Sony PC gaming gear launched, expands beyond PlayStation

Japan's Sony is launching a new brand that will offer PC gaming gear, the company announced Wednesday, as it aims to expand beyond its flagship PlayStation console.

The move comes as Sony looks to compete for a share of the gaming peripherals market, valued at $3.88 billion globally in 2019 according to Grand View Research.

The first offerings from the new Inzone brand, targeted primarily at PC gamers, will be three wireless headsets and two monitors, the priciest of which will retail for a suggested $899.99 in the United States.

"The market has been expanding with a higher interest in gaming with the spread of esports tournaments and the advancement of gaming entertainment," said Yukihiro Kitajima, head of Sony's game business and marketing office, in a statement.

Sony is a relative latecomer to the segment, with rival Microsoft already well established in computers and peripherals.

The timing may be linked to production issues faced by Sony and other console manufacturers, who are struggling to meet demand because of pandemic-led supply chain issues and a global chip shortage.

"Considering the short supply of PS5 (PlayStation 5) and soaring game development costs, the PC gaming market is becoming critical for Sony in order to show stable profit to investors," Hideki Yasuda, an analyst at Toyo Securities, told Bloomberg.