So-net (ソネット,So-netto) is a Japan ese internet service provider operated by Sony Network Communications Inc. (ソニーネットワークコミュニケーションズ株式会社,Sonī Network Communications Kabushiki Gaisha), a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony.
September 2001 - purchased WebOnline Networks, the operating company of "JustNet", from JustSystems.
October 2001 - launched "Harbot" service.
April 2002 - merged with WebOnline Networks, Ltd.
May 2002 - started optical fiber connection service.
March 2003 - started IP telephone service.
December 2005 - listed on the Mothers market of Tokyo Stock Exchange.
October 2006 - changed its corporate name to So-net Entertainment Corporation.
July 2007 - Established MotionPortrait, Inc.
August 2007 - Acquired So-net Entertainment Taiwan Ltd. as a consolidated subsidiary.
November 2007 - Relocated headquarters to Osaki, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo.
January 2008 - Listed on TSE 1st Section.
July 2008 - Acquired So-net Media Networks Corporation as a consolidated subsidiary.
March 2009 - So-net Entertainment Taiwan Ltd. signed a capital/business partnership contract with Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd. (CHT).
February 2010 - Acquired the ISP business from USEN CORPORATION.
May 2011 - So-Net hacked from unknown IP address. Roughly $1225 in customer's redeemable gift points stolen.[3]
July 2012 - Established So-net Business Associates Corporation.
December 2012 - Delisted from TSE 1st Section.
January 2013 - Became a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation.
April 2013 - So-net launches Nuro Hikari, a FTTH service that provides 2Gbit/s internet.[4] Initial markets include Chiba, Gunma, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Tokyo, Kanagawa and Saitama in Japan.
July 2013 - Changed company name to So-net Corporation.
April 2014 - Integrated “bit-drive” business, the Sony Business Solutions Corporation IT solutions service for corporations.
February 2015 - Launched “So-net Hikari Collaboration”
June 2015 - So-net launches Nuro Hikari 10G, a FTTH service that provides 10Gbit/s internet. The service leads 10G marketing war in Japan.[5][6]
July 2016 - Changed company name to Sony Network Communications Inc.
October 2016 - So-net launches nuro mobile, a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) operating on the NTT DoCoMo and SoftBank networks.
It is a single internal entity overseeing all wholly owned development studios within SIE. It is responsible for the creative and strategic direction of development and production of all computer entertainment software by all SIE–owned studios, all of which is typically produced exclusively for the PlayStation family of consoles.
With the launch of the PlayStation 5 in 2020, Worldwide Studios brands all releases be it internal or externally developed under the "PlayStation Studios" label.[3]
History
SCE Worldwide Studios (SCE Worldwide Studios) was established on September 14, 2005, with Phil Harrison being appointed as president.[4] On May 16, 2008, Shuhei Yoshida became president.[5] In April 2016, Sony's Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) and Sony Network Entertainment International (SNEI) divisions merged, creating SIE Worldwide Studios.[5] Hermen Hulst succeeded Shuhei Yoshida as president of SIE Worldwide Studios on November 7, 2019, with Yoshida being delegated to lead Sony's indie development.[6]
Naughty Dog is home to the ICE Team, one of Sony's Worldwide Studios central technology groups. The term ICE originally stands for Initiative for a Common Engine which describes the original purpose of the group.[25] The ICE Team focuses on creating core graphics technologies for Sony's worldwide first party published titles, including low-level game engine components, graphics processing pipelines, supporting tools, and graphics profiling and debugging tools. The ICE Team also supports third party developers with a suite of engine components, and a graphics analysis, profiling, and debugging tool for the RSX. Both enable developers to get better performance out of PlayStation hardware.[26][27]
XDev
XDev Europe, established in 2000 and based in Liverpool, England,[7] collaborates with independent development studios across Europe and other PAL territories to publish content to PlayStation platforms all over the world. XDev has helped to create and publish, titles such as the LittleBigPlanet, Buzz!, MotorStorm and Invizimals series, Super Stardust HD, Heavenly Sword, Heavy Rain, Beyond, Tearaway and Resogun. Partners include independent developers such as Quantic Dream, Magenta Software, Climax Studios, Novarama, Supermassive Games and Sumo Digital, as well as SCE subsidiaries such as Media Molecule and Guerrilla Games. In addition to funding projects, XDev offer full production, project management and game design support. Titles are also supported with community management, online production and dedicated outsourcing management facilities. XDev work directly with Marketing and PR teams in all Sony territories to promote and publish games worldwide.[28][29]
