Revisiting the PS5 Generation
At first glance, the PS5 generation appears to be Sony’s finest era ever. Its unit and revenue sales have eclipsed the Xbox Series X, and the console is generating more revenue than any previous generation. Yet, a dive into community forums and social‑media spaces reveals a markedly different view of the current leader console.
Strengths and Shortcomings
No system is flawless. Although the PS5 remains at the top, it has experienced plenty of mishaps along the way. In this generation’s fifth year, rumors and leaks surrounding the upcoming PS6 dominate public attention.
- Technical Advances – How powerful will the next generation be?
- Design Choices – Will the system feature a handheld variant?
- Cost Considerations – How much will the next‑generation console incur?
The Core Concern: Confusion
The matters that trouble me with the PS5 may seem disparate at first, but they all stem from a single, overarching issue: confusion. While the console has pulled ahead in goodwill, hype, and competition, it has also made substantial blunders at launch – blunders that will not be repeated in the next generation.
Pick a direction and stick to it
PlayStation’s Uncertain Path: A Year‑in‑Review
When asked to capture the mood of the PS5 era in a single word, many would choose “uncertainty.” Sony’s recent releases and business moves paint a picture of a company navigating a maze of leadership changes and shifting priorities.
What has worked
- Game quality remains a bright spot – titles like “Marvel’s Spider‑Man: Miles Morales” and “Horizon Forbidden West” have delighted fans.
- The DLCS and post‑launch content model is reshaping the player experience and driving long‑term engagement.
- Technical hardware improvements (e.g., the Ray‑Tracing feature and 4K upscaling) keep the console competitive.
Where it stumbled
- Strategic direction appears fragmented; initiatives are started and then reversed.
- Live‑service push has moved focus away from traditional single‑player titles.
- There has been a notable lack of new IPs that could become franchises.
- Public communication from Sony is often silent or vague, leaving fans guessing.
Root cause: a scattered focus
The core issue is lack of focus. Whether it’s the absence of exclusives, an over‑emphasis on live services, or an inability to produce fresh IP, all these complaints stem from a larger problem: PlayStation’s strategic ambitions keep shifting. This makes it hard for developers and partners to know where to invest resources, especially for the high‑cost projects typical of PlayStation Studios.
Looking ahead
- Investors and gamers alike would benefit from one clear direction – pick a path and commit.
- Experimentation is essential, but it should be coupled with a long‑term strategy that aligns with studio timelines and consumer expectations.
- Ensuring consistency in product releases and marketing will restore confidence in the brand.
Revisiting PSVR: A 2020s Perspective
Sony’s first foray into virtual reality – the original PSVR – was an early, budget‑friendly entry that kept the console competitive in the VR space. While the design felt sloppy – cables tangled and adapters clunky – it delivered over 500,000 units and outperformed many contemporaries. The software ecosystem was basic, but it captured a passionate community that awaited the next generation of VR experiences.
PlayStation’s VR Journey You Can’t Ignoring
When the PSVR2 surfaced, the anticipation was familiar—PlayStation seemed ready to make VR a cornerstone of its gaming platform. The headset was a high‑performance powerhouse, connected by a single cord but otherwise offering the console convenience. It even launched alongside a Horizon spinoff title. Yet the progress paused.
Slipping Support & Silent Stance
- Third‑party developers continued to champion the PSVR2, but PlayStation itself dropped the VR flag the moment the headset appeared.
- Despite launching in 2024, many fans who invested $550 in the headset expected flagship games from PlayStation’s first‑party studio but found themselves left holding the bag.
The Mobile Division’s Crash‑Course
While the PSVR2 saw realization, PlayStation’s mobile strategy rarely did. The console founder opened a dedicated mobile division, purchasing Savage Studios, rebranding it as Neon Koi, and—but shutting the studio less than a year later without even announcing a title.
PSVR2: A Reality vs. An Unfulfilled Promise
It is easy to forget the mobile ambition (Sage, Neon Koi, etc.) and remember that the PSVR2 has truly come to life but has not fulfilled PlayStation’s initial VR pitch. The handheld and console union set a desperate pace that has now stopped—the wearable has delivered convenience, power, and VR.2
Reassessing Sony’s Live‑Service Ambitions
PlayStation’s Quest for a Dedicated Service Game
PlayStation’s drive to forge its own live‑service experience is a logical step. With a talent pool and financial capacity larger than most competitors, Sony has the tools to give the genre a fighting chance. The problem lies in the company’s all‑in strategy.
Instead of concentrating on one, two or even three live‑service titles, PlayStation publicly pledged to release more than twelve in the next decade. Accounting for cancellations and released titles, that figure has slipped to roughly three or four.
Trust: The Cornerstone of a Successful Service Game
Live‑service titles hinge on player trust. Gamers need certainty that the game will remain entertaining and continue to reward them for weeks, months, and years. If a game discards content or even removes a title from a library a few weeks later, players will delay investing and wait for a clearer picture. This cautious approach can become a self‑fulfilling prophecy: low early engagement forces studios to shut down a project due to an insufficient user base.
Bipolar Initiatives: Burning Bridges
PlayStation’s inconsistent approach with its various initiatives has inadvertently burned bridges that it has yet to cross. The prospect of selling another peripheral or launching a live‑service game becomes harder when the industry remembers the last time it pulled the rug from under us.
PlayStation must keep experimenting during the PS6 generation— but it needs to choose one or two initiatives and commit to them.
