In the PlayStation 5 generation, Sony Computer Entertainment's software output hasn't been as impressive as it was in the previous console generation. Due to SIE’s aggressive live service push, the Japanese publisher released several games - such as the ill-fated Concord from Firewalk Studios and the recent Marathon extraction shooter from Bungie - that did not meet players' expectations. Despite this, President Hideaki Nishino confirmed they will continue to pursue live-service games, even as he heavily hints at a PlayStation 6 handheld designed to meet the changing playstyles of gamers worldwide.
"We believe that live service games are content that attracts users on a global level, so we want to continue to revitalize the market through both first-party and third-party content," Hideaki Nishino said in a new interview with Famitsu celebrating the magazine's 40th anniversary. "We are not only focusing on promoting new releases, but also considering what we can do with older titles in the medium to long term. Also, this year we are planning to release our own live service title, MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls, and we hope everyone will enjoy it."
Asked if PlayStation will continue to pursue live service games, Nishino-san left no doubt on the matter. "With live service games, it's important to continuously provide something. The genre itself is relatively new, and I think many people are trying various things, so we also want to continue to take on challenges within that context."
As live-service games need as many players as possible to thrive, PlayStation will continue to consider a PlayStation 5 and PC multiplatform release, while single-player, story-driven games will remain console-exclusive at launch, according to Nishino-san. This is the first time the matter has been clearly addressed by a PlayStation executive.
"Originally, platform selection is determined based on the characteristics of each title. If releasing on PC can maximize the gaming experience of a title, we will continue to consider it," Nishino-san said. "Our main policy at the moment is that for single-player games developed as a first party, we will further refine the value of the gaming experience that we can provide on PlayStation, while for live service games, we believe it is also important to have more people play through online multiplayer, so we are considering PS5 and PC as the basic platforms for release."
As for what else the future holds for PlayStation, the SIE President did not say much. However, he did comment on how times are changing. "It's natural for people's lifestyles to change, and within that context, I think the meaning of games as a form of entertainment, and the time spent playing games, will also change. The important thing is how we respond to these newly emerging needs," Nishino-san said. "In the future, I think we can create something interesting by utilizing technologies that can be used in various forms and locations to develop new game console experiences."
"PlayStation is strongly associated with playing on a living room TV, but we plan to release monitors and speakers so that it can be played comfortably in other locations as well. The PlayStation Portal was developed as part of this effort," Nishino-san elaborated. "We want to continue thinking and challenging ourselves to provide game experiences that suit increasingly diverse lifestyles."
Although it wasn't said outright, the mere mention of the PlayStation Portal, which proved surprisingly successful, strongly suggests that the company is working on other portable gaming solutions, such as the rumored PlayStation 6 handheld. With the massive price spikes of components imposing higher costs on consumer products, it will be interesting to see how PlayStation will tackle the challenges the next generation of gaming systems will face.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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