This is a question that's been discussed from time to time, whether or not the PlayStation brand will or should branch off from its parent corporation, Sony. I think it's a quite interesting question, especially now when Sony is still having economical problems.

Let's just enter the world of imagination for a while; Sony as a whole is in such dire straits that they need to sell off their brands, and PlayStation being one of them. How would this effect PlayStation? I'm assuming that if worst came to to worst, Sony would sell off the entire Sony Computer Entertainment branch with the PlayStation brand and all the 1^st party studios. What would happen then?

Which company could and would buy the SCE? Could they strike out on their own, and become a gaming only company? Which 1^st party studios would leave? What else could and would happen?

Let's remember that this is all speculation and imagination; PlayStation branching off from Sony is just as likely as Nintendo going 3^rd party or Microsoft selling off the Xbox division.

But how likely is it that it would be a stand alone company? But I do agree that it would struggle, and it would probably have to adapt a new business model; something probably more aching to Nintendo than MS with cheaper, more profitable hardware with less power...

But would Samsung be interested in entering the gaming market? But I guess you're right about the new owners wanting to see more efficiency, but how would that manifest itself?

So basically you are saying that they sell off everything other than playstation and gamble on the console market.... That's a horrible idea.

You have to remember, Playstation isn't a very stable investment for them. It has and it will make them a lot of money right now, but profit margins are shrinking like crazy on consoles. Why do you think that everyone thought DRM would be the way to go this generation. The reason Sony didn't go DRM this gen was because they knew Microsoft would and they figured it was a surefire ticket to win this generation.

Not to mention that there are invading product lines all over the place stealing Sony's market. Everything from the Indie boom to the iPhone to Steam sales are all cannibalizing console sales. Playstation is actually in the least desirable market in all of gaming right now. They are in a market that's liable to disappear and to even support their market they have to make the most expensive games on the planet. They are walking a tight rope.

Say what you want about Sony's other divisions, but they are stable markets that Sony doesn't even have to put much effort into them.

As much as the idea sounds financially attractive, many of Sony's devisions have great synergy.
Setting the playstation brand loose and totally independant would deminish some of these benefits.

I think sony will keep playstation. I think by 2017 sony will have 1 3rd less first party studiosa nd less exclusives asa result, but sony wil keep. Playstation will be a shadow of its former self by gens end.

No, I'm not actually saying anything. I'm wondering what would happen if the PlayStation brand was sold off, or otherwise cut off from Sony as a whole. What would happen then to PS? I'm not saying Sony SHOULD do that, I'm just curious as to what the ramifications would be =)

I'm not saying Sony SHOULD do this, I'm just curious what would happen to the PS brand if it DID happen.

Sony is having indeed financial trouble for years. But it's looking better and better! 

From their last quarter results. What we can see is that the biggest lost is coming from Devices/Vaio laptops luckely Sony got rid of that. It's start looking good!

Let's say that things does go really bad for Sony - so much so -that they are pushed to sell off the playstaion brand. What company would pick up the branch?

My only worry if it is sold to another company - said company would fuck it up because of their inexperience in the industry.

It is more likely that the other devisions branch away from Sony or that Xbox brances away from Microsoft like Elop wanted it to happen.