP) strategy meeting for our entertainment businesses. The first two days of the Entertainment MRP were held in-person for the first time in three years, as business heads and key management from each business gathered at Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) in Culver City, CA. The meeting garnered much positive discussion amongst the attendees, and I was able to reconfirm that each business is implementing measures for long-term growth with a focus on creators. The discussions provided a great learning opportunity for me, as well.

■ Touring Sony Innovation Studios

During the time between meetings, I was given a tour of Sony Innovation Studios (SIS) in the SPE lot, which engages in Virtual Production.

This year, Sony released the film adaptation of the PlayStation game series "Uncharted," expanding the world of adventure enjoyed though the games onto the silver screen. At the time of my visit, SIS was hard at work on adapting another gaming IP, this time as a television drama, and I was blown away seeing the movement of the game characters projected onto the giant stage using Crystal LED.

Last month, SPE completed the acquisition of the German VP/VFX studio Pixomondo. This studio is known for utilizing "Unreal Engine," the game engine developed by Epic Games, which Sony invests in, and has advanced technological capabilities and an extensive track record in the industry. Through the combination of SIS and Pixomondo's technologies and expertise, I hope to see Sony Group's VP technologies spread throughout the world.

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■ Live GQM

On the 10th we held the Group Quarterly Meeting (GQM) at the Cary Grant Theater on the SPE lot. This was our first time holding the GQM in front of a live audience since February 2020. Around 150 US-based employees from SPE, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), Sony Music Group (SMG) and Sony Corporation of America (SCA), attended the GQM in person, and the meeting was also streamed live to Sony employees around the globe.

After Totoki-san kicked off the GQM by sharing key points from our 2nd quarter financial results, I took to the stage to speak on the importance of "Learning and Challenge." In my speech, I spoke about strategies to get closer to users and creators, and the significance of learning from taking on challenges in the areas of the metaverse and mobility. This was followed by an Entertainment Roundtable, during which I was joined by the heads of various Sony entertainment business to discuss business strategies, growth initiatives and the use of technology in the entertainment domain.

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With both the Entertainment MRP and GQM being held in person for the first time in about three years, I was able once again to appreciate the value of live, in-person interaction. I believe that dialogue leads to creativity, and also provides an opportunity for us to learn from each other. I will continue to value such opportunities in the future, while keeping the safety of our employees as the utmost priority.

With SIE President and CEO Jim Ryan (far left), SMG Chairman Rob Stringer (second from right)
and SPE Chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra (far right)

As always, I look forward to receiving your feedback.