Summary
Even asSonyhas expanded into thePCmarket, and PC gaming as a whole continues to become more and more popular, consoles will still remain a major part ofPlayStation’sbusiness.
That bit of information comes from Hideaki Nishino, the CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Platform Business Group, viaa new interview with Japanese publication Nikkei. Nishino,along with Hermen Hulst, succeeded Jim Ryan as Co-CEOs of PlayStation following Ryan’s retirement. Hulstbecame CEO of the newly named Studio Business Group.
The interview,which was transcribed by Video Games Chronicle, makes it clear that PlayStation’s consoles,including the forthcoming PS5 Pro, will continue to be a priority, particularly when it comes to game releases.
Don’t Throw Away Your PlayStation Just Yet
Nishino also pointed to Sony’s own PlayStation Store as a core benefit to consumers. “The store where you purchase software also offers an intuitive experience because the products are laid out in an easy-to-understand manner.”
While consoles are still very much plug-and-play, there are still a few hoops that consumers have to go through, such asregistering the disc driveor making accounts with publishers likeActivisionorUbisoft. As for the store side of things,Steamhas quickly ascended to be a top-flight marketplace.
Still, even with that in mind, Sony won’t stop investing in PC gaming. “We are trying to increase our share of the overall game market by developing content for PCs as well," Nishino explained. “There is no doubt that consoles will be at the core of our business, but by offering titles for platforms other than consoles, we will reach a wider range of customers.”
PlayStation releases have had some solid reception on PC, particularly live-service breakout hitHelldivers 2. That gamesaw a peak of 458,709 players, no small number. Those sales undoubtedly will help PlayStation continue to create its big-budget titles. Only time will tell if that position remains a priority for Sony, though it is refreshing to hear that, at least in the interim, consoles won’t be going anywhere.
