I’m actually amazed that it’s now Nintendo that is the only console manufacturer with a sane strategy.
Their strategy is simple: affordable portable console for the whole family with exclusive access to a wide library of acclaimed first-party titles. They essentially have zero competitors besides relatively obscure retro handhelds from China that are too difficult to use for the average person.
But Sony’s strategy is seems to be basically begging their users to ditch their PS5 for a PC. Go play our games on PC, here’s a Pro console that costs as much as a new PC or GPU upgrade.
At least Microsoft’s strategy to own a large chunk of the AAA software market makes some level of sense in a world where they see their console hardware possibly exiting the market.
I think Microsoft's strategy is sane, albeit kinda stupid. They're the "Windows" people - they know that better options exist. A timeline for depreciating Xbox hardware in lieu of Xbox services makes sense, doubly so when you realize most console players already subscribe to Xbox Live/Game Pass. It's not genius, but it does involve a level of foresight that could save them from a "hardware crunch" that ushers in $700 console hardware.
Sony seems to be entrenched in a weird hole of Nintendo envy that does them absolutely no good, as an outsider looking in. Nintendo has publishing power, actual franchises people will buy a console for. The PS5 has... Bloodborne. A few years ago there was Persona 5 too but now that's on most modern platforms so moot point. The biggest selling point for the PS5 is still last-gen exclusives, and I think that demonstrates Sony's deficiencies quite well.
>Sony seems to be entrenched in a weird hole of Nintendo envy that does them absolutely no good, as an outsider looking in. Nintendo has publishing power, actual franchises people will buy a console for.
Sony themselves reported that "We’re lacking the early phase (of IP) and that’s an issue for us." Which isn't only baffling but a slap in the face of people like me that grew up on Jak/Ratchet, Wild Arms, the Ico games, and has some beloved hits for me as recent as Gravity Rush and even Freedom Wars and Soul Sacrifice. AFAIK those are all wholly owned franchises for them.
But I know what they are really saying. "We don't have our Fortnite. We don't have our Minecraft. We don't have COD". Thinking like that is exactly why they have exactly one franchise even close to 30 years old (Gran Turismo) and fumbled the idea of owning a half dozen IPs already assossiated with them, while Nintendo has at least 5 1st/2nd party IPs that old or older that are beloved. You're not gonna be Nintendo by trying to fix Destiny (and that's fine if that's Sony's direction. Just wish they'd be more honest about it).
> The biggest selling point for the PS5 is still last-gen exclusives
we can be fair here. It's not like the Switch had any truly new IP's this gen (Arms is the only one that comes to mind). Bloodborne and Persona (which Sony has no ownership of) also aren't current gen titles.
Sony has:
- Gran Turismo
- two souls games (I guess that's my "minimum" for a franchise. 2+ games with a current gen game on there)
- Ratchet and Clank
- The Last of Us
- God of War
- Horizon
and... that;s it. Ghosts of Tsushima looks promising, but that's a very late gen 8 one off as of this posting.
When looking deeper, GT fans are being squeezed by MTX, Insomniac is planning a new R&C game for PS6, because they became a marvel studio, and Souls depends on a 3rd party to execute right. Naughty Dog's already said they are moving to a new IP, so we're left with God of War and Horizon, probably both coming by the end of the generation at this rate. and hoping GoT doesn't crash and burn its strong start.
Again, they want to be Nintendo but sell out to being a Disney contractor at the firs convinience.
Their strategy is simple: affordable portable console for the whole family with exclusive access to a wide library of acclaimed first-party titles. They essentially have zero competitors besides relatively obscure retro handhelds from China that are too difficult to use for the average person.
But Sony’s strategy is seems to be basically begging their users to ditch their PS5 for a PC. Go play our games on PC, here’s a Pro console that costs as much as a new PC or GPU upgrade.
At least Microsoft’s strategy to own a large chunk of the AAA software market makes some level of sense in a world where they see their console hardware possibly exiting the market.