Ever since the pandemic era, the world has seen a rapid surge in PC gaming, as more and more players traded their consoles for rigs that offered greater flexibility and freedom from a single locked-down storefront.
Sony isn’t ignoring the shift. During a company meeting in June, PlayStation executives were asked directly about what the studio’s plans were to win back players who have migrated to PCs since the pandemic. To this, Sony claimed that the next-gen PlayStation won’t try to compete with gaming PCs at all, but be something PCs can’t.
Next-Gen PlayStations Won’t Serve As PC Alternatives
In a translated Q&A from a company meeting in June, executives including Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO and President Hideaki Nishino, Studio Business CEO Hermen Hulst, and Senior Vice President of Finance and Corporate Development Lynn Azar talked about the company’s future plans involving PlayStation.
While PlayStation has always been associated with living-room gaming, the executives noted that an increasing number of players throughout the globe now game on personal monitors instead. As a result, Sony has been expanding its lineup of peripherals, including monitors and PULSE speakers, in an effort to move beyond the current perception of PlayStation and broaden the range of ways and places people use the platform.
Moreover, they claimed that the next-gen PlayStations won’t simply serve as alternatives to gaming PCs, but have unique value that PCs can’t replicate.
“PlayStation has long been strongly associated with the idea of playing in the living room. However, in recent years, more users globally have been using personal monitors. In response, we are selling peripherals such as monitors and speakers to break away from the fixed perception that ‘PlayStation equals the living room’ and to broaden usage scenarios,” the executives said, when questioned about their plans to bring back players to the PlayStation. “For the next-generation platform, rather than simply serving as an alternative to PCs, we aim to deliver value that is unique to PlayStation. This includes not only technological advancements but also an expansion of usage styles, enabling a seamless experience that can be enjoyed naturally beyond the living room.”
Sony’s comments arrive at a moment when the company is also pulling back from PC in other ways. Whether this strategy pays off in the long term still remains to be seen.
