Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Hideaki Nishino recently offered his reflections on the significant multiplatform shift by Microsoft, and while considered “ultimately a good thing,” PlayStation shall not follow suit anytime soon. Nishino appeared to double down on Sony’s current strategy rather than stay in harmony with gamers involved in hundreds of controversies; Nishino said that there is “no urgent need” for PlayStation to change from their console-first approach.
“We are confident and committed to our current strategy,” Nishino said, reassuring that PlayStation is still a centerpiece of their company while, on the other hand, Xbox is seemingly ramping up his game on rival platforms including PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. However, it would appear that Microsoft, pursuing an open ecosystem mindset, is really fighting against the grain of Sony to consistently maintain this little edge.
Players found this a very mixed bag response. Some agree with Nishino; one Twitter user, @Steven27252409, wrote, “I actually fully agree with him on all of that. I think Xbox’s new direction is good for them and SIE’s current direction is working for them.” Conversely, there are those who find questioning the present stance of Sony as unconvincing to perpetuity.
“A couple more Concord-level disasters will change that stance,” forewarned @Timoshi_Gusu, referring to Sony’s aforementioned live-service fiasco. @Justins_Quest, in the meantime, is envisioning a future of diminishing creativity provided Sony continues unchallenged in the third-party arena while Xbox plays for third-party and Nintendo goes it alone.
There’s the ongoing conversation, of course, that asks whether PlayStation should get into multiplatforming. A few players like @Swiza_wizah gave a sarcastic nod to Sony’s stance: “Well yeah no shit. If I was Sony, I’d be happy too. Go buy our games off Steam or get a PlayStation. Life is easier with fewer choices.” In contrast, @blacconsigliere said that Sony’s business model involves keeping players on its platform, so it can take a cut of third-party sales and microtransactions.
But, then again, not anyone is buying into Sony’s sense of confidence. @CJacobsLP referred to the Bend Studios layoffs recently and said: “Didn’t a bunch of people just get laid off at Bend Studio like yesterday? How is that focusing on PS5 and console?” Fair shot, that – it’s been a rather bumpy year for Sony with cancellations, studio closures, and a taint upon them for pushing towards live-service.
Nonetheless, Nishino’s remarks would indicate that Sony is very bullish on a PS5 momentum, even as the Xbox ideology blurs the distinction between a console and a platform. Whether or not this will end up being a good call… well, time will tell. For now, PlayStation lovers can expect further exclusives (and probably, even more discourse about whether they should remain exclusive).
One hell of a weird console war either way, wouldn’t one say? Who knows, with Xbox games maybe showing up on PlayStation one day. Perhaps Sony’s current-no-pivot stance might not last for very long. Until then, the word is out there: PlayStation is not changing its way.
Get your DualSense zipped up and a snack ready because this PS5 generation is here to stay. And you were hoping for God of War on Xbox? Eh… just breathe and let it sink in.
