How much is a PlayStation worth to you?

Sony might be raising their console prices again. So that begs the question. How much is a PlayStation worth to you? I asked the same question last year. These are costs going up across all platforms mostly. It comes to a point where it becomes an issue for those that haven’t upgraded yet. They might as well now just wait until the next generation of consoles.

When I asked myself that same question last year, I looked at what the competition was offering. Not only that, I assessed how much PlayStation was offering me at that moment in time after years of support of the platform. I want PlayStation to get back to their best, and in principle I would support that.

However, the narrative is now against Sony. Less first-party games being made. Franchises that are on a hiatus pretty much indefinitely right now. Then you have the Sony Studio closures. Of course, this is happening across the industry but with the pattern at play, in terms of less and less output. It is of concern for anybody who truly appreciates PlayStation.

I’m not saying Project Helix will have all the answers for most players. However, with the increased amount of time being invested within the PC eco-system there is every chance some may start looking at their options. Like I did last year. Now obviously the situation with a PC and its components is the same. Expensive. At the same time though, if Microsoft can offer Project Helix at a sensible price in the context of everything, and if they happen to do that within these market conditions. You’re looking at a device that could be sold and be more popular.

That’s when Project Helix starts to become an even more attractive proposition for those who are looking at ‘traditional console’ PlayStation – just not with the same level of enthusiasm as before. You see, if it’s a closed eco-system and that continues ‘as is’. You know personally that Sony isn’t providing the goods as much in terms of first-party output. That’s when you get an opportunity. These market conditions just happen to be making Project Helix more favourable even if it comes at a big cost at first.

If you look at the software, the value of Game Pass which is being continued and with the return of key Xbox franchises with a ‘best played on Xbox mentality‘. It looks a bit more promising for Microsoft’s next generation console on all fronts.