Shares of Sony Group (NYSE: SONY) jumped sharply on Friday, climbing 3.27% pre-market, fueled by circulating rumors that a remastered edition of the beloved LittleBigPlanet series might be coming to the PlayStation 5. This increase brings Sony’s year-to-date growth to 24.65%, marking a remarkable 50.32% rise over the past year.
The buzz sprang from an “IMDb” listing purportedly featuring the alleged LittleBigPlanet Remastered, complete with PS5 cover art. Enthusiasts latched onto the imagery, driving injunctive speculation around PlayStation’s nostalgia driven strategy.
However, sleuthing into the leak revealed it was likely fan made: the inclusion of Woody from Disney’s Toy Story in the art despite his absence from official LittleBigPlanet titles strongly implies it’s not authentic.
While this IMDb rumor is almost certainly a hoax, industry experts note that Sony’s broader strategy does not entirely rule out a remaster. The PlayStation 5 already hosts Sackboy: A Big Adventure (2020), confirming Sony’s continued investment in the franchise. Moreover, nostalgia-driven remasters have proved financially rewarding for established IPs like Uncharted and The Last of Us.
Still, Sony’s recent franchise calculus has been more cautious; Media Molecule’s influence has waned and previous spin off Sackboy: A Big Adventure underperformed relative to expectations.
Wall Street analysts remain optimistic on Sony. The consensus rating is Moderate Buy, based on two Buy ratings and one Hold over the past quarter, with a mean price target of $29, offering nearly 10% upside from current levels.
While a remastered LittleBigPlanet remains speculative, the brief surge in Sony’s stock highlights how fan excitement and nostalgia can significantly influence market dynamics. As Sony continues to reshape its gaming portfolio and focus on core tentpole franchises, any official news around LittleBigPlanet would likely send material ripples through the stock.
