A reader suggests that
Sony
‘ s unusual demeanor toward the
PS5
It makes sense and it’s all about what more casual gamers desire and anticipate from a console.
I found interesting the
recent Reader’s Feature
that talked about the
PlayStation 6
providing Sony with an opportunity to erase the past and begin anew, ideally more in line with the original vision.
PlayStation 4
I believe they might be correct regarding Sony’s standing with their exclusive titles; however, we should keep in mind that this isn’t everything when it comes to gaming consoles.
One of the factors contributing to this is
PlayStation 5’s sales
has not faced difficulties, even with Sony’s poor management, largely due to having practically no competitors.
Xbox
There are barely any significant current-gen exclusives left, and with such poor sales figures for the Xbox Series X/S, it wouldn’t make much difference even if there were more.
Given that the Switch cannot handle current-gen titles, the PlayStation 5 has emerged as the clear frontrunner in the realm of AAA gaming. This dominance occurred effortlessly and without competition from rivals, even though the PS5 doesn’t boast nearly as many high-quality exclusive releases compared to its predecessor.
This implies that if you’ve played a major AAA title on a modern console, chances are high it was on the PlayStation 5. Games like Elden Ring, Baldur’s Gate 3, Metaphor: ReFantasio, the Resident Evil 4 remake, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, Monster Hunter Wilds, Deliver Us The Moon: Luna Sector Two, Assassins Creed Mirage, Call of Duty titles, and EA Sports FC – if you have immersed yourself in these big-budget third-party games recently, they were likely experienced via your PS5.
Here lies a gap in understanding between dedicated gamers’ perception of Sony’s recent stance and recognition of how this hasn’t affected their achievements significantly. The majority doesn’t purchase gaming systems primarily for exclusive titles (with Nintendo as an exception), which likely emboldened Sony to decrease production.
I’d be interested to find out the precise statistic, but I wouldn’t be surprised if about half of all PlayStation owners purchase one solely for playing EA Sports FC and Call Of Duty/free online shooter games. This also sheds light on why Sony has been pushing live-service titles; while the concept isn’t inherently flawed, their execution leaves much to be desired.
To numerous individuals, PlayStation signifies video games. Despite titles such as “The Last Of Us” and “God Of War” receiving considerable recognition, likely making owners of a PS5 feel justified in their purchase, these popular exclusives remain just a small fraction when measured against the sales figures for multiplatform games that have garnered far fewer accolades.
Similarly, the reverse is also accurate. Despite winning a BAFTA award and being GameCentral’s top pick for PlayStation 5 games, Returnal has not sold over a million copies. Few people actually played it, and many PS5 owners likely haven’t even come across this title (personally, I adored it though).
I believe this explains why Sony is content with being distant and tight-lipped; since they’re succeeding without actively engaging, there’s no incentive for them to speak up and potentially attract unwanted notice or criticism. While we gaming enthusiasts find it frustrating that they refuse to address the shift in policy, from their perspective, such silence could only lead to negative outcomes.
When it comes to typical players, the PlayStation 5 is seen as an excellent gaming system with fantastic titles. However, these casual gamers have quite distinct standards for what constitutes a top-notch game compared to avid ones. Their perception of whether the console offers good value also differs significantly. These average gamers were perfectly content with the PlayStation 5 exactly how it is and aren’t experiencing any letdowns whatsoever.
By reader Rankin
The opinions expressed by the readers may not necessarily reflect those of GameCentral or ChinPao.
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