PS6 and Our New Reality?

The confirmation of Xbox’s direction in an official capacity was something that backed up our insight into what could come next. It has proven that the conventional console is something that we’re going to lose at least for Xbox and Nintendo. Consoles are now becoming more future-proofed in their capacity and more like PCs or multi-purposed.

When you look at how long the PS4 has been critically a part of this generation. The idea that you have to upgrade generationally is something that has been something that we’ve seen for the past five generations. It could be the norm that we see extensions on past generations. Pricing might even have a say in that.

Microsoft utilising their prowess in the PC market will be something that Sony will be very aware of. But how do they respond to it? Obviously, Microsoft has chosen to go third-party with it’s hardware. That’s going to have pros and cons and is something I will discuss for another day. However, is it stick or twist for Sony with the PS6? That’s going to be the biggest decision they’ve had in a long time. Answer? They’re going to stick.

Sony will end up continuing with the traditional console cycle. We will get a console that is made by Sony in-house (as we always have) and they will pre-position themselves as the high-tech native consoles for experiences within that eco-system. I would expect a lot of their attention will be on handheld and competing there as well. However, I do not see Xbox being completely out of the picture because they have an important part to play.

In terms of software, Sony is going to move to make content paramount to it’s vision and we’re going to see more games within PS Studios that improve with what has come before in many ways. Expanding on the depth of games and the core mechanics of their games by giving you more choice and competing with Microsoft inline with that. Because ultimately, Xbox is going to offer something that will meet people’s expectations of a new generation of Xbox. It’s just going to be presented in a different way.

Will Sony have to be more competitive with pricing on its own store next generation? I think what Microsoft is doing has actually changed the game a little bit there. We have to keep in mind that Sony is the only company that hasn’t raised its prices of games like Microsoft and Nintendo has. It does give them a little wiggle room but for how long?

In terms of console prices. Look, I think with the PS5 Pro that set a new standard for consoles in terms of pricing. We’re very much reaching PC levels now and the capabilities there with all the added conveniences that allow you to play in a simplified way. Next generation isn’t going to be cheap and if we’re going off the ROG Ally’s and the Xbox price leaks. It does extend to their third-party hardware as well. However, we’re entering a new generation where the old rule book of a console generation has been thrown out the window, it really has.

Microsoft will likely get a year head start with the new Xbox. In a way, that helps Sony. The fact they’ve just released the PS5 Pro, gives them ample time to respond to the changes in the industry. That’s a positive, not only for pricing, but assessing and changing how they act in accordance with how these third-party stores on Xbox act on pricing. It could definitely force Sony’s hand and we could eventually see something positive happening for the consumer. They will also have to look within as well. More on that below.

In terms of the PS6 itself, I have said it many times before but content is going to be king. I think they really need to look at their own backwards compatibility and use that as a markup for something positive for that new generation. It would ‘win over’ a lot of people that have felt comfortable and are ‘all in with Sony’ and have been since the 90’s. I see that potentially being something they work on. Especially since Xbox has it and Nintendo has chosen to do so in their own way as well. I don’t see a reality where Sony doesn’t make that work somehow. It would be indefensible.

I see AI being a big thing in the next generation as well. Allowing games to be developed a lot quicker. I think Sony will keep their strong partnerships with eastern devs. I think they expand on that actually. Anime will be more prevalent. As will, them doing a lot more AA games. We already know that a lot of PS Studios have scaled down and are saving Sony a lot of money in production costs. There is certainly a trend in the industry that is indicating this is where it goes next.

To summarise, what goes on within the gaming industry will have a ripple effect. It doesn’t matter what platform you play on. I think heading into the next generation. The changes of Xbox moving away from the traditional console is something that will give food for thought elsewhere.

Especially, if some of the pro-consumer ambitions that Xbox fans have been lobbying for actually comes to fruition. Essentially, it’s going to be a transformative generation on many accounts. Nothing of which we’ve ever witnessed where we finally are able to get the framerates and ray-tracing and the resolutions we want.

But also, in the same regard, where we’re finally able to have more control as a consumer of how we choose to get a sense of our own value back through software. The hardware though? That’s going to hit your wallet hard. The only thing we have is competition, but at the same time, when you’ve reached PC levels of potential in these boxes.

It’s absolutely certain we’re all going to be paying top dollar for the privilege. That’s why as I stated before, it’s going to be so unconventional and nothing like we’ve witnessed. A big change to the narratives that have come before. A lot of people were complaining about Nintendo Switch 2 hardware costs. I don’t think they’ve seen anything yet.